Movie Review: Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame
Rated: PG-13
Released: April 26, 2019
Runtime: 181 min
Directors: Anthony Russo | Joe Russo
Writers: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely, Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Jim Starlin
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chadwick Boseman, Brie Larson, Tom Holland, Karen Gillan, Zoe Saldana, Evangeline Lilly, Tessa Thompson, Rene Russo, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Tom Hiddleston, Danai Guria, and many more.

The grave course of events set in motion by Thanos that wiped out half the universe and fractured the Avengers ranks compels the remaining Avengers to take one final stand in Marvel Studios' grand conclusion to twenty-two films, Avengers: Endgame.

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ALERT: SPOILERS (Do not continue if you haven't seen the film).

No one really thought of the “end” when we first saw Iron Man back in 2008. We all just began the journey and not once thought, eventually this ride will have to come to its end. Cue 11 years later (and 21 movies later), and we finally reached that pivotal point. None of us wanted it of course, many were in denial, but here it is. Maybe if I pinch myself, it will all just be a Dream in my head.

Avengers Endgame, I knew this film would destroy me but also give me peace. I hope it did the same for everyone else. I didn't have a clue as to how they would reach the endgame, or how will everyone come back. I devoted hours and hours to YouTube, watching different channels explain their theories. Nothing gave me peace of mind, everyone as some point would state that so and so would be done and gone forever. Meanwhile, I'm thinking how are we the fans going to survive this?

I was chatting with a friend about the film after we both saw it for the first time and this is one comment we both agreed upon:
“I can honestly say it was the most satisfying ending to a saga that I’ve ever experienced.”

It truly was! Everyone involved in the making of the film, I say “Thank You!” 

My choices of memorable (jaw dropping) moments in the film (good and sad): 

The girl power scene with all the female characters when Captain Marvel is about to take the Gauntlet with the infinity stones from Spider-man and he questions, how she plans to do it without getting caught. That's when you hear "She's not alone" from Valkyrie, Scarlet Witch, Okoye, Mantis, Shuri, Hope Van Dyne, Gamora, Nebula and my favorite Pepper Potts (in full gear). This was AMAZING! It deserved the cheers and applause it received when the scene played out on the screen. So much GIRL POWER, and its about time Marvel highlights the Women of the MCU universe. Now when do they get their own film?

Another scene that was full of awesome, was when Captain America holds Thor's original Mjolnir (Hammer). We know Cap has been worthy but to see this happen, again another round of cheers and applause from the movie goers. This just shows, you don't have to be a god or from outer space to be a Hero. Captain America's heroism speaks for itself. Cap also has some other notable moments, like passing on the shield to Sam and showing us the true meaning of friendship. We also can't forget Cap got his HEA (Happy Ever After) when he is able to return to the past and live out life with Peggy. The "how" he did it, is still questionable, but we just need to know for now, that he got his HEA. 

Thor, oh Thor. No one expecting the Thor we got in Endgame. The Dad body was something alright. I was like "How is he going to fit into his suit?" The dad body wasn't really what stood out for me, it was when Thor and his mother Frigga, got their moment when he travelled back in time. Thor has pretty much lost everyone including his world, so for him to get that touching moment with Frigga, it brought happen tears. I think he really needed (maybe we all did). 

Iron Man is next up, and as far as memorable scenes for him, he had more than one (which he deserved). To be honest, Iron Man/Tony Stark as a whole is the most memorable character throughout the whole film. We started with Iron Man, we end with Iron Man. From the first scene when he records a message to Pepper, this begins the heartbreak that we know is coming. Then we are rewarded with his daughter,  that we at least know, Tony was able to start a life with Pepper and have a daughter and got a good solid 5 years with her and cue "Love you 3000". We can just stop telling our loved one "we love you to the moon and back now" and go ahead and replace that with "I love you 3000".  

Then, we get our Iron Man back to take on Thanos again and again. But the one that broke us, the one I knew was going to be our hearts endgame, was when Iron Man (Tony) has fought his last battle by wielding the gauntlet, which brings Pepper to tell  Tony "We're going to be okay. You can rest now." Cue the monsoon of tears that began flowing on to my Captain Marvel shirt. At this point, my eyes are so full of water, I can't see the screen. This will be the hardest memory in the MCU to ever forget. As a fan of Iron Man since 2008, I know that I wasn't ready to let Iron Man go, but in reality, the real life Robert Downey Jr. was not a spring chicken anymore, and it was his time. Do I want Iron Man to continue in the form of another character stepping up and becoming Iron Man, I would be ok with it. It just won't be the same. What Robert Downey Jr. Did with Iron Man, was priceless, he was born to play that role. And one more Tony Stark moment to mention was him getting to see this dad and have his moment with him, Tony deserved that rewarding moment. 

This is where I stop as far as scenes that are memorable. I wrote good and sad, but I'm not about to write about the devastating ones. Those you will just have to handle on your own. I want to pretend certain scenes did not happen and it was just a dream. There are still questions unanswered and after watching Endgame, new questions have arisen. So again, I will pretend that certain characters are just taking a "break". So until the next installment in the MCU, we will once again watch all the YouTube videos with all theories after Endgame, and come up with our own ideas to tie us over. 

So that's it, that all she wrote folks. I normally don't include spoilers but you just cant talk about this film without sharing what impact us so much. I have seen Avengers: Endgame twice by the time I posted this and once it comes out on digital and Blu-ray, I plan to binge on the film until I know it by heart. 

Once Upon Deadpool Arrives January 15th! - #OnceUponaDeadpool

A FAIRYTALE TWIST ON DEADPOOL 2 THE WHOLE SQUAD CAN ENJOY ARRIVES ON DIGITAL WITH MOVIES ANYWHERE AND BLU-RAY™ JANUARY 15

LOS ANGELES, CA -- From the studio that brought you Anastasia and Ever After comes a fairy tale that doesn’t go by the book. Everyone’s favorite disreputable Super Hero returns with a twist on Deadpool 2 that the whole gang can enjoy.  Watch Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) as he teams up with Domino (Zazie Beet), Cable (Josh Brolin) and the rest of the X-Force to prove that family is not an F-word. With over 20 minutes of new footage and jam-packed with surprises, you’ll wonder why the fudge they even bothered with the original version. Not only does Once Upon a Deadpool help you deliver on that pesky New Year’s Resolution to spend more time with your family, you can also feel all warm and fuzzy about the fact that Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will be donating $1 from every Blu-ray™ Purchase or Digital Buy or Rent from January 1 to January 28, 2019 to Fudge Cancer (US only. Minimum donation of $100,000). Fox also donated $1 for each ticket purchased during the film’s festive theatrical release. Once Upon a Deadpool will be available on Digital with Movies Anywhere, as well as on Blu-ray™ January 15.  ONCE UPON A DEADPOOL TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS Once Upon a Deadpool Blu-ray™ Specifications Street Date:                 January 15, 2019 Screen Format:           Widescreen 2.39:1 Audio:                          English DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 Subtitles:                     English SDH, Spanish Total Run Time:           1:57:41 minutes U.S. Rating:                 PG-13  ABOUT TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, LLC (TCFHE) is a recognized global industry leader and a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox Film. TCFHE is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming, acquisitions and original productions as well as all third-party distribution partners on DVD, Blu-ray™, 4K Ultra HD™, Digital and VOD (video-on-demand). Each year TCFHE introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets and digital stores throughout the world. ABOUT MOVIES ANYWHERE Movies Anywhere simplifies and enhances the digital movie collection and viewing experience by allowing consumers to access their favorite digital movies in one place when purchased or redeemed through participating digital retailers.  Movies Anywhere brings together the movies from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox Film, The Walt Disney Studios (including Disney, Pixar, Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm), Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. Participating digital retailers at launch are Amazon Video, Google Play, iTunes and Vudu. Movies Anywhere offers a library of over 7,300 digital movies at launch, including new releases, and will continue to expand the consumer experience as more content providers, digital retailers and platforms are added. Using the free Movies Anywhere app and website, consumers can connect their Movies Anywhere account with participating digital retailers and enjoy their favorite digital movies from the comfort of their living room and across multiple devices and platforms, including Amazon Fire devices; Android devices and Android TV; Apple TV; Chromecast; iPhone, iPad and iPod touch; Roku® devices and popular browsers. Consumers can also redeem digital codes found in eligible Blu-ray and DVD disc packages from participating studios and enjoy them through Movies Anywhere. Movies Anywhere is available to residents of the United States, its territories, and certain associated states. For more information, visit www.moviesanywhere.com.

Movie Review: Once Upon a Deadpool - #OnceUponaDeadpool

ONCE UPON A DEADPOOL
Release: December 12, 2018
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Julian Dennison, Zazie Beetz, T.J. Miller, Brianna Hildebrand, Jack Kesy, Fred Savage

ONCE UPON A DEADPOOL opens in theaters for a limited engagement this holiday season from December 12 through December 24, 2018! 


ONCE UPON A DEADPOOL Official Channels
Website: www.Deadpool.com
Facebook: www.faceboook.com/DeadpoolMovie
Twitter: www.twitter.com/DeadpoolMovie
Instagram: www.instagram.com/DeadpoolMovie
#OnceUponADeadpool

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DAMAGE CONTROL

Yay! It’s the holiday season! Not only does that mean you’re going to spend more money and eat more food, but you’re going to have more time on your hands…and I’m ALL down for that. 

…, but let’s face it. There’s a high chance you’ll need to burn some hours somewhere down the line. So, what should you do with those hours? Well, if you’ve cleared your calendar, don’t like violence/ bad language, enjoyed The Princess Bride, are near a theatre with matinee pricing, happen to be providing care for tweens who love Marvel and/or haven’t seen Deadpool  2, check out Once Upon a Deadpool. 

If you don’t have that perfect storm, or have already seen Deadpool 2 and don’t need to watch a censored version, you might want to save your time or your reaction of the movie might be a little more “Merc with a Mouth” than the man himself. Despite additional scenes and great performances, the new edit creates a loss of foundation for the character, plot and movie. 

In case you haven’t heard of Once Upon a Deadpool, let’s take you back to Deadpool 2.  Released in mid-May 2018, and directed by David Leitch, Deadpool 2 starred Ryan Reynolds as mercenary Wade Wilson (Deadpool). On the anniversary to his girlfriend Vanessa, tragedy hits as Vanesa is killed. Filled with guilt, Deadpool attempts suicide, but is taken in by the X-Men. Deadpool regains confidence and begins training to become one of them. On an early mission, they intervene a standoff between the police and a new mutant, Russell Collins, at a mutant orphanage. During mediation, Deadpool realizes Russell’s stand-off is actually a call-out regarding abuse at the orphanage. He creates a diversion, which causes them to both be arrested and de-powered. This creates a friendship between the two, which is soon tested. Simultaneously, a solider from the future named Cable (played by Josh Brolin) comes to the present time with intentions of stopping certain future events from happening. Throughout the remainder of the film, we learn more about why Cable needs to stop these events, Deadpool’s search for finding peace, the formation of X-Force (featuring Zazie Beats as Domino) and Russell’s struggles. Oh, and there’s LOTS of violence. LOTS of it. Throw in that, raunchy jokes, loads of cussing and $735.2 million dollars in its’ initial run and you have Deadpool 2. It gained mostly positive reviews from the audience. 

Considering not everyone can see an R-rated movie from the Deadpool fan base… and holiday time (Good move, Marvel!), the movie has been re-released as the PG-13 movie Once Upon a Deadpool. The story is now told as a bedtime tale and features Fred Savage in a homage to The Princess Bridge. 

The biggest draws of Once Upon a Deadpool are the writing, music and stellar performances. The jokes and new scenes are funny and fresh. With Deadpool, you’re always going to get wise-cracking, non-appropriate, ill-timed and silly commentary. This is why people love Deadpool. I’m glad to see the transition of the character from the comic book to the big screen. The timing of the lines where great. When it needed to be funny, it was funny. When it needed to be serious, it was serious. When it needed to break the ice, it did. The writing kept the movie going in the right direction. What makes the writing even better are the performances. Ryan Reynolds did another great job as Ryan Reynolds. He’s in the “Will Smith” zone of typecasting. If he’s featured in the movie, you know what you’re going to get. You’re going to get sarcastic comedy. Ryan does what he does and he does it well. The rest of the cast holds their own. Josh Brolin (pulling double duty this year as he was also Thanos in Avengers Infinity War) shows his serious militant side as Cable. In the comics, Cable is rugged and determined. Brolin does a great job in playing the role. I hope we see him in the future. Speaking of who else I want to see in the future, I loved seeing Zazie Beats as Domino. Her laid-back and carefree energy was a beautiful balance to Deadpool’s silliness and Cable’s laser-focus. Her mutant power of “luck” was brought to the screen. I loved watching her bring Domino to life and hope she continues to play this character in the future. Big props to Fred Savage, too. He’s hilarious in this movie! I won’t spoil it! And of course, there’s the music. I won’t spoil that either, but this music is DOPE! If you’re a fan of music from the last 30 years, you won’t be disappointed. I will admit to immediately finding the soundtrack and blasting it for days. The music is used right when it needs to be used. Nothing too much. It helps bring the energy back, it hits the movie lines and toward the end, it might even make you shed a tear. 

The most evident drawback of Once Upon a Deadpool is that the edits remove what makes the Deadpool an interesting character. Hear me out on this one. I am definitely not saying that I promote violence and bad language in what should be seen by anyone of all ages, but Deadpool is based on being a mercenary with a mouth. The dude has “Dead” in his name. When you go see or read Deadpool, you KNOW what you want to see. You KNOW what you’re about to get into. The movie had a red band trailer. The PG-13 edit removes most of the violence, a few fight scenes, lots of dialogue and some character development.  Once again, I’m not saying this needs to be in every move, but with Deadpool, that’s his foundation. You’re going to still see the character you wanted, but he looks very reserved. The edits remove all of the uncomfortable anxiety that Deadpool lives by. You don’t get to see how he is displacing his energy through excessive violence. You don’t get to hear all the crazy inner thoughts or how he truly lives. As an adaptation from the comic, the movie doesn’t hold its own in a PG-13 format even with the performances, music and writing. It needs to remain in an R-rated format to keep the right “feel” for Deadpool. The movie does push the PG-13 boundaries through some evident jokes and using the words they CAN use. With the edits, it really impacts the pacing of the first half of the movie. You lose learning the “why” behind the actions of Deadpool. He’s introduced walking into a facility about to bring his justice to a lot of people. Within seconds, he’s in girlfriend’s apartment and she is killed. The emotion and balance is off-set. When Deadpool and Russell’s friendship is tested, you don’t know why or really understand why it’s so emotional. You don’t understand or see the tension between Cable, Russell and Deadpool. It just all gets thrown in.  It just all seems too rushed. It’s hard to understand the story being told. The last half of the movie is pretty much fight scenes and funnies, so it’s a lot better by then, but the first half was confusion and didn’t create any foundation to WHY I needed to care about what was going on. It was very disjointed with the edits in the first hour of the film. To bridge the running time, there’s even some new scenes added. While those are funny, they also seem disjointed to the plot and are obvious cut scenes or something to just fill the time. The exception is anything with Fred Savage. That guy needs to be in any future Deadpool movie. 

For me, personally, I’d give Once Upon a Deadpool a B- rating. It was entertaining, but the pacing was just so misplaced in the first two acts. Would I watch it again? Yes. The homage to The Princess Bride was hilarious. There’s also a beautiful tribute at the very end (Stay PAST the credits, people) that will tug the stings of your heart. I’d probably get a good seat and during the first half go get my concessions. The last half is very good. Would I pay full price or cancel dinner with friends for it? No. I’d go “matinee” because the edits didn’t do justice to the Deadpool story or character. 

If you want the real, unhinged Wade Wilson, see Deadpool 2. That being said, if you are someone who doesn’t like violence, foul language or you want to introduce some tweens to Deadpool, check it Once Upon a Deadpool as a great transition. I’m glad that Marvel did provide a way for everyone to enjoy this story in the way they’d like to. I’m just happy we get more comic book movies. Make mine Marvel!

Alright, till next flick! 

Movie Review: Bohemian Rhapsody - #BohemianRhapsody

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
Release: November 2nd 2018
Director: Bryan Singer
Writers: Anthony McCarten (screenplay) | Peter Morgan (story)
Cast: Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, Joseph Mazzello, Aidan Gillen, Tom Hollander, and Mike Myers
Genres: Biography | Drama | Music
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for thematic elements, suggestive material, drug content and language
Runtime: 134 min
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY Official Channels: Web | Facebook  | Twitter | Instagram
HASHTAG: #BohemianRhapsody

Bohemian Rhapsody is a foot-stomping celebration of Queen, their music and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury. Freddie defied stereotypes and shattered convention to become one of the most beloved entertainers on the planet. The film traces the meteoric rise of the band through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound. They reach unparalleled success, but in an unexpected turn Freddie, surrounded by darker influences, shuns Queen in pursuit of his solo career. Having suffered greatly without the collaboration of Queen, Freddie manages to reunite with his bandmates just in time for Live Aid. While bravely facing a recent AIDS diagnosis, Freddie leads the band in one of the greatest performances in the history of rock music. Queen cements a legacy that continues to inspire outsiders, dreamers and music lovers to this day.

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It’s not necessary to be a huge fan of Queen to enjoy this film. The film takes a broad approach in showing the audience the history of the band and how they met, the creation of a few of their most notable hits, as well as touching on some of their low points, focusing mainly on Freddie Mercury. I feel like the teaser opening scene of Mercury getting ready to take the stage for Live Aid and closing out the movie with the performance was a great way to frame the story. You are immediately greeted with energy and excitement from the get-go. The film takes you through an emotional journey of laughter, tears (I am honestly not sure if there was a dry eye in the theater at one point), and overall appreciation of what thinking outside of the box can accomplish. After all – “fortune favors the bold”!

Bohemian Rhapsody tells the story of Queen from the vantage point of the very talented, however quite lonely, lead singer Freddie Mercury. From Mercury’s days as a baggage handler at Heathrow airport, then to the coming together of Queen with Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon, through the highs and lows of his personal struggles through superstardom, then ultimately resulting in his tragic AIDS diagnosis. Focusing mainly the lead singer, much of the complete story of Queen is left out. Granted it would be difficult to cover everything in one film, but the point of the band being a collaborative unit who prided themselves on creativity and not afraid to experiment was brought to attention and great effort was made in the story line to properly showcase that.

Rami Malek put everything into this role and embodied the spirit of the legendary Freddie Mercury. His performance was flamboyant, passionate, driven, and fun to watch. Not to mention he is a dead ringer for Mercury! I hate to admit that I did not know too much about the iconic lead singer until this movie. Malek’s performance was inspiring in a way which left me with a thirst to learn more about Freddie Mercury once the film ended. Malek did not sing a single note in the movie and the sound editing was done extremely well. You really have an opportunity to appreciate the beauty of Mercury’s unique voice.

I realize I haven’t touched much on the other actors/characters of the movie, because honestly, I walked away from this movie smitten with the performance of Rami Malek and the legend of Freddie Mercury himself. I feel like the movie was well done and a fantastic film to shed light on who Freddie Mercury was for those like me who just barely missed the era of Queen in their prime. The acting was on point by everyone on screen and I felt invigorated leaving the theater. Bohemian Rhapsody is definitely worth the price of admission and a must see on the big screen!

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Bohemian Rhapsody is one for the books! This film is amazing from start to finish. The movie embodies the greatness that is Queen and was Freddie Mercury. I HIGHLY recommend for all to see on the big screen.

This is one of 2018 films I was highly anticipating. The acting by all was fantastic, but I was blown away by Rami Malek's portrayal of Freddie Mercury. I believe that if Mercury was alive today, he would be very pleased with Malek. I've been a fan of Malek for a time now, since he was part of the Egyptian coven in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2, then he role in Mr. Robot. Malek is someone that stays under the radar as far as his acting, but I think that will all change once everyone experience Malek as Mercury. You can almost call his acting on Bohemian Rhapsody iconic, just like Freddie Mercury was. Now, don't think that Malek was the only actor in the film that blew me away, the whole cast was just perfection for this film.

The film caused "Goosies" as Jennifer Lopez would say. I would catch myself bouncing to the music, laughing out loud, getting misty eyed, and excited. You name it, I experienced it throughout the film. I did not want it to end, even after 143 mins. I will say, the movie had me googling all the things about Queen and Freddie Mercury. I was not a die hard fan before the film, Queen was a bit before my time. But I do love many of their songs, but seeing this film, I grew such respect and admiration for the band. This reminds me of one scene in the film, the Mike Myers's character Ray Foster says "Mark these words: NO ONE will play Queen."

Bohemian Rhapsody will ROCK YOU from start to finish! See it on the big screen to really enjoy every second. I'm already wanting to see it again. Seriously, just stellar! 5 huge gold stars! And if you didn't know, this film has been in the "works" since 2010. It has had cast, directors and film companies drop and pick up in the last few years. Glad it was given up on, if not we wouldn't have been able to see experience the greatness that Bohemian Rhapsody is. 

Raleigh, Charlotte & Atlanta Win Movie Passes to GREEN BOOK 10/30

GREEN BOOK
(Universal Pictures)
Release Date: November 21, 2018
Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama
Rating: PG-13
Run Time: 130 minutes
Official Site: https://www.greenbookfilm.com/
Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini, Sebastian Maniscalco, Dimiter D. Marinov, P.J. Byrne
Written by: Brian Currie, Nick Vallelonga, Peter Farrelly
Directed by: Peter Farrelly

When Tony Lip (Mortensen), a bouncer from an Italian-American neighborhood in the Bronx, is hired to drive Dr. Don Shirley (Ali), a world-class Black pianist, on a concert tour from Manhattan to the Deep South, they must rely on “The Green Book” to guide them to the few establishments that were then safe for African-Americans. Confronted with racism, danger—as well as unexpected humanity and humor—they are forced to set aside differences to survive and thrive on the journey of a lifetime. Jim Burke (The Descendants), Charles B. Wessler (The Heartbreak Kid) produce alongside Farrelly’s fellow writers, Brian Currie and Nick Vallelonga, and Farrelly. The drama is executive produced by Participant’s Jeff Skoll (The Help) and Jonathan King (Lincoln), along with Octavia Spencer (Fruitvale Station) and Kwame L. Parker (Kill Bill series), as well as Cinetic Media’s John Sloss (Boyhood) and Steven Farneth. Linda Cardellini (Brokeback Mountain, The Founder) co-stars.

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Click on the link for Tuesday October 30th at 7:00pm at Regal White Oak in Raleigh, NC

Link: Raleigh NC passes

Click on the link for Tuesday October 30th at 7:00pm at Regal Perimeter Point in ATLANTA, GA

Link: Atlanta GA passes

Click on the link for Tuesday October 30th at 7:00pm at AMC Concord Mills in Charlotte, NC

Link: Charlotte NC passes

Movie Review: The Hate U give

The Hate U Give
Directed By: George Tillman, Jr.
Screenplay By: Audrey Wells | Angie Thomas (novel)
Cast: Amandla Stenberg, Regina Hall, Russell Hornsby, KJ Apa, Algee Smith, Lamar Johnson, Issa Rae, Sabrina Carpenter, with Common and Anthony Mackie
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13

Starr Carter is constantly switching between two worlds: the poor, mostly black, neighborhood where she lives and the rich, mostly white, prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Now, facing pressures from all sides of the community, Starr must find her voice and stand up for what's right. THE HATE U GIVE is based on the critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller by Angie Thomas and stars Amandla Stenberg as Starr, with Regina Hall, Russell Hornsby, Issa Rae, KJ Apa, Algee Smith, Sabrina Carpenter, Common and Anthony Mackie.

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2018 is a good year for young adult genre films. Though few and far between, this year has had great, learning experience-type films. 

One great movie that everyone should rush out to watch with their favorite young adult is The Hate U Give. Adapted from Angie Thomas' novel, by the same name, Hate tells the of youth exercising the positive power of their voice. 

Hate grabbed the audience from the get-go. The opening scene introduced the audience to a family learning about the harsh realities of racial prejudice, as it related to criminal justice.  Maverick (played by Russell Hornsby) was teaching his children how to react if they are ever apart from each other and encountered by police. Maverick, and his family are Black.

But Hate isn't Maverick's story. Hate is about Starr (played by Amandla Stenberg). Starr's teenage perspective is what connects the audience to the story. Starr lives in one part of town, but goes to high school in another part of town, on purpose. Starr and her siblings attend the private school because Starr's mom (played by Regina Hall) was hoping to spare her children from the bad elements of the family's living environment. 

The script feels real.  Starr's discussion of her two facades and the elaboration of her "school self" and her at "home self" will ring authentic to younger adults, especially as it pertains to social media. Each side of Starr's self introduced its own cast and its own setting. All of the pieces of the puzzle provided broad appeal. Nothing felt too foreign. 

The story was, at times, difficult. But the topics were real. The subjects were timely.  The angst was genuine. The frustration was deserved. 

The musical aspect and connection to Tupac was an added bonus. The rapper's philosophies tied the plot together nicely. It felt like the story was trying to convey an important message and it was willing to take different approaches to that message in order to reach a larger audience. As anyone who has ever had to convey a message to a teenager knows, creativity in message delivery is a plus. 

The movie isn't perfect. The last act of Hate went on a little too long. The point had been made, the audience had been sold, and then, there was a riot, literally. The riot came with an excess ten minutes. Felt somewhat preachy. But all other aspects of the movie were great. 

Go see The Hate U Give. Take any young adult that is willing to be seen with adults in a movie theater. Bring a crowd of teens. It's not too violent or four-lettered to bring the whole family. Hate is a great discussion starter and horizon broadener. Plus, the story is gripping. The Hate U Give is playing everywhere now.

Movie Review: Marvel Studios' Avengers: #InfinityWar

Avengers: Infinity War
Release Date: April 27 2018
Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Writers: Christopher Markus (screenplay), Stephen McFeely (screenplay), Stan Lee (Marvel comics), Jack Kirby (comics)
Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan, Tom Hiddleston, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Idris Elba, Danai Gurira, Peter Dinklage, Benedict Wong, Pom Klementieff, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Gwyneth Paltrow, Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin, Chris Pratt, Sean Gunn, William Hurt, Letitia Wright, Ross Marquand
Rating: Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action throughout, language and some crude references.
Offical Sites: Marvel | Web | Facebook | Twitter | IMDb

As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos. A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment - the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain.

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The day has finally arrived after waiting for so long for this Epic film. Avengers: Infinity War is out in the universe for everyone to see, and from the tickets sales, I believe everyone did this weekend. I know I'm ready to go see it again. I'm sure many are still processing everything, like I am. So how does one review such a film? I'm not sure, who knows what this review will become. Just know that I will stay spoiler free (I hope). What ever I do mention, happens previous to Avengers: Infinity War.

So much to talk about in this film, but very little can actually be said without giving away major spoilers. I will say, you have to make sure you see all previous films (including Black Panther) before seeing Avengers: Infinity War, if you haven't yet. So we know we left off that the Avengers had broken apart (Captain America: Civil War). Captain America and Iron Man, were not in speaking terms after their major fight. Thor was dealing with the destruction of Asgard (Thor: Ragnarok), Spider-man was sent back to just being a local hero by Tony Stark (Spider-Man: Homecoming), T'Challa goes home to Wakanda (Black Panther), Guardians are out there doing their thing, etc...

So we know that Avengers: Infinity War is set around 4 years after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 happen (Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige said). We knew Thanos was coming, but we did not anticipate how they would introduce Thanos in Infinity War. Talk about ripping the band-aid off, the opening scene is brutal and we are introduced to how evil Thanos is. And the thing is while your trying to process those first scenes, your immediately thrown into something just as gut-wrenching as the beginning. The death count begins right away and I won't sugar coat it, they continue throughout the film. They are all hard to watch but some leave you confused and angry, while others you will cry.

Thanos has begun his plan to obtain all the Infinity stones, some are located on Earth, and others in the galaxy. His goal is to wipe out half of universe with the stones. I will say that the scenes for the Soul Stone and Mind Stone were the hardest to watch compared to the other stones. The whole ordeal of obtaining the stones is just hard to process, Thanos will stop at nothing to acquire them.

This movie is so condensed with moments, places and people, so its hard to sum up in a couple of paragraphs. It's heartbreaking but has its funny moments, and I mean, laugh out loud funny. The action in Wakanda is fantastic. You experience so many emotions,  but I have to say the gut-wrenching kind happens more often than others. I really don't want to say anymore, because I feel it would spoil the movie. If you haven't been out to a theater yet, then hurry up and make it happen. Oh, make sure to stay for the after-credit scene. Its literally at the end, so you have to sit and wait.

Movie Review: The Weinstein Company's The Founder - #TheFounder

The Founder
Release Date: 1/20 Wide 
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 115 min
Official Social Media: Facebook | Twitter

Directed by John Lee Hancock (SAVING MR. BANKS), THE FOUNDER features the true story of how Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton), a struggling salesman from Illinois, met Mac and Dick McDonald, who were running a burger operation in 1950s Southern California. Kroc was impressed by the brothers' speedy system of making the food and saw franchise potential. Writer Robert Siegel (THE WRESTLER) details how Kroc maneuvered himself into a position to be able to pull the company from the brothers and create a billion-dollar empire. The film also stars Laura Dern as Ray Kroc’s first wife Ethel; John Carroll Lynch as Mac McDonald and Nick Offerman as Dick McDonald.

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Michael Keaton deserved an Academy Award, but not for his performance in this week’s The Founder.  The best performance of Keaton’s career was The Birdman.  His role in that film was nuanced, genuine, and deep with a wide-range of emotion.  Unfortunately, someone else had a better performance and won the Oscar that year.  Since then, it feels as if Keaton has been on a hunt for a movie that will get him enough attention to win an Academy Award.  The Founder isn’t that film.  Keaton’s performance as Ray Kroc, the founder of the McDonald’s conglomerate, isn’t that performance.

The movie feels as if Keaton was trying too hard.  There is no doubt that Ray Kroc was a character.  Kroc’s deeds and misdeeds have been well documented.  But, it seemed like Keaton was exaggerating most of his performance.  And Keaton’s performance is everything about this film.  Other actors are in it, of course.  And some of those actors, especially Laura Dern (as Kroc’s wife Ethel Kroc) give compelling performances, but the title character is Keaton.  So, every time that Keaton’s acting was larger than “larger than life,” I was less convinced about his performance.  And it happened a lot.

My fave performances came from Nick Offerman (as Dick McDonald) and John Carroll Lynch (as Mac McDonald).  I think both of them stole most of the scenes they were in.  They played great off of each other and Keaton.  They also provided much appreciated comic relief.

McDonald’s is an entertaining and interesting facet of Americana.  We all know McDonald’s.  It’s everywhere. I can literally see a franchise out of my office window.  So, it is interesting to see some of the making of the burger giant in this film.  But this isn’t really a story about the chain of restaurants.  It isn’t called “McDonald’s,” it’s called The Founder. Anyone looking to get some real insight into the restaurants will be disappointed.

I also would have liked to see a deeper story about Kroc.  The writing felt somewhat superficial. There was a lot of scratching of surfaces into the persona of Kroc, but nothing delved too deep.  I was missing a complicating factor, something to give the story some excitement.  All I got was a very linear story about one man’s domination of his business.  The events seemed too easy, too safe.

As far as biopics go, this is a good one.  It isn’t great.  It would play fine at home as I didn’t feel any advantages to sitting in a theater for this one.  No great cinematography.  No wonderful score or soundtrack.  Probably no awards consideration for The Founder.  It is just an interesting story.  If you’re up for an interesting story, a slice of Americana,The Founder is playing everywhere starting today. 

Movie Review: 20th Century Fox's Assassin's Creed - #AssassinsCreedMovie

ASSASSIN'S CREED
Action-Adventure
Release: December 21, 2016
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Director: Justin Kurzel
Screenplay by: Michael Lesslie & Adam Cooper & Bill Collage (Credits not final), Based on the "ASSASSIN'S CREED" Game Series
Producers: Jean-Julien Baronnet, Gérard Guillemot, Frank Marshall, p.g.a., Patrick Crowley, Michael Fassbender, p.g.a, Conor McCaughan, Arnon Milchan
Cast: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, Charlotte Rampling, Michael K. Willaims, Khalid Abdalla
Runtime is 115 mins
ASSASSIN'S CREED Official Channels: SITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE
#AssassinsCreedMovie

Through a revolutionary technology that unlocks his genetic memories, Callum Lynch (Michael Fassbender) experiences the adventures of his ancestor, Aguilar, in 15th Century Spain. Callum discovers he is descended from a mysterious secret society, the Assassins, and amasses incredible knowledge and skills to take on the oppressive and powerful Templar organization in the present day.

ASSASSIN'S CREED stars Academy Award® nominee Michael Fassbender (X-Men: Days of Future Past, 12 Years a Slave) and Academy Award winner Marion Cotillard (The Dark Knight Rises, La Vie en Rose). The film is directed by Justin Kurzel (Snowtown, Macbeth); produced by New Regency, Ubisoft Motion Pictures, DMC Films and Kennedy/Marshall; co-financed by RatPac Entertainment and Alpha Pictures; and distributed by 20th Century Fox . ASSASSIN'S CREED opens in theaters worldwide on December 21st, 2016.

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As in the much beloved video game, historical fiction meets science fiction when a descendant of a secret medieval society called the Assassins, uses revolutionary technology to access genetic memories and live out his ancestors' adventures. In this case, former criminal Callum “Cal” Lynch (Michael Fassbender) is recruited to unlock the memories of an Assassin during the Spanish Inquisition so the society can gain the necessary skills to take down their enemies, the Templar Order, who bears a great similarity to the Illuminati.

Walking into a video game movie, I understand that I am not looking for strong substance in the film, but rather usually a passable action-adventure fantasy that plays off of my interest in the characters from the game. Although I will say their method of trying to tie together the time period from the 1400’s to the present day was intensely creative, it simply produced too many holes in what could have been a decent story line. The story was forced to spend too much time explaining what they were doing rather than developing some (seemingly) pretty cool characters. It was more focused on The Apple of Eden rather than really showcasing the Assassins, which I feel was a mistake. 

Cinematographer Adam Arkapaw deserves a special nod for his work on this film, visually it is stunning. I really enjoyed the intense combat scenes and the fighting choreography. It more than made up for difficult to follow story line. Beautiful Greek actress Ariane Labed played Maria, Cal’s Assassin partner, and was well suited for her part. While she didn’t do a lot of speaking, I would have liked to see more of her story in the film. Known for her physical acting, she was fantastic during the action sequences and definitely caught your attention.

I cannot say it was a great movie, but I had fun watching it and would be willing to see the next installment should they decide to move forward with the story.

Movie Review: The Weinstein Company's Lion - #LIONmovie

LION
Starring: Dev Patel, Rooney Mara, Nicole Kidman, David Wenham
Directed By: Garth Davis
Written By: Luke Davies, based on the true story 'A Long Way Home' by Saroo Brierley
Produced By: Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Angie Fielder
Official Media: Website | Facebook
Hashtag: #LionMovie

Five year old Saroo gets lost on a train which takes him thousands of miles across India, away from home and family. Saroo must learn to survive alone in Kolkata, before ultimately being adopted by an Australian couple. Twenty five years later, armed with only a handful of memories, his unwavering determination, and a revolutionary technology known as Google Earth, he sets out to find his lost family and finally return to his first home.

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2016 has been a one of a kind year. There is so much going on in global, national and local venues, that I am very ready for this year to end. The movie offerings of the year we a mixed bag. I know that there must have been good movies, but the bad ones are easier to remember. And just when I thought I had seen the last good movie of 2016, I strolled into a local museum to catch Lion, a true story of self-discovery on a universal scale. Lion blew me away!

It is one of the best films I have seen all year. Probably, it qualifies as one of the best movies I have ever seen. It is a story young man looking for his place in the world, literally and figuratively. Very relatable. The film is roller coaster of emotion. Bring tissues.

The cast of Lion is top notch. Nicole Kidman (as Sue), David Wenham (as John) and Rooney Mara (as Lucy) all have strong supporting performances with Kidman giving an award quality portrayal of Saroo's mom. But, this film isn't about the people in Saroo's life, it's about Saroo. I cannot say enough good things to do justice to Little Saroo as played by Sunny Pawar. That kid captivated me from the first scene of the film and, again, in every scene he was in. Pawar's portrayal tugs at the heartstrings. He is charming and vulnerable. It's the kind of performance that makes one want to call their parents after the movie. And, then Little Saroo grows up, and one might think that the emotion of the film is over, but that is when Dev Patel picks up the Saroo baton to continue the story with real and complex human emotion. Patel gives a raw and gut-wrenching performance. Anyone who has questioned their place in the world is sure to relate. Saroo's story was so moving that I tried not to blink, for fear I would miss some of the nuances, or scenes of the movie.

The scenes or better said, the scenery, deserves its own discussion. I loved the technical work of the film. The broad, sweeping shots in India served not only to identify the complexity of the Saroo's predicament, they also highlighted the beauty in a part of the world with which I am not personally familiar. Australia also, was shot beautifully.

The music of the film brought all of the components of the movie together wonderfully. Without being loud or obtrusive, it helped to give additional depth to the quiet moments.

Lion is as powerful and majestic as the title leads you to believe. And, as if that weren't enough, it is based on a true story. It is a must-see. It is the kind of film that makes me love watching movies. It is sure to strike a chord with even the harshest of cynics. You may have to venture to an art house theater to catch it, but it is worth a trip. Lion opens on Christmas Day.

Movie Review: 20th Century Fox's Keeping Up with the Joneses - #JonesesMovie

Keeping Up with the Joneses
Comedy
Release: October 21, 2016
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Director: Greg Mottola
Written by: Michael LeSieur
Producers: Laurie Macdonald, Walter F. Parkes
Cast: Zach Galifianakis, Jon Hamm, Isla Fisher, Gal Gadot
KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES Official Channels:
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HASHTAG: #JonesesMovie

An ordinary suburban couple (Zach Galifianakis, Isla Fisher) finds it’s not easy keeping up with the Joneses (Jon Hamm, Gal Gadot) – their impossibly gorgeous and ultra-sophisticated new neighbors – especially when they discover that Mr. and Mrs. “Jones” are covert operatives.

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It isn’t every day that Don Draper (Jon Hamm) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) star in a movie together.  It is more rare that either would star in a physical comedy movie.  Throw-in Zach Galifianakis and Isla Fisher, a funny plot and bucket of popcorn and Keeping Up with the Joneses makes for a fun movie night out. Or does it? I went back and forward with this film.

The premise sounds funny.  Two busy-body suburbanites inadvertently discover their new neighbors are covert spies.  Hilarity ensues.   But it didn’t.  I wasn’t hysterically laughing throughout the film.  I expected more.  Zach Galifianakis is usually a funny physical comedian.  He wasn’t very physical in this one.   He was more of a touchy feely character, and it bored me.  Isla Fisher tried almost too hard to do the physical bits, and they still weren’t funny.  I liked Jon Hamm and Gal Gadot in their roles, but they weren’t supposed to be the funny ones.  So, they weren’t funny.  Don’t get me wrong.  There were a few times when the audience laughed.  It was not as many times as I would expect, given the plot.  

The action was fun and outlandish.  There is chase scene which is five kinds of impossible, but fun.  I always get a big kick out of spy gadgets in movies.  Like the comedy, I wish there had been more of them in Keeping Up with the Jones.

At the end of the film, I felt as if the whole thing fell short of the expectations I had.  The trailers looked hilarious.  Unfortunately, the funniest sketches in the movies are all in the trailers. The writing wasn't great.  The plot played unevenly and  I’m not sure that these four actors belonged in a move together. 

It wasn’t necessarily a bad movie, just a cute  and sort of “meh.” But I don’t think everyone needs to rush-out to see it in the theaters.  I feel like this one would have played better if I was in my living room with my Snuggy and a bowl of (inexpensive) popcorn.  If you’re still up for Keeping Up with the Joneses, you can find it in theaters Friday.

Movie Review: Relativity Studios' Masterminds

MASTERMINDS
OPENING DATE: Friday, September 30
RATING: PG-13
Director: Jared Hess
Writers: Emily Spivey and Jody Hill & Danny R. McBride and Chris Bowman & Hubbel Palmer
Cast: Zach Galifianakis, Owen Wilson, Kristen Wiig, and Jason Sudeikis
Producers: Lorne Michaels, John Goldwyn
Co-Producers: Kenneth Halsband, D. Scott Lumpkin
Exec. Producers: Ryan Kavanaugh, Tucker Tooley, Kevin Messick, Jody Hill, Danny R. McBride, Erin David, Ron Burkle, Jason Colbeck, Andrew Panay

In this action comedy inspired by true events, directed by Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite;Nacho Libre), David Ghantt (Zach Galifianakis) discovers the true meaning of adventure far beyond his wildest dreams. He is an uncomplicated man stuck in a monotonous life. Day in and day out he drives an armored vehicle, transporting millions of other people’s money with no escape in sight. The only glimmer of excitement is his flirtatious work crush Kelly Campbell (Kristen Wiig) who soon lures him into the scheme of a lifetime.

Along with a group of half-brained criminals led by Steve Chambers (Owen Wilson) and an absurdly faulted heist plan, David manages the impossible and makes off with $17 million in cash…only problem is he foolishly hands the money over to this wild group of double crossers and has been set up to take the fall. With the bandits blowing the millions on lavish and ridiculous luxuries, they leave behind a glaring trail of evidence. Now on the lam and in over his head, David must dodge the authorities, evade a hilarious hit man, Mike McKinney (Jason Sudeikis), and try to turn the tables on the ones he trusted most.

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Masterminds delivers as a laugh-out loud comedy that is just simple fun from beginning to end. Set in the late 90’s and based on a true story, David Ghantt is an uncomplicated armored vehicle driver who is stuck in a rut with his daily routine at work. Lured into participating in a robbery by a flirtatious co-worker proves to be the heist of a lifetime. Later being double crossed, David has to not only evade the authorities and dodge a hitman, but try and bring the master-mind behind the plan down in hopes of getting himself off the hook.

I want to foremost say that the entire cast did an extraordinary job in this movie! Zach Galifianakis gave a hilarious performance as David Ghnatt. Galifianakis delivers making his character lovable and quickly has you cheering for him as he tries to outwit the group of half-brained criminals that are working against him led by Steve Chambers, played by Owen Wilson. Kate McKinnon is quickly becoming one of my favorites to watch on screen and did a great job as Jandice, David’s fiancé.

The on screen chemistry was excellent and the movie flowed really well making it an entertaining experience all around. When you pull together a ban of comedic actors such as Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig, Jason Sudeikis, Leslie Jones, Owen Wilson, and of course Zach Galifianakis, you can expect a good time and that is exactly what Masterminds gives its audience.