Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton
Week of October 23, 2017
An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth To Power
Rated PG for thematic elements and some troubling images
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 78%
On DVD and Blu-ray
A decade has passed since the predictions of the Oscar-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth, and here Al Gore attempts to explain not only how many of the prophecies have come true, but also to set up another warning that it will get worse if global action on climate change isn’t enacted immediately. What I like about Gore’s message to laymen and world leaders is that it is not condescending. I can appreciate that, although condescension is called for in my opinion. Yes he is a bit of a showman, but it is hard to doubt that his heart is in the right place and that he is genuinely passionate about his life’s cause. I find it sad that he is mostly preaching to the choir as much of the congregation likes to ignore science in order to opt in to a belief system set up by those wishing to destroy our planet for short-term gain, but you get the sense that justice will eventually be served if fighting for the right cause long enough. Overall, its another powerful message from one of the worlds great leaders, and if you watch and listen with an open mind, you can’t help but be stirred. A-
War for the Planet of the Apes
Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, thematic elements, and some disturbing images
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
On DVD and Blu-ray
For the third film in the reboot trilogy, the army of apes finds themselves in a war against a crazy military leader (played but Woody Harrelson) who wants nothing more than to use the apes as slave labor before ridding the planet of them. When his family is killed and much of his clan taken prisoner, Caesar takes a small band of allies to the camp in an attempt to rescue them. Who would have thought that such a cheesy sixties movie could spawn such thought-provoking and relevant cinema like this. This third movie is a remarkable ending to Caesar’s legacy and once again director Matt Reeves delivers a riveting epic adventure. A
Spider-Man Homecoming
Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, some language and brief suggestive comments
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%
On DVD and Blu-ray
Yes this is the third Spider-man refresh in a relatively short period of time and I know most of you are wondering why do we need another one? The answer is simple: Disney had to get involved with Sony in order to add Spidey to the Avengers, so a stand-alone film was, in their opinion, necessary. That being said, its not a bad movie. Tom Holland makes for a great Peter Parker and this is more like the Spider-Man in the comics than the others we’ve seen. Plus with Iron Man in the mix and a great villain played by Michael Keaton, the story swings along in a fun and enjoyable fashion. The language is surprising given its younger-skewing audience aim, but it is still fairly appropriate for the kids. B
Warrior
Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense mixed martial arts fighting, some language and thematic material
Rottent Tomatoes Score: 82%
Getting the 4K treatment this week is one of the best films from 2011 that went largely unseen. Before they were big-named actors, Joel Edgerton and Tom Hardy were estranged brothers, separated by time and torment, and scheduled to fight in a huge MMA championship tournament. Like the original Rocky, the film isn’t about fighting, although the fight sequences are breathtaking. Instead the film is about a family torn apart and reunited in the most heart-breaking of ways. And if you thought the tears were flowing at the end of Rocky, wait until the climactic sequence here with a box of tissue handy. It is an emotional and impactful film that deserves this 4K release – and another chance at gaining an audience. A+