Month: August 2017

New in Home Entertainment

August 22, 2017

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action and violence, language, and brief suggestive content
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%
Starlord (Chris Pratt) and his crew of misfits are back again and in a lot of trouble for stealing from the wrong aliens when his father (played by Kurt Russell) comes into the picture to save the day, or maybe make things worse. Just like most of the galaxy, I was blown away by the original Marvel film two years ago. It was fresh, funny, thrilling and surprising. But it also left some humongous shoes to fit into for any inevitable sequels. Here they try to keep the comedic spirit alive almost too much, but I do admire the attempt. Its tongue-in-cheek nature gets in its own way, but it only seldomly loses its charm. As for story – it’s way too long and full of itself, but it does give you a better understanding of Quill’s world from many angles. I was a little distraught that the first film was relatively kid-friendly, but this one takes the language and innuendo up a very large notch. But then they give us baby Groot to somewhat neutralize it. B-

Snatched
Rated R for crude sexual content, brief nudity, and language throughout
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 35%
Amy Schumer plays an entitled and dense blonde who takes her mother (Goldie Hawn) to Ecuador on a vacation after her boyfriend breaks up with her and none of her friends want to go with her. Once there, they get kidnapped and must find a way to escape and safely make it to the embassy in Columbia. Unlike her first feature Trainwreck, this film is a real mess that doesn’t work either as a comedy or an adventure. The jokes are somewhat pathetic attempts at humor and while there are a few chuckles here and there, the picture fails over and over again. Schumer and Hawn should have never made this film and it could really end up doing damage to both of their careers. D

Baywatch
Rated R for language throughout, crude sexual content, and graphic nudity
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 19%
Yet another failed Rated R comedy from the summer is this attempt at bringing the campy TV hit to the screen with the very lovable Dwayne Johnson in the lead and the also lovable Zac Efron right behind him. Just like Snatched, the movie fails as both a comedy and as an action pic. It is slow, boring, unfunny, and most unfortunately – not sexy. Unlike Snatched, the film probably won’t hurt the careers of Johnson or Efron as they’ve built up enough Hollywood capital – but they need to be more careful at what crappy scripts they pick or these kinds of projects can have the ability to put them in the toilet. D

New in Home Entertainment

August 15, 2017

Alien: Covenant
Rated R for sci-fi violence, bloody images, language and some sexuality/nudity
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 71%
Original Alien director Ridley Scott brings us this Prometheus sequel/Alien prequel that follows a group of terraformers as they put off their mission in order to investigate an unknown planet. When they get there they discoverer the synthetic human David (again played by Michael Fassbender) alone in what used to be some sort of major civilization. I am very mixed on this film. It has really great potential and a highly intelligent theme. After all, the question of how we came to be and why has defined mankind since their existence on the planet. But there are so many stupid plot devices, just as we saw in Prometheus. Perhaps the sloppiest of these was the catalyst scene which shows the first infection. After all, these folks are on a mission that could not have been deviated by an interesting planet. And also, you wear a helmet not just for the oxygen, but to also keep away potentially dangerous pathogens from an unknown planet. Just because you can breathe doesn’t mean you are free to inhale the natives. And these folks would have known that. These types of flaws take me out of the film when they could easily be thought through and corrected. C+

Chuck
Rated R for language throughout, drug use, sexuality/nudity and some bloody images
Rotten Tomatoes Score 79%
In the seventies, boxer Chuck Wepner had a promising career, a loving wife and kid and and he was even Sylvester Stallone’s inspiration for Rocky. But between stupid life choices, like cheating on his wife and using (and selling) drugs, he managed to throw it all away. Here Lieb Schrieber portrays the could-have-been famous fighter as he unravels his life. The acting is quite good here with a tremendously talented cast including Schreiber’s real-life wife Naomi Watts, Jim Gaffigan and Elisabeth Moss. But the acting isn’t the problem here. Watching a man throw away his life has never been the secret to a successful box office. And while most of the writing is good, the third act throws away the fight as it loses momentum and can’t find a way to safely get from point B to point C without looking wimpy. The story tries to land a feel good punch at the end, but it is a little underwhelming to say the least. B-

How to Be a Latin Lover
Rated PG-13 for crude humor, sexual references and gestures, and for brief nudity
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 38%
Upon first seeing this trailer I couldn’t believe that this film was actually hitting real theaters and that it was doing so with such a great cast including Salma Hayek, Rob Lowe, Kristen Bell, Rob Cordry, Rob Riggle and Michael Cera. The film, directed by Ken Marino, follows a once-suave Latino man (Eugenio Derbez) who is dumped by his much older and much richer wife. In an attempt to woo another rich senior, he enlists his young nephew who he must teach to be as sexy as he is. While the story is very flawed and entirely stupid, the amazing ensemble of actors put in their best and they look like they are having fun in the process. So while I would have normally hated this film, I found myself chuckling under my breath and surprised at my lack of harsh judgment. C+

New in Home Entertainment

August 1, 2017

Colossal
Rated R for language
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%
Anne Hathaway is a writer who has lost her way. When her boyfriend breaks up with her, she moves from New York City back to her small hometown where she is able to reconnect with an old friend (Jason Sudeikis). Then one day she wakes up to discover that a giant monster has attacked Seoul, South Korea, and to make matters worse, and weirder, she discovers that she controls the every move of this monster. The daring creativity on display is a stunning example of an imagination gone wild. Yes it’s a little crazy and sure you have to constantly ask yourself “what is this?,” but the further you go through the rabbit hole the better it gets. B+

Going in Style
Rated PG-13 for
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 46%
When three retired friends (Oscar winners Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Alan Arkin) discover they are going to lose their pension, they risk everything by deciding to rob a bank in order to safely make it through their golden years and stick it to the man. With all of this talent, including the usually great director Zach Braff, you’d think you were looking at a classic caper comedy. But instead you get a stale adventure that is way too light on laughs. It’s a great thought but poor execution. C+