Author: crunchonthis

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of September 5, 2022

Pinocchio
Rated PG for peril, scary moments, some language and rude material
Rotten Tomatoes Score: None at time of writing
Streaming on Disney+
This fall we are getting two new versions of Pinocchio, the story of the wooden puppet who becomes a real boy. In December we will get Guillermo del Toro’s stop-motion animated vision on Netflix, but first we get this new live-action version from Oscar winner Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump, Back to the Future) and Disney. This week’s version attempts to follow the original 1940 Disney masterpiece in much of the same story outline and beats, but rather than the gloriously animated dark epic that that version was, we get a world where the humans are humans and the puppets and creatures are CG. In this case, the character of Pinocchio looks almost identical to the original. Technically, this film is excellent. A lot of great artistry went into this project and it really shows. The film has some major issues, though, when it comes to it wanting to look like a real live-action picture. This vision of the story just doesn’t lend itself well to this style of filmmaking and the melding of the two worlds (live action and CG) feel like two puzzle pieces that don’t fit well together. At times it looks too bizarre, and at others it’s just creepy, and not in a good way. The lonely old man who wants a real boy makes sense, at least a little, in an animated fairly tale. But in real life it’s more than a little uncomfortable, even with the legendary Tom Hanks trying to make it seem as normal as possible. And then there’s the part of the script that is trying to make the film as relevant to today as possible in regards to children and their attitudes to the world around them. I get what they are trying to do, but it is a stretch to say the least, especially in the way it comes across here. A couple of Disney’s straight to streaming choices this year didn’t make sense at all, but this one totally does. In theaters it would have gotten slammed, but on this platform it might just find a more suitable audience that is less demanding and far less vicious in its reception. C+

Mo: Season 1
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
Streaming on Netflix
I know we are slammed with material to stream right now, but if you can carve out four hours of your time, I highly recommend you check out this comedy gem from creator and star Mo Amer. Taking place in Houston, the story follows a young hustler named Mo Najjar, a Palestinian refugee struggling to make his way in a society where he can’t hold regular employment due to his immigration status, but nonetheless proves his worth to society through his personal relationships and entrepreneurial ambitions. The eight 30-minute episodes follow him through his crazy adventures, while at the same time helping you understand and empathize with his plight and his and his family’s difficulties trying to make it in America. While last week I had no idea who Mo Amer was, between this show and his new standup special, which also just launched on Netflix, I feel like we have a new underdog hero on our hands and I can’t wait to see what he is capable of as he is quickly gaining a wider and wider audience. A

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of August 22, 2022

Beast
Rated R for violent content, some language and bloody images
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 66%
In Theaters
After the death of his wife, Idris Elba and his two teenage daughters visit South Africa to spend some time with his friend, played by Sharlto Copley, a wildlife biologist who manages a safari park. Everything seems to be going fine when they run across an angry man-hungry lion that wishes to kill any human in its path. Trapping them in the wilderness, the family attempts to use every resource at their disposal to make it out alive. It’s easy to see this heart-pounding thriller as Jaws in the Jungle, and it has many of the elements you’d expect to make that story come to life. What got me to come along was the attempt to give the Lion a story. In the opening moments of the film you see a group of poachers kill off an entire pride of lions, except for a male lion that gets away. If anything, the Lion has a just cause and any human in its way deserves to be there. Of course you don’t want the hero and his daughters to die, but you would certainly understand if they did. This gives a fascinating dynamic to the film that wasn’t even there in Jaws, which just happens to be one of my favorite all-time films. While the family’s story is well-crafted and its easy to gain empathy for them, the script is paint by numbers. It’s dangerous and frightening, but it is certainly not overly imaginative. The characters do some smart things – and then they do some horribly stupid things to further imperil themselves. But by the end you get a really fast-paced 90 minute adventure that keeps you on the edge of your seat just enough to take your mind off the silly moments and keep your eyes on the critical predicament of the protagonists. B

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of August 15, 2022

For All Mankind: Season 3
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
Streaming on Apple TV+
Theatrically speaking, this summer has been a bit of a bummer, especially in August. And it probably ain’t gonna get better until after Labor Day. But good news – TV is on fire. This week saw two huge shows finish up and one get started. My favorite is this Apple TV+ series that explores an alternate reality where the space race between the U.S. and the Soviets never ended. In this spectacular third season, the old cast of characters, along with some new ones, race to Mars in the mid 90s. What I like most about this show is how believable it is in its storytelling. And with that authenticity comes a relevance that can’t be ignored. And since much of the show takes place in Houston – it has a strong community tie for us also. If this show isn’t on your radar – it is time to fix that. All three seasons are streaming on Apple and you will be hooked from episode one. A

Better Call Saul: Season 6
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 99%
On AMC
One of the biggest events of the week is the series finale to one of America’s favorite shows, Better Call Saul. If you aren’t familiar, Bob Odenkirk played a corrupt lawyer in the legendary crystal meth gangster drama Breaking Bad. As a spinoff, AMC and the fans liked him so much that they gave him his own show which has evolved into its own iconic universe. Honestly, I didn’t give the show much of a chance at first. But recently I relented and started watching again from episode one, and I am happy to admit I was wrong. I couldn’t put the thing down and it was a total binge experience for me. In this 6th and final season, Saul spends a lot of time in the present, living on the run as a Cinnabon manager in Nebraska. The artistic choice was made to film the past in color and the present (or flash forward) scenes in black and white, so you are never confused at what point in time the story is taking place. Also, filming in black and white helped them more easily make Albuquerque look like Nebraska, since they kept all their filming in New Mexico. But I digress. The show isn’t the Godfather-esque epic that Breaking Bad was, but it is nonetheless a stellar crime drama with an equal amount of dark comedy and nail-biting thriller thrown in. The acting is authentic and the writing is some of the best you will find in modern television. And just like Breaking Bad – visionary creator Vince Gilligan gave Saul a marvelous send-off worthy of the time it takes to get through six exhilarating seasons. A

The Sandman: Season 1
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%
Streaming on Netflix
For years filmmakers have planned on bringing Neil Gaiman’s iconic comic book to life only to see the projects fizzle away due to the complexity of the story and lack of the right vision. But pulling together the right creatives and throwing a ton of money in its direction, Netflix has now brought out the first season in grand fashion. The story follows an old man who attempts to capture Death after his son dies. His hope is that Death can bring his son back upon negotiation. But accidentally and unknowingly he captures Morpheus, the god of sleep and dreams, holding him in captivity for 100 years. Upon his escape, he attempts to set right the chaos and disaster that has befallen the planet during his absence, as well as rebuild his former kingdom. This is one heck of a great fantasy piece, and way different than I thought it would be. The story is indeed complex, with lots of turns and diversions, but it comes together nicely, making sense by the end. The last few episodes aren’t as strong as the first two thirds of the show, but due to their importance to the overall narrative, that ends up being a forgivable flaw. Definitely binge-worthy, Sandman Season One quickly proves itself to be one of Netflix’s biggest shows they’ve ever created. A-

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of August 8, 2022

Day Shift
Rated R for language, strong violence and gore
Rotten Tomatoes Score: None Yet
Streaming on Netflix
Jamie Foxx is just your mild-mannered blue-collar worker pretending to be a pool guy while his real job is focused on finding and exterminating vampires for cash. When his ex-wife puts pressure on him financially, he attempts to rejoin the vampire-killers union where he is assigned Dave Franco as an observer. But when he attracts the attention from the wrong vampire, he and his family find themselves in extreme danger. Taking bits and pieces from various cult classics like Zombieland and John Wick, Day Shift strings together enough blood, gore and style to keep you engaged. And with two talented actors like Foxx and Franco, the buddy flick aspect works well enough, even though enough time is not dedicated to that dynamic. The writing isn’t as clever as it thinks it is and not nearly as funny as it tries to be, but it does have some decent action and who doesn’t love the idea of Snoop Dogg unloading on a hive of the undead. Speaking of the vampires, apparently when you become one, you turn into a weird Cirque Du Soleil contortionist because practically none of them looked normal when they battle. Ultimately, its a big-budget brainless thriller with potential that never materializes. C+

Thirteen Lives
Rated PG-13 for some strong language and unsettling images
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%
Streaming on Amazon Prime
As I’m sure most will recount from a few years ago, twelve boys and their adult soccer coach got stuck in a cave in Thailand, leaving the deadly job of saving their lives to a team of Thai Navy Seals and a group of international cave dive rescuers. It always sounded like a movie waiting to happen and here Director Ron Howard takes on the project, leading Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell and Joel Edgerton into the dangerous waters to show the world how it all went down. Were it not for the familiar faces, you might think this was a documentary as it feels authentic and doesn’t come across as Hollywood at all. The performances from the three leads are excellent as you would expect and the rest of the cast is as good as you can get given the lack of experience on set. The film is appropriately paced even when it gets down in the minutiae, helping you relive the danger and understand the tough choices that had to be made to rescue the kids, as well as comprehend the repercussions that could happen should anything go wrong. Overall, it is a really good representation of a relevant true story, handled the right way. A-

Event Horizon: 25th Anniversary Edition
Rated R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 29%
On Disc and Paid Streaming
It’s hard to believe that this cult classic sci-fi horror film is having its 25th birthday this summer. I remember being both thrilled and very freaked out and what I considered to be one of the scariest movies I had ever seen. The story follows a small group of space explorers who attempt to find a lost ship, called the Event Horizon. But upon locating the vessel, things start to go horribly wrong. While I had fond memories of this film that came out when I was half my current age, I just can’t seem to appreciate those same qualities today. There are two great moments in the film and a lot of junk. First, the moment when Sam Neill tries to explain wormholes is an iconic moment that was even copied and quoted in the latest Thor outing. Then there’s the found video that is still pretty terrifying but short-lived. Everything else is just mediocre, including the acting by the stellar cast. The movie tries so hard to be The Shining in space. But unlike The Shining, this thriller just doesn’t hold up. C+

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of July 25, 2022

NOPE
Rated R for some violence, bloody images, and language throughout
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%
In Theaters
With his films Get Out and Us, writer/director Jordan Peele has proven himself to be a modern day Hitchcock, providing creepy films with multiple meanings and metaphors. With his new film NOPE we are definitely getting much of the same, but this time with an alien adventure. For many the title NOPE is simply something that is comically repeated throughout the film as the characters face their fears. But on a deeper level, it is possibly an acronym for Not Of Planet Earth, which leads to the story. Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer are siblings who work on their family’s historical Hollywood horse ranch when a strange alien presence shows up to haunt and hunt in the remote area. Rather than leave or call in the authorities, they decide that they need to be able to show proof and possibly get rich off it. Just as in his previous outings, including the recent Candyman which he produced, the film hits creepy but never gets to scary. I firmly believe this is by design. Much of the audience will spend so much time trying to figure out what the film is actually about that they don’t have time to get frightened. That being said, there were some clever jumps before the film turned from potentially terrifying to just really interesting. In his various interviews, Peele has admitted that the film is about our reaction to spectacle. Some get caught up in it to their own demise (like the Trump cult) and some just want to sit back and watch in shock or disbelief. Personally, I think the film could have been better if it had less hidden meaning and just went all out for the scare-fest, but regardless, I couldn’t take my eyes or my mind off of it, and it is still sticking with me as I attempt to process what I just watched. B

Drive My Car: The Criterion Collection
Unrated but would be an R if rated
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
On Criterion Disc and streaming on HBO Max
Last year’s shocking Oscar surprise came when this 3 hour long Japanese drama popped nominations for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay, while winning Best International Feature and countless other critics groups awards. While it is currently streaming on HBO Max, if your curiosity makes you want to explore this quiet phenomenon even further, this Criterion Collection version provides tons of supplemental material including new interviews, a making-of doc and more. The story follows a theater director who suffers from a tragedy and then shortly after moves on to begin working on a new play. While he prefers to drive his own car, the theater company requires him to use the young female driver they have hired, forcing him to see his world from a different vantage point, deeply affecting his life and his art. If you have the time to invest, this is a really lovely and meaningful film with a rich storyline and an unconventional flow. It might be a bit on the artsy side for some audiences, but many will find it magical and perhaps cathartic. A

The Gray Man
Rated PG-13 for strong language and strong violence
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 48%
Streaming on Netflix
Billed as Netflix’s most expensive original film to date, The Gray Man, directed by the Russo Brothers (Avengers films) casts Ryan Gosling as a hitman working for Billy Bob Thornton and Rege-Jean Page who is pitted against another hitman played by Chris Evans when he comes across a flash drive full of stuff he shouldn’t have. If you like a massive amount of violence and action with just enough blood to not get an R rating, complete with loads of mindless action with characters you really don’t care about – then this one is for your. They try to make you feel slightly empathetic to Gosling as he is trying to protect Thornton’s teenage niece, but basically all the characters are bad guys that you wouldn’t mind seeing get a good death. The most interesting feature is Evans as the most villainous villain. His goofiness and sense of humor, along with his lack of a conscience and maybe even a soul, makes him the most memorable character in this largely unnecessary movie. C+

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of July 4, 2022

Thor: Love and Thunder
Rated PG-13 for intense sci-fi violence, action, language, partial nudity and some suggestive material
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 71%
In Theaters
It’s hard to remember back this far, but for Thor’s first couple of outings it was a struggling franchise, and aside from his appearances in the Avenger’s movies, his early solo adventures are not highly regarded. But then Marvel Producer Kevin Feige made an amazing decision, hiring New Zealander Taika Waititi to take the helm, and now Thor: Ragnarok stands as one of the fans’ most favorited title. Waititi scaled back the broody darkness to let in some humor and creativity, ultimately giving the Marvel Cinematic Universe a new style and direction. With Waititi’s second Thor film, that humor and levity are even more on display as Thor (still Chris Hemsworth) is forced to face Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), a vengeful being who seeks to destroy all other gods in order to get revenge for the death of his own daughter. Luckily Thor has a little help in Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) and his former love Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) who, though a touching subplot, becomes a female Thor, able to aid in the battle. From start to finish, this Thor is a fantastic and chaotic mess that works better than you can possibly imagine. The incredible script by Waititi and relatively unknown screenwriter Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, brings laughter, tears and excitement in almost equal measure, ultimately creating a surreal joy. But it is Waititi’s special brush strokes that make this so unique and memorable. Sure, some will find it to be quirky, or even a bit whacky, but that kind of delivery is so much fun to watch that you manage to forgive the little flaws and you are able to float past the dark sadness of Gorr’s plight enough to gain empathy for the villain while still wanting to stop him from completing his task. Slightly out of place, but still very welcome is the constant use of Guns and Roses classics throughout the film. Now is where I make you feel old. The majority of the audience watching will probably be very unaware of the songs, since they are now officially 35 years old. Yeah – 35 years. I just assume that Taika wanted to introduce G and R to a new generation, and if that is the case, I admire him for it – and they do fit in nicely. Maybe all these little girls wearing Appetite for Destruction t-shirts will actually know a song or two from the album now. Regardless, most will love this new Thor outing as it is a solid addition to the MCU and a really fun way to spend two hours. A-

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of June 27, 2022

Elvis
Rated PG-13 for substance abuse, strong language, smoking and suggestive material
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 78%
In Theaters
There are several movies I am looking forward to this year, but the one that had me salivating the most was this spectacular biopic of the King of Rock and Roll: Elvis. From the mind of the extraordinarily creative Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge, The Great Gatsby) comes this sometimes uneven but alway exhilarating story of Elvis Presley, from his life as a poor boy growing up in Mississippi to his last days in Vegas and Memphis, all told with an intoxicating presentation, worthy of the showmanship that was always on display during his all-too-short career. Playing the King is newcomer Austin Butler who just went from nobody to Oscar front-runner overnight. He doesn’t just do an Elvis impersonation, but rather he becomes the legend in a way that you just can’t understand until you see it in person. Also on board is Tom Hanks as Colonel Tom Parker, the man who started as Elvis’s manager and mentor and ended as Elvis’s puppet master. I really thought I knew a lot about the King’s life, after all, I’ve seen all of his movies and I’ve been to Graceland twice. I even had an Elvis anniversary celebration in Vegas with a young and old Elvis officiating the ceremony in front of our family and friends. But what I knew was his music and his legacy and not the struggle and suffering that went on behind the scenes. The film explores parts of his life that will forever change the way I think about my musical hero. Much of the film revolves around the Colonel and how he came to take Elvis under his wing only to keep him from his happiness and even subdue his success. I’ve heard from some that this is just a glossy and loud version of his life, but honestly, I see it as a primer and my curiosity has peaked enough to start really digging in. But as far as the movie goes, I couldn’t be happier with the end result. Baz sets the screen on fire with an innovative delivery and an engaging narrative that helps you understand Elvis’s world while still making it relevant to our own. And he does it in a way that captures the King in a way that I truly believe he would have loved. Sure it is extremely over-the-top, but who wants a strait-laced and accurate portrayal of how things went down when you can have a fast-moving electric circus to guide you through his journey. A

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of June 13, 2022

Lightyear
Rated PG for action/peril
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%
In Theaters
Building a storyline for one of Pixar’s most famous characters is this sort of prequel for the Toy Story franchise which follows Buzz Lightyear in his early days as a space ranger. The film begins on a far off planet that can sustain life, but which proves to be extremely hostile. When they are trapped on the planet, Buzz commits his life to finding a way out for him and his fellow compatriots. What starts as a fun but frivolous action pic quickly turns into a deep and thought provoking drama, reminiscent of Interstellar, as Buzz’s experimental failures show real consequences to the world around him. I went in thinking that this would be a fun little inconsequential joyride but really didn’t expect the emotional punch thrown in here. So needless to say, I found the journey to be rather impressive. And for those of you like me who found the CGI from last week’s Jurassic World Dominion to be rather mundane, this animation is far from it, once again pushing the limits in subtle ways that enhance the experience. And speaking of enhancements, the score by Michael Giacchino (who also composed Jurassic World Dominion) is one of his best since he did Up and Ratatouille, which should make soundtrack fans everywhere very happy. My biggest critique comes in the form of voices and characters. I don’t mind Chris Evans as the voice of Buzz, and he does a fine enough job, but Tim Allen is perfect and would have been better in this role. Also, aside from Buzz, Alisha and Izzy (the three main characters), the film is sparse as far as characters go, and could have used a boost. Taika Waititi chips in as the voice for a throw-away character, but not even that provides enough to enrich the story. That being said, Buzz’s robot cat sidekick SOX steals every scene he is in, so at least there is that. All in all, for a summer family film, you can’t ask for a better time. A-

Ambulance
Rated R for intense violence, bloody images and language throughout
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 69%
Available on disc and streaming on Peacock
Michael Bay steps back into the crime action arena again with this heist-gone-wrong film starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as two brothers whose plans to rob a bank go south, and in order to escape, they hijack an ambulance with a dying cop in the back, creating a two hour, essentially real-time chase flick. While his Transformer films have certainly disappointed of late, the one thing Bay is great at is big action films with lots of danger, action and violence. The story is good enough to drive the action and the action is good enough to keep you engaged for the ride. And surprisingly enough, it’s a smart movie which, while overly stylized, doesn’t resort to ridiculousness as it progresses. For what it is, it’s an enjoyable roller coaster ride that’s worth turning off the lights and turning up the sound for. B

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of June 6, 2022

Jurassic World Dominion
Rated PG-13 for language, intense sequences of action and some violence
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 73% at time of writing
In Theaters
Treating this new set of Jurassic films like a trilogy, Dominion is serving as the finale for the new narrative that Jurassic World began and Fallen Kingdom almost destroyed. Joining Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard are the JP OG’s Laura Darn, Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum. As you might recall from the last dismal outing, dinosaurs are now loose on the planet and invading human spaces around the world. Pratt and Howard now live in a remote mountain cabin with their adopted clone daughter and the raptor Blue living nearby. When the girl and Blue’s baby are kidnapped, the couple go on a mission to get them back. Meanwhile Dern, Neill and Goldblum head to the compound of an Elon Musk type (played by Campbell Scott) who has set up a dino sanctuary in the Dolemite Mountains where he does evil genetic research. There they play Scooby Doo to try to uncover his malignant intentions for world domination. By the third act, they all join forces. If you’ve seen the trailers you will notice there are a lot of dinosaurs and if that’s what you’re after, you are in luck. While the action is decent and there are some nice bits of comical dialog, I found the experience frustrating due to the multitude of logic flaws and mediocre special effects. Yes, the film that stems from the ground-breaking special effects extravaganza of Spielberg’s Jurassic Park fails to impress with effects that look unfinished and sloppy. But doing the most damage to movie is the poor script and the unfocused directing. The story might have good bones, but the gaps are poorly filled in and it seems they were trying to do so much that they couldn’t do much of it well. There are too many times when the actors and extras are too unaware of the dinosaurs around them, creating scenes that make no sense and take away from the story. My favorite example of this is when two T-Rex’s are loose in Malta and a guy goofily drives his scooter in between them like they didn’t show up until they ate him. This kind of action abounds throughout. If there is a bear or even a scary dog standing five to ten feet from you, most folks would run for cover. But here people stand feet from large dinosaurs without flinching. It’s like they didn’t think any of the actions through before filming. Like they were in a hurry to churn out a big dumb action film as fast as possible. I will admit that there were some nicely done set pieces and action sequences, but every one of them was shown in the trailers – leaving no surprises or thrills whatsoever. This could have been a nice adventure, but instead it turned into a poorly executed tentpole, failing to live up to its legacy. C

Hustle
Rated R for Language
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%
Streaming on Netflix
Adam Sandler and NBA baller Juancho Hernangomez star in this sports drama about an NBA scout who discovers a major talent in Spain only to be told by the new owner that there is no interest. Putting it all on the line, he decides to foot the bill to try to earn his discovery a chance to play in the NBA without his boss’s support. While Sandler would probably prefer that most critics not review his work for obvious reasons, every couple of years he puts out something to be proud of and this is one of those films. He is absolutely convincing in the role and his passion for the subject shines through in his performance. In addition, the filmmakers managed to rustle up a huge cast, especially in terms of former and current NBA superstars who are peppered throughout in an organic manner that gives the project an air of authenticity. Sports films like this can be so hit and miss, and this one turns out to be a very welcome hit. A-

Double Indemnity: The Criterion Collection 4K
Rated PG
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
Available on Disc and Streaming
One of the most celebrated films of all time, this classic 1944 Billy Wilder film noir stars Fred MacMurray as an insurance salesman who teams up with Barbara Stanwyck to put a large policy on her husband before they kill him. It is a slick and dirty crime thriller with a fast pace and a terrific cast. While they’ve restored before for the blu-ray release, Criterion goes overboard with a new 4K restoration and, believe it or not, some new special features to add to their already extensive list from previous editions.

The Bridge On the River Kwai: 65th Anniversary Limited Edition and Lawrence of Arabia: 60th Anniversary Limited Edition
Rated PG
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96% and 94% respectively
Available on 4K Steelbox Editions and Streaming
Two other classics getting the 4K treatment are these amazing David Lean films, both winners of 7 Oscars including Best Picture. Both still hold up well, especially with these restorations. The special features are all from the archives, but there are many to be found here, including interviews with filmmakers like Scorsese and Spielberg discussing how influential Lean was for themselves and the art form.

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of May 23, 2022

Top Gun: Maverick
Rated PG-13 for some strong language and sequences of intense action
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
In Theaters
Originally slated for release on July 12, 2019, this much-anticipated Top Gun Sequel has been stewing until this week when audiences will finally get to climb into the cockpit of a fighter jet for a heavy dose of speed and danger. The story takes place in modern day where Lt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell has been brought into teach a young group of former hot shot Top Gun graduates how to take out a well-protected and sensitive military target before the rogue state they are attacking can find a way to enrich uranium for predicted evil purposes. In just a matter of a couple of weeks he must first turn the pilots into a team and then find a way to help them succeed in their important mission. From the exhilarating beginning to the explosive ending, this welcome adventure proves to have the right stuff to excite and thrill with a script that lacks cheese and acting that is convincing enough for the journey. It has been 36 years since the original Top Gun commanded the box office and while it still holds up nicely, my biggest concern is would it come close to matching the original in style and substance, and it is with great relief that it truly does. Top Gun was more of an event than a movie with a bigger than life hero and a soundtrack that was the fifth best-seller of 1986, and to this day is full of memorable themes and songs. With such big shoes to fill, Maverick delivers an equally powerful soundtrack from Lady Gaga and Hans Zimmer along with the theme repeated from the original film by composer Harold Faltermeyer. It’s a well-balanced score perfectly crafted for the film. Will the film be the mega-hit the original was? It’s unlikely. A lot depends on how they are able to market it to a new generation. You don’t have to see the original to get it, but it does help. But now that Cruise is 59, he will pull a huge adult audience, but time will tell if that audience is able to get their kids and their grandchildren interested enough to jump in also. The good news is that it is worthy and should make those who are salivating for it very, very happy. A

Chip ’N’ Dale: Rescue Rangers
Rated PG for mild action, rude/suggestive humor
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%
Streaming on Disney+
When I first saw the email come across my desk for this Rescue Rangers reboot, my first thought went to the horrible and cringe-worthy originals and I just wasn’t interested. But then a critic colleague suggested I give it a try and I’m actually glad I did. Voicing the parts of the two adventurous chipmunks are John Mulaney and Andy Samberg, two of my favorite comedians, along with a fantastic supporting cast including Will Arnett, Seth Rogen and J.K. Simmons. The story follows the showbiz careers of the two leads as they broke up from their classic team and now have to come together to find a cast mate who has mysteriously disappeared. It’s a clever, self-aware romp through cartoon land that is reminiscent of Roger Rabbit with its references to animated characters from all studios including even Shrek and South Park. It turns out to be a movie that you can truly enjoy with the kids, and you will find yourselves enjoying it for completely different reasons. B+