Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020)

Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020)

7/10

Starring

Keanu Reeves

Alex Winter

Kristen Schaal

Samara Weaving

Directed by Dean Parisot

I really, really enjoyed this movie more than I expected I would. First I was worried that a more older Keanu Reeves will not be able to deliver the need spunk that he had when he played Bill thirty-one years ago. Second, I could not imagine this movie plot will sit well after the onslaught of movies I have seen between then and now. Lastly, recalling the second part in 1991, Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey which I totally hate and find boring, I was worried this will be just like it.

I was wrong, this movie was like the first, and it picks up more than twenty years after the events of 1991.

I do not know if it is the nostalgia or just me missing the two dudes that made me like this movie so much. Back in 1989 the amazing comedian George Carlin played a character named Rufus in the movie who gave them the time machine to their amazing journey. The two young men back then were Theodore "Ted" Logan (Alex Winters) and William "Bill" Preston (Keanu Reeves), Esq. The 1989 Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure was at that time, the best time travel movie I saw.

Now, imagine these men married to their princesses from the first film, and now have adult children girls who are 100% like them, except they are better musicians. Our two have so far failed to write the song they were told will unite the world. Their band Wyld Stallyns have disbanded and they are a failed duo. Their wives are the only thing keeping the family afloat and even they were tired of their whole devotion to writing this song.

Well time is running out and the people from the future sends Rufus daughter to bring them and inform them the time limit they have to write the song.

The two stole the time machine to which they were used to, and as you can guess this silly goons made things worse. They wanted to get the song from their future self, and started a whole mess that seemed almost impossible to resolve. The movie’s ending on the song itself was something I guess halfway into the movie, but it felt cool anyways seeing the two discover the song after all.

Better effects, cool setup and a nice watch this is a movie I will be giving a rewatch because I just like the Wyld Stallyns and their so cool way of making a mess and cleaning it up.

This is one of the best things I have seen in this covid period. So if you have not seen the first film, there is no way you will be able to see this and enjoy it. You do not have to see the second movie, just have in mind that Death joined the band.

Cocoon (1985)

Cocoon (1985)

6/10

Starring

Don Ameche

Wilford Brimley

Hume Cronyn

Brian Dennehy

Directed by Ron Howard

I thought this was the second time I will be seeing Cocoon, because when I was younger I saw a Cocoon movie that I recalled did not like. When this was suggested for me to see I was shocked to discover that the one I saw when I was younger was the shitty part two.

This to me was not as grand as I was told, but it was okay enough to see and enjoy for what it was, a Sci-Fi comedy with some cool effects done in the 80s. The movie for me did not need to try hard to impress, if just did.

The movie is about these men from an old people’s home wanting to have their own place to cool off. They used to break into the house next door to use the pool there. When a group of people, two men and a lady rented the house. We also meet Jack a boa owner which this trio negotiate with to take them on boat trips for some days. Needing the money Jack agreed. Soon we discover the trio are aliens who have comeback to earth to take home their comrades left behind when Atlantis sank like ten thousand years ago. In order to survive the trip back to their alien planet, the trio put some healing power in the pool of the house they rented. Then placed their cocooned friends in it. The cocoon is made of rock.

These old men from the home broke into the house next door again and used the pool, the healing power from the pool got into their body. The effect was even though they still looked old, they felt very young. From then on the movie had its moments that made me sit through it and it was fun seeing something I would expect. Most nice old people now used to be jerks it is lack of energy that comes with aging which forced them to cool off. Return that energy and they will be jerks all over again.

The movie goes on with us watching as these aliens try to just get their friends back home and some selfish old farts trying to get some juice back into their bones.

Now I have never met an alien from outer space, neither am I keen to meet one either, but this movie have the shittiest reaction to people meeting aliens. From Jack the boat owner pervert discovering the girl he was peeking on as she changed wore a human skin, to the old men all happy to swim in a pool, housing aliens.

I am going to get all racially biased here, so fair warning. This seems like a white man movie where as a black man you are watching this and wondering which black man in his right senses will do a thing like this. It was like the movie heard me, because the only person in the old people’s home who later freaked out about everything was a black man.

The War with Grandpa (2020)

The War with Grandpa (2020)

4/10

Starring

Robert De Niro

Uma Thurman

Rob Riggle

Oakes Fegley

Christopher Walken

Directed by Tim Hill

When the movie title is called The War with Grandpa, you can expect it to be cheesy, silly and the supposed average family fun movie. It is something to see during this covid period that you will not turn off or walk out on when you start. As my grade goes, do not expect to be over joyed laughing hard at this comedy.

The movie is based on a book of the same name for young children by the late Robert Kimmel Smith. One thing I give the movie though is the pranks, there were some scenes and pranks that cracked me up and there were pranks that seem over the top.

The whole idea of a turf war between grandpa and grandson may have started out silly, but this movie tries (and fails) to take it from the silliness to entertainment with an ending I disliked.

The movie went from what should have been a normal happy ending of the family fixing the mess the two made, to some tears and the young man with a frown as the credits roll. The whole idea of that frown is that, if this movie does well in the box office they already have a setup for a part two.

The movie starts with us getting to meet Sally’s (Uma Thurman) Dad Ed (Robert De Niro). Ed is old and since the loss of his wife, tired and would just like things to be the way it is, no change that will make his existence harder. So after a mess at a supermarket, Sally had to move him into her home. She gave him her young son’s (Peter played by Oakes Fegley) room. This is something Peter was not happy about, he complained and when he was not getting any response to his favour, he nagged his friends about it. It was in the gathering of his friends that he came up with the idea to declare war on his grandpa, by sending him a declaration of war notice.

The old man did not take it serious at first, but when he saw that Peter was taking it serious, they both met and decided to go after each other. From here on, you can pretty much guess your way through.

With the kind of actors in the movie, I think I expected more, but hey! They worked with what was written. Even my main man Christopher Walken’s class did little to nothing to save this movie.

In the end watch this movie if you feel you can stand two people pulling pranks on each other with guided special effects, stunts and too unrealistic almost all the time.

The Abyss (1989)

The Abyss (1989)

7/10

Starring

Ed Harris

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio

Michael Biehn

Directed by James Cameron

James Cameron’s The Abyss is a magnificent movie about the idea of, “what if the aliens have been here all along?” That idea of aliens living deep underwater can be traced to H.G. Wells short story in 1897 In the Abyss.

The special effects of this movie are way ahead of the time of production. Based on the fact that the movie is over two hours long there was no dull moment. I was captivated and lost in the intrigue, the suspense and the somewhat action in this claustrophobic thriller.

Cameron wrote and directed the movie in such away that if it is not the idea of aliens that has your attention, it is the couple going through the motion of their relationship, or the military officer who seem to have lost all sense of reason.

Everything happens on an underwater drilling platform after a submarine was sunk when it almost came in contact with an unidentified moving object traveling at a speed too fast to comprehend. The object moved past them, which caused all electrical machinery of the submarine to to go off for a few seconds. When things came back online the submarine was already heading towards a collision which sunk it.

The Soviet are trying to get at the submarine to savage what could be on board and the US are trying to get their submarine and save possible survivors first.

The above race is another part of this movie that has nothing to do with the unidentified object which caused the submarine to crash. With a cast led by Ed Harris (playing Bud) who is the man in-charge of the underwater drilling platform, the crew on the platform were enticed with a big payday if they help a SEAL team with their mission concerning the submarine.

The Navy Seal team were sent to the platform with Dr. Lindsey the designer of the rig. Lindsey was played by Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and her character was explosive. Lindsey was played with so much emotions bubbling at the top of things and there was never a dull moment when she was at the forefront of any scene.

With the discovery that things on the sunk submarine were beyond redemption the SEAL team got new orders which did not go down well with Bud, Lindsey and Bud’s team. A storm from above caused a crane to crash straight to the underwater rig which caused deaths and other problems for the team.

Cameron has had the idea to make this film since he was a teenager and over the years have changed many things to make the idea suitable for the big screen. His love for deep-sea exploration started from this movie, to which he has aided in developing technologies which have helped in filming deep-sea explorations since then.

The movie won the Oscars for Best Visual Effects along with three other nominations. In the 80s with films like Terminator and Aliens Cameron was on the roll creating movies that will forever be seen as classics.

Irresistible (2020)

Irresistible (2020)

3/10

Starring

Steve Carell

Chris Cooper

Mackenzie Davis

Rose Byrne

Directed by Jon Stewart

Irresistible is a bungled idea. A political satire with boring jokes and a wasted cast. The movie kept nudging you to laugh at jokes that were too awkward to be funny and then stupidly pauses at weird scenes, like a stand-up comedian waiting for a laugh, from an unfunny joke.

The smart twist ending which caught me off guard to be honest, was not enough to save this movie. Even though it was a welcome treat after a long boring ride, the movie is still a ride I rather not have embarked on. Also, the twist was not a strong redeeming factor that will make me recommend this film.

The plot starts like being hit on the head with the same old thing, a man (Jack played by Chris Cooper) gets up and tries to defend the immigrants in his town at a town hall meeting. His defense was classic, went viral and caught the attention of a democrat political strategist who believed he can spin him to win the state from the republicans.

Here is where the movie then delves into a wormhole clichés, one of which is rural people are not as smart as the suit and tie people of the city. Here the movie does not fail to paint this idea which is trapped in the mind of the political strategist Gary (Steve Carell), who believes he can mold the town and get them to switch sides from the republican mayor.

Jack wanted Gary to be the one heading things in his town and not bring in just any hack. Gary stays behind and as soon as they get on board, the republican party also sends in their person who happens to be Gary’s nemesis, Faith. Faith is played by Rose Byrne who is hardly in this movie mind you, so if you are a huge fan get ready to be disappointed because the main person that fit the role of leading lady in this movie is Mackenzie Davis who plays Diana, Jack’s daughter.

Faith brought with her big money and so Gary too had to go and bring in big money so that they can match what the republicans are throwing into this race. Now, all these things happen across a bunch of well known supporting cast. And it occurs to be spread like butter over too much bread (LOTR quote) making the movie thin, and it felt like a supposed thirty minute sitcom episode stretched for over one and half hour.

The movie is written and directed by Jon Stewart. My summary is: this movie is best left unseen. If you have not heard much about it, is because there is little to nothing to say about the movie. The movie was meant to get a wide release, but instead due to the pandemic you can only see it on VOD. I will advise you save your money.

Ava (2020)

Ava (2020)

3/10

Starring

Jessica Chastain

John Malkovich

Common

Geena Davis

Colin Farrell

Directed by Tate Taylor

The movie starts off well, we get a taste of how badass she can be and her own twist to the killing of her clients. She was weird and that for me made me think I was in for a ride, but then after the first two murders, the movie just went down hill from there. It focused more on unneeded drama than the needed action and suspense.

Ava is a film that wasted so much talent to deliver a bland movie. It has many action scenes that reminded me of Charlize Theron’s Atomic Blonde (2017), but the story was not as captivating or as inviting as that of Atomic Blonde (2017). I am tempted to call this an Atomic Blonde (2017) wannabe, but there were many reasons why it does not feel as such, one major reason is the useless drama this movie has wound up around its assassin.

The movie wasted too much time building so much emotional bridges between the lead Ava (Jessica Chastain) and her family + her past, that there was barely time to get pulled into the action.

The movie plot focuses on Ava an assassin who seems to be too curious for her own good. She is always wanting to know why she has to kill her clients, talking to them before killing them. Which made her a point of worry for her employers, things did not get better when a botched job almost got her caught or killed.

She is told to lay low for a while and that led her to go see her family. In the past she left home and joined the military, because of issues with drugs and alcohol. Her leaving home also meant she left many issues unresolved. Her return meant she has to face all these issues and possibly resolve them. Also her employers want her dead for the botched job and her unstable character.

Chastain was the main reason I saw this movie and even her acting could not save it. The movie also boast of a well brewed supporting cast in John Malkovich, Common, Geena Davis and Colin Farrell none did not help to make this movie worth the time I spent seeing it.

The movie is directed by Tate Taylor who also directed The Help (2011) and The Girl on the Train (2016). Here in this movie his hand on the steering wheel was pointed too much on drama than the action and needed suspense that would have made this movie worth recommending.

I do not see any reason why anyone should see this movie, it is not worth it at all.

The One and Only Ivan (2020)

The One and Only Ivan (2020)

6/10

Starring

Bryan Cranston

Ramón Rodríguez

Ariana Greenblatt

Voices

Sam Rockwell

Angelina Jolie

Danny DeVito

Helen Mirren

Directed by Thea Sharrock

The one and only Ivan is a heartwarming story that tries and succeeds in not making the movie too complex for younger viewers. There is no daring escape, no violence, just sad tales of animals wanting to be free. The movie has many dark themes, all kept under the guise of family fun for the young ones.

Seeing it as an adult and watching it with the knowledge of who the movie is aimed at, I can say the writers did a good job of masking the dark tones of animal captivity, divorce, death and loneliness. The masked it so gently and well enough that you do not have to worry about your children seeing this and asking too many questions.

Making a little girl who has a little role to play in the movie the seemingly unlikely animal whisperer and hero is also a good make-up for the movie’s dark tones.

The movie is based on an award winning children's book written in 2012 of the same name by K. A. Applegate. The book and movie’s theme of Ivan the silverback gorilla moving from captivity to a free range zoo true, but everything in between is fantasy.

The movie’s plot centers around Ivan, who is the headliner of a show at a mall. Ivan is not the only animal there who performs, there is a rabbit, parrot, chicken, poodle, seal and the wise old elephant named Stella. To attract more customers to the show, the owner of the circus act Mack (Bryan Cranston) bought a baby elephant, named Ruby.

Ruby was cared for by Stella and she became the new main attraction. Ivan was not a forgotten case and this movie did not delve into a jealousy plot between the two. Soon situations in the circus got better, but the animals wanted more. Stella and Ivan wanted better for Ruby than their lives of living in captivity.

Acting wise the movie has Bryan Cranston leading the live action role so there was no short-shortsightedness there. The actors along with the puppet and effects were smooth so for me there is no downside there. The negativity of the movie can be seen from the fact that there is no action, just a nice tale, which many may not find interesting enough. For me the movie is for young viewers so that criticism of the movie did not matter much.

In the end I felt pleased to have seen the movie and if you are not down for a gentle tale for children then this movie is not for you, trust me. You can catch the movie on Disney+.

Project Power (2020)

Project Power (2020)

5/10

Starring

Jamie Foxx

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Dominique Fishback

Directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman

Project Power is a Netflix movie that does not aim high enough to make you go WOW!!! Nor is the movie that bad that you will turn it off. The movie is a standard 5/10 and does not try to be more. The movie is a basically superhero movie poorly written by Mattson Tomlin, who also happens to be on the writing board for the upcoming The Batman movie. The movie had so much potential from the start, but then just gave up.

One of the biggest let down in the movie for me is the writing and directing. The movie felt like I was watching something from the middle and there was a huge chunk of the beginning missing. They tried to fill the gap with flashbacks and The Major (Jamie Foxx) giving us a back story to what led to the power pill, but it did not work. I kept feeling the beginning of the movie was missing.

The movie first introduces us to the pill, which after taking it gives you superpowers for just five minutes. The makers of the pill were giving it to drug dealers for free, they were to distribute them as they please. Soon the city of New Orleans had cases of people with superpowers doing weird things, some were invisible, some invincible and most were criminals, using the drug to commit crime.

We then meet Robin (Dominique Fishback) who is a dealer of this drug and during a sale she almost got into trouble was was rescued by an officer named Frank (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who only saved her because he wanted to buy the pill.

We then meet The Major who is hell bent to stop the distribution of this pill and he kidnaps Robin to help him get to the boss.

The movie tries too hard to pull on your emotional strings to the point that it gets annoying. Also can someone explain to me, how Robin and Major were able to have an emotional connection?

Major kidnaps Robin and gets her almost killed in his hunt for the head of the people distributing the pill. During this, she is scared and wants to get away from him. He gets hurt and that’s her chance to be free and she gets attached. This happened so fast I started to feel like there was something missing again.

Acting wise the movie does have Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, so the acting in the movie was ok, but the movie has so many places where it just feels like, you have missed something. Even when Frank and his captain connected, it was so easy I was like, “...again have I missed something.”

You can catch this movie on Netflix and since there is a lack of good movie these days, a movie that does not make you turn off the screen is passable.

Triangle (2009)

 

Triangle (2009)

 

6/10

 Starring

Melissa George

Michael Dorman

Rachael Carpani

Henry Nixon

Directed by Christopher Smith

It had a false start, making me think I was in for a long ride to discover the loop and before I knew it the lead Jess (Melissa George) started having déjà vu. Triangle is a fun movie to see, with a thrilling mysterious story which leaves you wondering when it all started and how ever is it going to end.

The movie we are watching is like the middle of a long on going loop, that just seems to intertwine here and there. Each time the lead tries to get a hold on things, we see it slip off her fingers at the most awkward moment. She runs into herself numerous times and we see her struggle at times with getting ahead of herself, already aware of what is going to happen. Here is where the director showed his mastery of the movie, allowing Jess to run into herself numerous times and not making it creepy all the time. The only time it felt silly was when she led a couple to a room, I felt the director let go of the reins there.

The plot introduces us to Jess, a mother with an autistic son who seems to be at her ends in managing him. We then skip ahead to see her boarding a boat with her friends to go sailing. When asked about the whereabouts of her son, she says he is in school in a creepy way.

 

While sailing they get hit by a storm causing the boat to capsize. They find a way on the capsize ship bubbling along until they a ship sailing by. They get on board to discover that there is nobody on it. Jess starts to get déjà vu and gets a feeling that something is really wrong.

Soon we all start to get the feeling because this massive ship Jess and her friends is on, at first appears to be empty, then all of a sudden they start to be taken out one by one, by a lone shooter.

Later on, Jess discovers that, the shooter is herself and now she is up against herself, trying to stop the shooter and then discovers she is in a time loop, which she also has to end.

 

The movie seems to have many possible ways of getting things done. As you will soon discover whenever it seems like a new path is being made, we run into signs that shows that path has been crossed before. The movie boast of a big budget in the production with did not payout in the box office earnings. The other down side itself is the stories the loops take, there are times I felt bored and wished they will hurry things up.

Triangle ends nicely for some, but in my case I like my stories to end so for me the ending could have been better. Good movie to see and enjoy, fantastic use of time loop, and wonderful directing.