We have a book club in our house and my 12 year old chose this book. The deal was after we read, we’d discuss it and then see the movie. We were the only ones in the theater and had pretty much a private screening. I’m really surprised by how poorly this film is doing at the show because it’s not too bad. The production design which may remind some of Mad Max is eye popping. There is tons to look at and the visuals are nothing short of dazzling. I loved watching it as far as the look is concerned.The story is just so-so and didn’t really follow the book that much, sometimes for the good because it kinda sucked. All the characters are interesting, but not very well drawn out and some of the action, if you weren’t familiar with the material might leave you confused at times. The movie clocks in at 2:15 and almost needed to be longer to explain some things. That being said, it is fun. For a younger viewer, say 10-16, there is enough action and cool planes, contraptions etc to keep them entertained. The violence is minimal. I enjoyed it for the most part. A mild recommendation.

Rating: **1/2

I’m a sucker for these types of movies. A struggling single dad who owns a neighborhood record store wants to connect with his musically gifted teenage daughter before she goes off to UCLA to become a doctor. He loves music and he makes a point of jamming with her on a daily basis for shits & giggles. To him, its a way to connect with his daughter, for her, its a pain in the ass. When they connect on a pretty catchy song, the two of them embark on a little music fantasy when the dad puts the song on Spotify. The story is simple, good hearted and the music is sweet and delightful. There isn’t much other than that. Nick Offerman & Kiercy Clemons play the father & daughter and they have real chemistry together. They give a small concert at the end of the movie that will make you smile. As a father of a girl the same age, I felt a connection to Offerman’s character and I think that viewing this film that more special.

Rating: *** (B+)

If you watch closely, with the plotline, you’d think you just watched a water logged version of THOR, but I think it’s a little better than that. As far as DC films go, it’s closer to Wonder Woman than Batman vs. Superman as far as quality. Aquaman, in my childhood watching Superfriends cartoons has always been a wimp who can talk to fish and somehow gets stuck in some seaweed or a giant clam. It takes his telepathy to get himself free. Never envisioned him to be a Hells Angel, but I get it and I think I liked this version better. If anything, he’s a lot more interesting and makes for a better movie. This film is too long. It’s great to look at and the story is actually pretty good, but man, if i could just trim about 20 minutes and make it tighter. There is also no shortage of stupid dialogue straight from a Dolph Lundgren film, who happens to be in this BTW. I like Dolph, but c’mon. The costumes are neat and the cast is top notch. Nicole Kidman and Willem Dafoe play supporting roles to Jason Mamoa and Amber Heard. I enjoyed the Black Manta side story and stick around during the end credits for more about him. The movie is fun. It’s not on the top Marvel level, but it’s not joyless like many of the early DC films have been. If you like the genre, it’s worth seeing. I got into it despite its problems.

Rating (***) (B)

After watching tons of action films at the show, my wife and I decided to go to the artsy fartsy theater and see one of the sure fire Oscar contenders that is getting all the great reviews and maybe get some culture with the Favourite. This movie was not one of my favorites, sorry. Let me first say, this isn’t my wheelhouse. i generally don’t dig 18th century period pieces or really care too much about the Royals, but I gave this a try. It
s billed as a comedy and although I did laugh at times, I didn’t find it all that funny. There were a few snobs in the theater who laughed their asses off. It does help if you know a little history about Queen Anne going in. The Queen is sort of a lesser known royal who suffers from a slew of diseases, kind of disgusting and keeps a bunch of rabbits. I had never heard of her. The story is good and I enjoyed the little gamesmanship between the dueling cousins after the queen’s affection and her nobility. I couldn’t wait to see who would ultimately come out on top. Rachel Weisz, Emma Stone & olivia Coleman as Queen Anne are dynamite in their roles. For all that, I give the film its props. The film is very well done in many ways. The problem I had was that the picture is loaded with symbolism and metaphors that I had to look up when I got home. You shouldn’t have to do that after you just spent a small fortune to see the damn thing. The Royals have always been an interesting watch to some. I think people are fascinated by their wealth and enjoy making fun of them fumble around on screen. If this is your cup of tea, then go see this.It’s just not mine. I’m going to give it a mild recommendation for the story and performances.

Rating: (**1/2)