Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week.
The Peanuts Movie
Starring: Bill Melendez and Noah Schnapp
Synopsis: I love "A Charlie Brown Christmas." It's one of my favorite Christmas movies, and I have been devoted to the Peanuts since I was a child. All this to say I can't be objective when talking about Charlie Brown and Snoopy. But I was worried about this full length feature film, which adopts the latest in visual animation style. I was worried that it wouldn't maintain the character and faith that made the TV special so memorable. But those fears were assuaged as I watched the film, which is quite good and completely in keeping with the spirit of those great animated features. The animation style is updated to be modern, but it retains the spirit of those classic TV specials and cartoons. In addition, the movie has a lot of call backs to classic elements of the Peanuts specials. And it has a great message for kids, teens, and adults. It's a great movie for audiences of all ages, and one that remains faithful to the bones of our treasured classics.
Rating: G
Verdict: Three stars out of four.
Spectre
Starring: Daniel Craig, Lea Seydoux, Christoph Waltz, and Ralph Fiennes
Synopsis: When Daniel Craig took over the mantle as suave British super spy James Bond with 2006’s “Casino Royale,” some questioned whether it was a good decision. While some might still not see Craig as the ideal Bond, those questions were answered with “Casino Royale,” one of the finest Bond entries and a film that was on a number of top 10 lists the year it was released. That film was followed in 2008 by the somewhat under whelming “Quantum of Solace,” then again by the fantastic “Skyfall” in 2012. For his fourth, and likely final, outing as Bond, there was a lot of intrigue and pressure on “Spectre,” which was released November 6. Prior to its release, Craig had a number of unflattering things to say about the pressure of playing Bond on the big screen. That didn’t help matters. But “Spectre” is the end of a four-film arc. While prior Bond outings had been stand alone films, the quartet featuring Craig were part of an ongoing story. “Spectre” serves to tie a bow on that storyline and give a fitting cap to Craig’s time as 007. Waltz was recruited to play a classic villain from the world of James Bond. The character reveal is meant to be a bit of a secret, so I won’t ruin that here. But suffice to say I wasn’t sold on the way it all came together. Waltz is a talented actor – having won two Academy Awards – and is adept at playing villains. But I didn’t think “Spectre” made the most of its talent. Despite being a 148-minute film, Waltz is underutilized and under developed as a villain, making their climactic clashes a little under whelming. I have always enjoyed the way Craig plays Bond, and did so here, but his recent comments somewhat diminished the way I enjoyed and perceived that performance. In addition, I felt like this film didn’t live up to the hype, mostly due to the somewhat ponderous and thin script. Directed Sam Mendes has a great visual feel for the world and the material. He directed “Skyfall,” too, and does a nice job in his second Bond outing. I liked the different settings and the visual aesthetic of the film. Particularly strong was the opening set piece in Mexico City during the Day of the Dead celebration. But the visuals and action of the film can’t overcome the story. The film felt a bit slow and plodding at times. Characters were under developed and the concluding sequences lacked pop. In addition, the heavy work done to string the plots of the past four films together in “Spectre” didn’t work. The James Bond franchise is still a draw, and likely will continue to be with whoever takes over the job. Craig has been a decent Bond, and delivered two exceptional films. Unfortunately his last outing wasn’t one of them.
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, some disturbing images, sensuality and language.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.
Friday, November 13 — "The 33," "I Love The Coopers," "My All American," "By The Sea"
Friday, November 20 — "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part II," "Spotlight," "The Secret In Their Eyes"
Wednesday, November 25 — "The Night Before," "The Good Dinosaur," "Victor Frankenstein," "Creed"
Comments
Post a Comment