Now Playing


Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week.

Skyscraper
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Neve Campbell, and Pablo Schreiber
Synopsis: Every summer we get a handful of action films that are deep as a puddle. They aren't supposed to be think pieces, or ones that blow you away with plot. They're supposed to hook you, entertain you for 90 to 120 minutes, and leave you feeling glad you got out of the heat for a bit. That's the category to put "Skyscraper," which is blessed with the go-to star for these kind of films, Johnson. He made "San Andreas" a hit. He made "Rampage" work. He made a "Jumanji" sequel one of the biggest hits to end 2017. And he is good in this, too. "Skyscraper" defied expectation for me in not having as much humor. It was also more tense than I expected. (Word to the wise, if, like me, you aren't a fan of heights, there are some tough moments in this film.) But "Skyscraper" is what I expected. Johnson is great in the lead, the action was intense at times but easy to follow. Campbell was good in this role and the whole thing was some nice, light summer entertainment. It didn't do great at the Box Office, and perhaps that's because people are tiring of this kind of thing or possibly it's because this summer has been uneven. This movie isn't incredible, but it's fun and it's worth seeing on the big screen because of its scope.
Rating: PG-13 for sequences of gun violence and action, and for brief strong language.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Uncle Drew
Starring: Lil Rel Howery, Kyrie Irving, Shaq, Chris Webber, Reggie Miller, Nate Robinson, Lisa Leslie, Tiffany Haddish, and Nick Kroll
About: So this movie was a bit of a disappointment. Let me explain. Going into "Uncle Drew" I wasn't expecting anything great. It's a pretty simple and silly conceit. It's got a couple comedians, but mostly current and former NBA players putting on old guy make up to pretend to be a geriatric basketball team in the world's foremost outdoor court tournament in Harlem. You're not expecting greatness. But I thought the trailer was funny, and I was hoping this would be a good time. It's not bad, but it's not consistently funny, and often has periods of lulls and drags. The film tries often to be too earnest in its non-basketball sequences, and that feels like a mis-step. This film really is more like a full-length commercial for Pepsi with a few jokes. That's OK, but it's definitely not as fun as I was hoping for. If you like this kind of stuff, then you'll be into the film. Otherwise, this is an afternoon on cable in five to 10 years.
Rating: PG-13 for suggestive material, language and brief nudity.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:
Friday, July 20: "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again," "Dark Web: Unfriended," "The Equalizer 2"
Friday, July 27: "Mission Impossible: Fallout," "Teen Titans Go! To the Movies"

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Image
Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) is a brash trial lawyer who is good at rallying a jury to his cause. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is a quiet grandfather who is trying to ensure the business his family built remains viable after he’s gone. These two don’t appear to have much in common on the surface. But when they’re brought together by young lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) brings them together, a connection is formed over their shared background of working hard to become self-made men. And it turned out that Willie was just who Jerry needed in his corner to win the fight of his life. The new Prime Video film The Burial, which opened in theaters October 6 and started streaming October 13, captures that trial against the Loewen Group that changed the course of their lives. The film is based on the true story and covers the trial, but more importantly captures the relationship between the men. The film plays out like a traditional courtroom drama. Foxx is solid as Willie Gary, while Ju...
Read more

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co...
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve...
Read more