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Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week.
A Kid From Coney Island (Netflix)
Synopsis: This documentary focuses on Stephon Marbury, the former NBA Player who found incredible success playing in China. Marbury was recognizable to basketball fans in the United States, but he's become an icon in China. This documentary explores some of that, but it mostly centers on his childhood, family and early career. Most of the interviews are with his relatives and family, and those that played with him and knew him. I thought it provided a little insight, but I would have liked to have heard more from Marbury.
Rating: TV-MA
Verdict: Two stars out of four.
Synopsis: This documentary focuses on Stephon Marbury, the former NBA Player who found incredible success playing in China. Marbury was recognizable to basketball fans in the United States, but he's become an icon in China. This documentary explores some of that, but it mostly centers on his childhood, family and early career. Most of the interviews are with his relatives and family, and those that played with him and knew him. I thought it provided a little insight, but I would have liked to have heard more from Marbury.
Rating: TV-MA
Verdict: Two stars out of four.
Animal Crackers (Netflix)
Starring: John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Danny DeVito, and Ian McKellen
Synopsis: This animated featured was made in 2017, and appeared at a few festivals, but it finally got its wide release in the United States this weekend on Netflix. It features main characters voiced by Krasinski and Blunt, who make a good team, but it has a deep and talented voice cast. It centers on some magical cookies that help turn the user into exotic animals that help keep a family circus vibrant and afloat. The idea is cute and the story moves at a decent pace. This isn't particularly memorable but it was some light summer entertainment that will be good for the whole family.
Rating: TV-Y7
Verdict: Two stars out of four.
Starring: John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Danny DeVito, and Ian McKellen
Synopsis: This animated featured was made in 2017, and appeared at a few festivals, but it finally got its wide release in the United States this weekend on Netflix. It features main characters voiced by Krasinski and Blunt, who make a good team, but it has a deep and talented voice cast. It centers on some magical cookies that help turn the user into exotic animals that help keep a family circus vibrant and afloat. The idea is cute and the story moves at a decent pace. This isn't particularly memorable but it was some light summer entertainment that will be good for the whole family.
Rating: TV-Y7
Verdict: Two stars out of four.
Doctor Sleep (HBO Max)
Starring: Ewan McGreggor, Rebecca Ferguson, Kyliegh Curran, and Cliff Curtis
Synopsis: Based on the novel from Stephen King, this one is a sequel to "The Shinning." In fact, it follows a grown up Danny Torrance (McGreggor), who now goes by Dan, and the climatic sequence takes place back at the Stanley Hotel. All that is fascinating, but what helps this film is some great performances and an engaging story. It's long, going over two and a half hours, but it's good enough and engaging enough to keep you hooked into the story. McGreggor is great in the lead role and really sinks into a lot of different facets of the story. Ferguson, who plays the primary antagonist, is also very strong, while Curran is good as the third member of the main character triangle. All have their parts to play, and all do so well as this story comes to life. There are many strong supporting players, too, including Curtis and Jacob Tremblay, who makes a strong impression despite being in just one sequence. Mike Flanagan, who worked on "The Haunting of Hill House" for Netflix, does a good job with this adaptation. He worked on the script and directed the film, and creates a nice visual style. This was a film that was anticipated by many that I didn't get to see last Fall, but I'm glad I finally caught up with it on HBO.
Rating: R for disturbing and violent content, some bloody images, language, nudity and drug use.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.
Starring: Ewan McGreggor, Rebecca Ferguson, Kyliegh Curran, and Cliff Curtis
Synopsis: Based on the novel from Stephen King, this one is a sequel to "The Shinning." In fact, it follows a grown up Danny Torrance (McGreggor), who now goes by Dan, and the climatic sequence takes place back at the Stanley Hotel. All that is fascinating, but what helps this film is some great performances and an engaging story. It's long, going over two and a half hours, but it's good enough and engaging enough to keep you hooked into the story. McGreggor is great in the lead role and really sinks into a lot of different facets of the story. Ferguson, who plays the primary antagonist, is also very strong, while Curran is good as the third member of the main character triangle. All have their parts to play, and all do so well as this story comes to life. There are many strong supporting players, too, including Curtis and Jacob Tremblay, who makes a strong impression despite being in just one sequence. Mike Flanagan, who worked on "The Haunting of Hill House" for Netflix, does a good job with this adaptation. He worked on the script and directed the film, and creates a nice visual style. This was a film that was anticipated by many that I didn't get to see last Fall, but I'm glad I finally caught up with it on HBO.
Rating: R for disturbing and violent content, some bloody images, language, nudity and drug use.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.
The Kitchen (HBO Max)
Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Elisabeth Moss, Domhnall Gleeson, and Tiffany Haddish
Synopsis: This one is about a trio of women (McCarthy, Moss and Haddish) who step up to run organized crime in Hell's Kitchen after their husbands are arrested. It is based on the graphic novel and is technically a comic book of sorts. It was not well received by critics or audiences when it was released in 2019, and I can see why. There is a lot of talent in the cast with three fierce leading ladies. However, the story here is uneven, as is the script and production. I was hopeful that this would be entertaining, but I thought it was plodding and boring. I watched it in about three shifts, but it never really connected with me. I think it's got a talented team, but it's a missed opportunity.
Rating: R for violence, language throughout and some sexual content.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.
Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Elisabeth Moss, Domhnall Gleeson, and Tiffany Haddish
Synopsis: This one is about a trio of women (McCarthy, Moss and Haddish) who step up to run organized crime in Hell's Kitchen after their husbands are arrested. It is based on the graphic novel and is technically a comic book of sorts. It was not well received by critics or audiences when it was released in 2019, and I can see why. There is a lot of talent in the cast with three fierce leading ladies. However, the story here is uneven, as is the script and production. I was hopeful that this would be entertaining, but I thought it was plodding and boring. I watched it in about three shifts, but it never really connected with me. I think it's got a talented team, but it's a missed opportunity.
Rating: R for violence, language throughout and some sexual content.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.
Radioactive (Amazon Prime)
Starring: Rosamund Pike and Sam Riley
Synopsis: This film focuses on the life and career of Marie Curie, the scientist who worked hard discover a great deal about radioactivity and radioactive materials. It focuses on her relationship with her husband, Pierre (Riley), and her later life, including the struggles to be taken seriously as a woman. It follows the scandals in her life and career, as well as the breakthroughs. Pike is a talented actress who gives a lot to this role. That being said, I didn't think this film was as dynamic as I hoped. It was a bit dry and felt too long though it was less than two hours in length. It's the story of an important woman who contributed a lot to her field, but it's not overly compelling as a film.
Rating: PG-13 for thematic elements, disturbing images, brief nudity and a scene of sensuality.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.
Starring: Rosamund Pike and Sam Riley
Synopsis: This film focuses on the life and career of Marie Curie, the scientist who worked hard discover a great deal about radioactivity and radioactive materials. It focuses on her relationship with her husband, Pierre (Riley), and her later life, including the struggles to be taken seriously as a woman. It follows the scandals in her life and career, as well as the breakthroughs. Pike is a talented actress who gives a lot to this role. That being said, I didn't think this film was as dynamic as I hoped. It was a bit dry and felt too long though it was less than two hours in length. It's the story of an important woman who contributed a lot to her field, but it's not overly compelling as a film.
Rating: PG-13 for thematic elements, disturbing images, brief nudity and a scene of sensuality.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.
Rebuilding Paradise (Releases July 31)
Synopsis: This new documentary from director Ron Howard is being released by National Geographic Films and focuses on the town of Paradise, California which was nearly destroyed by a wild fire on November 8, 2018. Living in Colorado Springs, I remember what it was like to live through devastating fires. We had them in back-to-back years when I first moved here. Watching the opening to this film, and the experience of those survive was emotionally engaging and incredible. This film is powerful. It begins by laying out the day of the event, and exploring how it happened. But it's also about the way the people of this town put their lives back together, following them through the first year after the fire. There are tough moments. There are beautiful moments. But, mostly, there are rich, emotional moments. I was blessed to see a screener of this film, and I have nothing but good things to say about the story and the way it's told. This was a powerful emotional experience and, to me, the best film I've seen in 2020 so far. I can't recommend it strongly enough. It reminds me of two years ago when the documentary "Won't You Be My Neighbor" captured my heart and was my favorite film of the year, and one of my favorites of the decade. "Rebuilding Paradise" is on that level, and I hope it earns all the acclaim it deserves come awards season. This is a powerful story well told, and well worth your time to check out.
Rating: PG-13 for intense scenes of peril, thematic elements and some strong language.
Verdict: Four stars out of four.
Synopsis: This new documentary from director Ron Howard is being released by National Geographic Films and focuses on the town of Paradise, California which was nearly destroyed by a wild fire on November 8, 2018. Living in Colorado Springs, I remember what it was like to live through devastating fires. We had them in back-to-back years when I first moved here. Watching the opening to this film, and the experience of those survive was emotionally engaging and incredible. This film is powerful. It begins by laying out the day of the event, and exploring how it happened. But it's also about the way the people of this town put their lives back together, following them through the first year after the fire. There are tough moments. There are beautiful moments. But, mostly, there are rich, emotional moments. I was blessed to see a screener of this film, and I have nothing but good things to say about the story and the way it's told. This was a powerful emotional experience and, to me, the best film I've seen in 2020 so far. I can't recommend it strongly enough. It reminds me of two years ago when the documentary "Won't You Be My Neighbor" captured my heart and was my favorite film of the year, and one of my favorites of the decade. "Rebuilding Paradise" is on that level, and I hope it earns all the acclaim it deserves come awards season. This is a powerful story well told, and well worth your time to check out.
Rating: PG-13 for intense scenes of peril, thematic elements and some strong language.
Verdict: Four stars out of four.
Senior Love Triangle (Releases August 4)
Starring: Tom Bower, Anne Gee Byrd, and Marilyn Mason
Synopsis: This one is inspired by a true story and photo essay of the same name. Kelly Blatz co-wrote the script with Isadora Kosofsky and directed the film. It centers on a delusional World War II veteran (Bower) who struggles with money and bounces from one retirement home community to another. In each, he forms a romantic attachment. Soon the two women, Jeanie (Mason) and Adina (Byrd), are vying for his affection as he promises to help get them out to some place better. But the dream of what their life together might be is merely covering over the issues all of them face as they try to hold on to the vitality of life in a season where they've been pushed to the margins. Byrd is strong and Mason is quite good in a role that has a few layers. But what struck me here was Bower, a long time character actor, who is given a chance to shine in this leading role. This is a bit of a downer as a story and has some strange and sad twists and turns. But it's a different kind of story that shines a light on a different group of characters and issues. I found it compelling at times thanks to the performances though I wasn't completely taken with the film as a whole.
Rating: N/A
Verdict: Two stars out of four.
Starring: Tom Bower, Anne Gee Byrd, and Marilyn Mason
Synopsis: This one is inspired by a true story and photo essay of the same name. Kelly Blatz co-wrote the script with Isadora Kosofsky and directed the film. It centers on a delusional World War II veteran (Bower) who struggles with money and bounces from one retirement home community to another. In each, he forms a romantic attachment. Soon the two women, Jeanie (Mason) and Adina (Byrd), are vying for his affection as he promises to help get them out to some place better. But the dream of what their life together might be is merely covering over the issues all of them face as they try to hold on to the vitality of life in a season where they've been pushed to the margins. Byrd is strong and Mason is quite good in a role that has a few layers. But what struck me here was Bower, a long time character actor, who is given a chance to shine in this leading role. This is a bit of a downer as a story and has some strange and sad twists and turns. But it's a different kind of story that shines a light on a different group of characters and issues. I found it compelling at times thanks to the performances though I wasn't completely taken with the film as a whole.
Rating: N/A
Verdict: Two stars out of four.
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