Whitney

“Whitney” is a documentary about the life of Whitney Houston. Unlike a like a lot of films like this one, there is a lot of footage of her from the time she was young. Her mother was a singer and her cousins were Dionne and Dee Dee Warwick. Houston was an amazing talent and was at the top of her profession, but drugs and depression ruined her life. It is hard to sit through a clip of one of her last concert performances when the audience boo-ed her. The saddest part for me is how her daughter’s short life turned out. I have mixed feelings about this film; It is fascinating to learn about a star I liked, but I found it sad and disturbing how she ruined her life.

Uncle Drew

“Uncle Drew” is basketball comedy starring basketball players made up to look like old men. A guy is trying to put together a team to win a Harlem tournament in order to win the contest money. His initial team is stolen by a rival and he ends up meeting up with Uncle Drew, a great player from the 1960’s. They reunite his old teammates, who still can play ball. The old men are hilarious and the supporting cast is wonderful. Nick Kroll plays the rival as a wannabe thug and Tiffany Haddish steals every scene she is in. An unexpected summer comedy gem, go see it if you want a few laughs.

Sicario: Day of Soldado

“Sicario: Day of Soldado” is the sequel to the 2015 movie. This time the drug cartel in Mexico is sending terrorists across the border. In order to combat them the government enlists a band of renegades to fight them. Led by Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro. They end up kidnapping the kingpin’s daughter with the intent of scaring the cartel leadership, but everything spins out of control. A parallel story of a teenager who is brought in to the cartel is also told. This is a very violent movie with a huge body count. There are a couple of plot twists and a lot of action. Not for the faint of heart.

Ant-Man and the Wasp

“Ant-Man and the Wasp” is obviously the sequel to “Ant-Man”, which was clever, witty and funny. This one tries to bring back that magic, but doesn’t quite make it. This time Paul Rudd’s character is three days from getting off of two years of house arrest for his role in helping the Avengers in Germany. (Holy crossover!) Professor Van Dyne and his daughter Hope are in hiding, but are about to figure how to find his wife from the quantum realm. They need Antman to help them so they get him out of his house. Meanwhile an arms dealer wants the technology as does another person with super powers. Interesting, but not as tight as the original. Michael Pena provides comic relief as Antman’s business partner and Stan Lee’s cameo is funny. Good action, especially the shrinking and growing sequences. Not Marvel’s best, but not it’s worst. .

Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

The documentary about Fred Rogers, “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”, is the story of a man who truly had a gift for communicating with children. He felt his mission was to communicate with them and address topics that most adults didn’t know how to approach such as death, divorce, prejudice and a multitude of others. His approach was simple. In the end he was loved by millions of children. The documentary is told by the people who worked with and knew Rogers. Seeing this film makes you believe that there are good people in the world.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” is the sequel to the reboot of the Jurassic Park series. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard star again. This time the island where the dinosaurs live is about to be engulfed by volcanos and they must be evacuated. An eccentric billionaire who financed the development of the park underwrites the journey, but the whole plan is not what it seems. As in the other films, the special effects are amazing. Pratt is his usual smart ass hero. May biggest problem with the film is that Bryce Dallas Howard is not running through this movie in high heels like she did in the last one. Quite disappointing. Not very original, but still enjoyable.

Tag

Here is one of those stupid-funny guy movies. Interestingly it is based on a true story. Five childhood friends have been playing tag with each other in the month of May for over twenty years. They come up with outrageous ways to tag one another, but one of them has never been tagged and he is getting married. The characters range from a successful CEO to a slacker. Besides the slapstick and craziness, this film includes women in the mix. One of the wives, played by Isla Fischer, is as gung ho as the guys. Someone needs to give her a lead in a female comedy. This film is not Oscar material, but it is funny, has some originality and has an enjoyable cast. Ed Helms, Jeremy Renner and Jon Hamm lead the cast, but Jake Johnson and Hannibal Burress dominate the scenes they are in. A fun diversion. 👌👌👌

The Incredibles 2

Remember a few months ago when I wrote that I am usually wary of sequels that are made many years after the original? They usually are a pale reminder of the first film. “The Incredibles 2” is an exception. Coming to us fourteen years after the first film, this one is fresh, witty, original and fun. The characters from “The Incredibles” are back plus a couple of new ones. In this version super heroes are illegal. Elastigirl is called on to show the world that there is a need for their kind. She must leave her family, which now consists of a baby named Jack-Jack, with her husband who is overwhelmed. The baby, who all but steals the show, has all kinds of powers which he doesn’t know how to control. Frozone and Edna Mode return and are hilarious. This is one of those films that is written on two levels; It’s perfect for kids and adults will enjoy the more mature references and jokes. Pixar has done it again!👌👌👌👌👌

Gotti

It is rare that a film gets a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes, but here is one that did just that. “Gotti” is the story of John Gotti, the Teflon Don. The film is obviously a vanity project for John Travolta, who is made up to look like the real Gotti. His wife, Kelly Preston, plays Mrs. Gotti showing the world that she can act hysterical and speak with a phony New York accent. It’s not that the film is so bad, but it is very choppy, almost like they filmed a bunch of scenes and then threw them together. I read that they went through four directors and it shows. This is one of those films to watch on a rainy afternoon when there is literally nothing else on T.V. Hard to believe that this is the star from “Saturday Night Fever” and “Pulp Fiction”.

Hotel Artemis

I went to see “Hotel Artemis” because it stars Jodie Foster. I had heard nothing about it prior. The plot takes place in the near future and Foster runs a hospital for criminals. If they are injured and have a membership they are admitted. The action takes place on a night that there is rioting in Los Angeles because the corporation that owns the water supply has cut it off to the masses. Meanwhile a hood and his gang take advantage of the rioting by breaking into a bank. While escaping they are shot and go to the Hotel. Also there are an arms dealer and a hit woman at the hospital. Finally the head of the local underworld, who is also the owner of the hospital needs medical assistance. A lot of other stuff happens. The action doesn’t stop and the atmosphere is kind of modern-noir. Foster plays a woman in her 60’s or 70’s. Very interesting and well executed, this dark study kept my interest and kept me guessing.