Solo: A Star Wars Story

“Solo” is the back story for Han Solo. If you don’t know who Han Solo is, you can stop reading now. We find out that he was a street kid who lived by his wits and stole to survive. Aiden Ehrenreich stars as the young Solo and does a decent job. Still, it takes a bit to get used to him after seeing Harrison Ford in the role for over forty years. As the movie goes on he grows on you with his cocky attitude. As important as the lead role is, we learn how he met Chewie. Once they are together, the movie really takes off. Woody Harrelson plays a thief for hire who adopts Solo. And there is a love interest who goes back and forth in her allegiance to Han. All in all a very entertaining and worthy installment in the Star Wars saga.

Deadpool 2

I must admit that the original “Deadpool” was my favorite movie of 2016, so when they announced a sequel I was excited. I was also nervous that the new film would not live up to the original. I always say that the only sequel that was as good as the first movie was “The Godfather, Part II”. Well that film now has a buddy because “Deadpool 2” is as funny, action-packed, filthy, and snarky as the original. It is also quite bloody, but like the original, not in a believable way. Deadpool is still never at a loss for words and takes almost no one seriously. This time the villian comes from the future to kill a mutant adolescent who has the ability to shoot fire from his hands, is from New Zealand and is the self-proclaimed first plus-sized super hero. Lots of plot twists and unbelievable things happen. It would be hard to describe which part of the film was the funniest or best, but I would have to say the scene with the baby legs is a classic. I loved this movie. Be forewarned that there is a lot of violence and swearing, mostly in a sarcastic, snarky way.

Book Club

“Book Club” is a comedy for the more mature set starring Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen and Mary Steenburgen as lifelong friends who start reading the Fifty Shades of Gray series The books turn the three staid ones, Keaton, Bergen and Steenburgen, into mild sex fiends and Fonda, the aggressive one, ends up having a normal romance for once. All of the actresses are wonderful and each has at least one hilarious moment. My only criticism is that the ending was kind of predictable. Still, it was enjoyable watching these pros in action. By the way, Jane Fonda’s plastic surgeon should be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Special Effects. At 80 she looks great and it ain’t natural.

Bad Samaritant

I knew very little about “Bad Samaritan” when I went to see it. The synopsis seemed weird and interesting. A millennial is subsisting by running a valet service with his friend for a posh restaurant. Instead of parking some of the cars, they go to the owner’s house and steal things. Nothing big, but a few little trinkets. At one of these homes the hero discovers a woman being held hostage. Going to the police means exposing himself, but he does it anyway. The police don’t believe him and the owner of the house proceeds to ruin his life. This movie was made on a small budget with no big name actors. The biggest star is someone who played Dr. Who. My eyes were glued to the screen and I did not know what was going to happen next. It is a very good suspense thriller. Clever and well executed.

Life of the Party

Melissa McCarthy is back as the mother of a college age girl. Her husband dumps her and to cope with her crisis she goes back to college. There are a few funny bits, especially when a college age guy has the hots for Melissa. However, there is one scene that will knock your socks off. This is one of those films that McCarthy and her husband, Ben Falcone, wrote and he directed. It’s cute, has a few laughs and is an enjoyable piece of fluff. Not the greatest, but not bad.

Tully

I loved “Juno” when it came out ten years ago. Well written, well acted and beautifully directed it was a uniquely told story. The director, Jason Reitman, and writer, Diablo Cody, made another movie, “Young Adult” back in 2011, and it missed the mark. I thought it was tiresome and meandering. Their latest collaboration is “Tully”, the story of a middle class mother of three, including a new born, who is struggling to survive. A night nurse comes into her life and things change. Charlize Theron stars as the mother very realistically, with bags under her eyes and extra weight. The problem for me was that there wasn’t much to the story and other than the mother and the nanny, there was no character development. There is a twist at the end, but overall I was underwhelmed.

Super Troopers II

It is normally not a good sign when film makers wait seventeen years to make a sequel. This is especially true when the original wasn’t a hit initially, but became a cult classic. Most people have heard of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”. How about it’s sequel “Shock Treatment”? Probably not because the latter was horrible. Well I am happy to say that “Super Troopers II” is a worthy sequel to the original. All of the same actors are back, the comedy is low brow and many of the scenes are laugh out loud funny. There even is a segment where the boys ticket drivers outrageously like they did in the first one. This is a slapstick comedy that is not meant to stimulate your intellect. So check your I.Q. at the door and enjoy.

A Quiet Place

I originally did not want to see “A Quiet Place” starring Emily Blunt and directed and co-starring John Krasinski. It looked like a dumb horror movie, but the reviews sounded interesting. Boy, was I pleasantly surprised! The story is about a post-apocalyptic family surviving aliens who hunt them down through sound. They are only able to live by keeping completely silent. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? Let me tell you that this is one of the most suspenseful films I have ever seen. There isn’t much blood and carnage, but the anticipation kept me on the edge of my seat. I expected that I would give this film no more than two stars out of five. Instead, I am giving it four. It’s a really great scary movie.

Beirut

“Beirut” is a suspense thriller starring Jon Hamm and Rosamund Pike. It’s a kidnap/ransom story with a lot of twists. There are Americans, Palestinians, Lebanese, and Israelis in this intriguing story. The film shows how Lebanon changed from the 1970’s to the 1980’s, basically from a nice, modern city to a war torn hell hole. Hamm starts off as a well connected power player who loses it all when his wife is killed during a kidnapping. He is brought back to negotiate the release of a high level diplomat who happens to be his friend. It is hard to figure out who are the heroes and who are the villains. The story is based on fact with a lot of twists. Not a lot of action, but interesting.

Isle of Dogs

The latest film from Wes Anderson is a stop motion animated story set in the future in Japan. All dogs have been banished from the city and forced to live on Trash Island. A young boy goes to the island to try to find his pet and is helped by a pack of dogs. Anderson’s films are quirky, with a very dry sense of humor that is off the wall. This movie is no exception. There are no laugh out loud moments, but the characters are different and funny. Anderson’s films are not for everyone because they are different. If you are a fan, you will enjoy it.