“The Addams Family” is a new computer animated film based on Charles Addams’ comic characters. I always loved the macabre humor and play on words. This version is more geared to the younger set. The live action versions from the early 1990’s were a little more adult in their humor (aka: darker), but this one still has some funny moments. Especially funny were the children, Wednesday and Pugsley. And of course Fester was a riot. Die hard fans may think this film is too tame, but it is not bad.
Gemini Man
I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to see “Gemini Man”, the new Will Smith action movie. In this one Smith is an assassin who, when he retires his agency puts a hit on him. The twist is the person assigned to the task. I can’t say more without giving away the plot. The film is tautly directed by Ang Lee who helmed “Brokeback Mountain” and “The Life of Pi”. There is a lot of action and twists. The motorcycle chase scene is one of the best I have seen and the way that the vehicles are used as weapons is awesome. Clive Owen plays one of those villains who works for the “good guys”. This is an above average action thriller with some different plot twists.
Judy
“Judy” tells the story of Judy Garland’s final, tragic year. Almost everyone knows her story. Addicted to drugs, she has no money, no home and because of her erratic behavior, is unemployable. Even fifty years after her death Judy Garland is still quite recognizable, so portraying her is a real gamble. Renee Zellwegger’s performance is nothing short of amazing. She inhabits the roll. Her make up is spot on and she captures the essence of her personality, pathos, and humor. Zellwegger is able to show how she came alive on stage, even singing some of her famous ballads. When I saw her performing these songs I was in awe of how she captured Garland. The movie itself is so-so, just a retelling of a story that has been publicized to the max and is quite depressing. Like Jamie Foxx in “Ray”, Rami Malek in “Bohemian Rhapsody”, and Marion Cottilard in “La Vie en Rose”, Renee Zellwegger’s performance should go down in history as one of the greatest on the screen.
Joker
“Joker” is the origin story for Batman’s worst enemy. Joaquin Phoenix plays Arthur Flick, a strange loner, mama’s boy, and sporadic laugher. All he wants is to be is a clown and stand up comic, but everyone treats him like dirt. Phoenix does a good job showing his pain and descent into madness and there is talk that his performance could be Oscar nominated. This movie is very dark, but unlike some of the other DC films, the darkness is appropriate. While I wouldn’t rate Phoenix’s performance as good as Heath Ledger’s in “The Dark Knight”, it comes close. Lots of blood and violence.
Rambo: Last Blood
Sylvester Stallone is the King of the Sequels. Look at all the Rocky movies and Creed I & II. And then there is the Rambo series. In the 2019 version a seventy-something John Rambo is running a farm, training horses and taking pills to keep him calm. He is practically domesticated. Then his ward is kidnapped by Mexican sex traffickers and she dies. These actions bring back the Rambo we have grown to love. The first half of the movie sets up the story and is a bit slow. But when Rambo seeks revenge, the action goes into overdrive. He takes on the what seems like every Mexican gang member and wins. The body count is tremendous and very creative. This is a live action Road Runner movie. The violence is over the top and it is awesome. If you are looking for a film that is mentally stimulating, pass on this one. I loved it.
Ad Astra
It is not a good thing to be bored while watching a movie. Unfortunately it happened again last night while I was watching “Ad Astra”. I wasn’t sure I wanted to see this film based on the previews, but decided to give it a try because I think that Brad Pitt and Tommy Lee Jones are good actors. The story concerns father and son astronauts in the near future. The special effects are good, but the story line and acting are boring. I don’t think anyone spoke with any inflection in their voices. If this film had a pulse rate I would recommend electro shock! It’s such a waste of talent!
Fiddler: Miracle of Miracles
“Fiddler: Miracle of Miracles” is a documentary that tells the history of “Fiddler on the Roof” and how it has endured for over 50 years. It was the most unlikely play from the beginning and no one thought it would make it, let alone become a hit. There are clips of recent productions, but I especially liked the ones from a Japanese production. Wonderful music; wonderful story; it felt like I was learning the history of an old family friend. Loved it!
Hustlers
“Hustlers” is the story of some strippers who come up with a way to make some big money. Jennifer Lopez is the leader of the group and her dance at the beginning of the movie is one of the most amazingly erotic things that an R rated movie can get away with. It will leave you breathless. But the real standout is Constance Wu as one of J-Lo’s partners in crime. She basically steals the movie. This is kind of a sexy heist movie with some good acting from the leads. Not the greatest, but a decent diversion.
The Goldfinch
I saw three movies this past weekend. The first, “The Goldfinch”, was my least favorite. It’s the story of a boy who is caught up in a series of unfortunate events. The set up is kind of interesting, but then it goes south. Slow does not begin to describe it! The cast is made up of talented actors, but they seem to be sleep walking through the picture. Only Luke Wilson as the scum bag father shows any real emotion. The plot twists are interesting, but not enough to make me want to recommend seeing it.
What a lousy summer!
2019 is by far the worst summer for movies that I can remember. Of course there were a few good films. Probably the best were “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”, “The Farewell”, the new Spiderman movie, and maybe “Peanut Butter Falcon”. My two favorites were “Yesterday” and “Blinded by the Light”. There were the usual action films like “Hobbs and Shaw”, “Angel Has Fallen” and “Avengers: Endgame” (which I did not like), but not much else. There is usually one great or near great comedy, but not this summer. Even the animated films were lackluster, including “Toy Story 4”. And how many more remakes of Disney animated films can we see? One sleeper was a film almost nobody saw, “Booksmart”. When Labor Day weekend comes around and there isn’t a film I want to see you know it’s a bad year!
Mark's Movie Reviews 