I enjoyed “Paddington” when it came out a few years ago. It was witty, smart and cute, the perfect family movie. I especially liked the English humor, not Monty Python but more Winnie the Pooh. So, I went to see its sequel, appropriately titled “Paddington 2”. I figured it would be a continuation of the charm of the first one or a dud. Well it pretty much followed the first one, though there were parts of it that were sappy. The added casting of Hugh Grant and Brendan Gleeson livened things up. Paddington is still the naive bear who only sees the good in everyone to comic results. The technology is flawless in bringing him to life. You really think of him as a person. Grant overacts, but it is what the part calls for since he plays a washed up ham actor. Enjoyable, light, G-rated. A bit of fluff. Perfect for kids. If you are looking for sophisticated drama, stay away.
The Darkest Hour (From December 30, 2017)
I also saw “The Darkest Hour”, the story of Winston Churchill’s rise to Prime Minister at one of the worst times in English history. Gary Oldman becomes Churchill the way that Jamie Foxx became Ray Charles, Daniel Day-Lewis became Abraham Lincoln and Marion Cottilard became Edith Piaf; he inhabits the character. His acting is nothing short of brilliant and I am saying that as someone who is not a Gary Oldman fan. I learned a lot about how Churchill’s own party disliked and disrespected him because he was a volatile person who had made some bad decisions and about the conflicts he faced. This is an historical drama, well acted and detail oriented. If you saw “Dunkirk” this summer and want to see what was happening over in England at the same time, this movie tells you. Not a lot of action, but I found it very interesting.
Pitch Perfect 3
My review for “Pitch Perfect 3”: They should have stopped at two. I liked the first two installments because they were clever, funny and different. The cast was fine this time, but there really wasn’t much that was new except we learned Fat Amy’s back story. We learned almost nothing about new characters and even the production numbers were uninspired. This is a wait for cable movie. Andrew Rossman See? I don’t like every movie I see.
The Commuter
Liam Neeson has become the go-to guy for action movies debuting in January. His latest entry is “The Commuter” where he plays an allegedly mild mannered insurance salesman who has an epically bad day. As bad as that day is, his commute home is ten times worse. He is drawn into a plot that he has no control over, a sort of sick game of cat and mouse. It is not your typical terror on a train movie. Instead it is one of the most suspenseful movies I have seen in a long time. There are just enough action sequences to keep your interest. They might have subtitled it “Taken on a Train”, but it’s more than that. The plot is tight, clever and keeps you guessing until the end. If you like suspense, action and Liam Neeson being a bad ass, go see this movie.
All the Money in the World
We saw “All the Money in the World” last night. This is the film that costarred Kevin Spacey, but when the sexual scandal surfaced they refilmed all of his scenes with Christopher Plummer in less than 30 days. It’s the story of the kidnapping of J. Paul Getty’s grandson. Getty was the richest man in the world and refused to pay the ransom. Like most Ridley Scott films it is brilliantly filmed. I do not normally like Michelle Williams because I find her acting stagey, but in this film she was natural and quite good. Christopher Plummer adds another great performance to his resume, playing a miser who only loves money. I am not sure if it will get any awards but it is a very good movie.
My First Review on Mark’s Movie Reviews-The Greatest Showman
Welcome to my new blog. Instead of putting my reviews on Facebook, I am going to use this site. It’s a great way to end 2017 and start the new year. Here goes.
Last night I saw “The Greatest Showman” which is a highly fictionalized story of P.T. Barnum. The main criticism about the film is that it takes liberties with the true story. Yes, much of the plot is made up. If you want historical accuracy, go see “The Darkest Hour”. This is a film that reminded me of those made in the heyday of the MGM musicals. Light, entertaining and the musical numbers are inspired.
The film stars Hugh Jackman and Zac Efron who are back in a musical again. The supporting cast is made up of the people who society deemed not normal, like Tom Thumb and the bearded lady. The songs are by the same team that did “La La Land” last year and are even better. And the production numbers are big and fun.
This is not a film that will win Best Picture, but it is entertaining, beautifully done and magical. If you’re looking for reality and drama, stay away. On the other hand, if you are in the mood for a film that will make you smile and hum some tunes, go see it.
Mark's Movie Reviews 