”The Art of Racing in the Rain” Movie Review

    It probably isn’t much of a shock to learn I went to see “The Art of Racing in the Rain” last week since it’s a movie featuring a dog.  I mean, of course I would go see this because it’s a dog movie.  That being said, I also knew I was probably in for an emotional rollercoaster and that I might end up crying like a baby by the end of the movie.  Regardless of how many tears I might shed, I decided to go see the movie anyway.

    The film tells the story of professional racer Denny as he adopts a dog he names Enzo.  Denny and Enzo share a bond and friendship as Denny tries to make his way through the ranks of professional racing.  Racing, and to an extent Enzo, take a back seat a bit when Denny meets Eve.  Denny and Eve end up marring and while Enzo doesn’t like having to share Denny’s attention at first, Enzo begins to warm up to her when she becomes pregnant, even hoping their baby looks like him.  What happens next would spoil too much of the movie so I will just say things get very sad and it would be hard not to cry by the end of the movie.

    The film, based on a novel written by Garth Stein, was received with mixed reviews but that couldn’t keep me from a good dog movie.  I really enjoyed the film but the film was a real tearjerker for dog lovers.  The film succeeds largely due to the performance of the dog who plays Enzo.  The human actors, primarily Milo Ventimiglia and Amanda Seyfried, do a decent job but Enzo without a doubt steals the show.  Kevin Costner provides the perfect voice actor for the mature Enzo in the film.

    The film does have it’s flaws despite my enjoyment of the film.  The film is fairly predictable throughout most of it’s runtime and while the movie still remains enjoyable, it undercuts some of the drama slightly.  I also thought some of the moments of levity were out of place, like the moments with the stuffed zebra.  The zebra hallucination was cute but took me out of the movie.

    “The Art of Racing in the Rain” isn’t for everyone but maybe it should be.  The film can be sappy and emotional but sometimes that is just what an audience needs.

Grade: B+

“Hellboy” (2009) Movie Review

    I really enjoyed Guillermo del Toro’s “Hellboy” film years ago and actually enjoyed the sequel, “Hellboy II: The Golden Army”, even more.  I was always holding out hope that perhaps with time, a third movie to round out the envisioned trilogy would materialize.  There seemed to be some hope a few years back but del Toro began to accept the fact that most studios had no interest in a third Hellboy film.  Well, I guess they ‘did’ have interest in a reboot however, and Lionsgate moves forward with the remake without any of the original core players.

    The movie retells the origin of Hellboy but also focuses on the story of the Blood Queen Nimue and how the two interconnect.  Nimue was a powerful witch in the dark ages and was unable to be killed due to her dark powers.  The only person able to stop her was King Arthur due to his holy weapon Excalibur.  King Arthur chopped her into pieces and sent those pieces far away from each in hopes she would never be reunited with them.  The movie then shifts back to focusing primarily on Hellboy and in this movie, he is already an established agent of the B.P.R.D. and is sent on a mission to help kill three giants in Britain following a mishap in Mexico.  While on the mission, the hunters try to kill Hellboy before he manages to escape.  Hellboy is rescued by a friend named Alice.  While this is happening, a creature known as Gruagach has managed to recapture all of the Blood Queen’s pieces and now that she is whole again, it is up to Hellboy to stop her.

    Well, as you could probably guess from the description, there is a lot going on in this movie.  While some movies manage to handle complicated plots with a tightly paced script, this is just sadly a hot mess.  That is really sad because I like the character of Hellboy and enjoyed the other films Guillermo del Toro made featuring the character, this remake misses the mark though.  I am not completely sure why the filmmakers didn’t notice the film was all over the place during editing.  I feel like this movie could have been salvaged some in the editing room but perhaps the filmmakers felt the world building for a possible sequel was too important.

    Now, I did enjoy the cast for the most part.  David Harbour was enjoyable as Hellboy though I think Ron Perlman was better in the role.  I am not even sure why they felt the need to replace Perlman since the character is heavily in makeup.  Perhaps it is because of Harbour’s fame in “Stranger Things” but that seems odd since most people don’t know him by name and they put him in makeup which heavily resembled Ron Perlman’s Hellboy.  I like Ian McShane as well and he was fine in the role of Hellboy’s father but doesn’t quite fit the role.  McShane is gruff and doesn’t have the warmth that John Hurt had in the role before him.  Milla Jovovich was very over the top in this movie and I personally did not enjoy her in the film.

    This movie’s biggest fault however was that it almost felt like it couldn’t figure out if it wanted to be a complete reboot or a lose sequel and lacked it’s own voice.  The parts that were Neil Marshall inspired didn’t work, I thought Thomas Haden Church as the Lobster was terrible and took me out of the film.  The best parts of the film were the parts that felt lifted directly from Guillermo del Toro.  A lot of the creature designs and makeup effects were incredible.

    I wanted to enjoy this film but the movie was just a hot mess.  There were things you might enjoy about the film and it isn’t quite as bad as some critics made it out to be, but it wasn’t good either.  It’s a shame since the character deserves better.

Grade: D

RIP Demon Flash Bandit

    It seems like not that long ago, I was saddened to bring you news of my sweet dog Angel Zoom Smokey’s passing.  I am saddened to say that Demon Flash Bandit has passed away yesterday.  Demon Flash Bandit was more than just a dog to us, he was a brother and an important and beloved member of the online community throughout various websites such as Dogster (when it was a community friendly website) and his blog, Adventures of a Lead Dog which was written by my mother (but was ‘dictated’ to her by Demon).  His blog continued until her passing a few years back.

    Demon Flash Bandit was loved by many and will always be remembered fondly.  Both Demon and Angel were both huge inspirations on my blog work and impacted my taste in movies greatly.  I will greatly miss my four legged best friend.  Demon passed away in his sleep peacefully and he is now with his many friends and family across the rainbow bridge.  If you have a dog, make sure to give them a hug today.  Thank you for being there all these years for your family.  You were the best boy a person could have ever met.  Until we meet again, I miss you dearly Demon.
    Demon Flash Bandit will continue to have an impact on this blog and my life (and many other people’s lives as well).  Losing Demon was hard because he was like a brother to me, but I am glad he is free.

RIP Demon Flash Bandit

”The Highwaymen” Movie Review

    Although there are some Netflix films I don’t mind checking out and some I even enjoy, very few times am I excited to see a Netflix original film.  I was excited to see “The Cloverfield Paradox” but this is the first film Netflix has made that I was looking forward to since then (although “The Irishman” very much has my attention as well).  I am a big fan of both Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson and the preview of the film looked very promising.

    The film tells the story of the men who finally took down the notorious Bonnie and Clyde.  Governor Ma Ferguson agrees to allow two former Texas Rangers, Frank Hamer and Benjamin Gault, on the case despite her reservations.  Frank and Benjamin use their skills to stay one step ahead of the FBI who are also on the case in search of Bonnie and Clyde.  Despite their age, Frank and Benjamin manage to track Bonnie and Clyde to Louisiana where they (along with other law enforcement) end up gunning the pair down when they refuse to surrender.

    “The Highwaymen” was a film that was in development hell for years before finally being completed.  At one point, the film was envisioned as a starring vehicle for the late Paul Newman and Robert Redford.  The film finally got picked up by Netflix last year.  Upon it’s release, the film garnered mixed reviews so I was dying to see what I would think of the film.

    I enjoyed the film more than the critics seemed to but I agree with some of their critiques.  One of the main criticisms the film faced which I agree with was that Bonnie and Clyde are the more interesting characters in the story and that the Texas Rangers would have better served as supporting characters.  While I think the story of Bonnie and Clyde has been successfully told before and didn’t necessarily need yet another retelling from their point of view, I think sharing the prospective between the criminals and the law enforcement officers would have provided a better fresh take on the story.

    The film has a lot of strengths that I think are largely overlooked.  Director John Lee Hancock manages to create a rich and vibrant atmosphere which helps transport the viewer into the 1930s.  The fact that the movie was filmed on many of the actual historical sites helps the film feel authentic.  One of the historical locations happened to be the actual road where Bonnie and Clyde were killed on.

    What really helped elevate the film beyond most other Netflix films is it’s killer cast.  Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson are both giving it their A game and give award worthy performances.  Costner and Harrelson also have great chemistry together and it feels like they have worked together for a long time.

    “The Highwaymen” isn’t a perfect film but it captures the look, feel, and style of the period like few films have.  It is certainly one of the better Netflix films I have seen and a film I would personally recommend someone seek out to watch.

Grade: B

“The Angry Birds Movie 2” Movie Review

    When you think of classic animated films, I think it is safe to assume that “The Angry Birds Movie” probably doesn’t come to mind judging from the critical and general audience reactions to the film upon it’s release.  Full disclosure here, I have actually never seen the first film yet so I will not way in either way on that movie until I see it.  The sequel caught me attention due to it’s cute trailers so I decided to see this movie with my girlfriend and her brother (and my movie buddy).

    “The Angry Birds Movie 2” starts out after Red has successfully guarded Bird Island from Leonard and Piggy Island.  After several small conflicts, the islands set their differences aside with the discovery of another island which has started attacking both islands.  As it turns out, the other island is Eagle Island and the island’s leader, Zeta, wants nothing more than to wipe out both islands.

    The plot of the film is rather simple, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  The film is easy to follow for children but it also takes time to let older audience members enjoy the humor the film offers.  The humor is definitely the strength of the film.  “The Angry Birds Movie 2” was far funnier than I expected it to be.  The bathroom scene teased in the trailer had me laughing out loud in the theater.

    While most movies based on video games don’t end up turning out real well, this was one of the exceptions to the rules.  Perhaps the curse of the video game movie is coming to end thanks to this film and Pokémon: Detective Pikachu.  Only time will tell on that front but this film is certainly a crowd pleaser.

Grade: B+

“The New Kids” Movie Review

    So it’s been a little while since I have been able to catch up on my review copies from the wonderful Mill Creek Entertainment.  Well, I finally have a little  time off and it has given me some time to catch up on watching some films I have been dying to see.  Working full time plus operating an online business doesn’t always allow much free time, sadly.  That being said, I finally had time to see a movie I really wanted to watch, “The New Kids”.

    The film tells the story of two siblings who become tragically orphaned and go to live with their uncle and aunt on their farm and amusement park.  The two siblings quickly find themselves in trouble when a group of troublemakers take unwanted attention of Abby.  Now, her brother Loren tries to protect her and the rest of his family from this group of sadistic teens.

    The film was directed by Sean S. Cunningham, best known for his work on the original “Friday the 13th”, helms this film with the same flair he showed in that classic film.  He manages to showcase his young cast in a way few directors of the era could with the exception of perhaps John Hughes or Chris Columbus.  I found it interesting that Stephen Gyllenhaal, father of Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal, wrote the script for this film.

    The cast for the film was very impressive with Shannon Presby and Lori Loughlin playing the main siblings and protagonists of the film.  While they both do a good job, James Spader is the most memorable member of the cast as the evil teen Dutra.  Eric Stoltz was also surprisingly good in the small role he had.  Lastly, it was a treat seeing the late Eddie Jones of “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” fame in the movie.  As a big Superman fan, it was a nice treat.

    “The New Kids” was sadly a box office flop and was met with harsh criticism upon it’s release.  The film is an underrated film that feels perhaps more relative now than it did upon it’s release.  Thanks to Mill Creek Entertainment, the movie has an incredible retro VHS slip cover which I love.  If you like 80s horror or suspense, this movie is worth a watch thanks mainly to James Spader and it’s 80s feel.

Grade: B

Buy “The New Kids” on Blu-ray with a Retro VHS Slipcover Here!!!

"Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw" Movie Review

    Last week my girlfriend and I were set on watching the film “Yesterday” before it was pulled from theaters.  When we got to the theater however, the theater was full so we were forced to pick another movie or go home.  Having seen almost every other movie screening, we settled on “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw”.  The trailer didn’t wow either of us but I like some of the films in the franchise and we both enjoy Dwayne Johnson’s movies typically.

    The film is a spin-off from the main “Fast and Furious” films and focuses on the characters of Luke Hobbs and Deckard Shaw as they are both sent on a mission to recover a deadly virus carried by a woman who turns out to be Deckard’s sister.  They aren’t the only ones trying to get ahold of her however as a cyber enhanced superhuman and terrorist is also hunting her for the virus she has inside of her.

    As far as popcorn munching crowd pleasers go, this movie was fairly enjoyable if you turn your brain off and just enjoy the visuals.  The biggest problem with the film is that it is just kind of dumb (which is not a new problem for the “Fast & Furious” franchise).  The movie ignores anything remotely realistic in favor of explosions and fist fights.

    The cast was probably the best part of the film as Dwayne Johnson once again proves how charming he is as a leading man even in something so over the top.  Jason Statham isn’t one of my favorite actors but he has a good back and forth chemistry with Johnson that plays like a classic buddy cop pairing from 80s movies.  Idris Elba does the most with the throwaway villain role he was given.  Vanessa Kirby is good but doesn’t exactly steal any scenes.  On the other hand, Helen Mirren lights up the screen during the few scenes she has in the movie.

    ::Spoiler Alert::  One of the highlights of the film were the many cameo appearances featured throughout.  In addition to WWE superstar Roman Reigns in a non speaking role, we also get Ryan Reynolds and Kevin Hart in humorous roles.  I just wish the cameo appearance planned for Keanu Reeves would have worked out.

    Now, the film is roughly thirty minutes too long and lacks direction but this isn’t helped by the fact that the movie suffers from franchise fatigue so you notice the flaws more.  I felt the same way about “The Fate of the Furious” and I think this is a franchise that could use a breather.  All the in fighting among the cast (most notably Tyrese Gibson) isn’t helping the franchise as a whole either.  For a franchise that stresses the importance of family, the cast certainly isn’t acting like family (although this film didn’t focus on family much anyway).

    The movie is a big dumb enjoyable car wreck of a film anchored by The enjoyable charm of Dwayne Johnson.  This film won’t be considered a masterpiece to most, but it is still a fun ride.

Grade: B-

“Point Blank” Movie Review

    So I wanted to watch a new movie last week so I decided to see what Netflix had to offer and a movie called “Point Blank” was suggested to me by the streaming service.  I decided to take Netflix’s suggestion for a change and started watching the film.  I figured best case scenario I would enjoy it, worst case scenario I would have something interesting to say in my review.

    The film tells the story Abe as he flees the scene of a crime and ends up getting hit by an oncoming vehicle while waiting for his getaway driver (who happens to be his brother Mateo).  While in the hospital, Abe is treated by his nurse Paul.  When Mateo finds out Paul is treating Abe, he kidnaps Paul’s pregnant wife and informs Paul that if he ever wants to see her again, he will get Abe past security.  While Paul helps Abe escape successfully, things don’t exactly go as planned.

    I wish I had a lot of things to say about the film one way or another but the film was just rather bland to be honest.  I didn’t hate the film, but I didn’t love it either.  I can’t honestly say I expected the film to be a masterpiece, it is a Netflix original after all, but I still hoped I was wrong.

    Perhaps my hopes were heightened by the fact that two Marvel Cinematic Universe actors, Frank Grillo and Anthony Mackie, star in the film.  The pair do a good job with the material they were given but that isn’t a lot.  Grillo and Mackie do have a good chemistry together however.

    I guess the thing I took away from the film most was the bizarre action set pieces featured in the film.  While some of them might have sounded good on paper, on screen they just came across as awkward a lot of the time.  For instance, the fight scene in a car wash might have seemed like an original idea but it just seemed a bit silly in the film.  The film also had a very generic music score which certainly didn’t help set the mood.

    “Point Blank” has a fine cast but the rest of the film coasts on their charm.  It’s not a terrible film, but at least if it was, it might be so bad it’s good.

Grade: D+

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” Movie Review

    It’s that time of the year again, the summer movie season is winding down and large tentpole films begin to make way for artsier films before the theaters are taken over by horror movies in the fall.  With few event films left to see, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” seemed like a natural choice as the next film for me to watch to review.

    “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is a fairytale version of the last days of the golden era of Hollywood.  The film tells the story of Rick Dalton and his stunt double and friend as the pair struggle to find work in a changing entertainment industry (and world).  As Rick slowly adapts and accepts new career opportunities in Italy, he accepts that his time in the spotlight might be behind him before an encounter with members of the cult of Charles Manson changes everything.

    As a major film buff, I really enjoyed this film.  I am not the biggest fan of Quentin Tarantino out there but he always gets incredible performances from his cast.  Tarantino is as passionate as he is controversial and his work on this film is no exception.  This film received some backlash for multiple reasons but none of the reasons take away from the movie as a whole.

    While I don’t feel any of the complaints about the film affect it as a whole, it doesn’t mean the backlash it faced was unfounded.  The biggest complaint it faced was due to it’s ending which...SPOILER ALERT...rewrote history and saw Sharon Tate spared of her fate.  I admit that the ending of the film surprised me although I should have seen it coming considering “Inglorious Bastards” also rewrote history.

    The depiction of women in the film also came under fire.  I think perhaps some critics are being a bit hard on Tarantino for this considering the men in the film aren’t depicted in the best light either.  With all that being said, perhaps “I reject your hypothesis” isn’t the best response to give a reporter when asked about the subject.

    Lastly, the film also was criticized for the way it depicted legendary actor Bruce Lee.  Bruce Lee’s daughter spoke out against the way Tarantino depicted her father and for not contacting his family.  I completely understand the family being upset but I personally felt it was one of the best parts of the movie and knowing how many liberties Tarantino took with real life events, it doesn’t tarnish his legacy one bit in my opinion.

    The film featured outstanding performances from Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt.  The two actors have a natural chemistry and their friendship shines through.  Margot Robbie is good as Sharon Tate but isn’t given as good of material as DiCaprio and Pitt to work with.

    Now, I mentioned that I wasn’t a huge Quentin Tarantino fan but his work on this film is impressive.  The movie is truly a love letter to the end of an era in Hollywood at a time when the film industry is changing once again.  Big name stars like Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt no longer guarantee box office success so their inclusion in this film is a bit meta.  I also admire the different filming techniques Tarantino used when showcasing everything from older black and white network shows to spaghettini westerns.

    I will say if you aren’t a huge movie fan, this film may not be as accessible or as interesting to watch.  My girlfriend went to see this with me and did not enjoy it as much as I did partly for these reasons.  It is a movie that definitely isn’t for everyone.  That being said, there are a lot of funny moments and the soundtrack helps transport you back in time.

Grade: B