Grown Ups 2

Grown Ups 2 is a 2013 comedy starring Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, and David Spade. The movie is a follow-up to the first Grown Ups film, starring the same actors/actresses. They each reprise their roles to deliver a comedic performance in this sequel. While it is not a blockbuster of the summer kind of film, it still delivers some good laughs throughout.

**Spoilers Ahead**

The film opens with us seeing Adam Sandler and his wife asleep in bed. Adam wakes up to find a giant moose watching him from the side of the bed. Without panicking, he tries to wake up his wife but fails miserably. She wakes up frustrated and spots the moose. Instantly, she screams and the moose yells simultaneously. As a result, the moose urinates all over Adam Sandler and makes a run for it. The rest of the family is in shock and they all work together to get rid of the moose.

By the end of this scene, we learn the group of grown ups has moved back to their hometown, the same setting of the first film. We are re-introduced to each main character via some funny moments. Kevin James' child cannot add simple math and has no common sense whatsoever (quite cute and funny when you see it), Chris Rock's wife forgets their anniversary and he is now using this as a "get out of jail free card", and David Spade is introduced to his long-lost son who is bi-polar. After we meet the entire group again, we are introduced to some new characters such as the K-Mart employee, Adam's old high school bully, the group's friend who is now a crazy cop, etc.

As the film continues, we quickly learn this plot has no purpose. This is nothing more than the group's way of reliving some young adulthood memories all in one day. After running into some old friends and bullies, they convince each other to jump off the tall rock Kevin James could never bring himself to do. When they arrive, they are interrupted by some stereotypical frat boys. When I say stererotypical, I mean the guys are all model material, they act really dumb and chant their frat name, and they have secret handshakes while drinking. They force the adults to jump off the cliff naked (a funny moment in the film, I will admit).

By the end of this fiasco, they agree to have an 80's theme party that night with most of their old friends. The film ends with everyone getting along (even the bullies), and Adam's house being trashed. I can't help but wonder, what was the point of this film? If you're looking for a good, solid, heartwarming message - you're not going to get it with Grown Ups 2. Be prepared to witness only the events of four grown men within a single day and the funny moments that occur in between. I will admit the car wash scene, the cliff, David Spade rolling downhill in a tire, and the overall party scene are the funniest moments of the film. However, it's nothing that will make you roll on the floor laughing.

I honestly feel this was Adam Sandler's attempt to get EVERY SINGLE actor he worked with thus far together on one set to have some fun. It was like Mr. Deeds meets Big Daddy meets Billy Madison. While I could not capture the message he was trying to achieve, I can appreciate the humor and easy flow of acting these gentlemen provided. Everyone interacted with one another quite naturally as if they knew each other for many years already (which they probably did since Big Daddy is over a decade old).

My recommendation is to go see the film. You'll laugh a few times and leave the theatre chuckling. It is overall, a feel good film.

My rating: B-


 

The Wolverine

The Wolverine is a 2013 action thriller starring Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, one of the leading X-Men. While this film had promising potential, it unfortunately failed to meet the expectations of a summer blockbuster.

**Spoilers Ahead**

The film opens with us in Japan. We see a military camp of some sort, and many people are frantically searching for safety. Soldiers are guiding the people, and we are following the perspective of one particular soldier. We quickly learn it is WWII, and the nuclear bombs are on their way. Wolverine watches this event from a nearby metal bunker. As the bomb drawers near, each soldier decides to commit suicide in an effort to avoid the inevitable doom that is coming. The soldier we were following not too long ago, cannot bring himself to accept this fate and waits while the bomb goes off. Still debating what to do as the blast comes closer and closer, Wolverine takes the soldier to the bunker and protects him from the oncoming aftermath. The soldier sustains minimal injuries while Wolverine is nearly gone. However, knowing his power, we unsurprisingly watch him revive and get back to normal. The soldier is shocked yet grateful for what just happened. And then the film moves on to present day.

Wolverine is struggling with inner demons all throughout the film. These demons mainly involve the events of X-Men: The Last Stand when Jean died. He consistently dreams of her and while some of them are nice dreams, some of them turn into nightmares. The film captures this grief quite well and I thoroughly enjoyed Hugh's performance in this light. However, I couldn't help but think, "Inception spin-off much?"

A young Japanese girl visits Wolverine and convinces him to travel to Japan. The soldier he saved many years ago is dying and wants to say goodbye. This is not the case. The soldier wants Wolverine to transfer his power over to him in an effort to keep him from dying. Wolverine deems this impossible, but the soldier's doctor believes otherwise with the technology they have been using (thanks to the soldier's company). Should this be successful, Wolverine would become non-mutant and above all....mortal.

The doctor makes Wolverine mortal in the middle of the night after he declines the offer. We learn that this doctor is no good and is the villain of the film. However, my challenge with her is that her motives were never explained. Who is she? Where did she come from? What is her purpose? And I couldn't help but think of her as a twisted version of Poison Ivy from Batman with all the green outfits and toxins she uses in her seductive ways in killing people.

Another challenge I have is with the other side story that develops after the soldier dies. The son of the soldier is losing his mind because he cannot accept the fact that his daughter is the one that will inherit her grandfather's company. He even tries to have her killed at some point, which is the same plan the doctor has as well. So my question is...is this a side story? Are they working together? Do they have different reasons for wanting her dead?

Just when I think my questions might be answered, I meet another young man who was once close to the granddaughter Wolverine is so desperately trying to protect now. Is he bad? Is he good? Whose side is he on? We see this man fight Wolverine, then the granddaughter, than the doctor, than save the granddaughter. I had no idea whose side he was on at all. Very confusing.

The main plot twist is that the soldier never died and faked his death with the doctor's aid. Ok...so they're working together. The soldier fights Wolverine in a metallic suit he made that will help him stay immortal and strong. Obviously, he loses that fight as does the doctor.

My main concern with the film was that there was so much happening at once. The actors spoke with thick Japanese accents, making it hard to understand what they were trying to say. I felt as if I might have missed key plot details due to this annunciation challenge. I could sense the director was trying to capture an emotional connection between Wolverine and the surrounding characters. This did not work for me. The middle portion of the film went quite slow and I felt the objective was not achieved. I did not feel that connection with any of the characters, except Wolverine with what he was dealing with on his own.

My honest opinion is that this was a half-fast produced film and it lacked major attention to detail with plot and human chemistry. I don't recommend seeing this movie unless it's on TV someday and you just happen to come across it.

My rating: C

My Early Oscar Predictions - July 2013

I am an extreme fan of the Oscars and truly appreciate the majestic atmosphere they bring each year. With that said, I have been staying in tune with this year's list of films and I think I have an idea on who will take home the prized statue in 2014. While its still very early and of course, things can change - I'm confident I'll get some of these right:

Best Actor: this is a toss up between Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. Leo has been nominated 3 times and never won. He was also the only actor to not get nominated for Titanic. The press is recognizing this fact and since Gatsby, Leo has been getting a lot of attention. Now he has a new movie coming out - Wolf on Wall Street. Gatsby may not get him nominated but it got him the attention he needs for his upcoming film in his back to back 2013 movie year. This film screams Oscar - Scorsese, controversial plot, true story, comes out during Oscar season. This may just be the kick Leo needs and plus....the academy would show us all that see????? we recognized Leo for his talents. 

Tom Hanks has been quiet and while he already won 2 times, he may just have a shot at a 3rd win. He will be playing Captain Phillips and Walt Disney back to back. Again, he screams Oscar - playing two real life persons in 2 very controversial story lines.

Best Supporting Actor: as much as I love Gatsby, I don't think it came out at an appropriate time for the academy to give much consideration. However, Joel Edgerton surprised us all with his performance as Tom Buchanan. The man gave us chills in his depiction of the literary antagonist (hotel scene...need I say more)? In the meantime, Matthew McCanaughey is getting a lot of recognition for his upcoming role in Wolf on Wall Street. In the trailer, you can just see him having the potential to steal the scenes. I think we might be seeing his name on the nominee listing as well. I say it's between these two gentlemen.

Best Director: either George Clooney or Alfonso Cuaron. Alfonso is directing a very bold movie and is getting acclaimed critically for taking such major risks in the upcoming film, Gravity. In the meantime, the academy loves George Clooney and nominates him for almost anything. Now that he's directing, the academy may just say - well....we didn't give you the recognition for actor, but that's because we feel you're a director!!

Best Actress: Naomi Watts for her performance in Diana. Naomi will be playing Princess Diana this year and the academy has certainly taken a liking to anyone who can pull off British royalty (Helen Mirren as the Queen, Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher, Colin Firth in King's Speech). Sandra Bullock however may come in for a second win as she plays an astronaut lost in space, fighting to survive. Should she pull that off, she may just be the one to beat. However, I'm confident it's going to Naomi Watts since she was already considered the dark horse last year for her performance in The Impossible.

Best Picture: too early to tell but I think these films will be nominated

Saving Mr. Banks

Gravity

Captain Phillips

The Butler

jOBS

Diana

Wolf on Wall Street

The Great Gatsby

White House Down

White House Down is a 2013 action-thriller starring Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx. It is a film that brings out controversy considering it involves our current relations with the Middle East, and terrorism striking Washington DC. Overall, this film delivers an edge of seat presentation and is done quite well. Kudos to Tatum and Foxx for making a strong team.

***Spoilers Ahead***

The beginning of the film is quite slow moving as we are learning about the characters and what the storyline is. We are introduced to Tatum's character, an aspiring Secret Service Agent who is trying to make amends with his daughter while also trying to get his life back in order after his divorce. Foxx's character is the President of the United States and he is trying very hard to have a peace treaty signed by multiple nations. This would indirectly end the war on terror and bring home the troops immediately. Not a lot of people are a fan of this treaty due to the very well know ingredient that is...money. 

On the day that the President is supposed to make his announcement, Tatum takes his daughter to the White House for an exclusive tour. She is very excited and you can see that her rocky relationship with her dad is not looking so bad right now. Unfortunately, terror strikes as a group of American citizens blow up the Capital. This event is nothing more than a diversion to what lies ahead....The White House.

The tour is held hostage by the terrorists, but Tatum manages to escape. He is looking for his daughter who went to the restroom (impeccable timing) but comes across more terrorists. He uses his skills to defend himself and ends up coming across the President. He shoots at the main leader of this terroist group, and is able to save the President. 

The main terrorist is a bit of a plot twist. He is the head of Secret Service. He is personally holding the President, and the United States accountable for the death of his son. His son was on a military mission and unfortunately got sent to the wolves. The leader gets himself a group of military trained men who are not too thrilled with the President as well - for their own reasons. The group is able to put their skills together to execute a very well orchestrated plan in beginning World War III. So we quickly learn this is more than just wanting money.

Foxx and Tatum do a great job keeping the action alive and holding the moviegoers at the edge of their seats. There a lot of moments when you think, "what's going to happen next?" While yes there were some far-fetched scenes (as one would expect in an action film), the movie was very well done and quite realistic. For Roland Emmerich, I was pleasantly surprised to see him focus on the acting and character development, and not just have every building blow up. It made the movie that much more raw. 

The President is assumed dead, and so the VP is sworn in while flying Air Force One. Not soon after, the terrorist group hack into the military's main network, and fire a rocket straight to the aircraft. Everyone on board unfortunately dies. The Speaker of the House is now sworn in while in a military command center. He learns that the terrorists have gotten a hold of launch codes, and will be using them to fire nuclear missiles to every Middle Eastern country. They want to basically annihilate that part of the world. This will obviously begin a frenzy and China, Russia, and France are all ready to attack us should this take place. The new President wants to destroy the White House (even though the tour is still inside) in the hopes that this will wipe out the terrorists immediately. Tatum receives this notification from a colleague and does his best to stop the group on his own and rescue the hostages. He succeeds with the help of Foxx and his daughter....great scene in how she was able to get the military's attention and convince them to abort.

Big plot twist: just when we think it's over, we learn the true terrorist leader is the new President. He was going to have the White House destroyed after the launch codes were initiated (he killed the VP so he could be sworn in and get the launch codes to give to his terrorist team). This was so all evidence linking him to the project would be destroyed. He gets arrested and is obviously taken to prison leaving Foxx as President once more. 

Overall the film was great. It was long but worth it. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this film and recommend it to everyone. While it brought out some very controversial points, you can't help but dismiss that since we all know a terrorist movie is asking for controversy. 

My rating: A-

The Heat

The Heat is a 2013 comedy film starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy. These two actresses deliver a phenomenal performance and make a great team. As a result, this film will have you roll on the floor laughing. It truly serves it purpose as a comedy presentation while allowing us to appreciate other great things about the film too. 

***Spoilers Ahead***

The movie opens up with us meeting Sandra Bullock's character. We immediately see that she is great at her job, but that's about it. She has no social skills and is not well liked by anyone within her workplace. She is vying for a promotion, but the boss is hesitant knowing how unpopular she is at work. He gives her a major assignment and basically says to her that the promotion would still be in the talks should she pull this one off well. We then meet Melissa McCarthy's character who is the polar opposite to Bullock's personality, but still shares the same attributes as her (not liked at work but great at what she does). Now put the two women together and you have a hilarious movie.

The two must work together to solve a major crime spree in Boston relating to drugs, murder, and mafia. You soon learn Melissa McCarthy is a little more involved than she'd like to be. Her brother is in deep with the people she is after and so she tries her best throughout the film to protect him. We also learn that she arrested her own brother when he was involved in drugs and wrong crowds. Her family disowned her for doing that, and did not understand that all she was doing was her job and helping him. So even with the film being hilarious, it still had a serious note to it which made you appreciate it more.

Sandra Bullock doesn't have it easy either. She is alone and has a lot riding on this assignment. While the two are working the case for selfish reasons, they realize they're not getting too far. They have to put their selfish reasons aside and help each other in growing and developing as human beings. As they begin to do that, they create a strong foundation for what will become a lasting friendship. Needless to say, they solve the crime and the film ends with them being "sisters." In fact, that scene made me tear up personally. Bullock had no positive comments in her yearbook and was also a foster child. The ending scene shows that McCarthy signed the yearbook - "Now you have a sister."

So while the film had some hilarious moments, it also pulled on my heart strings a bit too. As a result, it made me appreciate the film that much more. The film was able to deliver a balance of comedy (without getting too stupid), drama, and heartwarming moments. And for that, this film makes my top 5 in comedy favorites. 

My recommendation is to go see the film. You will definitely laugh a lot!

My rating: A

The Lone Ranger

The Lone Ranger is a 2013 Disney film that features the iconic television characters, Tonto and the Lone Ranger. Starring Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer, these two work well together to deliver a comical performance of 2 individuals coming together for one common reason. While the film had some great moments, it failed to meet the expectations of an amazing live action film. The comments featured in this blog are my own personal thoughts and do not affiliate with Disney.

***Spoilers Ahead***

The "how" in the story being told is extremely confusing. It is 1933 and a young boy dressed as the Lone Ranger is visiting a circus. He walks into a tent that has wax figures on display depicting the Wild West. One wax figure is Tonto. He comes alive just as the boy approaches him and is very old. It is then when Tonto tells the young boy of his journey with the Lone Ranger. I don't understand the point of this. How did Tonto end up in a museum pretending to be a wax figure? Where is the Lone Ranger? Who is the child and why is it important for Tonto to tell him everything? These questions never get answered by the time the film concludes. Very strange. 

The movie itself is very long - 2 hours and 29 minutes. It was not necessary. The action scenes we saw in the trailer are sadly the final 20 minutes of the movie. At points, the storyline got confusing and introduced characters and subplots that didn't belong. For instance, the beginning of the film revolves around local rangers capturing a wanted murderer and bringing him into town for trial. The woman who is our main female protagonist is very concerned about a particular man's well being while this ordeal takes place. Who? Husband? Father? She also hints that he is evil but then hints that he is good. Which is it? Turns out to be the Lone Ranger's brother who is this woman's husband. Ok that makes sense. But what I don't get is when Armie Hammer returns to town, him and the girl embrace as if they're the ones married. The brother notices how strongly Armie's character feels for his wife and just shakes his head and rides off with the other rangers. So wait....you're ok with this? I'm confused.

The storyline also revolves around the growing conflict between Native Americans and new townspeople. This gives Tonto a higher purpose as opposed to just the Lone Ranger wanting to find the man who killed his brother. The overall build up is slow moving. It takes a while to finally get to the point and understand what the villains are looking for. I will say the ending was fantastic. The final scene was very well done and brought out the authenticity of depicting Wild West action.

I was impressed with how authentic the film was. The actors spoke like 1800 Westerners and the style of acting/scenery was very ol' country. So for that part, I say well done. 

I feel the film lacked a steady flow. Should the film have been shorter, I believe the plot would have flowed better and not force the audience to watch scenes that didn't need to be there. For instance, why did I have to see bunnies attack another dead bunny? Was that really necessary to show me?

I was quite disappointed but in the end, I did enjoy the film. I guess you can say I'm on the fence. So with that, I would recommend you go see it. It's worth seeing on the big screen.

My Rating: B-