Want to find out about a movie before you spend your hard-earned money on it? MovieReviewMaven will tell you the good, the bad, the ugly and the inspiring, so you can decide if it's right for you or your family.
If you loved Jurassic World, I have great news for you... Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard are set to return for a Jurassic World sequel, which is scheduled to hit theaters in 2018, Universal Studios said. Steven Spielberg has signed on to executive produce under his Amblin Entertainment banner. Director Colin Trevorrow will co-write the screenplay with Derek Connolly. Jurassic World has become the No. 3 highest-grossing film of all time, with $1.52 billion in ticket sales. You can read my movie review of Jurassic World here.
In a Nutshell: Based on the classic 1874 novel by Thomas Hardy, Victorian
England presents us with a romantic setting for a proper Chick Flick
where men fall all over themselves for a beautiful, self-reliant woman.
We’ll never see Twilight
fans line up for Team
Gabriel vs. Team William or Team Frank, but Jane Austin fans and those needing a Downton Abbey fix will give an approving nod. Gabriel is a total stud-muffin. Just sayin.
Uplifting Theme:
·Bathsheba says “It is my intention to astonish
you all.” And she does.
·Bathsheba asks Gabriel, “Tell me what to do.” He answers “Do what is right.”
Things I liked:
·Bathsheba Everdeen (no relation to Katniss) is played by the lovely British actress Carey
Mulligan. She has such a tiny waist! Her close-ups showcase just how beautiful she is.
·The musical score was delicious.
·The talented cast includes Michael Sheen, Matthias Schoenaerts, Juno Temple, and Frank Troy.
- I've never read the novel, but I hear that Danish director Thomas Vinterberg stays true to the source material. - Beautiful cinematography that captures the magic of the English countryside. I was just in England this month! We saw sheep everywhere as we traveled through the Cotswolds and into Wales.
Here's one of my pictures:
Things I didn’t like:
·It was so sad to see the sheep mindlessly follow
each other jump off the cliff. People
are like that sometimes too, don’t you think? ·It’s hard to feel sympathy for a beautiful woman who has so many suitors. - It's a little slow-moving, although time passes fairly quickly for the characters.
Funny lines:
·“Mr. Oak, I don’t want a husband. I’d hate to be some man’s property. I shouldn’t mind being a bride at a wedding
if I could be one without getting a husband.” – Bathsheba
- "I have some interesting pigs." - William Boldwood
Did you know?
- The author of the original book took the title from Thomas Gray's poem "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" dated 1751. It reads: Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife Their sober wishes never learn'd to stray; Along the cool sequester'd vale of life They kept the noiseless tenor of their way.
- "Madding" means "frenzied"
Interesting lines:
·“What a luxury to have a choice.” – Bathsheba’s
companion
·“I have a piano and I have my own farm and I
have no need of a husband.” – Bathsheba
·“It is difficult for a woman to define her
feelings in a language chiefly made by men to express theirs.” - Bathsheba
Tips for Parents:
· Most children will be pretty bored. Teenage girls, on the other hand, will probably eat it up.
- There is a bedroom scene, but you don't see much and it occurs after the couple is married.
In a Nutshell: Marvel gets that we want action AND
comedy. Paul Rudd is a very charming
Ant-Man
, as well as a co-writer for this summer's newest Avenger flick.
While some audiences have been getting superhero fatigue from the sheer number of them constantly hitting the big screen, the
fact that this "Honey, I shrunk the Superhero" movie surprises us in a clever, refreshing way is a huge triumph. It’s no “Guardians of the Galaxy”, but it has
the same playful spirit that audiences crave.
Keep watching during the rolling credits for a fun
treat. But wait, keep watching until
after ALL the credits for a sneak peek at the next Ant-Man
movie. As it says “The Ant-Man
WILL return.”
Uplifting Theme:
·“Don’t let your past determine your future.” –
Howard Stark (played by Mad Men: Season 1
John Slattery)
·“It’s not about saving our world. It’s about saving theirs.” - Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas)
·“You’re her hero. Just be the person that she already thinks
you are.” – Maggie (Judy Greer whose second hit movie in theaters right now is Jurassic World.)
·Michael Douglas' transformation from young-ish to older is impressive.
·I love the life/death battle scene fits inside a
briefcase. All of the action sequences
are extremely creative.
·The Thomas the Tank train battle scene was
hilarious as the camera zoomed in and out to show the comical scale.
·I’m always excited to see how each Marvel movie
chooses to use legendary creator Stan Lee. His big line in
this film? “Yeah, yeah, super fine.” Ha ha
·The fast-talking lip-sync scenes were hilarious
and clever.
·I got a kick out of seeing Ant-Man go to the
Avengers building. Falcon’s wings are
awesome.
Things I didn’t like:
·If you don’t like creepy crawlies, there will be
moments when you feel very uncomfortable.
They try to make the ants more adorable than scary, but it doesn’t
always work. There were some definite “ick”
moments for me.
·When I lived in Georgia for 15 years, I battled
fire ants on a daily basis in our yard.
Those little guys are viscous.
There was a radio commercial that advertised ant killer which claimed to
torture the critters, rather than just kill them, because that’s how homeowners felt
about the mean insects. When we moved back to
California, my 2 year old son screamed when he saw a harmless San Diego ant and our
neighbor thought he was crazy.
Clearly, my neighbor had never experienced the traumatic horrors of fire
ants in the South.
·With a name like Hope, it's ironic how snotty her attitude was towards her
dad.
·It makes all Mexicans look like a bunch of
thugs.
· The plot is pretty simple without any fun twists.
- Not nearly enough action.
Did you notice?
·Luis (Michael Pena) hums “It’s a small world after all.”
Appropriate choice because of the size of the superhero, and since Disney produced
the film.
·Why is it that most bad guys are bald?
·Cross Technologies…as in double cross?
·Luis makes waffles a lot
·The reference to the old lady in the movie
Titanic
- Evangeline Lilly has a small bump on her lip. Don't get me wrong, I think she's gorgeous. The
bump was just a little distracting on the close-ups.
·Funny
lines:
·“One question…is it too late to change the
name?” – Scott Lang
·“My days of breaking in places and stealing shXX
are over. What do you want me to do?” – Scott
“I want you to break into a place and steal
some shXX.” – Dr. Hank Pym
·“I think our first move should be calling the
Avengers.” – Scott
·“Are we the good guys? Feels kind of weird, right?” – Luis
·“That’s a messed up looking dog.” – Gale
·“It isn’t often that you rob a place and get
invited back.” – Luis
·“Hank went from despising you to almost like
you.” – Hope
“You really should write poetry.” – Scott
·“It’s really important that Captain (America) not
find out about this.” – Falcon
·“It wasn’t a violent crime. It was a cool one.” – Baskin Robbins manager
who fired Scott
·“Mommy’s so happy you’re here she choked on her
drink.” – Scott’s daughter played by the
adorable Abby Ryder Fortson.
·“It’s my helmet, Scott. Do not throw up.” - Dr. Pym
Interesting lines:
·What did you see in me?” - bad guy
“I saw myself.” – Michael
“Then why did you push me away?” – Darren Cross (Corey Stoll)
“Because I saw too much of myself.” – Dr. Pym
·“Gratitude can be forgiveness.” – Darren Cross
Tips for Parents:
·Some profanity, including a made-up one that the
audience laughs at.
- Yep, the kids will be interested in all the merchandising:
In a Nutshell: Remember
Films and T.C. Christenson present an inspiring movie based on a true story about
a miracle that happened in an elementary school in a small Wyoming community in
1986. It’s a story of lost faith and
found faith, the power of prayer, life after death, and that God really does
watch over us.
Keep watching as the final credits roll, and you will
experience something truly amazing. The
audience stays glued to their seats, watching pictures and video interviews of
the children as grown-ups with their own families. The theater is oddly silent, except for a few
sniffles. Rarely have I seen an audience
react with such reverence and awe. While
not perfectly executed, this film is powerful and profound.
Uplifting Theme:
·Just like the cross-stitched picture in the
kitchen of the Hartley family says, “Life is fragile…handle with prayer.”
·“We should recognize God’s hand when we see it.”
– Claudia Hartley (played by Sarah Kent)
·2 Kings 6:16
“Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with
them.”
·When tragedy strikes, what do you see?
Things I liked:
·True story.
That’s always a big plus for me. Because it really happened, its impact is immense.
·There is a surprising amount of humor during
such tragedy.
·Although the small community in Wyoming was
predominantly Mormon, faithful people from all religions will be inspired by
this film.
Things I didn’t like:
·I would have cast the wife of wacko David Young differently. She looked too squeaky clean, like she was
the director’s Sunday School teacher who just got her teeth whitened. Maybe this is too stereotyped, but I thought
she should have looked more weak and victimized.
·The script has some awkward lines that halt the
flow of natural-sounding conversation.
·Not that I wanted any children harmed in the
making of the film, but the flames in the fire looked totally fake.
·It feels like everyone is acting. Some of the kids actually looked bored. The
best actor in the film is Jasen Wade, who also starred in the beloved Mormon
pioneer movie 17 Miracles
. Nathan
Stevens does a good job as the unhinged David Young.
Funny lines:
·“This will be our mark.” – David Young
“It
smells like somebody else just made his mark.” – Penny Young
·“I just proved how I can die and come back to
life.” – David
“That’s just fantastic. He’s been working on that for hours.” – Doris
Young
·“What is the capital of Wyoming?” – Claudia
“Easy.
It’s W.” – Claudia’s son
·“I was just looking at your guns…pretty cool
guns…I was just wondering why you didn’t get an AK-47?” – Kam Wixom (Anson Bagley)
“An AK-47?
That would be illegal.” – David Young
·“Your breath smells like peaches.” – Hartley boy
“Well, I haven’t been eating any.” - David Young
“Peaches is my dog.” – Hartley boy
·“Hey lady, is this your first time kidnapping
helpless little kids?” – Kam Wixom
·“Do you have to get the kids all riled up at bedtime?” – Claudia
“No, I don’t have to….but I want to.” - Ron
Interesting lines:
·“It’s just too much of a coincidence to be a
coincidence.” - Ron Hartley
·“Hatred towards them is a dead-end journey. It’s like drinking poison and hoping it’ll
kill them.” - Bishop John Teichert
Tips for Parents:
·There was an audible gasp by all of the moms in
the room when the mother left her child in the car and said “I’ll be right
back.” Never, EVER, leave your child in
a car alone!
·Young children may be frightened by the kidnap
scenario with guns and a bomb.
- One thing that is missing is foul language. Thank you!
In a Nutshell: A
Malinois Belgian Shepherd gives a respectable performance as a salute to all of
the dogs who have served in the military.
Uplifting Theme:
·Dogs have been used by the U.S. military since World War 1.
·Over 3000 dogs have served in Iraq and
Afghanistan.
·26 dogs and 25 handlers have been killed in the
service of their country since 2003. The
movie tells you at the end that this film was made in their memory.
Things I liked:
·It’s absolutely heartbreaking to watch Max sit
next to the casket of his fallen trainer, Kyle.
·The animal training in the film is extremely
impressive. Wow, how do they choreograph
the fight scenes?
·I’ve enjoyed watching Thomas Haden Church in
anything ever since I first saw him in that old TV show WINGS - The Complete Series
.
·It’s a needed look at another aspect of war and
what grieving families and pets go through.
·There are a few heartfelt patriotic moments. The patriotism is extremely sappy and could have
been done better, but I’m a
sucker for the red, white and blue.
Things I didn’t like:
·I usually like Lauren Graham, but her fake
Southern accent was terribly distracting.
·The movie makes all Mexicans look like total
gangsters.
- Justin’s friend Chuy is a real jerk of a kid. I wouldn’t want my sons playing with a kid like that.
Funny lines:
“Yo, we’re cool, but we don’t talk about
this. Never.” – Chuy after he watches
his buddy kiss a girl.
Interesting lines:
·“A hero always tells the truth, no matter what
other people think of him or what the consequences are.” – Ray Wincott
·“You’re turning against your race!” – Chuy (Dejon LaQuake)
- "Mexican isn't a race, Stupid!" - Carmen
·
Tips for Parents:
· Children will enjoy watching the dogs, but might be frightened by the fighting.
- Some "mild" profanity.
- Watching the film together as a family should create a good opportunity to talk about the costs of
war and what things are worth fighting for.
In a Nutshell: Fun
for The Terminator
fans, but not necessary for others. I
mean, do we really need a reboot of this James Cameron franchise? This is supposedly the first of a new
trilogy. Yikes. Don’t get me wrong…I really like The Terminator
movies.
My biggest gripe
about this film is that I just don’t care anymore. It’s hard to feel invested in a story that
will probably be redone AGAIN in another sequel or prequel. I just didn’t care if any of the characters lived
or died, because I knew that a future movie might completely reverse what
happened in this film anyway.
There is a lot of time traveling that will make your brain
begin to hurt if you try to figure it all out.
It’s not exactly logical, but it’s sure going to make the studio a lot
of money….because, as Arnold says…”I’ll be back”.
Good for Arnold Schwarzenegger for keeping his acting career
going. We all love to watch him kick bady-guy
butt. (Forget he told us he was going
to retire.) As his character,
Terminator/”Pops” says in the movie, “I’m old, not obsolete.”
Uplifting Theme:
·“There is no fate, but that which we make for
ourselves.” – John Connor (Jason Clarke)
·“Straight line.
You just go and you don’t look back.” – Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) ,
Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke)
·“One thing we know for sure…the future is not
set.” - Kyle
Things I liked:
·The best moment in the movie for me was watching
the young Arnold Schwarzenegger fight the old one. Epic.
·I loved traveling back to 1984 with punk rock
hair do’s and Velcro-strapped shoes.
·They poke fun at 2017 Americans who can’t live
without their cell phones. True.
·The script explains away Arnold Schwarzenegger’s
older look by saying that the machine has human skin over it, which ages. Oh, ok.
That works for me. It’s a good
thing Arnold doesn’t have to do much running; The Terminator
always walks slow
and determined.
·The jail scene is hilarious. Bad boys, bad boys!
·J.K. Simmons (Detective O’Brien) is such a
likeable guy.
·Lots of action scenes. Lots.
Things I didn’t like:
·This Sarah Connor (played by Emilia Clarke) is
cranky and barks at everyone during the entire movie, allowing very little time
for us to like her. She’s not vulnerable
and endearing like Linda Hamilton in the original The Terminator
·The T-1000 liquid metal, shape-shifting terminators
are extremely cool, but it’s not anything we haven’t seen already before.
·If you haven’t seen the original, you won’t
appreciate the nuances of how the story has veered off in different directions.
It's so hokey when they change the spelling of a word to make it seem cooler. (Genesis)
Funny lines:
·“Bite me!” – Sarah
“That is a very immature response.” - Terminator/”Pops”
·“We have approximately 35 seconds.” –
Terminator/”Pops”
A bad guy crashes through a window and the
Terminator says “One less.”
·“Can you stop him talking like that? Is there a switch or something?” – Kyle (referring not only to the Terminator’s
content, but Austrian accent) ha ha
·“We’re not even sure he speaks English.” –
random cop in the jail scene (another
funny poke at Arnold’s Austrian accent)
·“We’re here to stop the end of the world!” –
Sarah Connor
“I can work with that.” – Detective O’Brien
·“I read about this on GunsandAmmo.com” – The
Terminator/”Pops”. Hilarious. It’s a real web site.
·“I thought you were dead.” – Sarah
“No, just upgraded.” – The Terminator/”Pops”
Overly dramatic
lines:
·“We take it tonight or there is no tomorrow.” –
John Connor
·“Come with me if you want to live! Now, soldier!” – Sarah Connor
·“We’re exiles in time.” – Reese
·“You are nothing but a relic from a deleted time
line.” – John Connor
Tips for Parents:
·Like in the other The Terminator
movies, you see
Arnold Schwarzenegger naked (from the rear) as he transports through the time
traveling machine. A few other people travel
through it naked as well, but you don’t see too much.
·1 F-bomb
·“Mild” profanity, intense fighting.
Some of the terminator skeleton robots may be too scary for young children. Need to catch up on the films in this futuristic franchise?
fans line up for Team
Gabriel vs. Team William or Team Frank, but Jane Austin fans and those needing a Downton Abbey fix will give an approving nod. Gabriel is a total stud-muffin. Just sayin.
John Slattery)
will enjoy seeing Evangeline Lilly
as Hope Van Dyne. 
. Nathan
Stevens does a good job as the unhinged David Young.
.
fans, but not necessary for others. I
mean, do we really need a reboot of this James Cameron franchise? This is supposedly the first of a new
trilogy. Yikes. Don’t get me wrong…I really like