Doctor Strange works magic at the box office

Movie Title:     Doctor Strange

  

Grade: A

Rating:  PG-13, 130 minutes

In a Nutshell:    Cheers to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for introducing another interesting superhero to the Big Screen. I had never read the comic books, so I was curious to learn what Doctor Strange was all about.  I'm now a fan.

This fun origin movie plays with the space/time continuum and other dimensions that will blow your mind and entertain you long enough to help you forget this election season that has just as many punches and blows.

Uplifting theme: 

• Physical body vs. spirit.
• “Who are you in this vast multiverse?” – The Ancient One
• “It’s not about you.” – The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton)
• “Death is what gives life meaning, to know your days are numbered…your time is short.” – The Ancient One
• Giving up the things of this small-minded, self-centered world for a better one.

Things I liked:

• Benedict Cumberbatch.  Boom.  I love that his character is passionate about learning and improving himself. Cumberbatch offers the perfect mixture of arrogance, intelligence, physicality, and humor.
• I love that Stan Lee is in every Marvel movie.  If you blink, you’ll miss him in this one.  He’s sitting in a bus reading a comic book and says, “That is hilarious!”  ha ha
• If you really want to get the most out of this movie, you need to see it in 3D.
• Fun visual gags and a good amount of cheeky humor show that Marvel has learned to poke fun at itself.  
• Cool, glowing weapons made out of fiery energy fibers.  Awesome.
• Impressive slow-mo car accident.
• I broke my fingers and knuckles several years ago and could relate to Doctor Strange’s pains in his hands.  Sometimes I still feel it.
• They did a great job on scars and wounds on people’s bodies.  Everything looked realistic, not like movie make-up.
• I loved the Marvel label intro with all of the characters at the very beginning of the movie. This is already one of the Marvel movies I'm going to need to see again.
• As an author, I thought the bookshelf  where they stored the special books was really interesting.  
• “Feel so Good” by Chuck Mangioni in 1977.  I used to love that song.  There is other good music in the movie too.
• Interesting fight sequences like you’ve never seen before.  Think Avengers meets a Salvador Dali painting with elements of the movie "Inception" and "The Matrix." 
• Tilda Swinton looks amazing and is perfect as The Ancient One.  Using a woman to play this role, which is a departure from the source material, was controversial, but she is fantastic.
• The Cape of Levitation is its own character that seems self-aware.  Excellent.
• You HAVE to keep watching after the final credits roll.
• I love Rachel McAdams in everything she does.
• There are some extremely picturesque set pieces and real life locations.
• Fantastic movie poster and trailers.

Things I didn’t like:

• Sometimes the CGI looks like a video game.
• There is a lot of grumbling, so you can’t always understand what everyone says.
• I’ve never taken drugs, but this trippy film kind of makes me feel like I have. 
• I wish the training sequences had lasted longer.
• Most of the humor works, some not so much.

Funny lines:

• “People used to think I was funny.” – Doctor Strange

“Did they work for you?” – Wong

• “Have you seen that before in a gift shop?” –The Ancient One
• “Just how experimental is your treatment?” – Doctor Strange

“Quite.” – The Ancient One

• “Doctor.” – Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen)

“It’s Strange.” – Doctor Strange

“Maybe.  Who am I to judge?” – Kaecilius

• “What’s this?” – Doctor Strange

“The WiFi password.  We’re not savages.” – Baron Mordo

Interesting lines:

•  “You want to know what I see in your future?  Possibility.” – The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton)
• “Why are you doing this?” – Stephen Vincent Strange

“There are other ways to save lives... so much you don’t know.” – The Ancient One

“Teach me!” – Stephen

• “Stephen Strange.  Might I offer you some advice?  Forget everything that you think you know.” – Baron Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor)
• “You’re a man looking at the world through a keyhole.  You’ve spent your life trying to widen it.  Your work saved the lives of thousands.  What if I told you that reality is one of many?” – The Ancient One
• “This doesn’t make sense.” – Doctor Strange

“Not everything does.  Not everything has to.” The Ancient One

• “There’s a strength to him, but is he ready?” – Baron Mordo
• “We never defeat our demons, Mordo.  We only learn to live above them.” – The Ancient One
• “What is real?  What lies beneath your senses?” – The Ancient One
• “Some things just can’t be fixed.” – The Ancient One
• “The cost there is high.” – Kaecilius

“How much?” – Doctor Strange

“I’m not talking about money.” – Kaecilius

• “Time is what enslaves us.” – Kaecilius

Tips for parents: 

• Violence, fighting, some scary images.
• Ask your kids if they can explain the significance and symbolism of Doctor Strange's wristwatch.
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For the fans: 

The Imitation Game is the real deal

Movie:  The Imitation Game

Grade: A

PG-13, 1 hour 54 minutes

In a Nutshell:  Two words:  Benedict Cumberbatch

Endless are the movies about WWII that are thought-provoking, inspiring, heartbreaking, and touching.  This is definitely one of them.  I’m embarrassed to admit that I knew nothing of Alan Turing’s history before viewing this film. In fact, his story has been hidden for 50 years.

Based on the book Alan Turing: The Enigma: The Book That Inspired the Film "The Imitation Game" by Andrew Hodges, the movie is a fascinating character study of a British mathematical genius who broke the unbreakable German code during the war and who created the first computer.  He was also a homosexual during a time when it was illegal. Especially engrossing is watching Cumberbatch’s multi-layered facial expressions that reveal impressive depth and deserve Oscar recognition.

Uplifting Theme:

·         Alan’s childhood friend explained it well when he said “You know Alan, sometimes it’s the very people who no one imagines anything of who do the things no one can imagine.” -  Christopher

Things I liked:

·         I love movie titles that have double meaning.

·         I thought the suspenseful music at the beginning set the tone well for the movie.

·         The interview between Alan and Commander Denniston was hilarious.

·         Keira Knightley is always mesmerizing to watch.

Things I didn’t like:

·         It may be a little slow-moving for some, but I was intrigued the entire time.

Funny lines:

·         “You’re serious!” – Commander Denniston (Charles Dance)

“Would you prefer I made a joke?” – Alan

“I don’t think you know what those are.”  - Commander Denniston

·         “How the He** were you supposed to decrypt German communications if you don’t speak German?” – Commander Denniston

“Well, I’m really quite good at crossword puzzles.” – Alan

·         “What is it about women with little hats?” – Hugh (Matthew Goode)

·         “Even a broken clock is right twice a day.  That’s not progress; that’s just blind luck.” – Alan

·         “Well, this is inhuman, even for you.” – Hugh

Interesting lines:

·         “Do you know why people like violence?  It is because it feels good.  Humans find violence deeply satisfying. But remove the satisfaction, the act becomes hollow.  I didn’t learn this on my own, of course.  I had help.” – Alan

·         “They only beat me up because I’m smarter than they are.” – Alan

“No, they beat you up because you are different.” -  Christopher

·         “Some people thought we were at war with Germany.   Incorrect. We were at war with the clock.” – Alan

·         “I’m a woman in a man’s job and I don’t have the luxury of being an a$$.” – Joan Clarke (Keira Knightley)

·         “The interesting question is just because something thinks differently from you, does that mean it’s not thinking?” – Alan

·         “Are you paying attention?  Good.  If you’re not listening carefully, you WILL miss things.  Important things.”   “What I will need from you now is a commitment.  You will listen closely and you will not judge me until I am finished.” - Alan

Tips for Parents:

·         Discussion of homosexuality, school bullying, smoking, actual war footage from WWII.

·         The language is mostly clean and even eloquent.

·         It’s a bit slow-moving, so children may get bored.

Penguins of Madagascar is cute and cuddly enough to make you laugh out loud at least once

Movie Title:  Penguins of Madagascar

PG, 1 hour 32 minutes

Grade:  B

In a Nutshell: The zany, spy penguins from the Madagascar franchise finally got their own feature film, full of high-jinks and frivolity.  No matter what age you are, you’ll laugh at least a few times.  It’s brightly colored, frantic, and fun. Parents’ patience will probably wear thin towards the end, but there are enough clever puns, and jokes to keep you mostly entertained.

This movie has 2 words for teenage girls:  Benedict Cumberbatch.  He voices the studly Agent Classified.  Listen to how he pronounces the word “penguins.”  Kinda quirky and awesome.  Just like he is. Other voice talents include the iconic John Malkovich, Tom McGrath, Andy Richter, and Ken Jeong.

Directed by J.P. Simon and Simon Smith….I wonder if it ever got confusing whenever someone on the Dreamworks animation team yelled “Simon!”

Uplifting theme:

·          “Looks don’t matter.  It’s what you do that counts.  And look at what you did.” - Skipper

·         Never leave a man….um…penguin behind.

Things I liked:

·         The gag rate and fast-moving action sequences make the movie feel like an old Looney Tunes cartoon on Saturday morning.  (Am I showing my age?)

·         Cheezy Dibbles dust!

·         The scenes in Venice were gorgeous animation.

·         The visual details and humor that were included were excellent, such as when they the roll over the black and white lines to break into Fort Knox, and when they were lost at sea and growing facial stubble.

·         They had several funny runs with celebrity names like:

         -          “Kevin, Bake On….we’re still going to need that victory cake!”

         -          “Hally Bury them!”

         -          “Hugh Jack on!”

·         I laughed out loud during the scene when Dave the evil Octopus was trying to figure out how to use the technology to do a live video conference call with the penguins.  I’ve experienced that with my own parents and hate to admit that I've caught my own kids rolling their eyes when they’re trying to teach me how to use my cell phone. 

·         I love word play.  There is a LOT of it in this fun flick like:

                    “Venetian blinded again!”

·         Like all good adventure movies, it ends in amazing New York City.

·         I thought the film crew scenes in Antarctica were hilarious.  They featured a cartoon version and real voice of Werner Herzog who actually filmed a documentary in Antarctica entitled “Encounters at the End of the World.”

Things I didn’t like:

·         I can only take frenzied silliness for so long.

·         It’s not the greatest animation to hit the big screen this year, but cute and cuddly enough for the girls and screwball enough for the guys to enjoy.

·         It would have been fun to see a cameo of some of the other Madagascar characters.  I counted how long the penguins actually spent in Madagascar during this movie: 0 seconds.

Funny lines:

·          "Remember our talk about true, but unhelpful comments?” – Skipper

·         “Canada is secretly training an army of Sasquatch.” – Skipper

·         “Cancel our Improv class!”  - Skipper

·         “How long do we stand here like this?” – Corporal

      “Until we’ve reached maximum coolness.  (Pose)  There it is.” – Skipper

·         “I find reason tedious and boring.  We’ll use force.” – Skipper

·         “Time travel.  You just want to slap a hippie, but all you get is multiple Kowalskis.” – Skipper

·         Entire web sites have been dedicated to all of the funny lines Skipper has ever said in the 3-movie Madagascar franchise.

Tips for Parents:

·         There are quite a few jokes and gags that will fly over the heads of little ones.  There is so much to see and hear, that all ages will get something.  It’s all pretty harmless fun.  Even the bad guy isn’t very scary, so very young children will enjoy this.

·         It’s a kids’ movie, so expect potty jokes, some rude humor, and animated violence with explosions, tazers, and tranquilizer guns.

   If you missed the first Madagascar movies or can't get enough of these covert penguins, check out some of these fun products:

The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug simmers

Movie Title: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Special Edition  

Grade: B+

In a Nutshell:  Fill up your popcorn buckets early folks…this is a long movie. It feels good to be back in Middle Earth. According to the Associated Press, it looks like everyone was willing to spend Christmas with The Hobbit . The second part of The Hobbit trilogy won the weekend box office, bringing in $29.9 million over three days.  Tried and true fans of the Lord of the Rings have been supporting the Hobbit’s story, although most will admit this second trilogy isn’t quite as novel or spell-binding as the first.  (Terrible puns intended.)

Bilbo Baggins (the terrific Martin Freeman) continues his journey with thirteen Dwarves and Gandalf the Grey (beloved Ian McKellan) to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor within the grand mountain.  You can’t blame Director Peter Jackson for trying to cash in on a proven hit.  Did you know Pan’s Labryinth’s Guillermo del Toro was one of the writers?

Uplifting theme: Good vs. evil.  Light vs. darkness.  Courage vs. cowardice. In the first Hobbit movie, Bilbo was so frightened by the idea of a quest that he fainted.  With each progressing film, Bilbo develops heroic qualities and reveals hidden reserves of inner strength.  Mankind, and perhaps even WWI England, may be whom Tolkien wanted to inspire to greatness.  Epic literature often features swords with names to show the bravery of the holder, so it is fitting that as Bilbo’s courage grows, he names his short sword that killed the spiders “Sting.” 

Things I liked:  The dragon was amazing.  I loved how you could see the fire building beneath his throat and belly before he roared with flames.  Very cool.  It gives real meaning to their expression “the flames of war.” The barrel scene was whimsical and action-packed, albeit cheesy and not as polished as the rest of the CGI in the film.  You can see individual hairs blowing in the wind in the 3D version of the High Frame Rate.  At first, the 48 frames per second feels odd to the senses, but the quality is amazing.  I love the simmering Smaug played expertly by Benedict Cumberbatch. 

We learn another trick the ring can do: it allows Bilbo to understand what the giant spiders are saying.  Ick.  Fans of Lost will be happy to see Canadian beauty Evangeline Lilly take to the screen as Tauriel, one of the many new characters that don’t exist in J.R.R. Tolkien’s original book.

Things I didn’t like:  I tried to read The Hobbit when I was in college and shamefully admit I just couldn’t get into it.  While I loved The Lord of the Rings, there is something missing in this Hobbit trilogy.  It simmers just below being a really great movie. I confess that I was completely exhausted when I watched this film, so I don’t know if it was that or because the movie was dragging that caused me to doze off a time or two. 

What happened to sexy, playful Legolas?  He was angry and moody throughout the entire movie.  Poor Orlando Bloom.  Have you noticed that Orcs never walk, but are constantly running at a wicked pace?

Humans are always so greasy and dirty in these films, have you noticed?  The Master of Laketown’s assistant had some “ripe” zits that were incredibly disgusting to look at.  Gandolf’s only power (although effective) was to slam down his staff and bring evil-destroying light.  Other than that, he was fleeing on a horse or running…it would be nice if he could contribute more magic to get everyone out of their never-ending dangerous predicaments.

Funny lines:  

• “What is that?”  “Our host!”
• “Did he offer you a deal?”  “I did.  I told him he could #$%!#$.”  (We assume that’s some kind of profanity in Dwarf lingo.)

Insightful quotes:

• “When did we allow evil to become stronger than us?”  - Tauriel
• “Do not think that flattery will keep you alive.”   - Dragon
• “What have we done?”  - Bilbo
• “He cannot see beyond his own desire.”  - Bard the Bowman
• “Such is the nature of evil.  In time all foul things come forth.”  - Legolas

Things to look for: 

• The comical self-portrait and statue of Stephen Fry as Master of Laketown
• Speaking of Laketown…did you notice Stephen Colbert in the movie?!  He played a Laketown spy and was invited by Peter Jackson who declared him the king of Lord of the Ring geeks.  Rumor has it he may in the third installment as well.
• I know a guy in real life who looks just like the handsome Aidan Turner who plays Kili.  He’s an inspiring artist who makes super cool t-shirt designs at www.BeamingDownPeace.com   He’s in the 3^rd & 6^th photo on the “Us” page.  There’s a shout-out for ya Nick!
• Stunning black & white horses towards the beginning of the film
• Cool transformation scene when the “Skin Changer” turns into a human
• The Prancing Pony from Lord of the Rings at the beginning of the film
• Beautiful, long Elf locks.  Someone from Loreal needs to make an Elf a spokes model
• A quick peek at what a woman Dwarf and baby Dwarf look like in the photo inside the necklace.  Look fast!
• The rock that looks like Rodin’s famous “The Thinker” just outside a cave

Tips for parents:  Lots of fighting and some scary scenes with spiders, Orcs, fiery dragon, and other creepy creatures.

Fun products if you're a Tolkien fan:

The Lord of the Rings (50th Anniversary Edition)
Tolkien Calendar 2014, The hobbit
Lord Of The Rings Sting Sword Letter Opener