Blade Runner 2049 enriches the original with stunning cinematography

Movie Title:   Blade Runner 2049

Grade:  A-

Rating:  R, 164 minutes

In a Nutshell: This is a LONG movie.  If you’re a big fan of the 1982 original Blade Runner, you’ll probably love every minute, while admittedly, it’s not everyone’s cup of futuristic tea.  

This visually stunning sequel was a long time in coming and I’m thrilled that Harrison Ford was able to be in it so we can revisit his character.

You don’t have to see the original Blade Runner movie first, but it sure helps.  While this film stands alone in an impressive way, it also deepens and expands the original.  It's a science-fiction masterpiece that has director Denis Villeneuve earning the praise he deserves.

 

Uplifting theme: 

• What makes a man?  What is humanity?
• Life....the value of life, the meaning of life.

Things I liked:

• You had me at Ryan Gosling.  When he touched a piano key, I kind of hoped he'd start singing City Of Stars (From "La La Land" Soundtrack)  ha ha
• Ana de Armas is just fun to look at.  I loved her scenes with Ryan Gosling.
• Robin Wright sure has come a long way since The Princess Bride (one of my all-time faves.) 
• They did an amazing job with creating a new world and time.
• The cinematography by Roger Deakins is outstanding.  Some say it’s the best of his career and worthy of an Oscar.
• The sound is impressive, but sometimes annoying.
• There are many surprises, which makes movie-going so much fun.

Things I didn’t like:

• Everything is so dusty!  ha ha
• Some of the frames are just so long and drawn out and slow-moving.  Did I say the same thing three times?
• There are  a lot of scenes where people sit, think, and stare.
• Lots of monologues.
• It takes forever to be rewarded with scenes that include both Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling.
• You kind of have to watch both films more than once to really understand it.  I readily admit I don't get it all.

Tips for parents: 

• Kids may be confused with what’s happening and get bored.  Watching the movie requires a certain amount of patience.
• Violence.
• Some gory, bloody scenes.
• Full female nudity.
• Prostitute action.
• Some profanity.

Never saw the original Blade Runner?   Click here to get a super cheap Blade Runner DVD!

MOVIE REVIEW MOM

@trinaboice 

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens is everything you wanted it to be!

Movie Title:     The Force Awakens (Star Wars)

Grade:  A+

Rating:  PG-13, 2 hours 16 minutes

In a Nutshell:    YESSSS!   Episode VII is everything you hoped it would be!  I loved it!  The fans that filled the theater to capacity where I watched it cheered and cried and loved it too.  It has just the right amount of “old stuff” with respectful nods to the past, yet it’s also full of new, interesting characters, creatures, and special effects.  It's beautifully shot and will saturate your eyes with awesomeness.  Every frame could be turned into a popular movie poster.

With plenty of humor, action, lightsaber duals, space chases, and exciting thrills, it FEELS like a great Star Wars movie.  Everything looks real, not a bunch of hokey CGI or fake green screen trickery.  How do I get to be an Extra in the next movie?!!  Did I ever tell you when I played an Extra on a telenovela that never made it to the screen?  It was called "Saints and Sinners."  I played a Congressman's wife. So fun!

In the words of Supreme Leader Snoke, “There’s been an awakening. Have you felt it?”  In a word, YESSSS!

Uplifting theme: 

•  “Don’t give up hope.” – Rey
• “The crazy thing is it’s true.  The Force.  The Jedi.  All of it.  It’s all true.” – Han Solo
• “Feel the light.  It surrounds you.  It will guide you.” – Maz
• “May the Force be with you.” – Leia
• “Hope is not lost today.  It is found.” – Maz
• Like Rey, we don't realize the greatest inside us.

Things I liked:

• The audience immediately liked the new characters, yet applauded and cheered like crazy when former characters made their appearances on the screen.  Director and writer J.J. Abrams has successfully created new characters that you care about.  He has done a great job with the Star Trek franchise and now the Star Wars phenomena.  He shows great respect for what has been and knows how to make new episodes fresh and new.
• Familiar characters, but with a new twist, like a Storm Trooper with a heart.  It's seriously impressive how well they kept the secrets about this script and cast before releasing the film.
• I love the small details.  For example, Rey makes this really cool bread that only appears on screen for about 10 seconds, yet it’s memorable.  She also eats a really cool piece of fruit in the bar scene.
• Cool new creatures we haven’t seen before.
• I love that Daisy Ridley (Rey) can cry so easily without having her entire face turn red like mine does.  She just releases dainty, yet believable tears at the perfect time, a director’s dream.  She is an unknown actress who is brilliant in this film.  She is the heart and soul of this movie.  How refreshing and wonderful to have a female heroine and one who is good and kind.
• Supreme Leader Snoke is pretty darn cool.  I want a bad guy to look creepy and amazing at the same time.  Mission accomplished.  Even more is that he is voiced by Lord of the Ring's talented Andy Serkis who gave us the unforgettable Gollum.
• Maz is awesome!  My fave!  She is voiced by the lovely Lupita Nyong'o.
• The scenery is beautiful and believable with great sweeping vistas.
• See it in 3D if you can! 
• It makes WAY more sense to have a droid with that roller ball base, so he can get around on the sand and even stairs, unlike R2-D2.  R2-D2's unrealistic transport mode always bugged me.  BB-8, the new droid, also has some fun features, like the cigarette lighter that elicited laughter from the audience when he holds it up to show his enthusiasm for something.  Did you know funnyman Bill Hader is the voice of BB-8?  BB-8 is cute, but not overly like Jar Jar Binks who annoyed the heck out of everyone.
• Welcome to stardom, John Boyega (Finn).  He does a great job and is quickly likable and enthusiastically charismatic.
• SPOILER ALERT:  It was great to see Mark Hamill again as Luke Skywalker.
• Great sound effects and that epic sound track by John Williams!  Check out this fun video that Jimmy Fallon and "The Roots" made with some of the cast to pay tribute to the epic music:

Things I didn’t like:

•  It cracks me up how everyone can understand what BB-8 says. 
• Some things are brushed off without explanation.  That being said, fans have been critical of some of the previous episodes that told us what was happening, rather than show us.  I like that this movie shows us!
• Leia (Carrie Fisher) should be dressed more like the queen that she is, but doesn’t until the end of the movie.  I used to adore her mother, the talented Debbie Reynolds.
• Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) has some serious anger management issues.  Ha ha  He does an excellent job and I appreciate the good script-writing that gave us a villain with motivation and depth.
• Don't be impatient that there is a cliff hanger at the end.  You already know that there are more episodes coming to complete the trilogy, so don't leave the movie disappointed.  Enjoy this one.

Funny lines:

•  “Women always figure out the truth.  Always.” – Han Solo
• “I’ll show you the dark side!” – Kylo Ren
• “So, who talks first?  You talk first?  I talk first?  It’s just hard to understand you with all that apparatus.”  - Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac)
• “Look how old you’ve become.” – Kylo Ren

“Something far worse has happened to you.” - Lor San Tekka played by award-winning Max Von Sydow, who was also featured recently in the movie "The Letters", which is also in theaters currently.

• “Don’t do that.” – Leia

“Do what?” – Han Solo

“Anything.” – Leia   

• “You know you can’t trust those little freaks.” – Han Solo
• “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” – Han Solo
• “This is not how I thought this day was going to go.” – Han Solo
• “Whatever you do, don’t stare.” – Han Solo

“At what?” – Rey, Finn

“Any of it.” – Han Solo

• “That light saber…it belongs to me.” – Kylo Ren

“Come get it.” – Finn

The line that got the audience to cheer the loudest:

“Chewy, we’re home!” – Han Solo when he steps onto the Millennium Falcon.  It's so great to see Harrison Ford revisit his role as the lovable Han Solo.  He and Chewbaca banter back and forth and it was more than wonderful to see the two of them together on screen again.

Tips for parents:   

• The language is clean and there is plenty of action and fun creatures to keep young kids entertained. 
• There is a lot of violence and fighting.  Umm…it’s a Star Wars movie.  It might be interesting to talk to your kids about which kind of fighting affects them more or has more of an emotional impact: close-up light saber duals or the big space battles?
• There are plenty of heroes in this film.  Ask your kids who they are and how they show bravery, courage, loyalty, teamwork, and hope.
• There are common themes that run through all of the episodes.  Help your kids identify some of them: good vs. evil, fatherhood, power, loneliness, hope, mentorship, etc.
• Ask your kids how marketing affects them.  Invite them to point out all of the merchandising they have seen.

'STAR WARS' MAKED OVER $100 MILLION: Star Wars: The Force Awakens broke box office records, raking in more than $100 million on its first day in theaters, according to studio estimates. The previous record holder was the second installment of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which made $91 million on its first day. The Force Awakens also broke preview records, selling $57 million in tickets.

Expendables 3 more of the same macho mahem

Movie Title:    The Expendables 3

PG-13, 1 hour 43 minutes

In theaters August 15, 2014

Grade: B-

In a Nutshell:   

There is no shortage of testosterone, nor bad guys to fight here, folks.  If you’ve seen the first two movies in the Expendables franchise, then you already know that the muscles, weapons and egos are all very, very large.

What makes this movie notable is that it’s rated PG-13, quite a feat since the first two installments were rated R.  The cast of macho men includes Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Terry Crews, Wesley Snipes, Antonio Banderas, Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson, Kelsey Grammer, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Dolph Lundren…what’s not to like?  Yeah, most of them are getting pretty old now, but they still know how to blow things up and kick you-know-what like nobody else.

Of course, the film isn’t complete without a few “Yeehaw”s and “That’s gotta hurt” lines during fight scenes.  Not heavy on a plot, this is all about the action, fight scenes, and seeing all of our favorite tough guys together.

Uplifting theme: 

• Family isn’t just the people you’re born to.

Things I liked:

• The camera zooms in on the angry eyes of team leader Sylvester Stallone, announcing to the audience that the real battle has just begun.  Classic.
• Antonio Banderas’ character, Galgo, is hilarious.
• True to real life, Sylvester Stalone’s character says to Arnold Schwartzeneggar’s character “I thought you retired.”  Arnold’s character says “I lied.”

Things I didn’t like:

• SPOILER ALERT:  Terry Crews' character gets wounded early in the movie, so don’t count on any of his classic dance moves with bouncing pecs.  Dang it.  His dancing (and singing too!) was hilariously creepy in the recent movie Blended.  Check out my movie review of Blended here.
• Harrison Ford is given the honors of dropping the only F-bomb in the movie.  Dang it.  I don't want to hear that coming out of his mouth.  (Yeah, my delicate ears make me a real prude.) 

Funny lines:

• “Relax.  You’ll give yourself a stroke.” – Harrison Ford to Sylvester
• “I could do that.”  - Sylvester says…a lot.
• “Is that the Big Dipper?  Yeah, we gotta turn around.” – Kelsey Grammer
• “You’re only old when you surrender.”  - Antonio Banderas
• “I need a job.  All I know how to do is killing people…and I do that very well.”  -  Antonio Banderas
• “If you wanted to fight, why didn’t you just get married?”  - Sylvester
• “Hurry up.  It’s boring.”  - Arnold Schwarzenegger
• “They put their noses in business where they didn’t belong and now they’re The Deletables.” – Mel Gibson
• “It’s hard to beat an enemy that’s living inside your head.” – Mel Gibson
• “Would you like to hold my gun?  Vamanos, chica.” – Antonio Banderas

Tips for parents:   Lots of profanity and violence…what did you expect from a movie packed with macho men?

Ender's Game now out on DVD for fun family movie night

Movie Title:  Ender's Game

PG-13, 1 hour 53 minutes

Grade: A-

In a Nutshell:  This sci-fi tween thriller deserved to be made into a film, as the book has been popular with kids since 1985.  Congrats to Orson Scott Card for making it on to the big screen!  Most of the source book fans have been very pleased with the movie adaptation, although they admit that a few interesting aspects were rushed or necessarily left out because of the time constraints. The battle scenes feel like you’re watching someone play a video game, but the special effects are pretty amazing.  You’ll feel like a 12 year old kid again and wish you could float around in the battle simulator.

Things I liked:   

• I love Harrison Ford, even if I have to see him as a grumpy, aging man. 
• I’ve also adored Ben Kingsley ever since he won an Oscar for Best Actor in Gandhi many years ago.  The design on his face was very cool and supposed to represent a way to speak for the dead.  His father was a Maori.  I have a friend whose ancestry is Maori.  He plays the ukulele and sings songs in Maori for his students.
• You feel like you get your money’s worth because the film is long, but moves quickly.  
• I thought Ender’s squeaky, pubescent voice was perfect because it constantly reminds you that he is still just a boy.  Asa Butterfield does a terrific job.  I loved him in Hugo.  Ben Kingsley was in that movie as well.  It was simply stunning in 3D.
• I liked the cadets’ white casual wear and would like one for myself to wear at home when I’m just kicking around.
• I hadn’t read the book, so I had no idea what was going to happen.  I love twists.
•  The zero gravity room looks super fun!  I went Indoor Skydiving in Las Vegas recently and had a blast…literally!  A giant fan blasts air at you so that you float.  I highly recommend it!  This is a picture of my husband, son, and I after our indoor skydiving experience, which is probably the closest we'll ever get to a zero gravity feeling:   

Things I didn’t like:

• So, it only takes 3 adults to run that entire spaceship? 
• I was surprised at the amateur-looking credits at the end of the movie.
• It takes itself a little bit too seriously and could have been improved with more peppering of humor.

Uplifting theme:

• The way we win matters.
• “Let us train our soldiers so they can be gifted at war AND peace.”

Funny lines:

• “This is basic rocket science, people!”  - teacher
• “Game over.” - Ender

Interesting lines:

*  “When you truly understand your enemy, you love them.”

Things to look for:

• The button on the back of their necks that is used to monitor them reminded me of The Matrix .
• Hailee Steinfeld plays a character whose name is Petra.   Petra means rock in Latin.  She becomes Ender’s rock throughout their experience in the training experience in the International Fleet.

Tips for parents: There is a lot of violence, some bullying, and a repeated use of the word “A**hole” in Spanish by a character named Bonzo.  There is no other profanity, other than mean name-calling by bullies.  There are some interesting moral dilemmas that could provide interesting dinner conversations for your family.

If your tween loved the movie, you can find the box set of the book series here:

Tom Clancy fans come out of the shadows to cheer on the new Jack Ryan

Movie Title:  Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

PG-13, 1 hour 45 minutes

Grade: A-

In a Nutshell:  Tom Clancy fans will love this prequel to the popular Jack Ryan save-the-USA stories.  Chris Pine, with his beautiful blue eyes, joins the club of fantastic leading men who have brought this patriotic character to life: Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, and Ben Affleck.  I would have loved to see some short cameo appearances with those guys!

Sure, the film is formulaic: inexperienced CIA analyst uncovers an attack on the U.S. and is suddenly thrust into operative status as he dodges bullets, guided by a crusty mentor (played by Kevin Costner).  It’s still a fun spy thriller that will get your pulse going as you yell “Hurry!” at the big screen.

Uplifting theme:  Jack is wounded in Afghanistan in the beginning of the film, but finds two unexpected motivations to recuperate: Cathy and protecting his beloved country. I loved the look in his penetrating eye (one was swollen shut) as he was wheeled off on a gurney.  It said so much about how this country felt after the 9/11 attacks. Meaningful motivation can push you beyond what you thought you could do.

Things I liked: Kenneth Branagh directs and plays a vicious Russian in the movie.  He proves he can equally navigate Shakespeare and Thor.  I liked that the setting is modern day and spotlights a very real threat of the collapse of the American dollar.  Jack warns “They’ll call it the American crisis, but after six weeks, they’ll call it what it is…the second Great Depression.”

Things I didn’t like:  I usually like Keira Knightley, but I just didn’t feel the chemistry between her and Chris Pine.  She seemed a bit forced with her American accent. There is an obligatory car chase scene and many of the tense moments feature pounding at computer keyboards.  One disjointed scene that annoyed me included a fight scene with Jack and Aleksandr in the water under the streets, but then suddenly they’re exchanging blows in a van moving above-ground.  With all of the recent talk in the news of NSA spying, it’s interesting to see how quickly the field agents can gather intel and act on it.

Funny lines:

• “You weren’t kidding…you ARE in the CIA” states Jack.  William Harper responds “Somebody has to be.”
• “This is geo-politics, not couple’s therapy.” – William Harper
• “You Americans like to think of yourselves as direct, but maybe you’re just rude.” – Viktor Cherevin
• “You Russians like to think of yourselves as poetic, but maybe you’re just touchy.”  - Jack
• “The first night can be brutal.” = Viktor Cherevin after he tries to get Jack killed
• William Harper asks “Any way to get that Boy Scout look off your face?”  Jack laughs “Not a chance.”  Harper responds “Good.  That’s what I like about you.”
• “He drinks, right?” Jack asks.  The response: “Like a Russian.”
• “I’m in the CIA ”  - Jack    SPOILER ALERT:  After surviving a frightening ordeal, Cathy sighs “Thank God.”

Inspiring lines:

• “Wait 2 minutes before you take that” counsels Cathy to her new patient Jack who wants some pain killers.  When he asks “Why?” she inspires “So you know you can.”

Things to look for:

• Read the words on the movie screen when Jack passes the data on to a field agent in the dark movie theater for a symbolic undertone.
• The 360 degree camera pan while Jack is in the taxi after just arriving in Russia.
• The picture hanging in Viktor’s office.  What is it? “Battle Of Bunker Hill ”?  Interesting choice, right?

Tips for parents: One F-bomb, but not that much other profanity.  Lots of bloodless fighting scenes. Jack and Cathy are found in bed for a conversation only.

Add this one to your collection of other fun Jack Ryan movies.  These are some of my favorite movies of all time: