Patriot's Day honors Boston's courage and compassion

Movie Title:   Patriot's Day

Grade:  B+

Rating:  R, 130 minutes

In a Nutshell: I love Boston.  I've been there several times and would eagerly go there again tomorrow.  It’s a modern city dripping in history. 

This powerful film offers a respectful look at Boston’s finest who responded to terrorism at the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings.   

“Two people took several days and weeks to plan out hate, but love responded in an instant.” – Interview with Patrick Downes

Uplifting theme: 

• Dedicated to all those who showed courage, compassion, and dedication during this terrible period in Boston’s history.
• Civic pride, teamwork, community
• Love vs. hate
• Good vs. evil
• Boston strong!
• “Always have hope.  Be confident that good always defeats bad.” – Dun Meng

Things I liked:

• The entire cast does a great job providing Boston accents and tributes to people we enjoy getting to know.
• Mark Wahlberg gives a dynamic performance as Sgt. Tommy Saunders.
• It’s always a pleasure to see J.K. Simmons, John Goodman, and Kevin Bacon.  I adore them all.
• You get to see real footage of the aftermath.
• Great aerial shots of Boston.
• Fans of Supergirl: Season 1 [Blu-ray], Melissa Benoist, will be happy to see her, although not happy to see her play the wife of a deluded terrorist.
• I loved the real photos and information at the end. The video footage of Patrick Downes running the race after his surgery really touched me.

Things I didn’t like:

•  Does anyone in Boston know how to speak a single sentence without using the F-bomb? 

Interesting lines:

• “Do not Mirandize.”   -  It's interesting and frightening that a decision could be made to deny an American citizen of his individual liberties.
• “Not what you were expecting, huh Comish? – lady cop

“It never is.” – Commisioner Ed Davis (John Goodman)

• “For a Muslim woman, marriage is a lilting dance of duality: strength and submission, beautiful, selfless, rapturous love of two masters, the carnal and the divine.” – Katherine Russell

Funny lines:

• “Give ‘em hell, brother!” – a guy who throw a sledge hammer out his front door to help the cops.
• ‘I gotta F***n quit smoking.” – Sgt. Jeffrey Pugliese (J.K. Simmons)
• “I’ll tell ya that boat ain’t gonna float.” – cop after a bunch of other cops shot a ton of bullet holes in it. 

Tips for parents: 

• There is a lot of blood, gore, and violence.
• You see several people do drugs.
• A gazillion F-bombs and other profanity.
• It's important to point out to your kids that Dzhokhar's friends were arrested for seeing evidence, but not turning it over to the police and obstructing the bombing investigation.

UPDATE as of 2/1/2017
A Boston Marathon bombing survivor plans to marry the fireman who rescued her, several media outlets report. “In the hospital, my mom tried to set me up with him,” Roseann Sdoiasaid. “She was like, ‘Oh, did you see that firefighter? He’s so cute.’ And I was like, ‘Mom, I just got blown up.’ ” Sdoia and her new fiancé, Mike Materia, will participate in the annual Empire State Building Marathon to help raise money for the Challenged Athletes Foundation. Materia comforted Sdoia on the ride to Massachusetts General Hospital in a police vehicle on the day of the bombing. “I asked him if I was going to die. And he told me that I was going to be OK, that I only had a flesh wound,” she told reporters. “He’s seen me on my worst day.” The couple had their first date in June 2013. He proposed last month.

@trinaboice 

Zootopia is great fun for all ages

Movie Title:      Zootopia

Grade:   A

Rating:   PG-1 hour 48 minutes

In a Nutshell:    This smart, colorful animation has a touch of Disney magic with new, adorable characters that are sure to make this family-friendly comedy a classic.  

Zootopia is to 2016 what Inside Out was to 2015. 

Fun for all ages, you’ll want to see it again to catch everything you missed the first time because so much was going on in each frame.

Voice talents include Once Upon a Time: Season 1 ’s Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, J.K. Simmons, Octavia Spencer, Jenny Slate, Nate Torrence, Bonnie Hunt, and even Frozen ’s Kristen Bell.

Uplifting theme: 

•  “Anyone can be anything.” – Judy
• “Try to make the world a better place.  Look inside yourself and know that change starts with you.”  - Judy
• Anti-bullying, tolerance.

Things I liked:

• Characters are well defined and developed….and adorable.
• The little skit at the beginning of the movie was ridiculously cute.
• The sloths at the DMV were HILARIOUS.  All of the parents in the audience were practically rolling on the floor.  We’ve all experienced the joys of the DMV before.
• I love how Judy’s bunny nose twitches and her foot taps fast.  Adorable.  Her ears are so expressive.  According to her, I'm not allowed to call her cute.
• Shakira as a singing rock star gazelle.  Her gazelle app probably exists already.
• It’s almost a primer for kids on film noir crime mysteries.
• Keep watching during the credits at the end.
• Paying extra for 3D isn’t necessary to enjoy the fun and magic; however, the crisp, detailed animation is even more brilliant in 3D.
• There is plenty to enjoy about this film at first glance, but there are even weighty, political topics under the surface that you can talk about during the drive home.
• The animation design is excellent.  It was fun seeing the design of all of the different kinds of animals.  The armadillo cracked me up.  Here is one of my sons holding a real baby armadillo.

Things I didn’t like:

• There is a funny, yet sort of inappropriate nudist scene at the naturalist club.  Of course, kids are use to seeing animals “naked”, but the context seemed odd.
• Considering it’s a kid’s movie, you can expect a few fart jokes.

Funny lines:

• “That is the most stupidest thing I ever heard.” – Gideon Grey
•  “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” – Judy (quoting Franklin D. Roosevelt)

“And bears.” – Stu Hopps

• “She has no need for a fox taster.” – Bonnie Hopps

“Oh come on!  When is there no need for a fox taster?” – Stu Hopps

• Who still uses CD’s? - Nick
• “I was small and emotionally unbalanced like you once.” – Nick to Judy
• “I will take your kindness and pay it forward.” – Mr. Big
• “We’re changing the world one carrot at a time.” - Bonnie Hopps
• “Ice this weasel.” – Mr. Big
• “Do you think when she goes to sleep she counts herself? – Nick about Assistant Mayor Bellweather the sheep
• "What did I say?  No icing nobody during the wedding!" - Mr. Big's bride

       "I have to, Baby.  Daddy has to." - Mr. Big

Things that cracked me up:

• “Lemmings Brother Bank”
• “Hoof Locker” store.  Check out all the names of the stores on the streets
• Bunny Burrow population sign adding new numbers by the second.
• “Fox away” can of spray
• “Carrots for 1” frozen dinner
• When the wolves can’t resist howling.
• Funny animal versions of movie posters they walk by
• Gazelle/Shakira’s male tiger dancers at the end of the movie

Interesting lines:

• “My dear, we may be evolved, but deep down, we’re still animals.” – Mr. Big
• “It’s great to have dreams, just as long as you don’t believe in them too much.” – Stu Hopps
• “Real life’s a little more complicated than a slogan on a bumper sticker.  Life is messy.” - Judy

Tips for parents:   

• No profanity, unless you count “Sweet cheeses and crackers” to be offensive.
• There is kind of a “Breaking Bad” meth-making scene, including the names Walter and Jesse from the TV show.  Young kids won’t catch it, but teens will.
• It's a Disney film, so yep....there will be TONS of merchandising to meet your darling little angels' needs.  Here are a few cute things to get you started: