Independence Day: Resurgence gives fan service after 20 years

Movie Title:     Independence Day Resurgence

Grade:  B-

Rating:  PG-13, 119 minutes

In a Nutshell:    I absolutely loved the 1996 original Independence Day, so I was really excited to see this sequel that we all waited 20 years for.  Was it worth the wait?  Well, yes and no.  It has even bigger aliens, bigger destruction, and bigger action, yet doesn’t quite have the same charm as the first. 

Director Roland Emmerich knows how to pack the screen with action for a fun summer popcorn flick.  Just don't think too hard about the plot.

Uplifting theme: 

• “Have a little faith.” – Julius Levinson (Judd Hirsch)
• If we stand as one, we can do anything.
• “You can thank me later!” – Jake Morrison (Liam Hemsworth)

“I’ll thank you now!” – Dylan Hiller (Jessie T. Usher)

Things I liked:

• Who doesn’t adore Jeff Goldblum?  He carries the movie and seems to be having a good time being back in this story.  Wouldn’t it be fun to see him in the next Jurassic Park movie with Chris Pratt?
• Quite a few other cast members from the original movie joined this sequel: Bill Pullman, Judd Hirsch, Brent Spiner, and Vivica Fox.
• You get to see the aliens up close.   
• See it in 3D if you can.  The opening universe scene is pretty cool.
• Area 51 in Nevada gets a lot of action in this film.  I live in Las Vegas, so one of these days I’ll have to take a drive out there.  I know, I know…you don’t get very far when the officials see you getting near. 
• There are lots of cool space ships and high tech gadgets that the humans have developed since acquiring alien technology from the last movie.
• Deobia Oparei is massive!  And pretty funny.

Things I didn’t like:

• It would have been fun to see Will Smith in this sequel.  He declined the offer, but they show a couple of pictures on walls to acknowledge his character’s accomplishments in the first movie as fan service.
• Mae Whitman played President Whitmore’s little girl in the 1996 movie, so why wasn’t she cast in the sequel as the grown-up daughter?  She’s a fantastic actress and was hilarious in "The Duff."  Sure, Maika Monroe is super cute, but still…
• There are often too many things happening on the screen at once.
• There are too many side characters that we just don’t have time to care about.
• What was supposed to be the big patriotic speech in this movie, fell flat and is completely unmemorable, as opposed to Bill Pullman’s awesome moment in the first movie when he said:

“We will not go quietly into the night.  We will not vanish without a fight!  We’re going to live on.  We’re going to survive.  Today we celebrate our….Independence Day!

• Jessie Usher plays Will Smith’s character’s son from the first movie.  While Will Smith had incredible charisma and added cool energy to the film, Jessie is surprisingly bland.
• Most females are in love with Liam Hemsworth (or his hunky brother), but he kind of plays the same character in every movie he’s in, right?
• Overall, it's pretty messy, both the film and the destruction.

Funny lines:

•  “Shouldn’t we be nervous?” – Jake Morrison (Liam Hemsworth)

“Um, yeah!” – David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum)

• “It speaks!  In English!” –  Dr. Brakis Okun (Brent Spiner)
• “This thing is way cooler than a machete!  (He accidentally fires the alien gun.)  Sorry!  My bad! – Floyd Rosenberg (Nicolas Wright)
• “You don’t want to fly?” – Dylan Hiller (Jessie T. Usher)

“No, I want to shoot!” – Jake Morrison (Liam Hemsworth)

• “There’s a tall, dangly man over there!” – Daisy (McKenna Grace)

“Tall, dangly man?  That’s my David!” – Julius Levinson (Judd Hirsch)

• “You’re grounded until further notice.” – Commander Jiang (Chin Han)

“Can I still watch TV?” – Jake Morrison

• “I was wondering if you’d like to get a drink or fall in love?” – Charlie (Travis Tope)
• “That is definitely bigger than the last one.” – David Levinson
• “Charlie, where are you?” – Jake

“Flying through your worst nightmare.” – Charlie

• “What goes up must come down.” – David
• “Pee your pants?” – Jake

“Uh, yeah!” – David

“Yeah, me too.” – Jake

Interesting lines:

•  “Why are they screaming?” – Patricia Whitmore (Maika Monroe)

“They’re not screaming.  They’re celebrating.” – Dr. Brakish Okun (Brent Spiner)

Inspiring lines:

• “I had 20 years to get us ready and we didn’t have a chance.” – David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum)

“We didn’t then either.” – Thomas Whitmore (Bill Pullman)

• “What we do in the next 12 minutes will either define humanity or finish us.” – General Adams (William Fichtner)
• “I’m not saving the world.  I’m saving you.” – Thomas Whitmore
• “We have to remind them that Earth is not for the taking.” – Dylan Hiller (Jessie Usher)
• “It’s the 4^th of July.  Let’s show them some fireworks.” – Dylan Hiller

Tips for parents:   

•  Profanity.
• There is a massive amount of devastation on Earth, yet you don’t feel invested in any of it, except for one character.  (No spoiler.)
• The aliens might scare young children.
• A couple of inappropriate jokes.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 finally arrives!

Movie:   The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 2

Rating:  PG-13, 2 hours 16 minutes

Grade:   A-

In a Nutshell:    As Finnick (Sam Claflin) says, “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 76^th Hunger Games!”

After 4 years and almost 9 hours of movie viewing, the concluding film in this popular action series is finally here!   This is a very sad and serious movie, but fans will feel an overall satisfaction with this last installment.  Jennifer Lawrence is fantastic, shining as always.  As Haymitch says, “I’ll say this for you Katniss, you don’t disappoint.”  She doesn’t. 

One thing that does is the reminder that Phillip Seymour Hoffman died while filming this final movie.  I always thought he was an excellent actor.  He will be missed. The rest of the cast is great too, offering a fond farewell.  Three cheers for Suzanne Collins for bringing us a thrilling book series that makes us think.

Be sure to watch Mockingjay Part 1, because this film picks up exactly where the last one left off.  

Uplifting Theme: 

·         Peeta explains, “There was no real life, because we didn’t have a choice.”  Free will has always been an important theme in all of these Hunger Game movies.

·         Do what’s right.

·         Revenge, justice, war, freedom, politics, revolution, loyalty, love

·         Which is worse: a clever, calculating, ruthless dictator you know or one you thought you knew?

Things I liked:

·         I absolutely love the last line of the movie.

·         While the book doesn’t mention it, the movie provides a touching moment when Effie and Haymitch kiss.  Viewers will have to decide if it was meant to be a romantic kiss or one that sweetly demonstrates their close bond over the years.  In fact, it was one of the better kisses in the movie.  Some of the other ones lacked some serious chemistry.

·         ADORABLE little blonde boy at the end.

·         I thought the idea and execution of the “pods” was super cool.

·         That black death water stuff was awesome.

·         SPOILER ALERT: President Snow’s subtle smile was perfect when he found out that Katniss had survived an attempt on her life.  He relishes the game.  Donald Sutherland does a great job ‘til the very end.

·         Pollux’s backpack looks like one of those roly poly bugs.  He sure is a sweet, brave character and well played by Elden Henson

·         It’s always good to see Julianne Moore, who plays President Alma Coin.

·         SPOILER ALERT:  Peeta brings Katniss a Primrose flower. So sweet.

·         I liked the “real or not real” conversations Peeta and Katniss have.
*  Jennifer Lawrence's nephew plays her son at the end of the movie.  He's a huge X-Men fan, although he tells her she's not a "real" X-Man.

Things I didn’t like:

·         The third part of the book series was unnecessarily broken into 2 movies.   Of course it’s all about making money.  The result is that these last two movies have a lot of slow moments in order to stretch out the source material.
      There wasn't a big, epic battle scene, but instead, a few minor skirmishes.

·         Very little humor. Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) and Effie (Elizabeth Banks) are much more subdued in this movie, whereas in former films, we could count on them for some comic relief.

·         I wish we could have seen more of Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman.  Thankfully, they gave more screen time to Elizabeth Banks than was originally written for her in the book.

·         Weird Tigress character.  Then again, she represents the extravagance of the Capitol.

Interesting lines:

·         “What’s going on in your head? – Gale (the handsome Liam Hemsworth)

“I don’t know. – Katniss

“It’s like kissing someone who’s drunk…it doesn’t count.”  - Gale

·         “It’s war Katniss.  Sometimes killing isn’t personal.  I would have thought out of all people, you’d know that.” – Gale

“I know it’s always personal.” – Katniss

·         “What about you, Mockingjay?  Feeling safe?” – Johanna  (Jena Malone)

“Til I got shot.” -  Katniss

·         Are you still trying to protect me?  Real or not real?” – Peeta (Josh Hutcherson)

“Real.  Because that’s what you and I do: keep each other alive.” - Katniss

Tips for Parents:

·         Blood, LOTS of violence with a high body count, and a lot of fire and explosions.

·         SPOILER ALERT: Several good characters die, which is sad, but especially traumatic are the deaths of children in one particular scene.

·         SPOILER ALERT:  There is a scary scene when Katniss and her comrades go underground and these creepy creatures attack them.  They're kind of like mutant, white zombies with no eyes and razor sharp teeth.  Super creepy.  I kinda wanted a closer look at them, but they were moving really fast.

Hunger Games: Catching Fire now out on DVD!

If you’re a Hunger Games fan, then you’ve probably already seen this, but if you haven’t, it’s now in stores on DVD for rental or purchase!

Movie Title:  The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Grade: A

In a Nutshell:  This movie franchise has all the odds ever in its favor.  The gritty books are best-sellers and the intense films don’t disappoint.  The special effects are great and you really find yourself enveloped in the dark world of these compelling characters.  The games feel familiar from the first movie, but they take on some new twists that engage your sensibilities and heart.  As Haymitch Abernathy states “Last year was child’s play; this year you’re dealing with all experienced killers.” The fans and the smart storyline mature with this second movie in the successful trilogy.

President Snow announces “On the seventy-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol, the male and female tributes will be reaped from their existing pool of victors.”  And then it begins.

Uplifting theme: 

• I liked the speech Peeta gave in District 11: “Our lives aren’t measured in years, but in the lives we touch and touch us around us.”
• “We don’t need to destroy her – just her image.  Sew fear.  It doesn’t work as long as they have hope” counsels Plutarch Heavensbee.  Hope is a very powerful thing.  When you’ve lost everything, hope is everything.  Primrose tells her sister that she notices something different about her world now.  Katniss asks “What can you see?”  Her answer:  “Hope.”  Katniss becomes the mockingjay herself, the image of a new hope to her people.
• The grim violence is physical AND emotional, deepening the layers of imprisonment and drama. 
• There is a weighty theme of cultural and personal revolution that could begin an interesting dinner table conversation in your home.
• Simply surviving is not the end-game, but creating a meaningful life that blesses those around you is.  Primrose Everdeen says to her sister “You saved my life.  You gave me a chance.”  Katniss confirms “Yes, to live.” Primrose corrects “No, to do something.”

Things I liked:

• I loved the FANTASTIC wedding dress-turned mocking jay gown visual effects!
• The cast is terrific: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland, and Woody Harrelson.  Philip Seymour Hoffman was a national treasure and will be missed.
• The “lethal lovers” Katniss and Peeta twist their lives together in a new way that may become a new prison of sorts, even if they’re able to pull it off.

Things I didn’t like:

• I thought the yucky blisters caused by the fog were pretty gross.  I definitely felt relief when they were able to wash away the pain in the water
• The film is almost 2 ½ hours long, but ends abruptly.  Dang it!  Thankfully, we won’t have to wait too long to watch the rest of the story.  The third movie installment in the trilogy is expected to release on the big screen November 21, 2014.   Like the Harry Potter franchise, the final part of the story is going to be split into two movies: Mockingjay 1 and 2.  The very last movie will hit theaters November 10, 2015.
• Love triangles are a bit tired.

Interesting lines:

• “That’s how the friend thing works…you have to tell each other deep stuff.”
• President Snow: While you and Peeta are on tour, you need to smile, you need to be grateful, but above all, you need to madly end it all in love. You think you can manage that?
• Katniss Everdeen: Yes.
• President Snow: "Yes" what?
• Katniss Everdeen: I'll convince them.
• President Snow: No. Convince me.
• “Don’t look so cute.  We’ll kill you anyways.”  - Johanna Mason
• “Say good-bye and forget them.  I do my best, thinking of them one by one, releasing them like birds from the protective cages inside me, locking the doors against their return.”  - Katniss Everdeen
• “No wonder I won the Games.  No decent person ever does.” – Katniss Everdeen

Things to look for:

• You only seem them for a few seconds, but I adore Effie’s super cute gloves at the party on the last night of their tour.
• Effie’s outfits in this movie are fantastic.  Look at the details on her butterfly outfit.
• Katniss hangs the model of Seneca Crane in an act of defiance during the judging. 
• Did you know a spile, the tool Katniss uses to get water out of a tree, really works?  It’s used to get sap out of sugar maple trees to produce maple syrup.
You can learn more about Tap My Tree Maple Spile and Hook
• Did you know that Effie’s last name is Trinket?  So appropriate, don’t you think?  I love that her character deepens in this installment in the story.

Tips for parents:

There is some violence (mostly bloodless) and a cold-faced attitude of murder that should begin an honest discussion of humanity in your family. There is some profanity, but the Capitol itself bleeps out two F-bombs.

If you missed the first one and need to catch up, here are some links to the books and movies: