Baby Driver is this summer's surprise blockbuster

Movie Title:  
Baby Driver

Grade:  A

Rating:   R, 113 minutes

In a Nutshell:  This musical masterpiece moves fast and with infectious style.  It’s fresh and furious fun. 

Director Edgar Wright delivers a smart, cool, funny, and brilliant movie.

Uplifting theme: 

• “Everybody wants happiness; nobody wants pain, but you can’t have a rainbow without a little rain.”
• “Do you have a lucky soundtrack?” – Buddy (Jon Hamm)
•  Music, sound, language, love

Things I liked:

• The opening sequence was awesome.  Almost immediately after that is another scene that is pure magic while the opening credits roll.  Pay attention to the graffiti on the walls during that scene for some fun Easter eggs.
• The camera work is amazing.  Perfection.
• The talented cast nails it with fantastic acting.  I liked Ansel Elgort in a lot of his former roles in movies, but I really loved him in this one.  He shines, even among greats like Oscar winners Kevin Spacey and Jamie Foxx.
• I first fell in love with the lovely Lily James in Cinderella. I'll watch any movie with her in it.
• The action sequences are unbelievable.  I caught myself holding my breath several times.  The stunt team deserves an Oscar.
• The soundtrack is awesome, although has a lot of explicit language. Baby Driver (Music from the Motion Picture) [Explicit].  It’s not just great music, but each song serves a purpose for a specific moment in the film.  I loved that the closing song was Simon & Garfunkel’s Baby Driver.  Of course!  I used to listen to that song all of the time growing up.  I thought that album was awesome.
• This film has GOT to be nominated for an Oscar in sound or mixing or something.  It is noticeably excellent.  There are fantastic rhythms and songs constantly…so much so that some people are actually calling this movie a musical. You’ll be humming and tapping your toes the entire time.  This movie will make you want to dance and drive really fast.
• I’ve heard that there was some CGI, but everything looks super real.
• It’s not predictable.  Thank you!
• It’s not a sequel to anything.  Thank you!
• My father-in-law had Tinnitus and now my husband is getting it.  It’s fascinating how sound, music, and language play such an important part in this movie.  My niece married a man who is deaf, so we’ve all been learning sign language.  It’s used in the movie with subtitles.
• You KNOW Mike Meyers/Austin Powers masks are going to do really well in sales now.
• Great transitions and editing.
• Baby and Deborah almost always wear black and white, while the others in the cast wear color, illustrating that their love is timeless and clear.
• Apparently, Jon Hamm’s role was written just for him.  Jamie Foxx said about Jon Hamm, “He’s too handsome.” 

Things I didn’t like:

• I only saw the trailer once.  That goes to show you that marketing doesn’t make a movie great.  This movie is great with very little marketing.
• I wish we could have heard Lily James sing more!  I love her!

• SPOILER: There didn’t seem to be enough substance in the romance for Deborah to make the choices she did.

Funny lines:

• “Am I  being monitored for quality assurance?” – Deborah (Lily James)
• “This here is JD.  He put the invasion in Asian.” – Doc (Kevin Spacey)
• “Not groovy, JD.  Not groovy at all.” – Bats (Jamie Foxx)
• “I got different ipods for different days and moods.” – Baby

“So you’re in a pink and sparkly mood?” – Deborah

“I am now.” – Baby

• “Have we met?” – bad guy

“Are you alive?” – Bats

“Yeah” – bad guy

“Then I guess we haven’t met.” – Bats

• “You rob to support a drug habit.  I do drugs to support a robbing habit.” – Bats
• “Not a chauffeur.  Note.” – Deborah
• “Don’t ever quote lines from Monsters, Inc..  It ticks me off.” - Doc

Tips for parents: 

• LOTS of profanity and F-bombs in word and song.
• LOTS of violence, shooting, gory deaths, blood.
• You find yourself rooting for criminals.
• Derogatory slurs for policemen.

MOVIE REVIEW MOM

@trinaboice 

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a strange mash-up

Movie Title:      Pride And Prejudice And Zombies

Grade:   B-

Rating:   PG-13, 1 hour 40 minutes

In a Nutshell:    Why?  I guess writer and director Burr Steers thought “why not?”

Who exactly is the target market for this film: fans of Jane Austin or “The Walking Dead”?  Is there a third category of people who love both?  If so, this movie is their dream come true.

It’s an odd mash-up, for sure, kind of like Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter .   Like that movie, real history is mingled with fiction in flirty fashion.  In the beginning of the movie, we are given a quasi-history lesson which tries to make the rest of the movie make sense.  

We’ve seen many different kinds of zombies in movies and TV shows before, and this movie brings us another version: one that can talk, run fast, and act human…with a British accent.

Uplifting theme: 

•  “My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me.” – Elizabeth
• “Keep your swords as sharp as your wits.” – narrator
• True love always wins the day.

Things I liked:

• Matt Smith plays a delightful Mr. Collins, who has some of the best lines in the movie.  He is a hilarious dancer too.
• I adore Lily James.  I first fell in love with her in Cinderella (2015) (Theatrical) . She is a lovely Elizabeth Bennet.
• There is a scene where Elizabeth Bennet catches flies with her fingers as they fly by.  I actually knew a man who could do that.  It was fascinating to watch.
• There’s a funny proposal scene involving punches and a wrestling match.
• SPOILER ALERT:  The zombies gather in St. Lazarus church, which is an appropriate name if you’ve read the Bible.  In fact, there is quite a bit of mention of the Book of Revelations and the Anti-Christ with the attempt to make the story appear more credible.
• I first noticed the delightful Sally Phillips on the British comedy “Miranda”.  She is an equally enjoyable Mrs. Bennet.
• Did you know that Natalie Portman is one of the producers?
• Jack Huston is the perfect Mr. Wickham, as well as the most changed Jane Austin character.  Did you know that he comes from Hollywood royalty on his father’s side of the family (his grandfather was the famous John Huston) and British aristocracy on his mother’s side of the family?  He is currently working on his starring role as Ben Hur in the remake to be released later this year.
• Who doesn’t like proper ladies with swords and pistols?
• One of the tidbits of information we’re given in the history lesson at the beginning includes something true that I only learned last summer when I visited London: there actually was a wall that surrounded the city of London.  Here are a few pictures of London I took on my recent trip there.

Things I didn’t like:

• Men will like watching a cat fight.
• It’s just odd…
• Zombie lovers will be disappointed that there is more Jane Austin than zombie action.
• Jane Austin fans will keep asking “why?”

Funny lines:

• “I was unaware that zombies possessed such acuity so as to set such traps.  Before we know it, they’ll be running for Parliament.” – Mr. Collins (Matt Smith)
• “Daughters do not dance well with masticated brains.” – Mr. Bennet
• “Lady, may I take a moment to compliment you on your pantaloons.  Function or fashion?” – Mrs. Bennet

“Function.” – Lady Catherine

• “Flattery will get you everywhere, Miss Bennet.” – Mr. Collins
• “You have a very small estate here.” – The cocky Lady Catherine  (Lena Headey)

“And yet we endure it.” – Elizabeth

• “May I inquire as to the measure of this discomfort?” – Giardana

“I would much rather show you.” – Elizabeth, getting ready to punch her

• “Mr. Darcy, you’re as unfeeling as the undead.” – Elizabeth 

Interesting lines:

• “Anything is preferred than to be married without affection.” – Elizabeth
• “I’d risk a cold before I’d risk Darcy’s blade.” – Elizabeth
• “My daughters were trained for battle, not the kitchen.” – Mr. Bennet (Charles Dance)
• “Of all the weapons in the world, I now know love to be the most powerful.” –
• “I shall never relinquish my sword for a ring. – Elizabeth

“For the right man, you will.” – Jane Bennet

“The right man wouldn’t ask me to.” – Elizabeth

• “Their hubris will be their downfall.” – captain guy
• “I don’t know which I admire more, Miss Bennet: your skill as a warrior or your resolve as a woman.” – Lady Catherine

Tips for parents:   

• You will hear wonderful types of profanity like “Oh fuddle!” and “Bugger!”
• Homosexual innuendo.
• There’s not as much blood and gore as there is in “The Walking Dead”, but there is still plenty of shootings, stabbings, smashed skulls, and other forms of violence.