Want to find out about a movie before you spend your hard-earned money on it? MovieReviewMaven will tell you the good, the bad, the ugly and the inspiring, so you can decide if it's right for you or your family.
In a Nutshell: This third film provides a fitting finale to a thrilling young adult book and movie franchise.
Congrats to my friend, James Dashner, for all of his success! That must be so satisfying to bring a book to the Big Screen! (My books are all non-fiction.) You get to see Dashner in one of the scenes where Teresa and Ava are presenting information to the WCKD board members.Dashner is the only one on the board who doesn’t speak.I loved the cameo! My tiny claim to fame is that he and I both did a book signing together many years ago and later spoke at the same writer's conference. I'm so happy for him!
Tips for
parents:
Some creepy faces
Violence, fighting
Explosions, tons of destruction
Scary zombies that chase you...really fast!
Some profanity.
Uplifting theme:
Bravery,
loyalty, friendship
Hope
Things I liked:
Dylan
O’Brien was seriously injured during the last installment in the series, so fans
have waited two years for his recovery and this release. He's a talented young actor with great promise.
Lots of action sequences! Tons!
If you like zombies and teen dystopia, you’ll enjoy the crazy chaos.
Things I didn’t like:
Not a
lot of dialogue, since everyone is running around most of the time…thus
the title.
Aren't we
glad we have teenagers to save the world?
Fans
of the books will notice quite a few changes in the film.
Those who haven't seen the first two movies or read the books won't feel as invested in the characters as the die-hard fans. Fans will be interested in seeing the end of the trilogy, but first-timers might be confused.
The character arc over the course of three films isn't as big as you would hope.
In a Nutshell: This
is the 6th and supposed final installment in the popular dystopian
video game and movie franchise, featuring Milla Jovovich. It has all of the necessary jumps, scares,
and fang close-ups you’d expect from the same director who did Alien Vs. Predator (Paul W. S. Anderson.)
Milla Jovovich doesn’t age, but gets better with her long, athletic legs that can jump and flip over anything, as well as kick alien/zombie/bad
guy butt. Her ice cold stare is
priceless. Can you imagine her and Kate
Beckinsale in a cat fight?
“Is that all you got?”
Uplifting theme:
Never give up.
Sacrifice for others gives life.
Things I liked:
If you
haven’t seen any of the previous movies in this franchise, the first 5 minutes of this one will
give you a quick refresher.
It
feels like a video game at times.
Another
tough girl I’ve always liked watching in movies is Ali Larter.
Some of the stunts are pretty impressive.
Things I didn’t like:
Cars
never start when you need them to in an emergency. Lame.
It’s a
bit confusing.
Mind-numbing,
non-stop action the entire time.
There’s a lot of running and kicking. I was exhausted just watching them.
A lot
of the scenes are at night or in the dark, so this movie is going to look
horrible on a computer monitor or small TV.
The
title suggests that this is the last movie in the franchise, but the
ending certainly leaves it open for another one…
Funny lines:
“I made
you.” – Albert Wesker (Shawn Roberts)
“Yeah, big mistake.” – Alice
“What
are we gonna do?” – Doc
“We’re going to kill every last one
of them.” – Alice
Interesting lines:
“We
played a long game, you and I, but now it’s over.” – Albert
In a Nutshell: This
dystopian horror drama is based on the best-selling book by M.R. Cary and delivers a
satisfying spin.
There are some typical zombie tropes in this British film,
but there is more to it than a predictable splatter-fest.
Uplifting theme:
“Hope
is the good thing that makes you be able to stand all of the bad things.” –
Helen Justineau (Gemma Arterton)
“They
just want to live. Everyone does.” –
Melanie (Sennia Nanua)
Humanity
vs. science
Look
for the images that reveal the theme of nature claiming humanity. Even the zombies have emerging layers of
moss on their faces and bodies.
Fascinating.
Things I liked:
Sennia
Nanua is delightful...in a creepy way.
The
ending is really fun and different.
I'm told that the
film is backed by real science in parts.
There
is a good atmospheric score by Cristobal Tapia de Veer that sets the mood
and seamlessly blends into sound effects.
I
thought the two mother figures offered interesting metaphors.
Things I didn’t like:
It’s
hard to stand a chance against zombies who RUN!
Most of
the characters make some really dumb choices.
The
CGI of London didn’t look very real at times.
I kind
of go into a food coma after I eat too.
Ha ha
I haven't read the book, but I hear that the 3rd act of the movie adaptation was negatively changed from the book's more satisfying final unfolding. Isn't that kind of a cliche though...the book is always better than the movie...except maybe Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy - Extended Edition (The Fellows....
Interesting lines:
“She’d
feel nothing.” – Dr. Caroline Caldwell (Glenn Close)
“That’s more your thing than hers.”
- Helen
Funny lines:
“Was
that cathartic?” – Dr. Caroline Caldwell
“Now
our mission is to keep ourselves off the F-ing menu.” – Sgt. Eddie Parks
(Paddy Considine)
In a Nutshell: Filled with TONS of CGI and special effects, this third
installment in the Divergent
franchise stretches out the story probably more
than it should.
You definitely need to have seen the first two movies in the
series in order to understand what the heck is going on in this one. This isn’t really a stand-alone movie. Click here to read my movie reviews for Divergent and Insurgent and be sure to watch the movies in the correct order so they make more sense.
Uplifting theme:
“Great leaders don’t seek power. They’re called out of necessity.” – Johanna (Octavia Spencer)
What
do we do when we lose our humanity?
‘I don’t
know who told you that being different was a bad thing…” – David (Jeff Daniels)
“Maybe
it’s time to start embracing everyone instead of dividing them into
groups.” - Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley)
Things I liked:
Shaleilene Woodley looks more grown up and beautiful. Super cute hair cut.
I liked the concept of the cool bubble things that surround
people and allow them to float, although it definitely looked CGI and fake.
Things I didn’t like:
Everything
looks fake. While “Star Wars
Awakens” used a lot of CGI, they were successfully able to create enough real sets that made the scenes truly believable.
Characters
are paper thin.
Lots
of crowds of extras yelling and shaking their fists halfheartedly.
“Purify
the human genome” sounds a lot like what Hitler was trying to do…
That’s
hilarious that the other side of the wall has such advanced technology, yet a
lot of their areas still look like beat up warehouses.
The
chase scene towards the end was super fake and lame.
Some of the actors seemed as bored as the audience.
Funny lines:
“This is fun. I’m glad we did this.” – Peter (Miles Teller)
Interesting lines:
“You
are the only one worth saving.” - David
“Hello. I come from outside the wall, where we
have all but destroyed each other.” – narrator
"We
created factions to create peace.” - narrator (What kind of logic is that?)
“Sometimes
walls are designed to protect us.” – announcement lady on screen
“It’s
impossible.” – Tori (Maggie Q) “So.” – Tris
“People
are sheep and they need a shepherd to guide them…and when they resist,
they are slaughtered.” – Max (Mekhi Phifer)
“Why
did you go to war with Janine if you were just going to become her?” –
Four (Theo James)
Tips for
parents:
Point
blank shooting in the head.
You
see Shalene’s naked body (silhouette) in the dark.
In a Nutshell: I think this is the 5th wave of
teen dystopian movies. Unfortunately, it’s nothing you haven’t
seen already with elements from Red Dawn (I loved the first one), Independence
Day (loved the first one), Divergent (liked the first one), and even The
Walking Dead (horrified and then addicted to the first one).
Those drones aren’t the ones from Amazon. It’s another teens vs. grownups movie….um…teens
vs. aliens movie. Of course, the teens
are smarter than both grownups and aliens.
Cassie asks rhetorically, “How do you rid the earth of
humans? First, you rid the humans of
their humanity.” Or…you make really dumb
movies so they want to kill themselves.
Uplifting theme:
“Love’s
not a trick. It’s real.” – Evan
Walker (Alex Roe-Brown)
“The
others see our hope as a weakness, as a delusion, but they’re wrong. It’s our hope that lets us survive, that
lets us bend, but remain unbroken.
It’s our hope that will let us win some day. It’s our hope that makes us human.” –
Cassie (Chloe Grace Moretz)
Things I liked:
I’ve always liked Chloe Grace Moretz, who
plays Cassie, the heroine in the story.
She has quite a long film history, considering how young she is.
Some
of the transitions were cool.
I always
like a good twist.
I
liked the version of “I was born in a thunderstorm” song at the end.
Cookie-cutter
romance scene where someone accidentally stumbles upon a good-looking
person bathing in a lake.
Zackary
Arthur sure is adorable, but needs time to develop his acting skills.
There
are a lot of really dark scenes that make it hard to see what’s happening.
SPOILER: Unfortunately, the movie ends with a
wink to a sequel. Uggg. Please don’t let there be a 6th
wave.
The
trailer shows scenes that don’t actually play in the movie. Odd.
Did I blink and miss them?
Did
you see the poster for the movie “Big Fish”? Was it a random ad placement or is there
some reason behind it? Does anyone
know?
An
awkward love triangle made me laugh out loud. Are the directors hoping to spur on a
fan debate like we saw with the Twilight series? I mean, why would you choose Ben Parish
when Evan Walker is an option? (wink)
Dumb
character names like Dumbo, Fintstone, Poundcake.
The first act was actually pretty compelling, but then it turned into every other dystopian YA movie you've ever seen. What a shame.
Funny lines:
“Are
we still alive?” – Teacup
“I think so.” – Zombie
“You
want me to shoot you?” – Ringer
“Don’t pretend you haven’t thought
about it.” - Zombie
“I was
named after Ben & Jerry’s. Truth! Nothing made him happier than ice cream.” - Ben Parish/Zombie (Nick Robinson)
Interesting lines:
“No
more everything we took for granted.” – Cassie
“I
thought we were safe here.” - Cassie
“Pumpkin, there’s nothing safe
anymore.” – Oliver Sullivan (Ron Livingston)
“We’re
not fighting the 5th wave.
We ARE the 5th wave.” – Zombie
In a Nutshell: Zombies?
I didn’t know this movie had zombies!
The trailers did a great job of not revealing the story line and fun
surprises in this sequel to the Maze Runner series. It’s action-packed and leaves you wondering
who is really on the right side.
Although my friend, James Dashner, wrote the book that these
films are based on, I embarrassingly admit that I’ve never read them. Apparently, the sequel veers from the original
source material quite a bit. He and I
did a book signing together many years ago when we were both nobodies. While he has made it big time, I’m still a
nobody. (weak grin) Here is a picture of us when we both were
speakers at the LDStorymakers Conference several years ago. I’m so happy for him and his success!
·The special effects were very good. I’d like to see a director make a riveting
movie out of one of my non-fiction books.
Ha ha
·The cast does a great job.
·The scale and scope are much larger than the first
Maze Runner.
- The sets, green screens, and backdrops are impressive.
Things I didn’t like:
·There was way too much running around in the
dark. I had a hard time seeing what was
going on, even on the big screen!
·The cliff-hanger at the end was pretty
predictable. Even some of the lines were
predictable. It was still entertaining
though.
·This is not a stand-alone film. If you haven’t seen the first movie, you’ll
be lost.
- This film feels like it’s the
bridge between two better films.
·There weren’t any memorable funny lines.
·My teenage son described the movie as “A bunch
of Abercrombie & Fitch models running around in the desert.” Kinda true.
·You don’t learn much more about these teenagers,
nor what’s really going on. The plot
wasn’t as deep as I had hoped. One of
the best questions dystopian movies should ask is what happens when
civilization crumbles. What morality is
left? We're still waiting for those answers after the final credits roll.
·The film isn’t available on IMAX and PLF screens
this time around, like the first one was. The really big screens
are being reserved in theaters for the opening weekend of the remake of Everest
.
Things to look for:
·You’ll miss it if you blink, but Teresa (played
by Kaya Scodelario) puts a blanket over the broken glass when Thomas throws a
chair through a window. That’s a good
emergency preparedness tip to remember in a survival situation! It’s also what you should do if you’re trying
to get over a jagged fence or barbed wire fence.
- See if you can count how many times the teens pose. It's almost as if every screen shot could be turned into a movie poster for tween fans.
Tips for Parents:
·Thomas (played by Dylan O’Brien) flips the bird.
·The zombies that chase the kids are pretty scary
because they run FAST and climb anything, unlike the ones in the hit TV show The Walking Dead: Season 1
.
·Some profanity, an icky vomit moment, and a high body count, sometimes bloody.
·Kids will love it because it features kids
outsmarting adults. ·Thomas and Brenda spend some time in a dystopian
kind of den of iniquity with a bunch of druggies and boozers.
To get prepared for the sequel, start with these:
If you can't get enough, check out the prequel and more!
In a Nutshell: Are you a dreamer?If so, this Disney film
will capture your heart. Kids will love the non-stop action and futuristic ideas that feel more like believable fantasy than Sci-Fi. Parents will feel young again, but may become annoyed with the preaching about climate change. It’s kind of a techno-thriller for tweens with a new twist on the ever-popular dystopian genre.
I fell in love with Director Brad Bird’s talent during
his animated hit The Incredibles
. While Brad Bird provides the lighthearted fun
he is great at, the story gets tangled up by Lost: The Complete Seasons 1-5
writer and co-creator Damon
Lindelof. I think the writers of Lost
got lost in their storytelling and that happens a little bit here.
During Spring Break this year, I took the fam to
Disneyland. It happened to be the last
day Tommorrowland was to be opened before its reconstruction. When I was a little girl, it featured an
exhibit of what houses would look like in the future. Up until a couple of months ago, it
spotlighted Marvel's The Avengers
superheroes and interactive video games mostly. I can’t wait to see what the new Tomorrowland
will highlight to spark our imaginations.
There is a lot from the movie that could easily end up as an awesome new
ride…
In the words of Frank, “You wanted to see Tomorrowland…here
it comes!”
Uplifting Theme:
·“There are two wolves and they are always
fighting. One is darkness and
despair. The other is light and hope. The question is: "Which wolf wins?” - Casey
“The one you feed.” - Nate Newton
·Issues covered in the film include domestic terrorism,
industrial sabotage, crime, death, climate change, unemployment, and hope.
Things I liked:
·Visually, there are some intriguing things to
look at and dream about.
·The musical score is beautiful and feels like
Disney magic.
·What kid doesn’t want to ride in a jet
pack? Scratch that….what adult wouldn’t
want to either? When young Frank is
asked why he built a jet pack, he says “If I was walking down the street and I
saw some kid with a jet pack fly over me, I’d believe anything’s possible. I’d be inspired. Doesn’t that make the world a better place?” So true!
·I thought George Clooney (Frank), Hugh Laurie
(David Nix), the adorable Raffey Cassidy (Athena), the lovely Brittany
Robertson (Casey) and Thomas Robinson (young Frank Walker) all did a terrific
job with their characters.
·In a flood (pun intended) of dystopian movies
that preach about the horrible future that awaits us because of our greed, I
like that Casey says “I get things are bad.
But what are we doing to fix it?” Great question.
·I loved the hopeful ending.
·I love both Brittany's and Raffey's gorgeous, long hair.
·Kids will get a kick out of all the gadets, gizmos, and
machines.
·Did you notice the Hans Solo in carbonite
tribute?
- I thought it was interesting that they talked about how society is currently obsessed with the dystopian genre and various versions of the apocalypse to the point that we embrace and even celebrate the impending doom with movies, TV shows, books and music. It's kind of true that we're "feeding that wolf."
Things I didn’t like:
·It’s an infomercial for Disneyland, as well as Coke, and
Apple.
·David Nix’s pants looked like an unimaginative
costume designer got lazy.
Funny lines:
·“Frank, it’s not personal. It’s just programming.” - Athena
·“This is a story about the future and the future
can be scary.” – Frank
·“Frank, you want to know why you could never
make me laugh?” – Athena
“Why?” – Frank
“Because you’re not funny.” – Athena
·“Do I have to explain everything? Can’t you just be amazed and move on?” - Frank
Inspiring lines:
·“Did you make this yourself? - Athena
·“Yeah” -
·Why?” -
Athena
“I guess I got tired of waiting for someone
else to do it for me.” – Frank
·“It’s hard to have ideas and give up.” - Casey
“But you won’t give up, right?” – Casey's brother
“Never” – Casey ·“Which way do you want to go: backwards or
forwards?” – Athena
·Even the teeniest of actions can change the
future.” – Casey
Interesting lines:
·“You’ve got simultaneous epidemics of obesity
and starvation. Explain that one.” – David
Nix
Tips for Parents:
·There is a lot of violence and fighting that
results in multiple forms of death: vaporization, crushing, dismembering,
implied genocide, etc.
·Parents are finding that their children are
asking thought-provoking questions about fairly deep subjects after the movie. Yay!
·Very young children may be frightened by the
menacing robots with creepy faces.
·There is a discussion of tachyon particles to
explain some of the science behind the technology in the future. Your kids may be surprised to learn they’re
real.
·It’s a great opportunity to introduce your kids
to some of history’s great inventors which are mentioned: Tesla, Verne, Edison,
Eiffel
In a Nutshell: Veronica Roth’s Young Adult Dystopian
sequel picks up right where it left off in the first movie, Divergent. If you haven’t seen it, watch it before you
see this second part; otherwise, you won’t understand a lot of what’s going on. It doesn't work as a stand-alone movie. You can read my movie review of Divergent here.
Uplifting Theme:
·Sacrifice, forgiveness, fighting injustice
·“I know you’re angry, but you’re letting it
consume you.” – Johanna (the fabulous and underutilized in this movie Octavia
Spencer)
·The plot has changed a bit from the books, but
if you haven’t read the books, you won’t care.
·Shailene Woodley’s character (Tris Prior) is
either crying or super intense with not much in between. The only development in her character from
the first movie is that she cut her hair.
·“It just goes to show, you can take the girl out
of abnegation, but you can’t take abnegation out of the girl.” – Peter (Miles Teller)
Tips for Parents:
·Some profanity and an implied sex scene between
Tris and Four after passionate kissing.
·1 F-bomb with very little other profanity.
Quick review of the 5 factions from their Manifestos:
Abnegation (The Selfless): “I choose to turn away from my
reflection, to rely not on myself but on my brothers and sisters to protect
always outward until I disappear.”
Erudite (The Intelligent): “Ignorance is defined not as stupidity,
but as lack of knowledge. Lack of
knowledge inevitably leads to lack of understanding. Lack of understanding leads to a disconnect
among people with differences.
Disconnection among people with differences lead to conflict. Knowledge is the only logical solution to the
problem of conflict.
Dauntless (The Brave): We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in
the courage that drives one person to stand up for another. We believe in shouting for those who can only
whisper, in defending those who cannot defend themselves.”
Amity (The Peaceful): “Give freely, trusting that you will be given what
you need. Do not be angry. The opinions of others cannot damage
you. Cruel thoughts lead to cruel words,
and hurt you as much as they hurt their target.”
Candor (The Honest): Although
Candor values honesty above all else, they also seek to develop impartiality.
(Paul W. S. Anderson.)
.
franchise stretches out the story probably more
than it should.
.
.
. While Brad Bird provides the lighthearted fun
he is great at, the story gets tangled up by 
writer and co-creator Damon
Lindelof. I think the writers of Lost
got lost in their storytelling and that happens a little bit here.
superheroes and interactive video games mostly. I can’t wait to see what the new Tomorrowland
will highlight to spark our imaginations.
There is a lot from the movie that could easily end up as an awesome new
ride…
.