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Paul, Apostle of Christ movies is more dark and gory than expected

Movie Title: 
  Paul, Apostle Of Christ

Grade:   B

Rating: PG-13,
 108 minutes

In a Nutshell:  Just in time for the Easter season, this Christian movie brings Paul and Luke, both faithful followers of Jesus Christ, to the big screen with their unique friendship and affirming messages.

This film is VERY heavy, dark, gory, and even depressing.  In that regard, it's very realistic. The film states at the end that is has been “dedicated to all those who have been persecuted for their faith.”  Christians will leave with a feeling of reverence and increased respect for the early Christians.

While this movie really won’t convince non-believers to turn their lives over to Christ, it is another arrow in the quiver of recent Christian movies that build faith and testimony.  Christian movies are slowly getting better and I'm grateful that Christian audiences support them in movie theaters.

Two additional Christian movies, a holy trinity of films so to speak, are also in theaters at the same time to celebrate the Easter season: I Can Only Imagine DVD and God's Not Dead: A Light In Darkness (Songs From And Inspired By The Motion Picture).

                                             

Tips for parents: 

• There are a lot of gruesome images of torture, deaths, bodies burning, and suffering.  I’m almost surprised that this movie wasn’t rated R because of so many brutal scenes.
• There is a LOT of talking with not very much action.  Most children will be bored.
•  It's definitely not a feel-good popcorn movie for a fun Friday night. It is, however, a thought-provoking film that will make you think and feel.

Uplifting theme: 

• Enduring faith
• Forgiveness
• Be the light.
• Peace begins with you.
• “Love is the only way.” – Luke
• “We cannot repay evil with evil.  Evil can only be overcome with good.” – Paul
• “Men do not die for things they doubt.” – Paul
• “We live for the Lord.  We die for the Lord.  Whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” – Paul
• Through suffering, good can come.

                             

Things I liked:

• I really like Jim Caviezel.  Knowing that he is a solid Christian makes me like him even more, especially as he tries to lend his big star name and talent to Christian movies, which are often seen as amateur and cheesy.  Jim Caviezel gave impressive strength to Mel Gibson's The Passion Of The Christ  Do you want to know what he did with a lot of the money he earned from that movie?  He adopted 3 special needs children.  Wow.
• I like the Giving Films logo and the name “Affirm Films.”
• The production value was very high.  Good technical work.
• I thought the Lord’s Prayer scene was powerful.
• The end was very sweet.
• Filming was done in Malta, where Paul actually went on one of his journeys.
• Some humor.
• Some of the dialogue was full of rich wisdom.
• I really like it when movie theaters don't instantly raise the lights when a movie ends.  Audiences are able to sit and reflect for a few minutes and even compose themselves before the lights turn back on.
• I really liked the scene where Luke told Paul that he saw Jesus in him when Paul taught the gospel.  What a great compliment.  Oh that people could see Christ in us!

Things I didn’t like:

• There are a LOT of scenes in dark corners and dungeons, making it hard to see what’s going on.  There are also a lot of scenes with whispered conversations, making it hard to hear what’s being said.
• The various accents were distracting.  Characters spoke with British accents, French, American, and even one guy sounded Scottish. 
• Paul's famous “Road to Damascus” scene was surprisingly short.  I wanted more.
• Some of the flashbacks could have been done better. It seemed like they were reusing footage to save money.
• It drags in some places, especially during the first half.  My sister and I both got drowsy and had to keep each other awake.  That's not good!

Funny lines:

• “Come, eat.  You must be starving.” – Aquilla (John Lynch)

“If you’re cooking, I don’t know if I’m that hungry.” – Luke (Jim Caviezel)

• “Quit your complaining.” – Luke to Paul
• “They truly were miserable days with you.  I do miss them.” – Paul to Luke 

Interesting lines:

• “The Devil sneaks in the darkness here.” – Paul (James Faulkner)
• “All men are a slave to something.” – Paul
• “Where sin abounds, grace abounds more.” – Paul
• “In a moment, you will know you know God’s love and I hope it is soon.” – Paul
• “They will know us for our love.” - Paul

In an online interview with Jim Cazievel, he mentioned how he could watch good Christian movies like Ben Hur over and over.  Be sure to watch that movie again this Easter season.  It's old, but it's extremely powerful!

                                      

                                           @trinaboice

Early Man isn't Aardman Studio's best work, but it will still make you laugh

Movie Title:      Early Man

Grade:  B-

Rating: PG, 89 minutes

In a Nutshell:   If you’re a fan of the Wallace and Gromit stop-motion, cheeky, clay animated series like I am, then you’re always happy when the Aardman team creates anything new. 

Unfortunately, this isn’t their best work.  Still, it’s family entertainment that will make everyone giggle at least a few times.

                             

Tips for parents: 

• No profanity.
• Some gags and jokes that some kids won’t understand.
• It’s super silly.

Uplifting theme: 

• Teamwork
• You can be or do anything you set your mind to.
• Girls can play soccer too.

                                   

Things I liked:

• Lots of visual gags and puns.
• The talented voice cast includes Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston, Timothy Spall, and Richard Ayoade.
• I thought all of the characters’ accents were funny and ridiculous.
• Wallace and Gromit are actually in a couple of the crowd shots.  Yay!

Things I didn’t like:

• How sad that I was actually glad when the movie ended.  I hate to admit I was bored at times.
• The trailer doesn’t really show what the movie is about.  As it turns out, it’s a soccer movie ala Stone Age vs. Bronze Age.
• Americans won’t catch a lot of the British jokes.  For example, there is a zebra pelt on the ground when Dug first enters the Bronze-age village.  Apparently, it refers to the British term “zebra crossing.”
• Some people won’t get the duck joke.  I didn’t.
• The story is pretty thin with characters I didn’t feel very invested in.
• Visually, it felt dark and rough.  I suppose that’s supposed to make us feel like we’re in the Stone Age, but it made me sleepy and uninterested.
• Predictable ending.

Funny lines:

• “Sliced bread! That’s the biggest thing since…well, ever!” – lady in the market

Fun movies from the Aardman Studio:

                                              @trinaboice

 

Red Sparrow takes spy thriller to a Rated X level

Movie Title:    
        Red Sparrow

Grade:  C-

Rating: R, 
2 hours 19 minutes

In a Nutshell:   This sex filled spy thriller features psychological manipulation and LOTS of undressing and naked bodies.  Even Jennifer Lawrence shows us full frontal nudity. Why isn’t this movie Rated X?

It feels more like a tale of prostitution than super spy.  It's like saying Fifty Shades of Grey is a romantic love story.

Tips for parents: 

• Full frontal male and female nudity.
• Two completely naked people having sex.
• Bloody beatings and violent deaths
• A woman undresses down to her underwear.  Another gets completely naked.
• Homosexuality
• Attempted rape
• Crude language, profanity, F-bombs
• Someone gets run over by a car.  Yuck.
• Some family-friendly spy movies without all of the graphic violence and nudity that’s found in Red Sparrow are Spy Kids and Agent Cody Banks.
• If you’re intrigued by psychological manipulation, but want your teens to be able to watch something that’s not Rated R, check out the interesting social experiment in the TV show “The Push” found on Netflix right now.

                                           

Uplifting theme: 

• Sacrifice for a higher purpose
• Extreme patriotism

Things I liked:

• The talented cast includes Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Irons, Joel Edgerton, Charlotte Rampling, and Mary-Louise Parker.
• To enforce the title of the movie and the Russian setting, the color red plays a dominant role, from the movie poster, to the clothing that people wear to the bloody scenes.  
• Jennifer Lawrence trained in ballet for 4 months, although Isabella Boylston was her lovely body double who did the more difficult choreography.       
• Directed by Francis Lawrence, this movie is his first film since he directed The Hunger Games movies.  Clearly, Jennifer Lawrence trusts him completely. She would have to in order to strip and do the things she does in this movie.  She's in fantastic shape, by the way.
• You don't know who is telling the truth, which makes it intriguing and suspenseful.  
• The movie is based on the book by Jason Matthews who was a former CIA operative.  Cool. 
• The opening sequence is a bit confusing, but mesmerizing.            

Things I didn’t like:

• The telling is uneven.
• Way too much graphic nudity and sex.  There are so many awkward scenes.
• Women are used as tools in a one-dimensional portrayal.
• It's very dark and violent, which must have rubbed off on Jennifer Lawrence who, apparently, got into a bar fight in Budapest when she was filming the movie.
• Jennifer Lawrence has basically the same expression on her face the entire movie.  It's hard to see her character arc.
• The movie feels long and tiring.
• Disgusting torture.

  Interesting lines:

• “There’s no such thing as luck.” – Scumbag guy
• “Your body belongs to the State.  Since your birth, the State nourished it.  Now the State asks for something in return.” – Matron (Charlotte Rampling)
• “In my experience, the proud are the first to fall.” – Matron
• 
  

Funny lines:
*  "Why are all the Russian women so sexy?  All the men look like toads." - Stephanie Boucher (Mary-Louise Parker)

  

       

                                              @trinaboice

Winners of the 90th Academy Awards

                          

Full of glitz, glamour, talent, and entertainment, the 90th Academy Awards reminded us why we love watching movies so much.  They take us to new places and fill our hearts and minds with wonder. 

So many of the nominees were amazing, so choosing just one winner in each category was almost painful.  Here is the list of all the winners!

Best Picture:

“The Shape of Water” (WINNER)
“Call Me by Your Name”
“Darkest Hour”
“Dunkirk”
“Get Out”
“Lady Bird”
“Phantom Thread”
“The Post”
“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”

Best Actress:

Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” (WINNER)
Sally Hawkins, “The Shape of Water”
Margot Robbie, “I, Tonya”
Saoirse Ronan, “Lady Bird”
Meryl Streep, “The Post”

Best Actor:

Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour” (WINNER)
Timothée Chalamet, “Call Me by Your Name”
Daniel Day-Lewis, “Phantom Thread”
Daniel Kaluuya, “Get Out”
Denzel Washington, “Roman J. Israel, Esq.”

Best Director
"The Shape of Water," Guillermo Del Toro (Winner)
“Dunkirk,” Christopher Nolan
“Get Out,” Jordan Peele
“Lady Bird,” Greta Gerwig
“Phantom Thread,” Paul Thomas Anderson

Best Song

“Remember Me” from “Coco,” Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez (WINNER)
“Mighty River” from “Mudbound,” Mary J. Blige
“Mystery of Love” from “Call Me by Your Name,” Sufjan Stevens
“Stand Up for Something” from “Marshall,” Diane Warren, Common
“This Is Me” from “The Greatest Showman,” Benj Pasek, Justin Paul

Original Score:

“The Shape of Water,” Alexandre Desplat (WINNER)
“Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” John Williams
“Dunkirk,” Hans Zimmer
“Phantom Thread,” Jonny Greenwood
“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” Carter Burwell

Cinematography:

“Blade Runner 2049,” Roger Deakins (WINNER)
“Darkest Hour,” Bruno Delbonnel
“Dunkirk,” Hoyte van Hoytema
“Mudbound,” Rachel Morrison
“The Shape of Water,” Dan Laustsen

Original Screenplay:

“Get Out,” Jordan Peele (WINNER)
“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” Martin McDonagh
“The Big Sick,” Emily V. Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani
“Lady Bird,” Greta Gerwig
“The Shape of Water,” Guillermo del Toro, Vanessa Taylor

Adapted Screenplay:

“Call Me by Your Name,” James Ivory (WINNER)
“The Disaster Artist,” Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber
“Logan,” Scott Frank & James Mangold and Michael Green
“Molly’s Game,” Aaron Sorkin
“Mudbound,” Virgil Williams and Dee Rees

Live Action Short Film:

“The Silent Child,” Chris Overton, Rachel Shenton (WINNER)
“DeKalb Elementary,” Reed Van Dyk
“The Eleven O’Clock,” Derin Seale, Josh Lawson
“My Nephew Emmett,” Kevin Wilson, Jr.
“Watu Wote/All of Us,” Katja Benrath, Tobias Rosen

Documentary Short Subject:

“Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405,” Frank Stiefel (WINNER)
“Heroin(e),” Elaine McMillion Sheldon, Kerrin Sheldon
“Edith+Eddie,” Laura Checkoway, Thomas Lee Wright
“Knife Skills,” Thomas Lennon
“Traffic Stop,” Kate Davis, David Heilbroner

Film Editing:

“Dunkirk,” Lee Smith (WINNER)
“Baby Driver,” Jonathan Amos, Paul Machliss
“I, Tonya,” Tatiana S. Riegel
“The Shape of Water,” Sidney Wolinsky
“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” Jon Gregory

Visual Effects:

“Blade Runner 2049,” John Nelson, Paul Lambert, Richard R. Hoover, Gerd Nefzer (WINNER)
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” Christopher Townsend, Guy Williams, Jonathan Fawkner, Dan Sudick
“Kong: Skull Island,” Stephen Rosenbaum, Jeff White, Scott Benza, Mike Meinardus
“Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” Ben Morris, Mike Mulholland, Chris Corbould, Neal Scanlan
“War for the Planet of the Apes,” Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, Daniel Barrett, Joel Whist

Animated Feature:

“Coco,” Lee Unkrich, Darla K. Anderson (WINNER)
“The Boss Baby,” Tom McGrath, Ramsey Ann Naito
“The Breadwinner,” Nora Twomey, Anthony Leo
“Ferdinand,” Carlos Saldanha
“Loving Vincent,” Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman, Sean Bobbitt, Ivan Mactaggart, Hugh Welchman

Animated Short:

“Dear Basketball,” Glen Keane, Kobe Bryant (WINNER)
“Garden Party,” Victor Caire, Gabriel Grapperon
“Lou,” Dave Mullins, Dana Murray
“Negative Space,” Max Porter, Ru Kuwahata
“Revolting Rhymes,” Jakob Schuh, Jan Lachauer

Supporting Actress:

Allison Janney, “I, Tonya” (WINNER)
Mary J. Blige, “Mudbound”
Lesley Manville, “Phantom Thread”
Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”
Octavia Spencer, “The Shape of Water”

Foreign Language Film:

“A Fantastic Woman” (Chile) (WINNER)
“The Insult” (Lebanon)
“Loveless” (Russia)
“On Body and Soul (Hungary)
“The Square” (Sweden)

Production Design:

“The Shape of Water,” Paul D. Austerberry, Jeffrey A. Melvin, Shane Vieau (WINNER)
“Beauty and the Beast,” Sarah Greenwood; Katie Spencer
“Blade Runner 2049,” Dennis Gassner, Alessandra Querzola
“Darkest Hour,” Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer
“Dunkirk,” Nathan Crowley, Gary Fettis

Sound Mixing:

“Dunkirk,” Mark Weingarten, Gregg Landaker, Gary A. Rizzo (WINNER)
“Baby Driver,” Mary H. Ellis, Julian Slater, Tim Cavagin
“Blade Runner 2049,” Mac Ruth, Ron Bartlett, Doug Hephill
“The Shape of Water,” Glen Gauthier, Christian Cooke, Brad Zoern
“Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” Stuart Wilson, Ren Klyce, David Parker, Michael Semanick

Sound Editing:

“Dunkirk,” Alex Gibson, Richard King (WINNER)
“Baby Driver,” Julian Slater
“Blade Runner 2049,” Mark Mangini, Theo Green
“The Shape of Water,” Nathan Robitaille, Nelson Ferreira
“Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” Ren Klyce, Matthew Wood

Documentary Feature:

“Icarus,” Bryan Fogel, Dan Cogan (WINNER)
“Abacus: Small Enough to Jail,” Steve James, Mark Mitten, Julie Goldman
“Faces Places,” JR, Agnès Varda, Rosalie Varda
“Last Men in Aleppo,” Feras Fayyad, Kareem Abeed, Soren Steen Jepersen
“Strong Island,” Yance Ford, Joslyn Barnes

Costume Design:

“Phantom Thread,” Mark Bridges (WINNER)
“Beauty and the Beast,” Jacqueline Durran
“Darkest Hour,” Jacqueline Durran
“The Shape of Water,” Luis Sequeira
“Victoria and Abdul,” Consolata Boyle

Makeup and Hairstyling:

“Darkest Hour,” Kazuhiro Tsuji, David Malinowski, Lucy Sibbick (WINNER)
“Victoria and Abdul,” Daniel Phillips and Lou Sheppard
“Wonder,” Arjen Tuiten

Supporting Actor:

Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” (WINNER)
Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”
Woody Harrelson, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Richard Jenkins, “The Shape of Water”
Christopher Plummer, “All the Money in the World”

Maze Runner: The Death Cure ends the YA dystopian trilogy

Movie Title:   
Maze Runner: The Death Cure

Grade:   B+

Rating: PG-13, 114 minutes

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.

Check out my movie reviews of the first two movies here:

Maze Runner

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials

Did you miss the first two movies in the franchise? You can order them here:

            

                                       @trinaboice

                      

Phantom Thread isn't the movie you think it's going to be

Movie Title:      Phantom Thread

Grade:  A-

Rating: R, 130 minutes

In a Nutshell:  With gorgeous shots and images, this stylish film by Focus Features showcases glamour, fashion, romance, and a fantastic Daniel Day-Lewis.  

On June 20, 2017, Daniel Day-Lewis said that this is his last film, which would be a terrible loss to all of us.  He’s absolutely fantastic.  As an added bonus, both Vicky Krieps and Lesley Manville are equal to his performance.

As of today, this interesting film has been nominated for 6 Academy Awards, including “Best Picture.”  It has already won the National Board of Review" award for best original screenplay.

                                       

Tips for parents: 

• Alma wears some sheer fabric that reveals her chest.
• Quite a few F-bombs, but no other profanity.
• Most children and teens will be bored out of their minds.
• Pre-marital relations

Uplifting theme: 

• “It’s comforting to think the dead are watching over the living.  I don’t find that spooky at all.” -  Reynolds (Daniel Day-Lewis)
• The give and take required in a relationship.
• We are most tender and vulnerable when we're sick.  In fact, director Paul Thomas Anderson got the idea for this film when he was sick in bed. His wife, comedienne Maya Rudolph, was taking care of him and he realized she hadn't looked at him with such love in a long time.

                                        

Things I liked:

• The musical score was noticeably beautiful.  Johnny Greenwood’s work really enhances the movie.
• Incredible attention to detail. 
• It’s very subtle.
• You think the movie is going in one direction, but then it surprisingly changes with one major choice by a character.
• There are several interesting scenes where Woodcock illustrates that the dresses are not simply garments, but a lifestyle and that the wearer must earn the privilege of being seen in them.
• It’s fascinating to watch how Reynolds’ sister and Alma handle his eccentricities in two entirely different ways.
• The title refers to several things in the film.  There is a “phantom” in Reynolds' life who serves as one of his muses.  Reynolds sews secret messages and items into the clothing.  And finally, the seamstresses who work for him all day and night get no glory, although they do most of the actual work.
• Critics have mixed feelings about director Paul Thomas Anderson, but they all generally agree that he did a great job on this film, creating a meticulous movie with a surprising twist.
• The dresses are beautiful.  Supposedly, Reynolds' character was inspired by fashion designer Balenciaga.  
• Daniel Day-Lewis was the one who suggested his character's name.  It made director Paul Thomas Anderson laugh so hard that he used it.  Together, they wrote the script.

Things I didn’t like:

• It’s slow moving.
• It leaves you with an odd taste in your mouth…so to speak.

Interesting lines:

• Whatever you do, do it carefully.” – Alma (Vicky Krieps)
• “There is an air of quiet death about this house and I do not like the way it smells.” – Mr. Woodcock
• "The tea is going out.  The interruption is staying right here with me." - Mr. Woodcock

                                          @trinaboice

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle offers a classic reboot for the video game generation

Movie Title:  Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle

Grade:  B+

Rating:  PG-13, 112 minutes

In a Nutshell:   This fun franchise is still alive and entertaining audiences!  Start with a cast of fresh faces and add in a hefty serving of Dwayne, The Rock, Johnson, with a half pint of Kevin Hart and a good dose of Jack Black and you get an entertaining third movie.

It pays respectful tribute to the popular first Jumanji movie, which I loved, and offers a video game twist with a soulful lesson for the young video game generation.  Dwayne Johnson explained that it’s not really a reboot, but a sequel to the original movie and a tribute to the wonderful Robin Williams.  There is a scene where the characters get to Seaplane McDonough’s camp with Robin Williams’ character’s name on it: Alan Parrish.  Sweet.  I sure miss Robin Williams and love that they tried to honor him with this movie.

Tips for parents: 

• Young children won’t understand a lot of the subtle references to other movies, but they’ll still really enjoy this one.
• The bad news is that some of the teens drink alcohol, but the good news is that most of them don’t like it!  Ha ha
• Two of the boys cheat and then lie about it.
• Some profanity.
• A LOT of discussion about male body parts.

 

Uplifting theme: 

• “We only have one life.  Which guy are you going to decide to be?” – Fridge/Kevin Hart
• Sacrifice for others, friendship, loyalty
• Confidence, self-esteem
• “You can’t waste lives.  Each one matters.  Like it or not, we have to do this together.” – Spencer/Dwayne Johnson    (TRUE!)

                             

Things I liked:

• Lots of humor.  The running joke is that these great comedic actors play against type.  Surprisingly, it doesn’t get old and makes for a fun ride.

• Dwayne, the Rock, Johnson.  I love him in everything he does.  Lots of smolder jokes.  I love that he can laugh at himself.
• I always get a kick out of movie references inside movies.  In this film, you’ll hear and see clever nods to classic kid movies like The Breakfast Club, Freaky Friday, and The Goonies   
• While Nick Jonas isn’t a great actor, he was just nominated for a Golden Globe for his song Home in the movie Ferdinand.  Good for him!  His character in Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle was going to be played by Tom Holland, but he was already busy filming Spider-Man: Homecoming .
• I LOVE LOVE LOVE Guardians of the Galaxy (Theatrical), but it was nice to see Karen Gillan’s real face instead of her completely covered in make-up as Nebula.  Her skimpy outfit was actually inspired by Lara Croft’s outfit from the original Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition - Xbox One video games.  She makes a joke about how ridiculous it was to wear such an outfit in the jungle.  Ha ha  Some people have been critical of her sexist outfit, yet it’s pretty true to how women are dressed in video games.  By the way, a remake of the Tomb Raider movie hits theaters in 2018!  
• The movie was filmed in beautiful Hawaii.

Things I didn’t like:

• You can’t always understand what Kevin Hart says.  Actually, he rarely “says” anything…he yells everything.  Hart is the personification of caffeine.  Sometimes it’s just too much.
• Funny gross kiss.  Bleh.
• Creepy, crawly bugs go in and out of Van Pelt’s ears and mouth.  Ick.  Van Pelt is the name of the villain in the first movie too, where he is an animal hunter.  In this one, the villain (Bobby Cannavale) has control over animals and insects in the jungle.
• Although necessary to bridge the gap between the last two movies and this one, there is a long expository scene to help you understand what is happening.
• It always bugs me a little bit when the lines in trailers are actually different from what plays in the movie.  Speaking of the trailer, the Guns N Roses song Welcome To The Junglenbsp;plays in it, which is one of the reasons why the film’s subtitle is Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle.
• The original Jumanji is much better and cleaner.

Funny lines:

• “The fact that I’m not Instagramming this right now is insane.” – Bethany/Jack Black
• “You don’t get in water with a backpack.  Everybody knows that!” – Fridge/Kevin Hart
• “That was so intense.  I like can’t even with this place!” – Bethany/Jack Black
• “Now sparkle like an anime character!” – Bethany/Jack Black
• “A nibble goes a long way, girlfriend.” – Bethany/Jack Black
• “There are so many diseases out here.” – Spencer/Dwayne Johnson
• “You’re aware there are other people in the world, right?” – Teacher (Maribeth Monroe)
• “Are you going to help or are you two pretty?” – Young Martha (Morgan Turner)

“I’m too pretty.” – Young Bethany (Madison Iseman)

                                         

Interesting lines:

• “I’m so focused on myself I don’t see what others are dealing with.” – Bethany/Jack Black
• “Board game? Who plays board games?” – Teenager (Mason Guccione)

                                             @trinaboice