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

Kingsman Golden Circle is crazy, over-the-top entertainment

Movie Title:   Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Grade:  B

Rating: R, 2 hours 21 minutes

In a Nutshell:  This sequel to the original Kingsman: The Secret Service 

Uplifting theme: 

• “Being a kingsman is more than the clothes we wear or the weapons we bear." - Harry (Colin Firth)
•  "Having something to lose makes life worth living." - Harry (Colin Firth).
• Friendship, loyalty, love
• Good over evil

Things I liked:

• The talented cast is fun to watch and includes Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, Julianne Moore, Mark Strong, Halle Berry, Channing Tatum, and Jeff Bridges.  Throw a thick mustache on Pedro Pascal and he looks like a young Burt Reynolds, right?
• The movie starts with a great action sequence and runs fast the entire 2 hours.
• I got a kick out of the British vs. American banter.
• Taron Egerton is the perfect Eggsy and really shines in his role.
• Julianne Moore is a fun villain.  You can see her play twin sisters in the dark comedy Suburbicon in theaters now.
• Yes, that’s the real Elton John in the movie!  His acting isn't very good, but he's still awesome.
• Great stunts and special effects.
• Cool James Bond types of weapons.
• John Denver and Elton John music.  Ahhh.

Things I didn’t like:

• It’s extremely over-the-top and exaggerated.
• Jeff Bridges seems to play the same crusty, old fart in all of his movies lately. 
• There is a LOT going on!  

Funny lines:
* "If I save the world, can I have two tickets to your next concert?" - Harry to Elton John
   "If you save the world, you can have a backstage pass." - Elton John


Tips for parents: 

• Lots of crude profanity, including many F-bombs.
• Lots of violence, deaths, and destruction.
• Several inappropriate sex jokes and images. 
• Gross images involving a meat grinder and other forms of death.

MOVIE REVIEW MOM

@trinaboice 

Atomic Blonde showcases a hot and icy Charlize Theron

Movie Title:
  Atomic Blonde

Grade:  B

Rating:  R, 115 minutes

In a Nutshell: 
Payback goes atomic.  Based on the 2012 graphic novel Atomic Blonde: The Coldest City , this stylish spy flick takes place in 1989 when the Berlin wall fell.

Charlize Theron is gorgeous, stylish, and cold as ice.  She is why you see this movie.  Her character and John Wick would be the ultimate power couple in the spy world.  In fact, one of the directors of John Wick also worked on this film.

Uplifting theme: 

• Umm....not sure.  Don't trust anyone?

Things I liked:

• Charlize Theron is stunning.  With flawless skin and a body with practically no body fat, she looks amazing in this movie.  Her clothes, boots and shoes are smoking hot.  She did some solid stunt training to prepare for the movie and it shows.  I couldn't take my eyes off of her.
• James McAvoy is also fantastic, as always.  He was so fun to watch in the movie Split and may earn an Oscar nomination for his impressive work on his role in that film.  Well, at least he should.
• Amazing stunts.  The action scenes are intense and impressive.
• Sofia Boutella and Charlize Theron make-out.  This movie is steamy, along with the brutal storm. Sofia also stars as the seductive mummy in this summer's The Mummy (2017). Good for Sofia for having two movies in theaters at the same time!
• I love a twists and turns.  This movie has several.

Things I didn’t like:

• SPOILER: The storytelling could use some work.  When you see Charlize being interrogated in the beginning, the film then loses some of its tension, because you already know she survives the whole ordeal.
• There are some subtitles you need to read quickly.
• Everyone smokes a LOT of cigarettes.  Yuck.
• Everything looked real, except for one scene where the fire looked totally fake on a green screen.
• Sometimes you can’t understand what people are saying because of their thick accents.
• The music choices are fun 80’s hits, but don’t always fit what's happening on the screen.  The movie Baby Driver nailed that concept!

Funny lines:

• “Don’t shoot!  I’ve got your shoe.” – David Percival (James McAvoy)
• “My G-d, I think I F-en love you.” – David

“That’s too bad.” – Lorraine Broughton (Charlize Theron)

• “If I had known he was going to call the police, I would have worn a different outfit.” - Lorraine

Interesting lines:

• “I chose this life and some day it’s going to get me killed, but not today.” – Lorraine
• “Women are always getting in the way of progress, aren’t they?” – David
• “The world is run on secrets.” – David
• “It’s a double pleasure to deceive the deceiver.” – Lorraine, David

Tips for parents: 

• This is a true rated R movie that children should not see. Even the trailer is super violent.
• Charlize is naked in a bath tub full of ice and then she walks around naked in her bathroom.  She looks great.  If I looked like that, I might be tempted to walk around naked too.
• Cultural slurs and crude language, including a zillion F-bombs.
• Lots of violent, brutal fighting.  Some bloody, gory deaths.
• Lots of destruction and car crashes.
• Topless girls in bed during a threesome.
• Talk of pornography.
• Smoking, drugs, alcohol, sex, dangerous and bad behavior.

@trinaboice

Movie Review Mom

Allied feels like a film noir spy romance

Movie Title:  Allied

Grade:  B

Rating:  R, 124 minutes

In a Nutshell: World War II offers the perfect backdrop for a romantic spy adventure, featuring two good looking actors who fall in love.  It has a cat and mouse, film Noir feel to it that makes it look old-fashioned and will remind you of some of the scenes from the classic movie Casablanca.

Uplifting theme: 

• Duty, love, honesty, patriotism, loyalty.

Things I liked:

• Brad Pitt speaks French and looks cool in every scene.
• Marion Cotillard is mesmerizing as Marianne Beausejour.  She really looks and sounds like she stepped out of the 1940's.  She hits the big screen again in a couple of weeks in the movie "Assassin's Creed."
• The CGI blends really well with real-life shots.
• There is a funny scene when Brad Pitt shuffles playing cards.  Marianne later says, “So, it’s in the cards for our chance to make history.”
• This is more romance than spy thriller.

Things I didn’t like:

• It’s a bit slow moving.
• The last time Brad Pitt was in a spy movie, he got a divorce.  Just sayin…
• There are a lot of subtitles, although sometimes French is spoken without subtitles so you have to guess at what is being said. According to the Duolingo app, I'm 11% fluent in French.  So there's that.  ha ha
• A guy throws up.  Ick.
• Some scenes could have been trimmed a bit to be more effective.
• There could have been more spy stuff. 

Interesting lines:

• “Who are you thinking about?” – Max

“My mother.” – scared soldier

“Don’t.  Think of your father.  He’s proud of you.” – Max 

Funny lines:

• “Salute me, first!” - George

“Go to hell.”  - Max Vatan

 This IS hell. It’s an office.” – George

Tips for parents: 

• You see the side of a naked Marion Cotillard and Brad Pitt’s rear end.
• A lot of F-bombs.
• It’s starts to get hot and heavy in a car, as well as in a bed.
• There are a lot of subtitles to read.
• Lesbians kiss.
• Shooting, violence, suicide.

Central Intelligence showcases funny chemistry and potty mouths

Movie Title:   Central Intelligence

  

Grade:   B

Rating:   PG-13, 1 hour 54 minutes

In a Nutshell:    “Saving the world takes a little Hart and a big Johnson…”  The movie tag line is as racy as a lot of the other lines in the movie, but you can’t deny the great chemistry Kevin Hart and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson have together in this action buddy comedy.

 Uplifting theme: 

• #Blessed
• Overcoming bullies in your life, whatever or whoever they are.
• Be the hero of your own story.
• “In life, the most important thing you can be is yourself.” – Bob Stone

Things I liked:

• It’s so fun seeing Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart as high school students.  The impressive CGI makes them look young and morphs Dwayne Johnson’s face onto another body.  We saw similar effects with Tony Stark in the latest Avenger movie, “Captain America: Civil War.”
• Funny fight scene in Calvin’s office.
• I am a geek who makes random movie references in conversations, so I got a kick out of the shout-outs to “Sixteen Candles”, “Good Fellas”,  “Barber Shop”, “Twilight”, and “Road House.”
• From the trailers, I had no idea that Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul, The Office’s Amy Ryan, and funnyman Jason Bateman were in the film.  Another fun surprise was Mellissa McCarthy!
• Fanny packs make so much sense, right?
• I always enjoy funny outtakes at the end of movies.  I thought the joke about “The Rock” being a dumb name was hilarious.  Dwayne Johnson, apparently, thought so too.
• I really enjoyed the fact that I wasn’t completely confident about who the good guys and bad guys were during most of the movie. 
• Director Rawson Marshall Thurber had a challenge with framing to fit both lead actors in the same shot because of their height difference.  Nice job.  By the way, Thurber brought us other raunchy comedies such as "We Are The Millers" and "Dodge Ball."
• It's refreshing to see the two lead actors switch comedic roles.  We're not used to seeing Hart as the straight man and Johnson as the funny man.
• It's set up perfectly for a sequel.  Get your unicorn shirts ready.

Things I didn’t like:

• LOTS of crude jokes about farts, porn, and body parts.
• The plot isn’t exactly original, but it still worked…enough.
• Some racist jokes.

Funny lines:

• “You’re like a chocolate Google.” – Bob Stone (Dwayne Johnson)
• “You are Jason Bourne in shorts!” – Calvin Joyner (Kevin Hart)
• “What did you do?  One thing? Tell me!” – Calvin

“I worked out 6 hours a day for 20 years straight.” – Bob

• “You look like a black Will Smith or something.” – Bob

“Oh, OK. I don’t know if that’s racist, but I’ll take it as a compliment.” – Calvin

• “I got a plan.  It might get us both killed, but if it works, it’ll be a totally boss story. Cool?” – Bob
• "No!  Not cool!" - Calvin
• “I’m not in.” – Calvin

“But I think you are.” – Bob

“But I’m not.” – Calvin

“It might be a perception vs. reality thing happening right now.” – Bob

• “Well, there’s no coming back from that.” – Principal Kent (Phil Reeves)
• “Black people don’t go to therapy.  They go to barbershops to talk about their problems.  And then they watch “Barbershop.” - Calvin
• “You’re the power couple.  I mean, you’re like Taylor Swift and whoever she’s dating right now.” – Bob
• “Is that from the Twilight movies?” – Calvin
• “Take my gun, Jet.  We may have to kill some people.” – Bob
• “Are you OK?  You kind of sound like Ray Liotta at the end of Good Fellas.” – Maggie (Danielle Nicolet)

Ha ha.  That’s so funny.  That’s such a good reference.” - Calvin

Did you notice?

• Bob Stone likes cinnamon pancakes and unicorns on his Facebook profile?  Bob said “Oh yeah, I’m big time into corns.  They’re so magical.”
• The centaur mascot at the high school assembly?

Tips for parents:   

• You will see the complete naked back side of a fat kid when Bob was in high school and then again as an adult…this time it’s really Dwayne Johnson’s posterior.
• High school bullying is depicted in the first 5 minutes of the film. In the next 5 minutes there is sexual harassment depicted in the work place.
• Kevin Hart flips the bird at someone.
• Lots of profanity, including 1 F-bomb.

Spectre is nice addition to James Bond franchise

Movie:    Spectre

Rating:    PG-13, 2 hours 30 minutes

Grade:   B+

In a Nutshell:    When I first heard that actor Daniel Craig recently admitted he never wanted to play James Bond again, I have to admit I was shaken…..but not stirred.   Ha ha   With gorgeous landscapes in faraway lands, exciting action, and a light social commentary, this is a respectable addition to the 007 franchise.

Filled with lots of crashes, explosions, chase scenes, cool toys, beautiful women, and even a little humor to top it all off, this 24^th installment isn’t as good as the most recent Skyfall , but gives a respectful nod to the classic Bond movie still and is still very entertaining.

Uplifting Theme:

·          “We always have a choice.” – Madeleine Swann (Lea Seydoux)

·          Information control vs. privacy

          

Things I liked:

·         The movie starts off at a Day of the Dead celebration in Mexico City, which makes for an intriguing backdrop.  While most Americans associate skeletons with creepy Halloween decorations, Mexicans are inspired by them to think of their honored ancestors.  With a title name of Spectre , it's the perfect opening for the film.  I liked how the ring introduced the Spectre image for the story and how there are many layers of meaning behind the word in this movie.

·         FANTASTIC camera views from interesting angles.

·         Love the stunts and action from the very beginning.

·         I really love watching Christoph Waltz work his craft.  I thought he was really great in Big Eyes  You can see my movie review of Big Eyes by clicking here.

·         ·         Cliché "lose the bad guy in a parade" scene suddenly becomes interesting with a helicopter.

·         I love all the international destinations Bond travels to.

·         Ah, Ralph Fiennes.  It’s always a pleasure to see him.

·         Those blue eyes, Daniel!
       Grammy champ Sam Smith's song is #1 in the UK now and getting Oscar buzz for "Writing's On The Wall".

Things I didn’t like:

·         I didn’t care for the naked body montage during the opening credits.  (Parents, you see skin, not naughty bits.)

·         SPOILER ALERT:  I thought it was extremely odd and inappropriate for James to sleep with a woman practically minutes after her dead husband’s funeral.  I want to admire the hero, not think he is a complete scoundrel.  I know, I know, he's an assassin.  Still.

·         Such beautiful cars destroyed!

·         It was hard to see what was going on in some of the dark scenes.

·         “What do we do now?”  Quick cut to make-out scene.  Lame.

·         It’s sort of silly that James survives all kinds of fights, crashes, and even torture without even getting a scratch.  I mean, even Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson gets scratched up sometimes.  Ha ha

·          

Funny lines:  

·          “I believe I said to bring it back in one piece, not bring back one piece.” – Q laughing at Bond for destroying his last car and bringing back only the steering wheel.

·         “May I remind you that I answer directly to them.  Also, a mortgage, and 2 cats to feed.” – Q (played by Ben Whishaw)

“Oh, then I suggest you trust me…for the sake of the cats.” – Bond

·         “What do you do?” – Lucia Sciarra (Monica Bellucci)

“Life insurance.” – Bond

Interesting lines:

·         “He obsessed about work.  He was never home.” – Lucia

“Then, he was a fool.” – James Bond

·         “I always knew death would wear a familiar face.  But not yours…” – Mr. White

·         “She was never going to let death get in the way of her job.” – James Bond

·         “You’re a kite, dancing in a hurricane, Mr. Bond.” – Lea’s father

Tips for Parents:

·        Lots of fighting, but mostly bloodless.  There is a yucky scene where a guy gouges out another guy’s eyes and you see dripping blood.  Ick.
      Pretty clean language, considering the violence and high body count!

·          

Want to catch up on the latest James Bond movies?  You can start here:

Bridge of Spies blends history with drama and a touch of Spielberg magic

Movie:    Bridge of Spies

Rating:  PG-13, 2 hours 15 minutes

Grade:   A

In a Nutshell:    “1957.  The height of the Cold War.  The United States and the Soviet Union fear each other’s nuclear capabilities – and intentions.  Both sides deploy spies – and hunt for them.”  And so the movie begins.

This is not a bang-bang, shoot ‘em up James Bond kind of spy film, but a thinking-man’s movie.  It’s a true story, which gives it all the “wow factor” the movie needs.  Thank you, Steven Spielberg, for another powerful movie.  He and Tom Hanks know how to do it right.  

Uplifting Theme:

·         Justice

·         “It doesn’t matter what other people think.  You know what you did.” – James Donovan

·         Good vs. Bad vs. something in between…
-     Patriotism comes in many colors.
                                                                        -    Which is more important: the ends or the means?
                                                                        -     What do YOU stand for?

Things I liked:

·         Written by the Coen brothers.   Humor.  Tension.  Historical drama.  Great job!

·         Good for Amy Ryan for starring in two movies in theaters at the same time!  (Goosebumps)
-     I loved the contrast between the 2 scenes that showed people jumping over a fence.
-     Some of the most powerful statements were never spoken.  Tom Hanks is the master of subtlety.
      Donovan was such a great negotiator that even when he got robbed, he was able to get directions from the guys who stole his coat!
      Check out the amazing statistics at the end of the movie that showcase Donovan's talents.
      SPOILER ALERT:  The scene on the bridge towards the end of the movie is a masterpiece.  Watch the camera angles and the contrast between light and dark.

Things I didn’t like:

·         It’s a little slow-moving at times.  Those who require non-stop action in their movie-going will get a good nap.

Funny lines:  

·         “You don’t look worried.” – James Donovan

“Would it help?” – Rudolph Abel

·         “I’m not afraid to die, Mr. Donovan, although it wouldn’t be my first choice.” – Rudolph Abel (played extremely well by Mark Rylance.  Best Supporting Actor Oscar?)

·          

Interesting lines:

·         “We need to have a conversation our governments can’t.”   James Donovan

·         “Everyone deserves a defense.  Every person matters.” - Donovan

Tips for Parents:

·         1 F-bomb by Tom Hanks.  Aw, doggonit.
-    Children will snooze and not be interested.  Teens might snooze, but will be rewarded if they can stick it out until the end.

·         You see innocent people being gunned down as they try to get over the East Berlin Wall.  Your children may not know about this point in history and the dangers of the Cold War after WWII.  I remember watching in utter amazement when the Berlin Wall finally came down.  I never thought it would happen.
- “Checkpoint Charlie” is also shown in the film.  Talk to your kids or grandkids about what life was like back then.   George Santayana is quoted as saying "Those who do not read history are doomed to repeat it. Those who fail to learn from the mistakes of their predecessors are destined to repeat them."

Want to learn more about this point in history?

 

Man From U.N.C.L.E. is stylish fun

Movie:   Man from U.N.C.L.E

PG-13, 1 hour 56 minutes

Grade:  B+

In a Nutshell:    This stylish spy film from Guy Ritchie features eye candy for all tastes, and is based on an old espionage cult TV show of the same name.  It’s American CIA agent vs. Russian KGB operative.  It’s sexy and cool and fun.

While the plot isn’t deep, the one-upsmanship gag and evolving friendship between the two spies keeps the whimsy going and the audience happy enough to forgive its faults.

Uplifting Theme:

·         Friendship, loyalty, love, patriotism.

Things I liked:

·         OK, first off…Henry Cavill.  His gorgeous, sculpted face is worth the movie ticket, just so you can stare at him for two hours.  His suits are smart too.  He plays a suave American spy…I mean, a “specialist in complicated acquisitions.”  He couldn’t get any cooler.  His Superman vs. Batman movie hits the big screen next month.  That should be interesting...

·         You’ll remember Armie Hammer who played twins on The Social Network .  (Great movie.)  In this snazzy flick, he’s a Russian spy with some cool tricks up his sleeve and an fist coming out of it.

·         Much of the film takes place in beautiful Italy, Rome in particular.  It’s one of my favorite cities in the world.  Here’s a picture from my trip there a couple of years ago with "the guys" at the Colosseum.

·         Fashion divas will get a kick out of all the retro 60’s dresses, huge dangly earrings, floppy hats, long gloves, and chunky necklaces.

·         Everything was so stylistic from the movie to the sets, cars, street scenes, and split screens.

·         Elizabeth Debicki is such a gorgeous goddess in this film.

Things I didn’t like:

·         Alicia Vikander wears a lot of really fun outfits, but her white sunglasses are just silly.

·         It’s not the action-packed spy thriller that the Jason Bourne franchise is, but it’s still fun.

Funny lines:

·         “When you hear something like a gun shot, drive.” –Napoleon Solo

·         “Loving your work, Cowboy.” – Illya Kuryakin

·         You’re not very good at this subtlety thing, are you?” – Napoleon

·         “For a special agent, you aren’t having a very special day, are you?” – Waverly (Hugh Grant)

·         “Apparently, you put someone named Count Lippi  in the hospital.” – Napoleon

“He had soft bones.” – Illya

Things to look for:

·         I love all the lamp shades in Napoleon’s hotel room in Rome.

·         British actors Henry Cavill and Jared Harris have American accents in the movie, while American Armie Hammer plays a Russian, Swedish actress Alicia Vikander speaks German and European English,  and Australian actress Elizabeth Debicki speaks Italian and British English.

·         The beginning credits give audiences a quick overview of the Cold War through images. 

·         Be sure to read the hilarious ID cards about the spies during the rolling credits at the end.

       Yep, it looks like there will be a sequel.

Tips for Parents:

·         Napoleon is a playa.  You see the silhouette of a mostly naked woman getting out of bed with him.

·         As you can imagine in a spy movie, there is a high body count, lots of fight scenes, explosions, car chases, torture devices, and a man is on fire.
       Some profanity.

Want to learn more about the Man from UNCLE TV series? Check these out:

 


While you're on it, you'll love this: