Tomb Raider spotlights a super fit Alicia Vikander

Movie Title:      Tomb Raider

Grade:   B+

Rating: PG-13, 118 minutes

In a Nutshell: 
Based on the 2013 video game reboot, this origin story to the franchise shines a spotlight on the talented Oscar-winning Alicia Vikander who looks absolutely amazing.  

She does all kinds of ridiculous stunts, but they’re believable because she’s in such incredible shape.   Those abs!

The 2013 Tomb Raider video game won “Game of the Year.”  While this movie probably won't win any awards, it's fun family entertainment that I got a kick out of.

                                           

Tips for parents: 

• Some gross deaths
• Profanity, but no F-bombs
• Scary skeletons
• Some pretty violent fight scenes
• Guns and shooting
• Spiders.  EEK!
• A man gets drunk
• Perilous situations

Uplifting theme: 

• Family
• Good vs. evil
• Sacrifice for the good of others
• Female empowerment

                                       

Things I liked:

• Kristin Scott Thomas, Dominic West, and Walton Goggins join Alicia Vikander in rounding out the talented cast.
• This is the second time Dominic West has played Alicia Vikander’s father.  The first time was in the movie Testament Of Youth.
• There are some fun moments like in Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark .
• They filmed in South Africa and England.  Of course, there  were also green screens, but they were well done.
• Some good stunts, although I hate the fake leaping antics.
• Suspenseful torm scene in the ocean.
• A few clever clues to figure out.  I wish there had been more.  I really enjoyed the mystery of The Da Vinci Code.
• The beginning of the movie had two good scenes to introduce Lara's feisty character and skilled athleticism: the boxing match and the bike race.

Things I didn’t like:

• I thought it was hilarious when they were down in the tomb and the team kept whipping out ladders, big lights, and other equipment, yet no one was ever carrying anything.  Ha ha
• Some silly jumps and scares that were super cliché.
• You don’t have to see this in 3D.  The original is just fine.
• Lara made some dumb choices that drove me nuts.
• Lara hangs by one hand.  A lot.
• The logo doesn’t make sense…the arrow line starts halfway through the title image.

Funny lines:

• “I’ll take two.” – Lara, when shown some guns

Want to compare this one with the Angelina Jolie's version?

        

Interesting lines:

• “Usually when I see you on this island, it’s you who disappears.” – Lord Richard Croft (Dominic West)
• “It’s almost impossible to get here, even harder to leave.” – Mathias Vogel (Walton Goggins)
• “Some men like dangerous women.” – Lu Ren (Daniel Wu)

“Some men are foolish.” –Lara

• “All myths have foundation in reality.” – Lord Richard Croft
• “It’ll be an adventure.” – Lara

“Death is not an adventure.” – Lu Re

• “I haven’t seen you in a long time.” – Ana Miller (Kristin Scott Thomas)

“You’ve never seen me.” – Lara

• “Board rooms and business deals.  I’m just not that kind of Croft.” – Lara

                                       

@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