256. PAW Patrol; The Movie; movie review

 

 

PAW PATROL - THE MOVIE

Cert U

86 mins

BBFC advice: Contains very mild threat, rude humour, upsetting scene

Most parents with young children will already know of the Paw Patrol but for those who may not, I recommend this new film.

This is up-to-date animation combined with old-fashioned messages surrounding friendships and doing what is right.

Of course, its storylines are far from the real world but The Paw Patrol is simply intended to be stimulus for young imaginations.

So, as tempted as I might be to ask why a major city has no police force, ambulance crew or fire service and relies on a multi-tasking team of puppies led by a teenager, I shall refrain.

This is the first full-length Paw Patrol movie since the inception of the band of emergency responders in 2013 (anyone else spotted how the pups haven't aged in eight years?).

Cal Brunker's film follows them and their leader Ryder (voiced by Will Brisbin) after they are called to Adventure City to save it from the evil Mayor Humdinger (Ron Pardo).

Actually, by evil I mean an egomaniac whose trousers regularly fall down, revealing pink spotted bloomers.

People certainly don't die on the Paw Patrol's watch but they come mighty close. Indeed, there are potential disasters almost every minute but Chase (Iain Armitage) and co. are always on hand to save the day.

I haven't previously rated Paw Patrol very highly but I think the movie works and it might be a great platform for young children to begin a life of cinema adventures.

Reasons to watch: Vibrant cinema for young children

Reasons to avoid: Its bizarre storylines

Laughs: A couple of chuckles

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? There was a crew of 250 on the film with a team of about 60 devoted to the animation. Most of the work was done remotely since it took place during the Covid pandemic lockdown.

The final word. Cal Brunker: "One of the tools that we found early that worked well is that you can be intense for a little while, but then you’ve gotta let the pressure off with a joke or something. Just don’t stay too intense for too long. That seemed to be the trick." Cal Brunker

255. Cruella; movie review

 

 

CRUELLA

Cert 12A

134 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate threat

Oh, we all love 101 Dalmatians, don't we?

Both the 1961 Disney animation and the 1996 real-life remake were oodles of fun and at their centre was the villain, Cruella De-vil.

Indeed, so dastardly was she that the idea of making a film all about her seemed to be taking a risk.

However, I am pleased to report that director Craig Gillespie and Emma Stone, one of Hollywood's finest actresses, have pulled it off.

In its early stages, Gillespie's film takes us back through Cruella's childhood when she was simply known as Estella, the daughter of a single mum (Emily Beecham) who dies tragically.

Thus, Estella finds herself in London and joins a couple of orphan thieves.

The movie then spins on a decade when older Estella (Stone) is still living and with her pals Jasper (Joel Fry) and Horace (Paul Walter Hauser).

By now, their crimes have become rather more sophisticated and they appear to be having a ball but Estella harbours a deep desire to be a fashion designer.

So, she manages a foot on the rung when she becomes a cleaner at the label owned by the infamous Baroness (Emma Thompson).

She sets the bar in cruelty for Estella, prompting her to metamorphose into her alter-ego, Cruella.

Stone and Thompson are a joy - hamming it up for all they are worth as the queen of arrogance and the pretender to her throne.

Gillespie's film also looks great - the 1960s backdrops complement a soundtrack of classic tracks.

And it has a lively flow which leaves the audience, surprisingly on Cruella's side.

Was the character worth revisiting? On reflection, I think so.

Reasons to watch: Stone and Thompson hamming it up

Reasons to avoid; If you were expecting anything like the other Cruella films

Laughs: Two

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 8/10

Did you know? In the catalogue of notable Cruella iterations, she had never been played by an English actress. Every one has been American except for Victoria Smurfit who is Irish and Michelle Gomez who is Scottish.

The final word. Emma Stone: "I thought it was so cool to see a film where there’s no love story in sight, it’s really just these two women on their own journey doing what they love to do and they’re doing that against all odds, at all costs." Marie Claire

254. The Croods 2 - A New Age; movie review

 

THE CROODS 2 - A NEW AGE

Cert U

96 mins

BBFC advice: Contains very mild comic violence, threat, injury detail, rude humour

Back in 2013, I wrote: "I suspect I may not laugh in my entire 50th birthday week as much as Mrs W and I did last night while watching The Croods."

Therefore, I had rare anticipation for the follow-up to the hilarious debut.

Facing such a high bar, it narrowly failed to match its predecessor but The Croods 2 was, nevertheless, one of the merriest movies of a bleak 2021 so far.

I advise catching up with the original before watching the sequel because it picks up where the last one left off.

Young caveman, Guy (voiced by Ryan Reynolds) is in search of a land called 'Tomorrow' following the demise of his parents.

Soon he bumps into the Croods and becomes besotted with their daughter Eep (Emma Stone) much to the disgruntlement of her dad (Nicolas Cage) who fears that they might split from his beloved pack

This fear becomes intensified when they discover land which has been cultivated by a family called the Bettermans (Leslie Mann and Peter Dinklage)

They have developed the pre-historic world in much the same way that the Flintstones and Rubbles did in dear old Bedrock.

So, the cultures of the well-to-do pair and their daughter (Kelly Marie Tran) clash with the rather more earthy Croods.

But what you really want to know is did we laugh?

Oh, yes. Five times! This is more than during any film that we have seen since lockdown although not as many as during the original.

I especially loved the way the Croods all sleep in a big heap but there are many more gags.

Was it a worthy sequel? Yes. It is imaginative and vibrant. The whole family will enjoy it and it is a really promising directorial debut by Joel Crawford.

Reasons to watch: Vibrant and funny

Reasons to avoid: An old theme

Laughs: Five

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 8/10

Did you know? The Croods 2 marks the longest wait for a DreamWorks Animation movie’s sequel to date, releasing seven and a half years after The Croods (2013), surpassing the five-year gap between the first two Kung Fu Panda movies.

The final word. Joel Crawford: "There’s a version of the sequel that existed but never really got off the ground.  I came on, must’ve been 3 years ago, and we hit the ground running! The studio and everyone involved was excited about making it, so it’s been pretty much “go” since then."

Indie Showcase: Casey's Haul (Short Film)

There are many ways to create a meaningful work of art that connects with its audience. While their methods might vary, all of these approaches have one thing in common - they speak some manner of truth about the human experience. In the case of the short film Casey's Haul, that truth involves the recent disaster that struck the entire world and that is the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Here, the same short movie manages to tell a story that will reverberate with anyone who is or continues to struggle in the same dire circumstances.

The plot of the film is very familiar to millions across the world. It focuses on Ala'Rico (played by Emmanuel Moulton known as Big Dawg079), a family man who is stricken by a potential disaster. His daughter Casey becomes ill with COVID-19 and gets through it, but remains burdened by a range of health issues because of it. She can go through treatment, but the price of this is not something her family can afford.  Ala'Rico, left with no job because of the pandemic, decided to do the unthinkable and rob a bank.

This sets a dramatic chain of events in motion. The film focuses on Ala'Rico and his moral dilemmas, as he is torn between the desire to help his loved ones and do the right thing. Through his contact with Detective Karuba, Ala'Rico works through this dilemma, knowing that a tragic solution is waiting for him at the end of that journey nonetheless.

Casey's Haul is without any doubt a work of passion and dedication. It shows the ability of one global calamity - which is the pandemic - to influence the lives of ordinary people beyond simply catching the virus. Instead, it resonates through different aspects of life and can easily make fictional stories like this one all too real. The movie cast does a great job of presenting this complex emotional network that connects all of them, which Moulton shines through as the dominant figure. His anguish and constant tension of what he has done and what he feels is the right thing to do feels more than authentic.

While technically a small indie film, Casey's Haul is an important piece of art about our collective experience of this terrible pandemic. It will remain an essential artistic document of our time and get only more important once the pandemic is finally over. Watch the whole short film right here and find out how you can support its creators on Big Dawg079 YouTube channel as well!

253. The Conjuring - The Devil Made Me Do It; movie review

 

 

THE CONJURING - THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT

Cert 15

112 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong injury detail, horror

I am not a big fan of horrors and I get a bit tetchy when true stories are mangled to enhance the dramatic effect of movies.

And yet I have found The Conjuring franchise rather compelling.

This may be down to the chemistry of Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson as the Warrens - the paranormal investigators who were brought into several famous cases.

Nevertheless, I feel that it might have reached its natural end with The Devil Made Me Do It.

This time the ghostbusters have been brought in to rid a little boy (Julian Hilliard) of the demon who possesses him.

This is one of the Warrens' stiffest tests and they appear to be failing until Arne Johnson (Ruairi O'Connor), the boyfriend of the victim's sister, appeals to the spirit to take him instead.

Ed Warren suffers a heart attack during the exorcism so the fall-out goes unnoticed but Arne's life is changed forever.

Indeed, they seek to prove that 'the devil made him do it' when he savagely kills a man.

Not for the first time, the Warrens fear for each other, both physically and mentally, as they try to unravel the origination of this malevolent spirit.

Meanwhile, they are trying to help the legal case of the undisputed killer and prevent him from being executed.

Michael Chaves throws the kitchen sink at this film with the action from the opening scenes to the last.

Consequently, I thought it was a tad overcooked with only perfunctory character exploration. Previous movies have better balance and, consequently, the audience is more invested in the personalities when all hell literally breaks loose.

Neither was it as frightening as its predecessors.

Perhaps, therefore, it is time to call it a day before The Conjuring saga becomes so stretched that its franchise becomes as bad as The Purge.

Reasons to watch: The chemistry between Farmiga and Wilson

Reasons to avoid: Not as good as the previous Warrens' films

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: Yes

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 6/10

Did you know? Ed Warren's first contact with the paranormal was when he was five years old. He claimed he saw an apparition: a dot of light that grew until it became his family's landlady, who had died the year before.

The final word. Michael Chaves: "Think big scares, big tension jump scare...even though [there are jump scare] critics out there, people love to go to the movies and get scared. And I think that's the biggest thing with the Conjuring movies and The Conjuring Universe."

 

 

252. CODA; movie review

CODA

Cert 12A

111 mins

BBFC advice: TBA

This is a very familiar story because one of our best friends was the hearing child of deaf adults.

She has two hearing brothers but they have all been brought up in the deaf community and immersed in its culture.

Indeed, she is an accomplished professional sign interpreter, so I was keen to know her view of Sian Heder's CODA.

Its focus is Ruby (Emilia Jones), a feisty teenager who has to juggle helping her deaf parents (Marlee Matlin and Troy Kotsur) and brother (Daniel Durant) with school life.

They are living on the breadline because their family fishing business is under pressure from distributors and regulators.

In addition, their boat needs a hearing person on board to handle any coastguard messages or distress calls.

Meanwhile, Ruby is going through usual teenage traumas at a school where she had already found herself an outsider because of her background.

However, she loves singing and also has her romantic eye on a lad (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) who has joined the choir so she follows suit.

CODA begins like a bit of a soppy teen drama with Ruby at odds with her parents over the direction of her life but graduates into a deep reflection of social issues.

Ruby's parents need her to help them make ends meet but in their hearts do not want to stifle her natural growth.

They think singing is a waste of time simply because they don't understand it and their bafflement is only increased when Ruby's music teacher (Eugenio Derbez) wants to develop what he sees as huge potential.

This is a voyage of discovery for them as well as their daughter as they all struggle to acclimatise to new situations.

Anyway, I thought our friend's verdict on CODA was more important than mine.

She said: "Excellent film, realistic situations for lots of CODAs.  

"The dinner table scenes and noisy household very true.  We were also noisy children with no volume control.  

"I've been in Ruby's shoes on many occasions growing up where I didn't translate exactly how it was given because I was embarrassed.  

"I was grateful my mum and dad never went to any school events or parents' evening because at that time interpreters weren't around. 

"During my career, it's completely different, I have to give a true interpretation even though I still culturally mediate for the benefit of all parties. 

"The difference in my family is that my parents were keen for us to live in a hearing world. I realise now how privileged I was to live in two worlds and it's definitely like having a gold card in your pocket when meeting new deaf clients.  

"I really enjoyed watching CODA and had lots of laughs.  Oh, and none of my family is blessed with singing skills, we didn't have music in our house until I was around 10."

By its conclusion, CODA had prompted a tear for me because of its positive conclusions about family.

It highlights the need for compromise while demonstrating that love can conquer all.

Reasons to watch: A realistic portrayal of a hearing child of deaf adults

Reasons to avoid: Quite a negative portrayal of the deaf parents

Laughs: Chuckles for me but several for a CODA

Jumps: None

Vomit: Yes

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 8/10

Did you know? Millie Brother established the organization CODA in 1983 as a non-profit organisation for the hearing children of deaf parents. Its first annual conference took place in 1986 in Fremont, California.

The final word. Marlee Matlin: "I told my team: 'I have to do this.' I just went for it 100%. It was exactly what I was looking for my entire career." Town & Country

 

251. In the Heights; movie review

 

IN THE HEIGHTS

Cert PG

137 mins

BBFC advice: Contains mild bad language, sex references

I love musicals but I wonder whether In The Heights tries too hard to pull the genre into 2021.

The trailers led me to believe that John M. Chu's movie would be a cross between Hairspray and La La Land.

And, to be fair, there are traits of both of those wonderful films.

But, despite the more up-to-date, rappier-style of song, the storyline lets it down because it is more in common with High School Musical.

In The Heights is narrated by its central character, Usnavi (Anthony Ramos) a hard-working shopkeeper who lives in the New York suburb of Washington Heights.

He dreams about returning to his homeland of the Dominican Republic has eyes for a beautiful nail technician (Melissa Barrera) but cannot express his feelings.

Opposite his shop is a taxi company owned by another same-made man (Jimmy Smits) whose daughter (Leslie Grace) is back home from a prestigious university.

She is scared to tell him that she has dropped out because of racial intimidation.

Certainly, social issues come to the fore during Chu's movie with race, status, love and financial pressure all part of the equation.

But the neighbourhood is united in song and there is much toe-tapping thanks to some uplifting numbers.

I loved the progressive dance routines which felt as if a Flash Mob had been combined with the best of Oliver!

However, the reliance on a cast of little-known actors and a fairly superficial plot meant that In the Heights fell short of recent successful musicals.

Reasons to watch: Uplifting songs

Reasons: Low-key storyline

Laughs: One

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? Director John M. Chu has named his newborn son Heights in honour of the film.

The final word. Lin-Manuel Miranda: "We had to have the audacity to write about ourselves with love, and to write about struggling businesses and struggling with college and the stuff that everyone else has permission to write about but us, apparently. If we do it, we’re airbrushing." Vox

250. Black Widow; movie review

 

 

BLACK WIDOW

Cert 12A

134 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate violence, injury detail

How the Marvel fans must have been salivating when the release date for Black Widow was announced.

They had become used to their superheroes being almost omnipresent at cinemas since Iron Man - the first of the studio's movies in 2008.

And then came the pandemic and, for 15 months, the world has been free of new Marvel releases.

Black Widow is a gentle easing back into blockbuster-land because its headline act is arguably the least exciting of The Avengers.

We learn of the back story of Natasha Romanoff as she escapes from the forces under Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt).

She finds herself wanting to understand why she was abandoned as a child before being trained as an assassin and is keen to know what happened to her sister.

This leads her to meet her estranged sister (Florence Pugh) who remained in the programme and puts her on the trail of her disappeared parents (David Harbour and Rachel Weisz).

Inevitably, because Cate Shortland's film is the vehicle for a superhero, she must be up against a dastardly villain - here in the shape of a rogue Russian general played by Ray Winstone.

Yep, Cockney Ray slips from geezer language into Ruski as he plays a megalomaniac hardnut.

Anyway, Natasha is after his blood but first, she has to find him and get past the black widow army which he has programmed to kill.

Inevitably, there are many an explosion, heroes defying gravity and some plain old hand-to-hand combat as battle ensues.

Harbour tries to add a comedic touch in his role as the washed-up Red Guardian and there is a touch of pathos surrounding Natasha and her sister growing up without a real mum and dad.

But what the Marvel fans care about most is action and here they have been given a mere appetiser for the rash of films being held while audiences become used to returning to cinemas.

As a toe back in the water, the final outing for the Black Widow will certainly leave them thirsting for more.

Reasons to watch: The return of Marvel

Reasons to avoid: Black Widow is the least interesting of the superheroes

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? Emily Blunt was the original first choice to play Black Widow. Scheduling conflicts with Gulliver’s Travels forced her to opt-out.

The final word. Scarlet Johansson: “The whole process of making this was really emotional — I have such an affinity for Natasha. She has a lot of integrity. And I find her very, very touching.” Variety

249. Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard; movie review

 

 

HITMAN WIFE'S BODYGUARD

Cert 15

100 minutes

BBFC advice: Contains very strong language, strong bloody violence, sex references

From his public persona, it would seem to me that Ryan Reynolds is a nice guy and enjoys life.

He has also made a heck of a lot of money from appearing in a rash of blockbuster movies over the past decade.

But I would question whether the Canadian has an acting repertoire beyond the shouting maniacs for which he has made his name.

The latest emerges in Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard - a film which, despite a stellar cast, is, frankly, a giant mess.

Reynolds plays a bodyguard who is advised to take a holiday because he is on the cusp of a nervous breakdown.

This means no work, violence and, specifically, no guns.

But as he lays on his sunbed, slips on his headphones and picks up a trashy novel, all hell breaks loose around him.

This is focused on Sonia Kincaid (Salma Hayek), the rather loud and tempestuous wife of hitman Darius (Samuel L. Jackson).

In a gunfight, she grabs him and, thereafter, talks him into helping free her kidnapped husband despite him being his nemesis.

Meanwhile, the Greek fiscal situation becomes central to international terrorism led by a psychopath (Antonio Banderas) who vows apocalyptic revenge on Europe for calling in its loans.

Why the bodyguard, hitman and his wife are enlisted to stop him is completely beyond me.

Actually, I might have misinterpreted the storyline but it is delivered so loudly and at such a frenzied pace, it is almost impossible to comprehend.

Indeed, it is probably irrelevant. Patrick Hughes's film is little more than Hayek screaming incessantly while banging on about the quality of her bosoms, Jackson laughing inanely while shooting folk in the face while Reynolds is curiously blood-stained throughout.

Oh, and Morgan Freeman has a very weird cameo.

It's rubbish but who cares if it makes lots of dosh. Well, Mrs W and I did for starters.

Reasons to watch: Madcap action adventure

Reasons to avoid: Not nearly as funny as its makers want it to be

Laughs: One

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 3/10

Did you know? Salma Hayek spent most of 2020 recovering from a near-fatal case of COVID-19, a fact she chose to keep quiet until now.

The final word. Ryan Reynolds: “In ‘Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard,’ I’m slapped in the face twice by Salma and once by Samuel L. Jackson. For the record, it was Salma who didn’t pull the punches. Not even once. I can still feel the sharp sting of her tiny hand working its way into my soft Hollywood cheekbones. May God have mercy on her soul.” Variety

248. Night Of The Kings (La nuit des rois); movie review

 

NIGHT OF THE KINGS (LA NUIT DES ROIS)

Cert 15

93 mins

BBFC advice: Contains scene of sexual threat, bloody images

Violent prison dramas have become a staple part of the cinema calendar and so finding originality in the genre is becoming harder.

That may have prompted the makers of Night Of The Kings to go for something completely different.

They alight upon a central character, played by Bakary Koné - a young man who is sent to the notorious  La Maca jail, ruled by its inmates in the middle of a forest in the Ivory Coast.

Meanwhile, the boss (Steve Tientcheu) of the jail is dying and, if he follows tradition will kill himself before he expires.

Despite breathing with the aid of an oxygen cylinder, he is unwilling to give up his power, even though his lieutenant (Jean Cyrille Digbeu) is itching to rule.

Indeed, he carries out the ritual at the rising of the red moon, designating the new inmate to be the new “Roman” who must tell a story to the other prisoners. 

If he doesn't or maybe even if he does, he will be killed.

Consequently, he makes up a story about a legendary outlaw called the Zama King and sets about making it last until dawn.

Philippe Lacôte's movie is a strange one - oozing extreme violence and yet including surreal moments in which it slips into song and dance.

I felt that the mix diluted the impact of the dangerous, claustrophobic environment.

The premise of gangsters running their own jail with proper hierarchy and traditions, only observed at a distance by guards, is interesting and elements are well executed.

But I was distracted by its tangents.

Reasons to watch: Gritty and unusual prison drama

Reasons to avoid: Too many surreal tangents

Laughs: None

Jumps: One

Vomit: None

Nudity: Yes

Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? The real-life Abidjan prison is located out of sight at the border of the Banco forest and hosts 5,000 inmates but has capacity for 1,500. With the inmates’ help, life inside is organised and a degree of stability exists.

The final word. Philippe Lacôte: “I try to make fiction with real and true stories. It’s important when I speak about one world to have the reality in it. Among the cast, 25% of extras are former prisoners and it was “important to have this authenticity.” Deadline

247. Jungle Cruise; movie review

 

 

JUNGLE CRUISE

Cert 12A

127 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate violence, threat

Remember those 1980 adventure movies such as Romancing The Stone and The Jewel Of The Nile?

Well, Disney has picked up the template, given it to Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt and set their new film on the Amazon.

There are heroes, villains, special effects, comedy and, of course, a typical Disney ending.

So, with such a mix of exotic ingredients why isn't Jaume Collet-Serra's Jungle Cruise as memorable as it could have been?

Perhaps I have just seen too much of Johnson's affable but strong-as-an-ox persona or possibly the usually excellent Blunt doesn't fit.

Or maybe it is down to Disney trying too hard while attempting to model a movie on one of its theme park rides 

Anyway, Blunt stars as an explorer who is in search of the Tears of the Moon, a mythical tree's petals which can cure illness, heal injuries and lift curses. 

This is pretty handy on the Amazon where people get hurt and are occasionally left under spells for hundreds of years,

Her brother, an upper-class buffoon played by Jack Whitehall, tags along to offer her protection but she ends up defending him most of the time.

They then need a skipper and a boat to navigate their way through treacherous waters and past dangerous tribes.

They alight upon a chancer (Johnson) who runs cruises which take their passengers for a ride in more ways than one.

Nevertheless, he persuades the explorer that he is the right man for the job and the 'fun' begins.

The bad guys (Paul Giamatti, Jesse Plemons (a bizarrely stereotypical German villain) and Edgar Ramirez) try to get in their way to little effect.

The problem is that this is far from a bare-knuckle ride and the comedy only prompts a wan smile now and again.

Meanwhile, the CGI special effects are clumsier than we would expect nowadays.

Reasons to watch: If you haven't seen a jungle adventure

Reasons to avoid: Clunky and goes over old ground

Laughs: A couple of chuckles

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 4/10

Did you know? There are some trademark jokes and storylines in the Jungle Cruise Disney park attraction and to meet fans' expectations, some of these jokes are present in the film adaptation.

The final word.  Emily Blunt: "We all have such an investment in this; Disney does as well. Hopefully, people want to see the journey continue." USA Today

246. F9; movie review

 

 

F9

Cert 12

143 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate violence, language

I must have missed an episode because Dom Toretto and his pals have suddenly turned into a hyped-up version of The A-Team.

And bizarrely, it has taken until the ninth episode to discover that Dom (Vin Diesel) has a brother.

Yep, the bloke who goes on and on and on about the importance of family actually has a sibling who (John Cena) he has avoided for more than 20 years.

Why? Because he believes he might be responsible for the death of their father! Why have we never previously been told about this?.

Anyway, for reasons which are utterly unfathomable, this brother not only reappears after decades but is also threatening to come out of Dom's shadow completely.

To do this, he involves himself with a cyber-terrorist (Charlize Theron) and a German megalomaniac (Thue Ersted Rasmussen).

Dom gets together his usual band (including one who comes back from the dead) to stop them in a chase involving myriad types of transport and is stretched over half of the world.

And, of course, no concern is paid to the amount of destruction they wreak as they go.

We have moved a long way from the world of racing fast cars. Now, the Fast & Furious gang are saving the world.

Nevertheless, Diesel continues the happy knack of sleepwalking his way through movies and being paid fortunes.

And Cena continues in the footsteps of Dwayne Johnson in being a former wrestler making lots of money for continuing his ring act on screen.

I never thought I would be longing for Jaysan Stayvum but I was.

Reason to watch: If you are a Fast & Furious addict

Reasons to avoid: Makes even less sense than its predecessors

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 3.5/10

Did you know? The feud between Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson which prompted the latter to street clear of F9, first became public in August of 2016. Johnson took to Instagram to vent his frustration during the filming of The Fate of the Furious, the 8th in the franchise.

The final word. Vin Diesel: "When you have a unique perspective of creating a franchise that spans generations, you realize, okay, we all have to be as brilliant as possible. We have to reach as high as we can. Because it may be more important than just a movie. More important than two hours of escapism. There may be something more at play.” Men's Health

The Diabolical Schemes of Thadeus Jackson - Indie Superhero Movie with the Makings of a Future Cult Classic

 

Sometimes, you don't need much to figure out that a movie has all of the right stuff. In the case of The Diabolical Schemes of Thadeus Jackson, that moment comes from the trailer, when a character asks "Who wants to see the Supremacist dead?" (the Supremacists being a horrible superhero) and everyone in the room raises their hands. This is just one of the numerous details and quirks that this movie has, which all come together into a more than promising independent superhero movie, along with a very serious plot focus. Here's how the film describes its plot:

The Diabolical Schemes of Thadeus Jackson'' revolves around the story of Thadeus Jackson, played by Sean Simmons. Jackson plays the role of a former NSA Agent who is out on a mission to kill The Supremacist, Defender of Capitalism, and The American Way, and is ready to risk it all to make the world a better place.

Brandon Crowson, an award-winning US filmmaker from Minneapolis, is the main creative force behind the film. Its development began several years ago and even though it features themes like superheroes, it was inspired by real-world events. These include protests against police brutality in the US and the Black Lives Matter movement. Crowson decided to embed his anger and frustration about the injustice people of color in the country face in this work of art.

The result is a film that looks incredibly entertaining as a dark comedy, but also something laden with serious social commentary about the contemporary US. To see why, check out The Diabolical Schemes of Thadeus Jackson trailer right here:

The movie is scheduled to have its Premiere on September 2, 2021, at the Parkway Theater, Minneapolis. Following the Premiere, the film will be officially released on Prime Video worldwide and DVD September 3, 2021. Tickets to the premiere are on sale now!

To get more info about the film, visit the movie’s IMDb page, Facebook fan page, and Instagram account. After that, enjoy The Diabolical Schemes of Thadeus Jackson as soon as it gets out!

245. Vivo; movie review

 

 

VIVO

Cert U

95 mins

BBFC advice: Contains very mild bad language, threat, violence

Ever since I watched Jungle Book as a child, I have been a sucker for singing cartoon animals.

And I am pleased to say that Netflix's Vivo picks up the much-passed-down baton with gusto.

Kirk DeMicco and Brandon Jeffords' film centres on a musical kinkajou which is apparently a rare member of the raccoon family distinguished by a long tail, short muzzle and low-set, rounded ears (yep, I didn't know that either).

Anyway, Vivo (voiced by Lin-Manuel Miranda) is the best friend of Andrés (Juan de Marcos González), an elderly Cuban and together they have regular shows in the square of the town where they live.

Life is hunky-dory until Andrés receives a letter from a long-lost love asking him to perform at her farewell show in Miami.

He then reveals to Vivo how he had never told the singer of his feelings but that he had written a love song he had never shown to her.

For a reason, I shall not reveal why the reunion can't happen but Vivo sets about trying to get the tune to Florida and ends up in dazzling fast-paced adventures along the way.

During his race against time, he is accompanied by Andrés' feisty and little-bit-wacky great-niece (Ynairaly Simo).

She likes a plan but it has to be carried out away from the eyes and ears of her melodramatic mum (Zoe Saldana) and often go wrong.

Thus, buses, boats, exotic animals and a girl scout troop become part of the chase.

Along the way, there are some cracking songs, reminding me a tad of La La Land's soundtrack.

Oh, and did I mention, Gloria Estefan? Yep, she throws in a song too.

Reasons to watch: Lively, amusing animated chase musical

Reasons to avoid: No big laughs

Laughs: Only chuckles

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None 

Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? Vivo is Zoe Saldana's fourth animated film, after The Book of Life (2014), My Little Pony: The Movie (2017) and Missing Link (2019).

The final word. Kirk DeMicco: "The thing about Lin (-Manuel Miranda)'s music in this film is that it crosses so many musical identities, it's not just one tone or idea. Yes, we start with mambo but then we go into R&B and hip-hop, and come back into a ballad, it crossed all these divides that we were thinking we wanted to play with the visuals within the songs." CBR.com

244. The Offering (L'ofrena); movie review

 

 

THE OFFERING (L'OFRENA)

Cert TBA

111 mins

BBFC advice: TBA

Quite often Mrs W and I wonder what really goes on behind closed doors.

For example, how much do outwardly happy couples really love each other? Do they feel they are with the right person or do they have regrets?

Did they have a happy or traumatic childhood and have they had any negative impact on their lives?

The characters in The Offering have been so damaged by their past, that they find love almost impossible in the present.

From the very beginning, The Offering is raunchy - a young woman Rita (Verónica Echegui) is involved in online sex when she receives a visit from a man (Alex Brendemühl) informing her of her father's death.

It transpires that the latter abused her and she has suffered lasting psychological damage.

The film then flicks back on forth, showing how the messenger marries Rita but still has desires for an ex-girlfriend (Anna Alarcón) of 20 years previous.

Bizarrely, even though the ex is now married with children, Rita seems keen to bring the two together even arranging their meeting.

Despite this rather convoluted storyline, The Offering does pose a glut of social dilemmas which had both Mrs W and I gripped.

It realistically portrayed that marriages may not always be what they seem and the devastating effect both childhood abuse and love splits can have on people way into later life.

However, there are certain actions taken by the characters which resulted in us tutting in unison.

Nevertheless, Ventura Durall's movie is intense and, dare I say, erotic. And that is quite a heady combination.

Reasons to watch: Tense and erotic tale

Reasons to avoid: Characters who are hard to like

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: Yes

Nudity: Yes

Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? According to The Daily Mail as many as 14 per cent of people have resumed contact touch with an ex hoping to reignite the passion and one in six men are still secretly in contact with a former partner.

The final word. "(The pandemic) has forced us to be more with ourselves and has allowed us to honestly investigate our relationships" and even recover some. (This film) is very suitable for these times. 20 Minutos

243. The World To Come; movie review

 

 

THE WORLD TO COME

Cert 15

95 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong sex, references to domestic abuse

Gosh, they had it so hard years ago that it can't be too surprising that people seized upon even a glimmer of affection.

The World To Come is set in the 19th century in America's northeast where winters are incredibly fierce and life is tragically cheap.

Katherine Waterston plays Abigail, a farmer's wife who is numb with grief after the death of his young daughter several months previously.

Her plight is not helped by having to spend almost all of her time either alone or with her emotionally stunted husband (Casey Affleck).

Therefore, when a new neighbour, in the shape of self-assured Tallie (Vanessa Kirby) moves in, she is all of a flutter.

The two become best of friends and gradually their old-fashioned modesty drops away.

Obviously, even a scent of romance between them would cause scandal and their husbands become more and more vexed at the amount of time they are spending together.

The problem with The World To Come is that it is too slow. Conversations are stilted and indirect - probably reflecting the reality of a time when people didn't challenge the norms.

Mona Fastvold's film looks good - I could almost feel the chill of the wind blowing across the farmland and the heat of the open fire which kept the protagonists warm.

The acting is also of the highest quality with Kirby and Waterston convincing in the lead roles.

But the story is too much like a theatre piece with long speeches, drawn-out silences.

Consequently, tension seeps away and left us struggling to maintain attention.

Reasons to watch: Impressive recreation of the austerity of 19th-century farms

Reasons to avoid: Far too slow

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: Yes

Nudity: Yes

Overall rating: 5/10

Did you know? In 1900, nearly two out of every ten American children died before reaching their fifth birthday. American child mortality was substantially higher in 1900 than it is today in either Asia or Latin America.

The final word.  Mona Fastvold: "I wanted to give these women a beautiful and sensual love story, I wanted to evoke films of a bygone era. It’s easy to approach period pieces or queer films with a lot of restraints but I wanted it to be lush and seductive.” The f Word