“Suicide Squad” Reimagined
“Rampage”: REVIEW
Scientist #1: It’s weird you like hanging out with animals more than people.
Davis Okoye: Yeah, well, animals get me.
Rampage stars Dwayne Johnson as Dr. Davis Okoye, a scientist who develops more of a relationship with the animals then with people. The opening scene shows how his relationship with George, the silverback gorilla will ultimately be the number one key that drives the film. That and the witty humor in the humanistic characteristics that are given to George. There are some scenes and lined that are definitely more for an adult audience, despite the PG 13 rating.
Starring as Johnson’s partner is James Bond’s Naomie Harris as Dr. Kate Caldwell who quickly takes on the same co partner role that she is most familiar in the latest 007 films. She quickly captures more of a serious, yet flirtatious role as one can definitely see that there is something there, though Johnson is to distracted by his ape and saving the world to get it. That being said, one see why Harris was chosen. She fits with Johnson perfectly to round out the adventure and ultimately save the ape.
Based loosely on the 1986 video game about a series of monster set out to destroy cities, the WB blockbuster is bringing life and story to why. In short, the film pays homage to the classic monsters in a new way. Sort of like a Dr. Dolittle meets King Kong, Godzilla and the werewolf, the film captures elements of the films all in one. Just one word of warning, if you go into the movie expecting more video game references, one might be disappointed.
That being said, Rampage came out in theaters April 13th and is already giving last week’s box office winner, A Quiet Place, a run for its spot as its Friday totals were exactly one million away with 11.5 million in box office revenue. It’s currently playing in a theater near you.
Viewer discretion is strongly advised as it may not be suitable for young children.
“Ready Player One” Set To Unthrone “Black Panther”
“That was when I realized, as terrifying and painful as reality can be, it’s also the only place where you can find true happiness. Because reality is real.” Wade Watts
This is an inevitable truth of reality as a movie based on virtual reality is sweeping the box office this Easter weekend as it looks to dethrone Black Panther. Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One stars Tye Sheridan as Persival, an avatar created for The Oasis as his human self, Wade Watts delves into the Virtual Reality world that has recently become the norm for everyone.
Overall, the film is packed with all kinds of retro montages as “they come to the Oasis for all they can do, but stay for all they can be”. The basic plot of the movie is to find a series of keys in order to find the easter egg at the end and take control of The Oasis.
Wade/Persival starts the mission with that one goal, thinking like everyone else, how cool it would be to own The Oasis, but he soon discovers something more important as a by chance encounter with Art3mis (played by Olivia Cooke) shows him that love is possible, but will it be enough to save the Oasis and the World from landing in the wrong hands.
At 2 hour 20 minute runtime, Ready Player One is a film of definite Steven Spielberg magic. Going into the theater, one won’t know what to expect out of the mastermind as the setting both in the real world and the Oasis causes people to be fully engulfed in the action going on. Not a lot of humor, but as I said prior, the retro easter eggs placed in the Oasis, will make people looking extra hard so they don’t miss what’s coming next.
Ready Player One came out in theaters March 30 and is currently playing in a theater near you. See it now, especially if you are a fan of virtual reality, because you won’t look at it the same way after.
“Time” Steals Two
Disney’s A Wrinkle In Time based on the book by Madeline L’Engle, is faring well at the box office considering what it is up against as Black Panther nears the 1 billion mark world-wide. That being said, its opening weekend saw roughly 33 million as fans of the novel rushed to the theaters to see their favorite characters bought to life.
A Wrinkle In Time, stars Storm Reid as an altruistic teen who struggles with herself after her father (Chris Pine) disappears into the mysterious beyond four years ago. Convinced that he is still out there, she seeks the guidance of the Mrs’ who send her, her friend (Levi Miller) and her brother, a child prodigy ( Deric McCabe) on an adventure somewhere in space and time in order to rescue their father from a mysterious evil.
The film also stars Opera Winfrey as Mrs. Which, Reese Witherspoon as Mrs. Whatsit and Mindy Kaling as Mrs. Who as the mysterious guardians who lead the children on the search for her father.
At 1 hour 49 minute run time, the adventure fantasy will have audiences of all ages marveling over the extreme colors used to portray a place that people only see in their dreams.
A Wrinkle in time came out in theaters, March 9, and is currently playing in one near you.
“Death Cure” Takes One
The third installment of the Maze Runner franchise follows Thomas as a recent outcast out to save the remaining kids from WCKD. All the while, the group discovers more into what the group of scentists known as Wicked is trying to do, i.e create a cure and Thomas’ girlfriend Theresa, after betraying all is determined to succeed by checking every remaining immune kid still in the city.
The Maze Runner: Death Cure stars,Dylan O’Brien as Thomas along with Pirates of the Caribbean star Kaya Scodelario as Theresa as the two work opposite each other with different motives that ultimately end up coming together when Theresa realizes the cure for the virus is in Thomas himself, but the question is will they be able to create the antidote before head of WCKD, Jansen (played by Aidan Gillen) gets a hold of the cure himself.
At 2 hour 22 minute run time, The Maze Runner: The Death Cure will have audiences on the edge of their seat with high action, suspense. Even being a sequel, it’s a movie that will spark anyone’s attention and one doesn’t necessarily have to see the previous two movies to enjoy this one. Ultimately it’s a movie that could stand alone as an all knew adventure for our heros.
The Death Cure came out in theaters January 26 and has already grossed 23.5 million domestically coming in at number one at the box office. It’s currently playing in a theater near you.
“Lady Bird” REVIEW
Saoirse Ronan is back in yet another gut wrenching Dramedy that is receiving high reviews and has already been named best movie at the 2017 New York Film Critics Circle this year.
Greta Gerwig‘s Lady Bird is a coming of age movie about a mother and daughter relationship and what happens when 17-year-old, Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson gets ready to go to college. Actress Laurie Metcalf plays her judgmental mother whose tough love drives the basis for Lady Bird wanting to go to an East Coast school away from her hometown of Sacramento.
All in all, the dramedy includes some very real moments of what nearly every mother and daughter go through at some point and time and shows that though they may not always get along, the love between them is ultimately stronger than any other love.
Lady Bird came out in theaters November 1 and has since its release already brought in over 12.5 million domestically at the box office. It’s a movie for anyone who is a daughter or has a daughter as it shows what each has to go through when getting ready to leave home for the first time.
Lady Bird is still playing in a theater near you.
“Justice” Slips
The Latest DC Franchise falls to number two this week at the box office as Justice League brings in just over 40 million domestically as the latest Disney Pixar Coco takes first with 49 million at the box office.
Justice League picks up right after Batman V Superman left off as the world is morning the heroic death of Superman. At the same time, crime is at an all time high as Batman and Wonder Woman struggle to recruit a new replacement for their fallen crony and Wonder Woman’s home is over taken by Steppenwolf who has plans to take over the entire world.
Justice League starsBen Affleck as Batman and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman as they recruit Aquaman (Jason Momoa), The Flash (Ezra Miller) and Cyborg (Ray Fisher) for their Justice League Team, but will they be strong enough to defeat Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds) without their fearless leader, Superman (Henry Cavill) and be able to save the World?
At two hour run time, the action adventure will have audiences on the edge of their seats wondering what will happen next. With just enough back story from the previous DC films, viewers don’t have to know a lot about the characters in order to understand what is happening and be entertained. All in all, it’s a powerful movie with a message of how much power a team has as each member of the Justice League brings their own strength in order to defeat the villain and save the world.
Justice League came out in theaters, November 17 and though it dropped its second weekend, it brought in over 171 million from its debut opening weekend to date at the box office.
Justice League is currently playing in a theater near you.
“Woman” On Top
Gail Gadot is Diana Prince in the latest retelling of the 1975 TV series and it has already over seceded expectations after Thursday previews brought in 11 million, according to the box office.
The film follows the life of Diana as a young girl growing up on an all female island of warriors in the Amazon and goes through the legend of how they all got there. We, as the audience, see first hand that Diana is drawn to wanting to be a warrior, but her mother, the Queen of the Amazon (played by Connie Nielson) keeps her from training until Antiope (Robin Wright) sees her potential and convinces the Queen to allow her to train. Diana grows to be even more powerful than any other warrior, defending her people from the outside world, until an American Explorer Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) discovers the land while undercover with a group of German Soldiers set on destroying everything.
Smitten, Diana returns with Steve to discover a war beyond all wars which Diana has been training for all her life as she finally finds her ultimate destiny as God killer.
At 2 hours and 21 minutes, Wonder Woman is an inspirational film for all girls and women proving that one doesn’t have to be a man to be a hero. The 2017 film is sure to have audiences revved up for the action adventure and love of the Marvel Comic created by DC in 1941. It brings the pages to life for a new generation of viewers on the big screen.
Wonder Woman came out June 2, 2017 and is currently playing in a theater near you.
“Pirates” Knock “Baywatch” to Third
On a busy movie weekend, there’s two blockbusters battling it out at the theaters, for memorial day, but only one has the power to take top prize as the latest Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales brings in over 62 million at the box office.
The fifth installment reunites the original cast with a surprise twist, to find the Triton of Poseidon in order to free Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) from the curse of the Flying Dutchman, as audiences finally meet Will and Elizabeth’s son, Henry Turner (Brenton Thwaites), who is determined to succeed in order to bring his father home. In an effort to do this, Henry joins forces with a mysterious woman named Carina (Kaya Scodelario), who has a dark past of her own as she too journeys to find her father as well as of course Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), who is always in trouble with someone as this time the legendary Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem) wants Sparrow’s life and Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) just wants the Pearl.
At two-hour nine minute run time, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is an adventure on the open sea that will have you laughing and sitting on the edge of your seat as you won’t know what will happen next. It’s full of the same old sword play and romance but with one difference, the goal of a child to find their father. The ultimate question is will Henry and Carina be able to find their fathers and rescue them from the sea?
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales came out May 26 and is currently playing in a theater near you.