The third installment of the Star Trek reboot features fast paced action along with nods to the past. I give it an A-. Having been in space for a while, the Enterprise docks at a space city, The Yorktown, for some much needed R&R, when an unknown ship arrives, needing help to rescue their crew. Both Spock and James Kirk are rethinking their future with the Enterprise when they set out to rescue the lost crew and unfortunately end up on the losing end of a revenge scheme. Directed by the Fast and the Furious director, Star Trek: Beyond features amazing action sequences and a kick-butt new heroine in Jaylah. Not only can she fight but she’s got brains! I hope we get to see more of her in future Star Trek movies. Beyond showcases more of the cast than just Chris Pine. Each character gets their turn to shine from Uhura’s defiant stand against the evil, Krall to Scotty’s friendship with Jaylah. Like the previous Star Trek movies, Beyond features nods to the original series. Chris Pine is even beginning to mimic William Shatner’s pauses when speaking. With some amazing twists to who the bad guy is and the loss of both Leonard Nimoy and Anton Yelchin this year, viewers will be glued to the images on the screen. The only negative was how dark some of the scenes were which made it hard to see what was going on. This movie is great on the big screen. The images fly at you as you fall in love all over again with the Star Trek characters and storyline. The message about leaving no man behind and family is who you make it comes through loud and clear. Live Long and Prosper.
With so much negative press before the movie came out, I was pleasantly surprised by how funny and memorable it was. I give it an A-. Years after the government claimed the prior ghost sightings in New York weren’t real, four women try to understand why ghosts are coming out of the woodwork, literally. Erin Gilbert (Kristin Wiig) wants her paranormal research past to disappear. She seeks out her former best friend, Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy) who is working with nuclear engineer, Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon) but only gets drawn into the mess happening in New York. Subway worker Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones) and Kevin (Chris Hemsworth) round out the team. As a big fan of the original Ghostbusters movies, I wasn’t sure I would enjoy the movie. The two trailers that came out before-hand didn’t help. This isn’t a copy of the original but tells its own unique story. While the concept is the same and many of the original cast show up for cameos, the girls hold their own in this retelling. Fans of the original movie have to give it a chance. After all, how many reboots of Star Trek has there been? But fans of the original will love the nods to the past from the scenes with Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Annie Potts, Ernie Hudson and Sigourney Weaver. Each character they play ties directly to the first movie’s characters and there’s even a cameo by Harold Ramis. Even many of the original ghosts arrive in New York again including Slimer who has a hottie by his side in this one! Kate McKinnon steals the movie with her zingers and crazy antics. Melissa McCarthy is more of the straight guy and without any fat jokes. The movie is funny with less sexual humor which makes Ghostbusters a movie for the whole family. Make sure you stay for the after credits scene and be sure to keep your eyes peeled for all the cameos. It’s a movie I will be seeing again, just for that fact alone!
Based on the well-known character, the recent Tarzan movie falls flat unless you go to see it as eye candy. I’m giving it a C+. Taking place after the book, this story shows what happens when Tarzan/John Clayton (Alexander Skarsgård) is asked to return to the Congo to find out about whispers of slavery. His wife, Jane (played by Margot Robbie), begs to return with him to her home in Africa and the people she grew up with. An American diplomat (played by Samuel L. Jackson) rounds out the group. However, the whole trip is simply a trap to kidnap Tarzan and sell him to a rival African tribe for diamonds to fund Belgium mercenaries. The movie shows us flashbacks of Tarzan’s life growing up as well as his life among the animals. This animal connection is important to the man Tarzan is, as well as to the Congo. Based on the history of Belgium and their control of the Congo, this Tarzan goes deeper with the idea of uniting the groups, much like how the American Colonies united to overthrow the British control. Danger surrounds the group. Not only does his gorilla family have issues with Tarzan’s return and jealous tribes are out for revenge but the Belgium emissary who needs the diamonds or else his head is on the block is the mastermind behind the trap. Sadly Jane and the natives are in the crosshairs as they are kidnapped. Jane becomes bait used to lure Tarzan to his death while the tribesmen become a shipment of slaves. Most women love the shirtless Tarzan as well as his romantic gestures of mimicking mating calls of various birds, I found it a distraction from the story. I liked the strength of Jane and her unwavering belief that Tarzan would come for her but she was just a tool. I also enjoyed the CGI animals, even though they didn’t really look real. But the storyline was predictable with Samuel Jackson providing comic relief as the American sidekick. I could only get up a Meh for the movie. I did learn never to go near a hippo. They are mean. But guys, you better let the ladies go see this one.
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Melissa KeirIt's all about the movies... Archives
January 2020
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