Tag: elizabeth banks

MIGRATION – Review

It’s the big holiday weekend, and for many families, it’s the perfect time for a big getaway. Oh, we’re not talking about a brief trek “over the river and through the woods”. Nope, how about a big excursion like the McCallister clan in the original HOME ALONE (Paris, sheesh somebody’s doing well)? Come to think of it, it’s strange that the Grisswalds don’t travel anywhere in CHRISTMAS VACATION, though Cousin Eddy drops in from afar. But I digress. Now if that’s what human families do, then how about animal families? To be more specific, those “fine feathered” families. Now in this new animated feature, it’s not ‘”yuletime”, but the temps are starting to fall prompting those web-footed folks to join a big southbound MIGRATION.


Oddly enough this story begins, actually, during storytime. Papa of the Mallards, Mack (voice of Kumail Nanjiani) relates a cautionary fable of ducks leaving the safety of the nest and flying to their doom to his kids, free-spirited pre-teen Dax (Casper Jennings) and sweet adorable baby sister Gwen (Tresi Gazal), all while mom Pam (Elizabeth Banks) rolls her eyes. She thinks that they should “expand their horizons” well past the comfy confines of the bucolic pond near Moose Lake in New England. Then, almost on cue, a flock of migrating ducks drops in for a brief respite. Of course, Dax falls for a cute duckling gal. After they leave, the family puts pressure on Mack, and…he gives in. They’ll catch up with the flock and join them on their journey to sunny Jamaica. And thanks to the pleading of Gwen, grumpy, sloppy old Uncle Dan (Danny DeVito) will also make the trip. The quintet takes to the skies and …heads in the wrong direction. After a detour to a dank swamp that’s home to a spooky but friendly heron named Erin (Carol Kane), the Mallards nearly fly right into the skyscrapers of NYC. There they encounter the boss of some hungry pigeons, Chump (Awkwafina), who, after a near rumble, takes them to a bird that can guide them to the Caribbean. Unfortunately, the exotic Delroy (Keegan-Michael Key) is locked up in a cage in the office above a trendy restaurant. Can they evade the knife-wielding chief and get back en route to paradise? Or will their final stop be inside a hot oven, covered not in suntan lotion, but in orange sauce?

Unfortunately, as with many major animated releases, the celebrity voice cast seems to be a big marketing point. Luckily there are several assured comic voices in use here. Nanjiani excels when Mac is in full over-protective panic mode. DeVito is perhaps our most endearing screen (big and small) grouch. Key is a bombastic delight as the ecstatic bird so far from home. There’s also some funny vocal work from David Mitchell as the yoga instructor/ rec-director of a place that seems like a spa retreat for ducks. Kane brings her zany quirk to the long-limbed Erin. Now, I’m a big fan of Awkwafina (she’s great in the underrated QUIZ LADY), but I’m wondering if she may want to take a voice-over “time out” as this is her eighth feature film (unless she’s hoping to follow in the legacy of the late great June Foray). Ah, but the look of the film is its real “selling point”. The backdrops are full of dazzling primary colors (those rich greens of the forest) in nature which make a terrific contrast with the looming dark canyons of the city and the stunning neons of its trendiest eatery. The character designs are also superb, making each duck unique, and giving some other fowl (Erin, Deroy) a nice “spindly” look as though their limb are bendable plastic tubing. But my favorite design may be the mute villain, the too-cool, muscle-bound, “fully-tatted” chief (love the diamond-shaped shades and the long platinum ponytail with gold hoops). Extra kudos for working in some terrific 2D-style animation in the movie’s “bedtime story” opening prologue. It’s just a shame that the story is not as unique. It’s an air-and-land riff on FINDING NEMO, as the Mallards encounter a new danger and learn lessons in teamwork and understanding others. The tiniest of moviegoers may be enthralled by the bouncy birds, manic action, and eye-popping backdrops, but this family’s not quite a “duck dynasty” in this occasionally amusing MIGRATION.


2.5 Out of 4


MIGRATION is now playing in theatres everywhere

THE BEANIE BUBBLE – Review

Well from the sea of pink still filling multiplex lobbies all across the country it appears that moviegoers are wild about toy property-based movies. Perhaps we can officially call it a genre. And this new film could be a “sub-genre” as it details the creation of a beloved plaything in, well not a docudrama, but more like a “docu-comedy”. This new flick is perhaps closer to TETRIS (same producers), with elements of AIR and BLACKBERRY. Making it more engaging is that it was something of a pop culture “craze”, maybe even a “fad”. And it also benefits from a cast with some major comedy “creds”. They’re all involved with the tiny dolls that collectors thought were a big investment, which, in turn, created and inflated THE BEANIE BUBBLE.


That refers, of course, to the Beanie Babies, a 1990s sensation spearheaded by company spokesman (and face of the fad), Ty Warner (Zach Galifianakis). But, this isn’t a standard “bio-pic” about the man on the “tags”. Instead, the film is focused on three women who made a big impact on his personal and business life. The structure jumps about through a decade or so timeline, so I’ll zero in on the first of the ladies, Ty’s neighbor in their high-rise apartment building, Roberta AKA Robbie (Elizabeth Banks). She’s rushing between her job as an auto mechanic and her duties at home where she tends to her wheelchair-bound hubby. Then Ty befriends her and brings her into his fledgling toy business, a niche stuffed version of Himalayan cats. Robbie proves to be a superb saleswoman and is pivotal in the idea to make smaller animals plushes that aren’t stuffed to the seams with foam. Maybe more like the “beans” in beanbag chairs, though very ‘floppy”. Soon she and Ty are a real “couple” as the line grows. Enter med student Maya (Geraldine Viswanathan) who is hired on as an intern. Ty enlists her to “work the desk” at a toy trade show. There he sees her using a “hook” to reel in retailers. Maya cons them with stories of investors making tons of money by scooping up these “limited edition” variants whose value increases (y’know like Action Comics #1). Besides having the “gift of gab”, Maya is forward-thinking and designs a Beanie site for the just emerging worldwide web. This is also fueled by another burgeoning site, eBay. The expansion, and fractured relationship with Robbie, leads to Shelia (Sarah Snook), who is a lighting designer working on Ty’s big fancy new mansion. After a terse first meeting, Ty begins to romantically pursue the single mother of two adorable preteen girls (who contribute ideas for new Beanies). The lives of all four intertwine as the stock keeps rising and Maya awaits the inevitable collapse. Ah, but those critters are too cute, so it can’t happen, right?

And since they inspire the “chapter headings” for the story, I’ll start with the trio of talented actresses involved. Banks, who has an impressive directing resume, is a true force of nature as the tough but also kind-hearted Robbie. We see the conflict across her furrowed brow as the lure of wealth attached to Ty begins to dissolve a very difficult marriage. It’s clear that Robbie yearns to spread her wings despite the stifling pangs of painful guilt. When Ty shows his true nature, Banks makes Robbie a seeker of justice and equality. Much of that could apply to Viswanathan as the initially bright-eyed and eager Maya, who also has a dream beyond the medical career her parents have planned for her. There’s the delight in her smile as an idea blossoms and bears fruit, mainly in her early internet ambitions. And then Ty squelches them, and Maya must find her own way out before the kingdom crumbles. Much of that escape applies to Snook as Shelia, who fortifies a wall between her and the amorous Ty, only to have it be slowly chipped away by his charm and flattery, plus his bond with her beloved daughters. She’s isolated from his shaky company dealings, but eventually, Shelia has to tell him that she’s not in need of a new child, especially a “man-child”. And as the man in the center of their stories, Galifianakis gets to showcase his dramatic skills alongside his impressive comedic “chops”. His version of Ty is a swaggering peacock, always looking in mirrors to see if a “touch-up” is needed (and even suggesting one for his future stepdaughter), while looking to promote himself and gobble up all the glory (and cash). He even believes that his ego can stop the gradual downslide started by public disinterest. Mr. G truly immerses himself in the role, trading in his scruffy beard for a black pompadour and big dark-framed glasses, offset by a variety of wild pastel suits and ascots.


Unlike the aforementioned AIR and TETRIS, this isn’t a story of triumph, but the sharp direction and a clever script keep us engaged in this rags-to-riches-to-rags cautionary fable. Co-helming the film (with director Damiian Kulash) and penning the screenplay adaptation of the Zac Bissonnette book is Kristin Gore. And yes, she’s the daughter of former veep Al Gore, who is branching into features after a long stint on the writing staff of the witty TV series “Futurama”. She smartly juggles the timeline and switches the focus from one woman to the other until it all seems to converge and intersect in surprising ways. Sure, there are laughs garnered by the fashions of the 90s along with the “ancient” tech (the long screech while you’re sent to the world wide web), and the use of actual archival news footage of retail riots, but Gore really gets to the emotional heart of the characters (Shelia’s “wake-up” rant to Ty). It all makes for a briskly paced true-life romp that has us rooting for the heroines even as we know of the product’s eventual fate. THE BEANIE BUBBLE is bursting with terrific acting and insightful dialogue. You could say that it is not at all over-stuffed.

3 Out of 4

THE BEANIE BUBBLE is now playing in select theatres and it streams exclusively on AppleTV+ beginning on Friday, July 28, 2023.

Win Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of COCAINE BEAR

Inspired by the 1985 true story of a drug runner’s plane crash, missing cocaine, and the black bear that ate it, this wild dark comedy finds an oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists and teens converging in a Georgia forest where a 500- pound apex predator has ingested a staggering amount of cocaine and gone on a coke-fueled rampage for more blow … and blood.

Cocaine Bear stars Keri Russell (The Americans), O’Shea Jackson, Jr. (Straight Outta Compton), Christian Convery (Sweet Tooth), Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family), Brooklynn Prince (The Florida Project), Isiah Whitlock Jr. (BlacKkKlansman), Kristofer Hivju (Game of Thrones), Hannah Hoekstra (2019’s Charlie’s Angels) and Aaron Holliday (Sharp Objects), with with Emmy winner Margo Martindale (The Americans) and Emmy winner Ray Liotta (The Many Saints of Newark).

Directed by Elizabeth Banks (Charlie’s Angels, Pitch Perfect 2) from a screenplay by Jimmy Warden (The Babysitter: Killer Queen), Cocaine Bear is produced by Oscar® winners Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, The Mitchells vs. The Machines) for Lord Miller, Elizabeth Banks (Pitch Perfect franchise) and Max Handelman (Pitch Perfect franchise) for Brownstone Productions, Brian Duffield (Spontaneous) for Jurassic Party Productions and Aditya Sood (The Martian) for Lord Miller. The film is executive produced by Robin Mulcahy Fisichella, Alison Small and Nikki Baida.

COCAINE BEAR Opens In Theaters February 24.

https://www.cocainebear.movie/

Advance Screening is February 22 at the Alamo Drafthouse at 7pm. Winners will be chosen on the 20th at 5pm.

The screening will be filled on a first come first served basis, so we encourage you to arrive early. Seats will not be guaranteed. Rated R.

Enter at the link below.

SWEEPSTAKES LINK: http://gofobo.com/QbJmr28657

Get Ready For COCAINE BEAR! You Won’t Believe This Trailer!!

On a rampage for blow and blood. Meet COCAINE BEAR.

Inspired by the 1985 true story of a drug runner’s plane crash, missing cocaine, and the black bear that ate it, this wild dark comedy finds an oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists and teens converging in a Georgia forest where a 500- pound apex predator has ingested a staggering amount of cocaine and gone on a coke-fueled rampage for more blow … and blood.

COCAINE BEAR stars Keri Russell (The Americans), O’Shea Jackson, Jr. (Straight Outta Compton), Christian Convery-Jennings (Sweet Tooth), Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family), Brooklynn Prince (The Florida Project), Isiah Whitlock Jr. (BlacKkKlansman), Kristofer Hivju (Game of Thrones), Hannah Hoekstra (2019’s Charlie’s Angels) and Aaron Holliday (Sharp Objects), with with Emmy winner Margo Martindale (The Americans) and Emmy winner Ray Liotta (The Many Saints of Newark).

Check out the trailer now!

Directed by Elizabeth Banks (Charlie’s Angels, Pitch Perfect 2) from a screenplay by Jimmy Warden (The Babysitter: Killer Queen), Cocaine Bear is produced by Oscar® winners Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, The Mitchells vs. The Machines) for Lord Miller, Elizabeth Banks (Pitch Perfect franchise) and Max Handelman (Pitch Perfect franchise) for Brownstone Productions, Brian Duffield (Spontaneous) for Jurassic Party Productions and Aditya Sood (The Martian) for Lord Miller. The film is executive produced by Robin Mulcahy Fisichella, Alison Small and Nikki Baida. 

COCAINE BEAR is in theaters February 24.

WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER Kicks Off ‘Camp Arkadin’ July 1st at The Heavy Anchor in St. Louis

“McKinley, there are some lower campers stuck in the ropes course. I meant to tell you about that yesterday, but could you get to it now?”

The Arkadin Cinema, a local independent theater scheduled to open soon, presents ‘Camp Arkadin’, an outdoor film series that will take place in the back lot at The Heavy Anchor (5226 Gravois Ave in St. Louis). WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER Kicks Off ‘Camp Arkadin’ July 1st. Showtime is 8:30. Enter through the front of The Heavy Anchor. Admission is $8. Bring your own chair. First come, first served. Seating is limited. Food and drinks and available there at The Heavy Anchor. This is a 21+ event, so leave the kids home. A Facebook invite for the event can be found HERE. The Arkadin Cinema’s site can be found HERE

Here’s the ‘Camp Arkadin’ schedule for the next couple of months:

July 15th: DO THE RIGHT THING

July 29th: SLEEPAWAY CAMP

August 12th: THE BAD NEWS BEARS

26th: MOONRISE KINGDOM

WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER from 2001, is a comedy about summer camp, a spoof of movies about summer camp, a grab bag of random absurdity and a collection filmmakers and now-familiar actors hamming it up as hard as they can. It didn’t make much of a splash when it premiered 14 years ago (I don’t think it even played theatrically here in St. Louis, but I could be wrong about that), but it’s developed such a cult following over the past 19 years that Netflix made a sequel series, WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER – FIRST DAY OF CAMP.

It’s the last day at Camp Firewood in the summer of 1981 and pretty much every stock summer camp storyline is trotted out for derision and mockery in WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER. There’s the love triangle between the geek camp counselor, the hot girl who treats him like her pet and the teen rebel she’s really hot for. There’s the desperate virgin counselor trying to make it with the camp slut. There’s the lonely, divorced arts-and-crafts teacher, the weird camp cook, the kids stuck on a raft approaching the raging rapids, the big talent show, the big game against the kids from the “evil camp” and the outcast kids who come together to save the day. There’s also a talking can of vegetables that boasts of his sexual prowess, a gay subplot that seems to have wandered in from another movie, the old space station Skylab, the worst motorcycle chase in film history, some generic 80s allusions and the charm of a bunch of people who clearly had a great time making this thing.

Filmmakers David Wain and Michael Showalter took a scattershot approach in WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER, throwing joke after joke against the wall to see what sticks. On one hand, they’ll do a running gag about the kid at camp who never takes a shower all summer, which could come from any number of traditional comedies about this subject. On the other hand, they’ll do a lot of parodies of summer camp movies, like having a kid actually drown while two 30-something teenage counselors French kiss with abandon (my personal favorite scene). They’ll just throw out some odd gag about something like Kenyan marathoners. Some of it works, some of it doesn’t, but the movie moves along quickly enough that when a joke bombs, the smell doesn’t linger.

As far as the acting goes, well, Marguerite Moreau as the camp hotty is the only one in the whole cast doing any real acting (and, ironically, the one whose post-WET HOT career went mostly nowhere) . Everyone else, including David Hyde Pierce as a college professor and Janeane Garofolo as the camp director, mug shamelessly for the camera. Again, that results in some moments that are funny as hell, like Paul Rudd’s portrayal of slothful adolescent defiance. But there are also moments that fail to make any sense, like Garafolo riffing on Jewish surnames, but it’s all so weird and off-the-wall, there’s never a dull moment. Also look for Christopher Meloni, Molly Shannon, Elizabeth Banks, Amy Poehler, and Bradley Cooper.

Relive Summer Camp 1981 when WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER screens at ‘Camp Arkadin’ July 1st at The Heavy Anchor

CHARLIE’S ANGELS (2019) – Review

This week’s big new studio flick actually feels like a holdover from the Summer, with its big splashy action sequences and loopy, loose attitude (not at all one of the somber end of the year bits of serious cinema). Oh, as for the “new” part, this one’s roots are pretty old, well over 45 years. It could be called a reboot of a reboot, all going back to an iconic TV show that ran from 1976 to 1981. This hour-long camp caper fantasy was in rerun limbo until a star-packed feature film upgrade hit the screens in 2000, with a sequel three years later. But unlike other TV shows turned film franchises like STAR TREK and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, which just keep “chuggin’ along”, it pretty much stalled out, aside from an 8 episode TV series (hmmm from the tube to the movies twice then back) in 2011. Now, just a few weeks since the return of THE ADDAMS FAMILY comes another TV rehash with a twist. With the earlier flick, it’s “new spin” was CG animation., while this weekend’s ‘spin’ is mainly behind the camera. So, was there really a fervent clamoring for this return? Maybe audiences are ready for the 2019 edition of CHARLIE’S ANGELS.

As with the MI and Bond films, this romp begins with the end of an adventure. In Rio, an international criminal and his crew are taken down. Rather than a secret government unit, the heroes are the “angels” of the Charlie Townsend Agency including the street-smart, snarky Sabina (Kristen Stewart) and deadly former MI-6 agent Jane (Ella Balinska), all supervised by their handler “Bosley” (Patrick Stewart). A year or so later, at the office of the Brock Company in Hamburg, Germany, systems engineer Elena Houghlin (Naomi Scott) informs her supervisor Mr. Fleming (Nat Faxon) of the possible dangers of their revolutionary portable power device the Calisto (it looks like a Buckminister Fuller designed Tesseract) after the device puts an associate in the hospital. He dismisses her concerns, prompting Elena to find a way to get the word to Brock (Sam Claflin) himself. Meanwhile, at the LA home of CTA, Bosley is given a retirement party by Bosley (Elizabeth Banks). Confused? Well, it seems that “Bosley” is like a rank in the military, similar to captain. As the celebration ends, Sabina and Jane reteam for their new assignment. Elena has contacted the CTA about her concerns, but her secret meeting with another Bosley and the two angels ends in tragedy because of an attack by a deadly assassin. The scientist joins the angels when all the Calisto devices go missing (along with Fleming). Turns out that they can be weaponized. Thus begins a globe-trotting race against time to recover the devices before they end up in the wrong hands.

Of the three actresses playing the title characters the best known is probably Stewart as the senior angel known as Sabina (a sly nod to original TV angel Sabrina played by Kate Jackson). Freed from the forbidden romance of the TWILIGHT franchise and her recent fairly somber “indie” work, Stewart seems to be the person having the most fun in this frivolous bit of fluff. Particularly in the opening sequence as she dons a long platinum wig to vamp the baddies reminding me of a certain Oscar-winning “wabbit” whose drag diva deceptions always fooled his enemy (Wayne and Garth were right about that “excellent” observation). Perhaps this could lead to many more daffy comic roles. Scott as Elena is also a source of many comic moments as the “novice”, who’s stunned and often overwhelmed in this “super-spy” skewed world. Although she shrieks in panic as a thug lunges for her, she’s able to use her scientific smarts to gain the upper hand on most of the goons. The relative newcomer (at least for moviegoers) is the towering bronze amazon (hmm, maybe she could be a “sister” of Diana’s gone rogue in another franchise) Balinska as the no-nonsense Jane. She easily goes from action queen to strutting runway royalty with equal confidence. Speaking of confidence, their main Bosley, as played by the talented Ms.Banks, is a tough taskmaster, though this delicious den mother enjoys getting in on the jokes and the chases. The other Bosley is played with “old school” cool by Mr. Stewart (no relation to Kristen), who appears to relish a break from the mutants and starships. As for the main adversaries, Faxon makes a superb smirking pig (“You oughtta’ smile more”) as Elena’s jerk of a boss, while Claflin, as his boss Brock, is very funny as he finds out the brutal realities of dealing with the “dark side”. And some real menace is provided by Jonathon Tucker, whose Hodak is a relentless robot-like destructive force.

You recall when I said that the new “spin” was behind the camera? Well, this studio action “tent pole” is directed by a woman, the aforementioned main Bosley, Banks. And that’s not all because she wrote the screenplay from the story by Evan Spiliotopoulis and Davis Auburn. She guides the chases and stunts with great energy and skill while eliciting a great comedic performance from Ms. Stewart. Unfortunately, the film flounders when the angels aren’t defying danger and outwitting those lunkheaded lads who underestimate them. Particularly during the “pit stops” as the ladies grab the gadgets (could “Q” be moonlighting) and sop up the exposition, the story comes to a screeching halt. Plus several scenes remind us of better films. The Angels don matching outfits and Tony Tenille blonde wigs to confuse a security team, much as in the remake of THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR, but without a real “pay off”. Ditto the “phone switching” right out of the OCEANS caper “playbook”.And did we really need the “young girls following their dreams” montage for the opening titles (using Benington ad-like outakes)? The same goes for the ridiculous “techno-pop” dance number that adds nothing to the big third act “showdown”. Those camp (some unintended) moments just prove that the angels seem silly and quaint after the gritty thrills of ATOMIC BLONDE and RED SPARROW. Sure some of the winks at their TV and film pasts are cheesy fun (the quick bits during the end credits capture the spirit), but we’re left with the fact that CHARLIE’S ANGELS never soar. They barely get off the ground (cue the harps).


1 Out of 4

Sam Worthington in MAN ON A LEDGE Arrives on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack plus Blu-ray and Digital April 9th from Lionsgate.

An all-star cast in an intense action-thriller comes home when Man on a Ledge arrives on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray and Digital) April 9 from Lionsgate.

An all-star cast in an intense action-thriller comes home whenMan on a Ledge arrives on 4K Ultra HD™ Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray™ and Digital) April 9 from Lionsgate. Starring Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell, and Anthony Mackie, the film has been called “a heart-pounding adrenaline rush” by Fox-TV. Experience four times the resolution of full HD with the 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, which includes Dolby Vision® HDR, bringing entertainment to life through ultra-vivid picture quality. When compared to a standard picture, Dolby Vision can deliver spectacular colors never before seen on a screen, highlights that are up to 40 times brighter, and blacks that are 10 times darker. Additionally, the 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack and Blu-ray feature Dolby Atmos® audio mixed specifically for the home, to place and move audio anywhere in the room, including overhead. Available for the very first time in this absolutely stunning format, the Man on a Ledge 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack will include a featurette and trailer commentary by Elizabeth Banks and will be available for the suggested retail price of $22.99.

In the film critics call a “white-knuckle action thriller (Mose Persico, CTV Montreal),” ex-cop Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) escapes from prison to plan the ultimate heist; steal a $40 million diamond from cutthroat businessman David Englander (Ed Harris), and in the process prove his own innocence. From the ledge of the famous Roosevelt Hotel with the whole world watching, Cassidy plays a clever game of cat and mouse with the NYPD while his dutiful brother Joey (Jamie Bell) races against the clock to extract the diamond and clear his brother’s name.

4K ULTRA HD / BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES

  • “TheLedge” Featurette
  • Trailer with Commentary by Elizabeth Banks

CAST

Sam Worthington                    Avatar, The Shack, Everest

Elizabeth Banks                      The Hunger Games, Pitch Perfect

Jamie Bell                               TV’s “TURN: Washington’s Spies”, Snowpiercer, Fantastic Four

Anthony Mackie                      Avengers, The Hate U Give, Detroit

THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART – Review

“Toyland, Toyland…”I know, Christmas was seven weeks ago, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t have some fun at the multiplex with some of our favorite playtime pals. The studios have been raiding the toy chest in search of film franchises for decades, from Raggedy Ann and Andy (originally a cartoon short from the Fleischers) to the cult favorite CLUE in the 1980s (trivia question staple: it had three endings). Now with longtime movie series based on GI JOE and TRANSFORMERS, toys have become as much a source material as comic books and TV shows (which were the initial “springboards” in the 80s for Care Bears, Strawberry Shortcake, and countless others). But could these product-spawned flicks actually be witty and (gasp) satirical, even entertaining to adults? Pixar certainly tested the waters with their first hit feature back in 1995 TOY STORY (which included kid superstars like Mr. Potato Head and Barbie alongside original characters). Jump ahead 20 years and some great comedy talents garnered big laughs from lil’ plastic building blocks. It was a surprise smash, so after two spin-offs, we’re finally getting a true sequel with THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART (just be careful where you step…yeooowch).

Yes, it’s five years later and all seems to be going great for Emmet Brickowski (voice of Chris Pratt) and pals in Bricksburg. But then the destructive Duplo invaders from the Systar (?) System arrive. Despite the efforts of Lucy Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks) and her ex, Batman (Will Arnett) the town is transformed into the dusty dirty “heck-scape” of Apocalyseburg. Emmitt’s still his cheery ole’ self until another Systar denizen named Captain Mayhem (Stephanie Beatriz) cruises in to scoop up Lucy, Batman, Unikitty, Benny, and Metalbeard in her spaceship and whisks them away to meet her boss, Queen Watevra Wa’Nabi (Tiffany Haddish). Luckily Emmett is able to turn his dream cottage into his own star cruiser and blasts off to infinity and…no, wrong toy. When his star trek proves too deadly, Brick is rescued by a true galactic good guy, Rex Dangervest, the coolest cat in the cosmos (trained raptors fly his ship). The two team up to stop the destruction of the universe (the “our-mom-ageddon” which would banish them to the limbo region of “Stor-age”) which will be triggered by the swiftly approaching marriage of the Queen and Batman. But are the residents of Systar “un-evil”? And will Lucy finally come to terms with her “sparkly” former life? Most puzzling of all, why is the Dark Knight finally ready to “settle down”? Gosh, what’ll happen to Alfred?

The good news is that the intricate colorful designs and character work are still there, despite the changing of directors, from the team of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (who still contributed this script with a story assist from Matthew Fogel) to Mike (TROLLS) Mitchell. Because of the returning writing duo, there are still a lot of funny throwaway bits of dialogue (especially the subtitling of the raptors) along with some very sly pop culture gags (“Marvel’s not returning our calls”). And Emmett is still a wide-eyed (big dots really) cheerfull oblivious goof. So why does the film feel…off? For one thing, the Lego world seems a lot smaller. The first adventure involved a near-endless gathering of pop icons from Star Wars to the classic Universal monsters (guessing the licensing contracts took up several file cabinets if they’re still a “thing”). But now, aside from a roll call of time-traveling devices, we’re limited to the Warner home team (though that still includes the DC heroes, the Wizard of Oz, and a Tolkien spellcaster). Perhaps this is because the real world intrudes into the main story too too much. Yes, last time we got a Will Ferrell finale, while this time his home pops up throughout and stops the story flow in its tracks. Luckily another SNL vet cameos as Will’s wife, and earns a few decent laughs, but do we need to see toys lost and gathering dust in multiple sequences? The stakes are raised by other planet’s threats, but it’s not as interesting a “hero’s journey” as in the original. Emmett and Lucy from that get plenty of screen time in this sequel, while their buddies Unikitty and Benny have little to do, as does Batman (maybe because of his solo spin-off) who is easily manipulated, though as a result of one of the film’s best musical numbers, “Gotham Guys” (much better than the “Awesome” wannabee “Catchy Song”). The rampaging Duplos who speak like toddlers is amusing, but most of the new characters barely register, aside from the Queen. Haddish brings a lot of energy to her which matches her ever-changing red, orange, and magenta form (within seconds she’s a horse, a flower, and crazy chart). Rex is a lot of fun, but his “big reveal” doesn’t really go anywhere. Though just over 100 minutes, this film feels well over 2 hours as the jumbled third act finally grinds the story to a cluttered messy halt. Though this contains many of the first flick’s winking wit, families may find that THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART just feels “played out”.

3 Out of 5

 

THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS – Review

Hmmm, “happy” and “murder’ almost bumping into each other in a film title? Something’s just not right. Oh, that’s a true understatement. You see, this action detective mystery parody has…puppets. There are human beings, but much of this revolves around “fabric-Americans”. And if the title’s not enough of a hint, the MPAA has slapped this flick with an “R” rating, so parents of the pre-K set will be warned. Hopefully they’ll heed the rating despite the fact that some of the cast resemble muppets. That’s because, they are…kinda’. One of the production companies involved is Henson Alternative, a subsidiary of the empire created by the “gone-too-soon” genius Jim Henson (can it be 28 years). Oh, and the film is co-produced and directed by his son Brian. Sure, Jim went after more mature audiences with his 1980’s fantasies THE DARK CRYSTAL and LABYRINTH, but they’re tame strolls through the nursery compared to the all-out raunch assault of bawdiness and vulgarity served up in THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS.

The setting is the present day LA, but it’s not exactly this planet. Now, on this nearly parallel Earth human beings live and work beside living puppets, free of their masters. There ‘ain’t no strings on them, nor controllers with their hand up their…ya’ know. Oh, and the “felts’ are treated like second class (or lower) citizens, bullied and abused, left to drown their sorrows in sugar (which numbs and stimulates their different ‘inards”). Much of this is told to us by the story’s narrator and main protagonist, hard-drinking, chain-smoking, ex-cop turned puppet private eye Phil Phillips. As he enters his ramshackle agency HQ, Phil’s human secretary/receptionist “Bubbles” (Maya Rudolph) informs him that a possible new client is waiting in his private office. He’s stunned to see a red-headed puppet bombshell named Sandra who gives him a blackmail letter she received (she’s an “Ima”, which, well, we can’t explain here). That letter has a clue which leads Phil to a “puppet porno shop” that becomes the scene of a blood bath, well more of a “stuffing slaughter”. The human police are called in and Phil is re-united with his former police partner Det. Connie Edwards (Melissa McCarthy). Neither are happy to see each other. Nonetheless Lieutenant Banning (Leslie David Baker) insists that they work together. When Phil’s actor brother Larry is killed, a pattern begins to form. One of the porn shop victims and Larry were part of an old 80’s TV sitcom called “The Happytime Gang”. Phil and Connie try to track down the other cast members including the show’s sole human star (and Phil’s former lover) Jenny (Elizabeth Banks). When hot-headed FBI Agent Campbell (Joel McHale) joins the case, Phil becomes the prime suspect. Can Connie help him clear his name and bring the real murder mastermind to justice?

Once again McCarthy completely commits to the material, bringing a nearly limitless supply of energy and physicality. This serves her (and the film) well, when the script falls short, settling for a cheap obscenity or a shocking sight gag. This is not the sweet-natured “every-women” we endured in this year’s forgettable LIFE OF THE PARTY, rather it’s the “go for it” hellcat of THE HEAT, particularly in the “sugar hit” sequence. As I mentioned earlier, the puppets have a real big sweet tooth, and it turns out that Connie is “part puppet” (well she has puppet parts, which we learn in a big flashback). McCarthy literally bouncing off the walls before wailing on a nasty band of muppet mobsters. She truly gives it her all, sharing most of her scenes with Phil, and, to very good effect, a frequent co-star: Rudolph. She’s very funny in the detective’s girl Friday cliche (a bit dim, but loyal, and crushing on her boss), but a scene where she and McCarthy break into a suspect’s apartment gives both actresses a chance to shine (and again, much better than their time together in PARTY). Hopefully some gifted film maker will craft a smart buddy comedy (like a gender-flipped”bro-mance”) for these two very talented women. As for the other human cast mates, Banks has little to do, aside from vamping it up on the stripper pole and looking longingly at Phil. Darn it, she’s funny too, but you can’t tell from this ho-hum role. The same can be said for McHale who’s saddled with the straight man/ butt of insults as the up-tight “fed’ (it’s like his “snark” has been muzzled). And Baker does what he can with the standard flustered, agitated cop boss role, that staple of many a police station-set flick or TV show. But kudos to the very hardworking, but unseen, puppet performers, who really help sell this strange concept (especially Bill Barretta as Phil).

Brian Henson directs with confidence, hitting all the usual beats in a buddy/cop thriller while never calling undue attention to some of the clever technical tricks involved in making this fantasy seem real. Unfortunately this story can’t be stretched to feature length, without losing its focus, and its audience’s interest. It’s another example of a great 20 minute or so TV sketch (or a “stand-alone” half hour special) that wears out its welcome in movie time (like many Saturday Night Live skit-based flicks). The private eye parody is nothing really new as the plot and its hero rehash Bogie in THE MALTESE FALCON and even Elliott Gould in THE LONG GOODBYE (and you could get a nagging cough from Phil constantly puffing away). And of course there’s the elephant (or big bunny) in the room, the film’s main idea is a pale riff on the vastly superior, truly iconic, now 30 year-old classic WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT (with a nod to ALIENATION where the “newcomers” got hammered on sour milk). We can match up the characters (Connie=Eddie Valiant, Phil=Roger, Sonia=Jessica), along with the story points. But despite the former’s slightly naughty twists, the denizens of Toon Town were still pretty magical and endearing. Not so with these bits of fluff and felt, who exhaust us with the barrage of “F-bombs” and 70’s style “sex talk” (one sugar-addicted puppet’s constant “offers” feels more sad and desperate than hilarious). And that sexualization of beings that resemble plush kiddie toys just gets too “skeavey” after the first few minutes. I know that Jim Henson wanted to break out of the “children’s entertainment ghetto”, but this is far too aggressively crude (though there are several hysterical bits of business that nearly rival the final orgy of SAUSAGE PARTY, a flick that shocked, but has some smart things to say). Despite this, and the spirited efforts of McCarthy and Rudolph, THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS is more listless and witless than outrageous and offensive. If this hits, what’s next? “Punch and Judy, Ted and Alice”?!

3 Out of 5

New Poster And Trailer For THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART Are Here!

Everything is awesome again!!

Here’s a look at the first poster and trailer for THE LEGO® MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART, the much-anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed, global box office phenomenon that started it all.

THE LEGO® MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART reunites the heroes of Bricksburg in an all new action-packed adventure to save their beloved city. It’s been five years since everything was awesome and the citizens are facing a huge new threat: LEGO DUPLO® invaders from outer space, wrecking everything faster than they can rebuild. The battle to defeat them and restore harmony to the LEGO universe will take Emmet, Lucy, Batman and their friends to faraway, unexplored worlds, including a strange galaxy where everything is a musical. It will test their courage, creativity and Master Building skills, and reveal just how special they really are.

Reprising their fan-favorite characters from “The LEGO Movie” are Chris Pratt as Emmet, Elizabeth Banks as Lucy (aka Wyldstyle), Will Arnett as LEGO BatmanTM, Nick Offerman as Metal Beard, and Alison Brie as Unikitty. They are joined by Tiffany Haddish, Stephanie Beatriz, and Arturo Castro as, respectively, new characters Queen Watevra Wa-Nabi, Sweet Mayhem and Ice Cream Cone. Mike Mitchell, of “Shrek Forever After,” “Trolls” and “Sky High” will direct.

Coming pieces, THE LEGO® MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART opens in 2D and 3D beginning February 8, 2019.

The film is being produced by Dan Lin, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Roy Lee, the team behind the LEGO film franchise since “The LEGO Movie” debuted in 2014.