Tag: Keke Palmer

GOOD FORTUNE (2025) – Review

This big new studio film release takes a tough look at the social economics system in place today. So, it’s a hard-hitting drama or maybe a “searing” slice-of-life documentary? No, it’s a comedy. Stranger still, it’s a fantasy comedy about the “haves” and “have-nots”. It’s about what happens when a rich guy and a “barely scraping by” guy switch lifestyles. And yes, its makers openly acknowledge the 83′ TRADING PLACES, even lifting a “needle drop” as a tribute. So, the fantasy element? It’s not a witch or a djinn or even a fairy godmother (or father). Instead, the “status quo” is upended by an angel. And he’s a bit inept, but (due to the casting) always “awesome” as he delivers a much needed (but is it deserved) “batch” of GOOD FORTUNE.

In the opening moments, we meet that angel watching over the streets of modern-day LA from a rooftop. He’s Gabriel (Keanu Reeves), who may be considered a “second string”, “budget”, or a “minor” angel (his fairly small wings are a hint), who is tasked with alerting those highway menaces who “text while driving”. Gabe pops into their car’s backseat, touches their shoulder, causing them to look up from their “holy” screen. He’s kept busy, but Gabe wants to do more. Perhaps that’s why he takes an interest in one of his “humans”, Arj (Aziz Ansari), an aspiring documentary filmmaker who is mired in the “gig economy” (he’s a “task sergeant”) while trying to get his “big break”. Later, at a meeting of angels, Gabe tells his supervisor Martha (Sandra Oh) that he wants to aid Arj much like adored “lost souls” angel Azrael (Stephen McKinley Henderson). She sternly tells him that he must “stay in his lane”. But Gabe still hovers near Arj as he becomes an assistant (for a one-week trial period) to a wealthy “tech bro” Jeff (Seth Rogan). But when Arj uses a “work charge card” for a surprisingly expensive date with a cute union organizer at a “big box” hardware store, Elena (Keke Palmer), Jeff fires him (despite Arj telling his account that he’ll pay it back). Arj is at his lowest point when is car (also his bedroom) is towed at a Denny’s lot. Then Gabe appears to him and offers him a chance to switch places with Jeff, thinking this will teach him that money isn’t everything. But Arj loves it (Jeff is his poor, hapless aide). Gabe appears to Jeff, and confesses the life “swap”. Things get more convoluted when Martha demote Gabe (no wings, no magic, just human). Can he and Jeff survive on the mean streets long enough to get Arj to go back to his old existence, which will get Gabe his old job back (along with those “heavenly perks”)?

The marketing big selling point is Reeves as Gabriel, though many may think of him as an action movie icon (forever Mr. Wick to some). Here he reminds us of his considerable comedic “chops” as he scores near constant laughs as the dim adult-cherub whose line delivery almost echoes the much adored iconic Ted Logan. But Reeves adds so much appreciated pathos to Gabe as we see his childlike wonder, and eventually annoyance, over the ways of “reg’lar folk” (loves them chicken “nuggies”). Also hitting the “pathos button” hard is Azari has the constantly “dumped-on” Arj who is a good man dealt a very “bad hand” by life. He still retains a sweetness beyond the snark, especially in his interactions with Elena (the talented Ms. Palmer builds on her similarly-themed “under the radar” comic romp from earlier in the year, ONE OF THEM DAYS). Sure, Arj is ecstatic over the “turn of events”, though Ansari conveys Arj’s guilt over a life unearned (but not ready to leave). The very busy Mr. Rogen (with two terrific streaming comedies, “The Studio” and “Platonic”) is strong as the somewhat spoiled app-investor who finds out how his impulsive decisions can really impact other, when he becomes one of them. His arrogance is soon squashed as he confronts the challenges of the “now”. Though we only see her briefly, Oh adds the proper gravitas (and is the perfect comic “straight” to Reeves) as the somber Martha, while Matt Rogers is effective as Arj’s new “big bucks” buddy Peter.


In his big screen directing debut (after the still shelved BEING MORTAL). Ansari directs with a light touch, slipping the jokes “in” quietly and avoiding lots of frenetic bombast. There is some slapstick as Arj almost echoes the often hapless Everyman played in the silents by Keaton and Lloyd. The LA locations are used well, from the ultra swank home of Jeff high above the city, to the street-level squalor that he now roams with the “de-winged” Gabe. The opening act is so strong that it makes the rest of the story a bit sluggish. This may be due to the structure of Asnari’s script (with elements of CITY OF ANGELS, THE FAMILY MAN, IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, and the aforementioned TP) which jarringly shifts focus after the switch. We’ve been following Arj so closely that it’s difficult to suddenly being with Jeff and Gabe nearly all through the last hour. This makes its length feel much greater than just under 100 minutes. And while a lot of the plot is a zany romp, it takes a rather preachy detour, making the case for corporate empathy (which will properly be ignored by the 1%), even shifting to Elena’s push for a union at her hardware store. It’s a shame that the final result falls short on the inspired premise and casting (particularly for Reeves). Now, that would certainly be some prime cinematic GOOD FORTUNE.

2.5 Out of 4

GOOD FORTUNE is now playing in theaters everywhere

Check Out The Trailer For THE PICKUP Starring Eddie Murphy, Pete Davidson, Keke Palmer And Eva Longoria – On Prime Video August 6

Prime Video has released the trailer for action-comedy THE PICKUP.

A routine cash pickup takes a wild turn when two mismatched armored truck drivers, Russell (Eddie Murphy) and Travis (Pete Davidson), are ambushed by ruthless criminals led by a savvy mastermind, Zoe (Keke Palmer), with plans that go way beyond the cash cargo. As chaos unfolds around them, the unlikely duo must navigate high-risk danger, clashing personalities, and one very bad day that keeps getting worse.

In addition to Eddie Murphy, Pete Davidson, and Keke Palmer, the film features a diverse cast including Eva Longoria, Marshawn Lynch, Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoa’i, Andrew Dice Clay, and Ismael Cruz Córdova. Directed by Tim Story, who’s known for his work on The Blackening, Barbershop and Ride Along, the film blends high-octane action with sharp humor.

Everyone’s in for a hilarious and wild ride when THE PICKUP debuts on Prime Video on August 6.

ONE OF THEM DAYS – Review

So what’s the cinema antidote to the brutal and frozen tundra outside our doors (and let’s not get into the West Coast)? How about a raunchy, rollicking buddy comedy? Hmm, that’s usually Summer popcorn fodder, but that’s not the only “rule” that this new flick is breaking. Rather than two mismatched male comic actors, this focuses on the friendship (though strained at times) of two twenty-something African American women. That’s a nice “flip”, along with the pairing of a screen “vet” and a star from the world of hip hop (and R&B/pop). Now that’s a combo sure to end those winter doldrums, along with its “Cali” backdrop. So that’s the setting, as the principals frantically try to survive a zany twenty-four hours that certainly qualifies as ONE OF THEM DAYS that will put their bond to the test.

It’s the morning of the first day of the month, and the head waitress at one of those family diner-style chain restaurants, Dreux (Keke Palmer) is making sure her staple of longtime “regulars” are enjoying their breakfast. When her shift ends, Dreux waits for a ride from her BFF/roommate, struggling artist/painter Alyssa (SZA) to pick her up and return to their shared apartment. Later that afternoon Dreux will have what could be a life-changing interview at the corporate HQ of the eatery chain, in hopes of snagging a a manager spot at a location. After saying hello to several of the neighbors, more like surrogate “aunties” and “uncles”, they head into their upstairs (above the courtyard) unit, where Alyssa’s hunky but between jobs and homes bae, Keshawn (Joshua David Neal), is snoozing. Suddenly there’s someone pounding on the door. It’s the no-nonsense landlord Uche (Rizi Timane) demanding the $1500 rent (it is the first) from Dreux, otherwise their furnishings will be on the street at 6 PM. When he leaves, Dreux double-checks that Alyssa has already given him their combined rent amount. Sure, she gave the cash to Keshawn to give to Uche. The duo tries to confront him, but Keshawn has split. Through the “gossip grapevine,” they find out about his “side girl”, the aggressive, always angry Berniece (Aziza Scott). At her place Alyssa grills Keshawn about the dough, but he’s already “invested” it. Then Berniece barges in and makes Alyssa and Dreux her target for revenge. Can the desperate duo raise the rent by six? And will Dreux make it to that big interview? And what happens when the BFFs incur the wrath of a brutal crime kingpin named King Lolo (Armin Joseph)? The clock is ticking as they wonder what else can go wrong…

The film soars on the effervescent energy of the two lead actresses. First off, the vet I mentioned is Palmer who builds on the street-smart, slightly manic persona we saw in supporting roles in NOPE and HUSTLERS. Her Dreux is the quick-thinking brain of the duo, always creating a new angle (or line of BS) to try and succeed. And yet she has an endearingly awkward quality as she tries to flirt with a new neighbor in an early scene. Palmer also has a “clown’s grace” as she uses her body language to convey the chaos of this long day. Ms. Palmer is also an excellent scene partner with the confident and sassy SZA as Alyssa, and it’s amazing that this is her first major acting role, though she’s been featured in many music videos. Alyssa is the more spiritual of the two (“Gotta put it out in the universe!”), though SZA delivers some great profanity-filled tirades when not utilizing her zaftig charms (watch her work her “magic” on a food cart vendor). And though her head is often “in the clouds”, SZA displays a gutsy talent for slapstick comedy right from the classics (there’s a lot of Lucy and Ethel in these two “besties”). Neal is the perfect dimbulb but well-endowed “boy toy”, while Scott is a hard-twerking Tazmanian Devil, With a bit of Tex Cobb from RAISING ARIZONA as the “rageaholic” Berniece. There are also some great comic turns by Maude Apatow as the bubbly new tenant Bethany (who is the only white resident, much to Uchi’s delight), Katt Williams as the ironically-named street “prophet” Lucky, and Lil Rel Howery who figures in one of the big cash schemes.

Director Lawrence Lamont keeps the pace rolling along at a brisk clip while hitting all the playful dialogue exchanges of the duo provided by screenwriter Syretta Singleton. Lamont ups the suspense factor by slapping on reminders of the time passed with a bit of foreboding (“Six hours till eviction”) that reminded me of the 80s cult comedy THREE O’CLOCK HIGH, which had a similar sense of urgency. Yet, with all the calamity, Singleton delivers some smart satiric jabs at the “cash advance” industry, along with the warm feeling of community in the apartment complex (the “matriarch” there has set up a “mini 7-11” in her living room). Unfortunately, there is the frequent, for comedies, lull just past the hour mark as the buddy romp cliche has to include a big blow-up between the pals that threatens to split them up for good. Nah, I didn’t buy it because their bond feels impossible to break. And while many may feel that all the subplots get resolved too neatly, almost with a big sparkly bow, by the final moments, the laughs and the chemistry between Palmer and SZA are so strong and engaging, not to mention the great LA locales, that those small missteps are wiped clean by the high-spirited hijinks that fill up ONE OF THEM DAYS.

3 Out of 4

ONE OF THEM DAYS is now playing in theatres everywhere

Win Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of ONE OF THEM DAYS

SZA and Keke Palmer in Tri-Star Picture’s ONE OF THEM DAYS (Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures)

Best friends and roommates Dreux (Keke Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA) are about to have One of Them Days. When they discover Alyssa’s boyfriend has blown their rent money, the duo finds themselves going to extremes in a comical race against the clock to avoid eviction and keep their friendship intact.

Produced by Issa Rae, written by Syreeta Singleton and directed by Lawrence Lamont. Exclusively in movie theatres January 17.

https://oneofthemdays.movie

The St. Louis screening is 7PM on Wednesday, Jan 15th at Galleria 6 Cinema (6PM Suggested Arrival)

PASS LINK:  https://events.sonypictures.com/screenings/unsecured/main/screeningInfo.jsf?code=4IZU0OMR09

Please arrive early as seating is not guaranteed.

This film is rated R.

NOPE – Review

Although the calendar tells us that we’re cruising into the last half of Summer, the soaring temps are making most of us feel as though we’ll never escape from the “furnace”. And so, the multiplex provides a welcome cool sanctuary, at least for a couple of hours or so, Of course, the big action blockbusters and animated feature frolics are still taking up a lot of space on the ole’ marquee. Horror fans may think that they’ll have to hold out till Fall after getting their spines “tingled” last month with THE BLACK PHONE (although the newest JURASSIC WORLD and Doc Strange installment had lotsa’ surprise scares). Not to fear (at least till the flick begins) because after a three-year ‘time-out” the studios’ new “golden god” (he did get an Oscar) of terror is back with a spooky story shrouded in secrecy, one that Hollywood hopes will have the ticket-buyers shouting “Yup!” to NOPE.

After a disturbing flashback scene at a TV sitcom soundstage, the film jumps ahead to an incident from earlier in this year. A freak accident at a dusty horse ranch in Agua Dulce, CA claims the life of its owner, Otis Haywood, JR. (Keith David) right in front of his son OJ (Daniel Kaluuya). Jump to the present day as the serious and somber OJ continues the family business of providing horses to the entertainment studios alongside his often flighty sister Emerald (Keke Palmer). Their newest gig is a bust so they haul the rowdy stallion to the owner of the old West-themed “tourist trap” Jupiter’s Claim, former child TV star (hmmm) Ricky Park (Steven Yeun). OJ considers this transaction more of a “rental” than “sale” as he hopes to buy back the steed. Later that night, the prized white “show-horse” Ghost vanishes. Due to the strange nocturnal activity, the Haywoods believe that a UFO may be involved, and some visual proof could net them some cash to save the ranch. A trip to the local “big box” electronics shop puts the duo in contact with the hustling retail “drone” Angel (Brandon Perea), who drives out and personally sets up the security cameras all around the house and stables. But he also hooks up a link to his computer system. When he sees some “weird stuff” in the skies, Angel insists that he be part of a trio to “get the vids”. And when a bizarre incident occurs at Ricky’s business, the trio becomes a quartet when they contact grizzled LA “camera jockey” Antlers Holst (Michael Wincott). Soon the documentary shoot turns into a fight for survival as a mysterious entity swooping down from the clouds makes the group its target.

Reteaming with his GET OUT director, Kaluuya turns into a tight, stoic performance as OJ often evoking the “close to vest” Western stars over cinema’s history from William S. Hart to Gary Cooper to Clint Eastwood, though he shows us that there’s a lot going on in his half-shut weary eyes. He’s got the burden of his family hertiage as he tries to keep things “afloat’, which accounts for his zeal in making a “viral cash splash”. But we also get a sense that he’s looking for a “payout” and “payback” as he thinks there’s more to his adored papa’s demise. And he’s the perfect balance to Palmer as the motor-mouthed Emerald whose brain seems to be in “over-drive” as she considers all the “angles”, and hoping to get a bit of respect from her bro. Almost matching her impressive energy level is Perea whose Angel goes from being on the “make” into a crusader for “truth” as he sets aside his greed to sound an alarm. Then there’s Wincott’s Holtz with his old-fashioned cyncical surly machismo putting out an “old school” filmmaker vibe in the Huston/Ford/Fuller heritage of getting the shot no matter what, pursuing the glory rather than the gold. Now he may look tad hokey in his classic cowboy attire, but Yeun brings a sense of pathos to the tale as he masks his traumatic past with a grin and a “y’all”. With the Heywoods he takes off the stetson and reveals the scared kid still pushed down to his spurs. Aside from these talented actors, there are many interesting almost-cameos from horror/SF vet David to a certain prime-time soap “vixen” from the 80s.

Oh, Kaluuya’s director, none other than the superb comic performer Jordan Peele, who also wrote this sci-fi horror-western hybrid. After taking an extra year off, no doubt due to the pandemic (GET OUT in 2017, US in 2019) he’s returned with a twisted story full of doom and dread, generating a smothering sense of unease almost from the first strange prologue flashback. But unlike his breakthrough hit, this effort feels a bit unfocused as we struggle to get into the script’s “stop and start’ pacing as it fiddles with the “timeline” and the sound mix makes the dialogue quite murky (perhaps going for the Howard hawks vocal overlapping). Still, there are powerful sequences keeping us on the edge of our seat along with a nice satirical self-aware tone (he explores the stand-up comedy quips about how characters of color wouldn’t be as eager to put themselves in danger as others in monster movies, hence “Nope” is uttered many times in the scary scenes). Actually, the sitcom scandal subplot would be worthy of its own film or at least an unnerving segement of Peele’s “Twilight Zone” reboot. Much time is spent on the planning for the final showdown, but (gotta’ be vague here) what has been “established” veers away into weird bursts of some pretty terrific specail effects. Much of the film is engaging and unnerving, but its last act spins its wheels and becomes tedious. I’ll take Peele’s first flick over this, but it’s more coherent than US and that;s the least negative apprasal of NOPE.

2.5 Out of 4

NOPE is now playing in theatres everywhere

Win Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of Jordan Peele’s NOPE

THIS SUMMER, EXPERIENCE THE CINEMATIC EVENT FROM OSCAR WINNER JORDAN PEELE.  UNIVERSAL PICTURES PROUDLY PRESENTS DANIEL KALUUYA, KEKE PALMER, MICHAEL WINCOTT, BRANDON PEREA AND STEVEN YEUN IN NOPE. IN THEATERS JULY 22.

Rated R for language throughout and some violence/bloody images.

https://www.nope.movie/

Get out of this world and plan your visit today at https://www.jupitersclaim.com/

DATE AND TIME:
July 19, 2022 at 7:00pm

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

Enter: http://gofobo.com/uItoP97834

No purchase necessary.

“What’s a bad miracle?”

Oscar® winner Jordan Peele disrupted and redefined modern horror with Get Out and then Us. Now, he reimagines the summer movie with a new pop nightmare: the expansive horror epic, Nope.

The film reunites Peele with Oscar® winner Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out, Judas and the Black Messiah), who is joined by Keke Palmer (Hustlers, Alice) and Oscar® nominee Steven Yeun (Minari, Okja) as residents in a lonely gulch of inland California who bear witness to an uncanny and chilling discovery.

Nope, which co-stars Michael Wincott (Hitchcock, Westworld) and Brandon Perea (The OA, American Insurrection), is written and directed by Jordan Peele and is produced by Ian Cooper (Us, Candyman) and Jordan Peele for Monkeypaw Productions. The film will be released by Universal Pictures worldwide.

© 2022 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Jordan Peele, Keke Palmer, Daniel Kaluuya And The Cast Of NOPE Discuss The Great American UFO Story And Check Out “Jupiter’s Claim” Viral Site

Moviegoers are looking forward to Jordan Peele’s upcoming mystery spectacle NOPE. Recently the cast and director sat down with Fandango to discuss the movie and Peele hopes the audience reactions inside the theater is… NOPE!

NOPE will be in Theaters July 22.

As part of Universal Pictures marketing of the film, head over to “Jupiter’s Claim” viral site that says: “While you’re here, don’t forget to collect your Jupe Jangle for the most revealing attraction: The Winkin’ Well—where every conceivable wish could come true.” Steven Yeun plays Ricky “Jupe” Park

https://www.jupitersclaim.com/

Plus, viewers can get a postcard and leave a note in the guestbook, which happens to be signed by characters, Armitage, Rose and Wilson, from Peele’s US and GET OUT films, but you’ll have to wait until the screen darkens for the reveal.

“What’s a bad miracle?”

Oscar® winner Jordan Peele disrupted and redefined modern horror with GET OUT and then US. Now, he reimagines the summer movie with a new pop nightmare: the expansive horror epic, NOPE.

The film reunites Peele with Oscar® winner Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out, Judas and the Black Messiah), who is joined by Keke Palmer (Hustlers, Alice) and Oscar® nominee Steven Yeun (Minari, Okja) as residents in a lonely gulch of inland California who bear witness to an uncanny and chilling discovery.

Nope, which co-stars Michael Wincott (Hitchcock, Westworld) and Brandon Perea (The OA, American Insurrection), is written and directed by Jordan Peele and is produced by Ian Cooper (Us, Candyman) and Jordan Peele for Monkeypaw Productions. The film will be released by Universal Pictures worldwide.

https://www.nope.movie/

NOPE Hits Theaters In One Month On July 22 – The Crew Talks About The Film And Jordan Peele In New Featurette

“Everyday of this shoot, we were making something new and special… something that is a testament to why I love movies. And I’ll be talking about these days we made this movie forever” – Jordan Peele

Watch and listen to what the below-the-line crew has to say about working with filmmaker Jordan Peele on his mysterious upcoming cinematic event, NOPE. Assistant directors, make-up artists, cinematographers, camera operators, production designers, production assistants… these passionate artists are the lifeblood to the success of such films.

Filmed in IMAX, check out the new featurette and see NOPE in theaters On July 22.

Oscar® winner Jordan Peele disrupted and redefined modern horror with Get Out and then Us. Now, he reimagines the summer movie with a new pop nightmare: the expansive horror epic, Nope.

The film reunites Peele with Oscar® winner Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out, Judas and the Black Messiah), who is joined by Keke Palmer (Hustlers, Alice) and Oscar® nominee Steven Yeun (Minari, Okja) as residents in a lonely gulch of inland California who bear witness to an uncanny and chilling discovery.

Nope, which co-stars Michael Wincott (Hitchcock, Westworld) and Brandon Perea (The OA, American Insurrection), is written and directed by Jordan Peele and is produced by Ian Cooper (Us, Candyman) and Jordan Peele for Monkeypaw Productions. The film will be released by Universal Pictures worldwide.

https://www.nope.movie/

LIGHTYEAR – Review

SCI-FI ACTION ADVENTURE – The definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear (voice of Chris Evans), the hero who inspired the toy, “Lightyear” follows the legendary Space Ranger on an intergalactic adventure. Also featuring the voices of Uzo Aduba, James Brolin, Mary McDonald-Lewis, Keke Palmer, Efren Ramirez, Peter Sohn, Dale Soules, Taika Waititi and Isiah Whitlock Jr., Disney and Pixar’s “Lightyear” releases June 17, 2022. © 2022 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

This weekend’s big new studio release is another bit of a Summer celebration (as if there aren’t lots of such warm weather happenings). Is it because it’s an animated feature? Sure, it’s the first big one of the season, but there are other, major reasons. Well, it is a prequel to a much-beloved nearly thirty-year-old franchise. Oh, but most importantly, it’s from the fine folks at Pixar. And why are they cheering down at their HQ in Emeryville, CA? If the main title had a “sub-heading” that followed a colon, that might state “Escape from Streaming”, maybe. At long long last, A Pixar flick is heading straight to the multiplexes, and not premiering on the Disney+ streaming app, after more than two years (ONWARD opened in early 2020 just before everything closed). And this is a big epic blockbuster that deserves the widescreen treatment since we’re headed to (say it with me) “infinity and beyond”. It’s the “pre-toy” saga of everybody’s favorite Space Ranger, the hero known as LIGHTYEAR.

Speaking of the “T” word, an opening title card informs us that this is the movie that young Andy saw before he got his new favorite plaything a year later, in 1995. The action begins as a huge interplanetary transport cruiser lands on a distant world, far from Earth. it is piloted by former Space Ranger ‘Buzz’ Lightyear (voice of Chris Evans) and his BFF Alicia Hawthorn (Uzo Aduba). And. wouldn’t ya’ know, it’s a very hostile planet with serpent-like vines grabbing at the duo (and an unlucky cadet), and the ground trying to swallow the entire ship. The trio barely makes it back to the cockpit, allowing Buzz to rocket them back into the cosmos…almost. A jutting mountain cliff damages the engine, forcing him to land on a vast mesa, high above the dangerous ground level. After much effort, Buzz and the ship’s crew believe that they have repaired and re-charged the crystal that powers the vessel. But just to make sure, Buzz will make a test run in a small jet-style explorer. All seems to go well until the crystal fails in his final approach to the return airstrip. Only minutes after he took off, Buzz is stunned to see that the crew is building a city. And Hawthorn is now the commander (and has a few grey streaks). She tells him that six years have passed while Buzz feels he’s been away for mere moments. He throws himself into preparing for another test run, as Hawthorn gifts him a robot cat named SOX (Peter Sohn). He begins a series of flights with the same result: he doesn’t age while Hawthorne starts a family. Eventually, she’s not there to greet him upon his return. Instead, her job has been filled by the “iron-fisted” Commander Burnside (Isiah Whitlock, Jr.), who tells him that the tests are over. Ah, but SOX has solved the crystal problem, so Buzz steals a fighter, which leads to him meeting a ragtag trio of cadets on the surface and facing off against an army of aggressive robots and their black-cloaked master.

Well, let’s get this right out of the way…Buzz has a different voice with “Tim the Tool-Man” re-imagined as the “one true” (yup, my childhood hero) Captain America. But it’s not a huge leap as this Buzz is so different from the often delusional “action figure” in Andy’s room. And Evans is just perfect as a swaggering SF movie hero, who, honestly can also be a bit of a doofus. He says that his “self-narration” helps him focus, but it just adds to his child-like charm. But that’s not to take away from some of the big adult decisions Buzz must ponder in the story’s thoughtful, but still exciting finale. Aduba is a great “straight woman”, big sister, and a nurturing matriarch to him as Alicia. She’s in stark contrast to the energetic and often bombastic “next-in-line” Burnside given a snarling growl by Whitlock. They all take a backseat in the cockpit to the film’s big scene-stealer SOX whose mellow tones and “robo-talk” (bee-bop-boop) are courtesy of the gifted Sohn. Still, there’s lots of comedy to spare thanks to the wonderful trio of misfit space cadets who often baffle Buzz. Keke Palmer is sprightly upbeat and determined as Izzy, who offsets the often surly and grumbly Darby voiced by Dale Soules. The duo gives great support to the dim, “Inkpen-obsessed” Mo whose vocal stylings come from comedy “jack-of-all-trades” Taika Waititi. And I can let spill that the “big baddie”, Zorg (hey, he’s in the franchise’s “merch”) is given gravelly gravitas by James Brolin.

This could be considered a bit of a “direction change” from the Pixar artisans, as this plays almost like a straight adventure film, though a lot of humor is sprinkled throughout. Sure there are several nods to the TOY STORY films, but it earns its PG-13 rating with lots of suspenseful action set pieces and some truly scary alien “creepy-crawlies”. First-time director Angus MacLane (he co-directed FINDING DORY) wass up to the challenge of putting a “new spin” on a now-iconic movie character, as this version of Buzz had to look more like the “human” designs of Andy and his family rather than the “plastic-modeled” product we’ve seen since 95. And it had to be similar to the cinema of that year leaning more into STAR TREK (the features and TV shows) than STAR WARS (still a couple of years away from the prequel trilogy). It’s at first jarring to see Buzz out of his “purple swimming cap”, but it helps bring out his humanity. It also helps that the overall character designs are so appealing, especially the animation “acting” of Mo and the usually “exploding” Burnside. Ditto for the look of the film, from the “monster world’ to the different ships and spacesuits. Extra credit to MacLane for his work on the script with Matthew Aldrich and Jason Headley, which mixes the action melodramatics with a subtle affectionate satire. Sure, some will miss the old “play pals”, but most fans (even the older teens) will find lots to like in imaginative, inventive LIGHTYEAR. This “blast-off” is truly a blast.


3 Out of 4

LIGHTYEAR opens in theatres everywhere on June 17, 2022

Check Out The Character Posters And New Trailers For Jordan Peele’s NOPE Movie

Watch both the final and international trailers for the upcoming film NOPE, plus see the interesting character posters for the movie.

A must-see with a theater crowd, get ready for Aliens, UFO’s and an invasion when NOPE arrives in theaters everywhere July 22.

https://www.nope.movie/

Speaking on a panel at film industry conference CinemaCon on Wednesday (27 April), Peele explained why he chose to give the feature this notable name.

“I love a rapt audience saying, ‘Nope!’ or, ‘Get out the house!’” he told the crowd.

“I love to encourage that interaction because that’s what’s giving the audience a unique experience. Rollercoasters aren’t fun alone. Being scared isn’t fun alone. You need that energy.” https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/jordan-peele-nope-film-b2067311.html

“I know a lot of people who say, when it’s a scary movie, they say, ‘Nope!’ Especially Black audiences, right? We love horror but there’s a skepticism.”

The filmmaker added that he plans to thrive on how many times the audience says “Nope” while watching his forthcoming film.

Left to right: Daniel Kaluuya and Writer/Director/Producer Jordan Peele on the set of NOPE

“What’s a bad miracle?”

Oscar® winner Jordan Peele disrupted and redefined modern horror with Get Out and then Us. Now, he reimagines the summer movie with a new pop nightmare: the expansive horror epic, Nope.

The film reunites Peele with Oscar® winner Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out, Judas and the Black Messiah), who is joined by Keke Palmer (Hustlers, Alice) and Oscar® nominee Steven Yeun (Minari, Okja) as residents in a lonely gulch of inland California who bear witness to an uncanny and chilling discovery.

Nope, which co-stars Michael Wincott (Hitchcock, Westworld) and Brandon Perea (The OA, American Insurrection), is written and directed by Jordan Peele and is produced by Ian Cooper (Us, Candyman) and Jordan Peele for Monkeypaw Productions. The film will be released by Universal Pictures worldwide.