Give Movies A Chance
Issue 3 / July 2020
New on streaming pg. 4 The Hobbit revisited pg. 14
Eurovision:
Striking summer comedy gold pg. 5
Travel from your couch:
Summer movies at home pg. 10
Give Movies A Chance
Letter from the Editor
Hello, and welcome to the third volume of Give Movies A Chance! I’m so delighted that you’ve decided to browse through this issue because as you will see, we have some exciting new reviews to share from our writers, which you can meet below! If you’re stuck at home this summer with cancelled travel plans, be sure to check out the “Counting down summer while stuck at home” article that feature some of my favorite travel movies.
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So, buckle in and let us take you on a trip around the world! As always, if you have any recommendations, please feel free to share and email me at givemoviesachance@ gmail.com
Meet the Writers Hello, my name is James Davidson and I began writing in high school, covering the local sports teams. A few years ago I was given the opportunity to combine my writing with my love of movies when I was asked to begin writing movie reviews for a local newspaper. I have since started my own website, filmfodderblog.com where I post all of my reviews. I currently live in beautiful Athens, GA; with my wife Brittany and two dogs, Indigo and Rya. I enjoy reading and collecting comic books and classic science fiction and fantasy novels. I also like playing many sports and have played club rugby and hurling for teams in Augusta and Athens, GA. Hello Movie Buffs! My name is Cynthia Hall. I’m married to my best friend Tom, 24 years and counting, and we’re the parents of two mostly grown children ages 22 and
17. I consider myself a NY Ex-Pat residing in Florida, although we’ve lived here for 17 years! Honestly, I love Florida for more reasons than I can count. So much so that I’ll be launching the blog “Florida Eats & Greets” very soon, where I hope to bring the True Florida to your doorstep through Food & Culture. FE&G is the second blog I run, along with 385life.com. What is 385? Well, do yourself a favor, click on “About 385” on the site to find out! Although I should warn you, 385 is getting a complete overhaul before the summer’s over. Hello! My name is Oisín Ó Ruacháinn, I’m an historian, journalist, and a horror-movie fanatic—from classic B-movies to the best that new cinema has to offer, I definitely prefer my movies with a little bit of dread. I began writing as an academic until 2016, when I started writing for a community newspaper; there, I had the opportunity to also write film reviews, and I’ve been hooked ever since.
Issue 3 / July 2020
COMING SOON
AUGUST An American Pickle (HBO Max, Aug. 6) I Used to Go Here (Aug. 7) Antebellum (Aug. 21) SEPTEMBER Bill & Ted Face the Music (Sept. 1 On Demand) Tenet (Sept. 3 - Select theaters) The Beatles: Get Back (Sept. 4) The King’s Man (Sept. 18) OCTOBER Wonder Woman 1984 (Oct. 2) Death on the Nile (Oct. 9) Candyman (Oct. 16) Snake Eyes (Oct. 23) NOVEMBER Black Widow (Nov. 6) Stillwater (Nov. 6) Soul (Nov. 20) Happiest Season (Nov. 25) No Time to Die (Nov. 25) DECEMBER
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Free Guy (Dec. 11) Dune (Dec. 18) West Side Story (Dec. 18) Coming 2 America (Dec. 18) Respect (Dec. 25) 2021 The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run (On Demand/CBS All Access TBD) BIOS (April 16) Monster Hunter (April 23) A Quiet Place Part II (April 23) Last Night in Soho (April 23) Godzilla vs. Kong (May 21) Spiral (May 21) The Conjuring 3: The Devil Made Me Do It (June 4) The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard (Aug. 20) Halloween Kills (Oct. 15) APRIL 2022 The Matrix 4 (pushed back from May 2021)
New releases...
Pg. 4 Rants & Raves...
Pg. 12
Celebrity Hall of Fame...
Pg. 8 Flashback reviews...
Pg. 13
Pg. 10 From book to film...
Pg. 14
Summer movie takeover...
Give Movies A Chance
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Artemis Fowl
New
By Brittany Mulligan Ferdia Shaw, Lara McDonnell, Nonso Anozie, Dame Judi Dench, Colin Farrell Directed by Kenneth Branagh Rating: C+ Post-credits scene: No
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isney’s latest take on bringing books to film following the disaster of “A Wrinkle in Time” is actually one that I think is successful, and would benefit by producing a sequel. “Artemis Fowl” is an adventurous tale of a young boy, Artemis (Shaw), following in his father’s criminal footsteps while learning that a bit of magic does, in fact, exist in the world. Truth be told, it has been a good decade since I’ve read any of the “Artemis Fowl” books (there are eight total by Irish author Eoin Colfer), so if you read the book series summaries, you will most likely be devastated by the changes Branagh has brought on screen. If you leave the book behind, you will find a charming tale of unlikely friendships, a surprising world of magic, and an interesting story to follow. I think because this take on “Artemis Fowl” takes audiences into a journey of magic, the movie loses its focus by trying to explain itself. This adaptation of the series actually seems to combine elements of the first two books, but ended up still being a bit... boring. During the movie, I couldn’t help but catch myself thinking that if only we could move from all the explanations, we could have a fun movie on our hands. A majority of the action takes place at Fowl Manor as Artemis holds Fairy Holly Short (McDonnell) of the Lower Elements Police Reconnaissance force (LEPRecon) hostage.
Artemis is assisted by his bodyguard Butler (Anozie) and Butler’s niece, Juliet. Holding a fairy hostage is no easy task, and capturing one wasn’t, either. Yet Artemis is desperate to save his father who is a captive himself by an unknown dark force in the fairy underworld. I was surprised to see some well-known faces appear, such as Josh Gad as “Mulch Diggums” and Dame Judi Dench as “Commander Root”. While Gad portrayed a goofy, but sincere character that narrates the story for us, Dame Dench on the other hand is a gravelly elf commander that sounds like she’s smoked one too many cigarettes. I think it would have been a little more refreshing to have an unfamiliar actor in the role. At the end of the day, I think Disney’s intended audience (children rather than book lovers) are going to enjoy “Artemis Fowl”, and won’t care whether it’s true to the story or not. Sadly, I don’t expect we’ll see a sequel to this, which would be more successful because the movie won’t have to be explained and we can just jump into the action.
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Issue 3 / July 2020
releases
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga what gave ABBA their start, and at least 50 countries have been able to participate each year. So when this movie came out at the end of June, it made for the perfect epresenting Iceland summer movie to unite in the Eurovision audiences as we are all, for Song Contest has the most part, stuck at home been a life-long dream with limited travel options. of Lars (Ferrell), a small“Eurovision Song Contest: town parking attendant. The Story of Fire Saga” is an By a stroke of luck, Lars unexpected, heartwarming and his song partner Sigrit story that takes audiences (McAdams) are invited to Edinburgh to represent their to an exciting international country, and the pressure is competition mixed with fun, upbeat tunes. Lars on to win. and Sigrit are Fire Saga, an For those unfamiliar with Icelandic band with a vision the Eurovision contest, it is an international song contest of international stardom. For Lars, winning means produced by the European everything to him but it’s Broadcasting Union. It’s Written by Brittany Mulligan Will Ferrell, Rachel McAdams, Pierce Brosnan, Dan Stevens Directed by David Dobkin Rating: A-
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obvious Sigrit has love on the brain as she sticks with her bandmember through thick and thin. As Lars and Sigrit learn to navigate the ways of the Eurovision competition, they must not buckle under the pressure of changing who they are. Throw in the ever so popular Russian contestant Alexander Lemtov (Stevens) who enjoys hosting lavish parties and has eyes for Sigrit, and you’ve got a good balance of comedy and suspense. I was weary to watch this movie because Will Ferrell’s films have been hit or miss, and I had read online that See SAGA, page 6
Give Movies A Chance
Saga From page 5
the general consensus on this movie was “meh”. Not horrible, but something kind of entertaining to watch this summer. Maybe I just needed a night of comedy and was open to literally anything funny, but watching “Eurovision” gave me a couple of laughs over some stupid stuff. I actually really liked it! My whole
(adult) family sat down to watch with me, and even my mom, who is hard to please with comedy, said it was really enjoyable (she did, however, grow up watching Eurovision and it brought back memories). The cameos were also fun to watch as some performers were previous contestants in the real-life Eurovision Song Contest. I think the right audience for this movie are those who have enjoyed watching
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“Pitch Perfect” and other music competitions. I particularly enjoyed escaping my American home to travel overseas to Iceland (where I was supposed to be on my honeymoon as of early July) to Scotland (where I had traveled the past two years on vacation). While I definitely recommend this, I must warn you that despite the “PG-13” rating, there are some crude scenes that you may not want your little ones to see.
New to DVD/rent: Trolls World Tour Written by Brittany Mulligan Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Rachel Bloom Directed by Walt Dohrn, David P. Smith Rating: B Post-credits scene: Yes
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fter the successful smash hit “Trolls” in 2018, the sequel “Trolls World Tour” lives up to its hype. A fun-for-all family movie with an even better soundtrack (thanks to the plot opening up worlds of different music genres), audiences discover there’s more than just one kind of troll. After bringing a “happily ever after” ending to the Bergens from the first “Trolls” movie, the sequel finds everything is not quite as harmonious in the troll kingdom as it should be. Queen Barb (Bloom) is seeking the musical strings from each troll country to unite the trolls under one rock nation. Poppy (Kendrick) and Branch (Timberlake) go out to find the other musical trolls before Queen Barb can take their string. “Trolls World Tour” is a welcome new release that takes on a new adventure and teaches a lesson we can all learn from.
Long ago, the trolls separated into their own music countries because they believed their style was better than everyone elses, but all Poppy wants to do is bring everyone together. Queen Barb, on the other hand, is disgusted by anything that isn’t rock music and wants everyone to turn into rock zombies. Poppy also has some great character development in this movie because in the first “Trolls”, we see her as such a positive troll all the time but here, she has trouble listening to her subjects. Poppy has to learn just like everyone else that it’s okay to be different, and listening to others is a good way to accomplish challenging tasks.
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My Spy Written by James Davidson for film fodder blog
“
My Spy” is a new film that was originally scheduled to be released in theaters, but amid the Covid-19 pandemic has been released on Amazon Video earlier this month. The movie is free to stream for Amazon Prime members. The movie follows CIA agents JJ (played by Dave Bautista) and Bobbi (Kristen Schaal) as they are assigned to surveil Kate (Parisa Fitz-Henley) and her nine-year-old daughter Sophie (Chloe Coleman). Sophie quickly uncovers JJ and Bobbi’s true motives and uses the information to blackmail JJ into being her friend while trying to set him up with her mother. I saw the previews for this movie back when I was still able to go to theaters and was actually looking forward to reviewing it. It looked like a silly, cute, family comedy that would be good for some laughs and fun to watch. Unfortunately, I was slightly disappointed at the execution of this movie. “My Spy” starts out straightforward and has a pretty simple plot. It might be too simple however. The plot was very predictable and I was able to figure out easily what was coming next. The comedy unfortunately also followed the example of the plot. Most of the jokes were very predictable. There were few funny moments, such as the interaction with JJ and Sophie. The problem is, most of those interactions were in the previews that I had seen many times, and they lost a lot of their charm. While I thought that the interaction between JJ and Sophie was cute and at times humorous, the connections between
all of the other characters seemed forced. A lot of the resulting attempts at humor fell flat. There were a few redeeming scenes, such as JJ attempting to dance while taking Kate on a date, but those moments were sadly few and far between. The entire attempt by Sophie to set her mother up with JJ came off as forced and I didn’t sense any kind of connection between the two characters, which hurt the movie as that is one of the main plot points. Another issue I had with the movie was that most of the humor that was attempted came off as just incompetence by JJ and Bobbie. The two are supposed to be experienced CIA agents but it’s hard to believe that they are real spies when they are discovered by a nine-year-old girl within the first day of their surveillance. I think the filmmakers were attempting to make the situation humorous, instead it just came off as ineptitude by JJ and Bobbi for the most part. The movie is rated PG-13 for action violence and language, but I found this to be a fun, light family movie that is appropriate for the entire family. Although, I think there are a few better options if you are looking for a good movie night. I probably wouldn’t watch this movie more than once. It earns 2.5 out of 5 stars
Give Movies A Chance
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Celebrity Ha
Colly Travis-Fredrick, Graham McTavish, Betsy Green, Kathy Cooney
Sam Trammell, Kim Beatty Tuero, Nelsan Ellis (left)
Ronal
Issue 3 / July 2020
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all of Fame Marissa Kosiec and Owen Wilson (right) Isabelle Mulligan, Matthew Lewis, Brittany Mulligan, Austin Rushnell (left)
ld D. Moore and Tricia Leedom
Tony Parker and Bosco
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Counting down summer Written by Brittany Mulligan
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his summer, I was supposed to be getting married in Ireland on honeymoon in Iceland. Like many other couples, that didn’t happen. Although we decided it was in everyone’s best interest to postpone the wedding to the summer of 2021, I’m stuck at home with wanderlust. I usually spend each summer traveling – either to Ireland, Scotland, or France. This year, I’ll be enjoying a trip around the world with some of my favorite movies. So, you’re stuck at home like me, here are my suggestions for movies to watch that will get you traveling from your couch!
pageant contestant with aspirations to be a beauty queen. Most notable for its cast and humor sprinkled throughout the film, each family member has their own quirks that gives you something to root for. By the end, this heart-warming will take you on an unforgettable journey.
3. Moulin Rouge
1. Mamma Mia
Take a dazzling trip to the Greek islands accompanied by a fun playlist of ABBA tunes. This fun musical romantic comedy has a star-studded cast that makes it all the more enjoyable to watch. On the eve of Sophie’s wedding, the bride-to-be reveals to her bridesmaids that she secretly invited three of her mother’s former lovers in hopes that she can discover which one is the father so he can walk her down the aisle. Chaos ensues as all three men believe they are the father while Sophie’s mother tries to get them to leave.
2. Little Miss Sunshine
This box office success highlights a family willing to travel 800 miles from New Mexico to California for the young Olive, a beauty
Let an ambitious young writer whisk you away to the underground of Paris as he tells you his story of falling in love with a prostitute promised to someone else. From cancan dancers to the production of a play within a play, this wild and raunchy story is spectacular. Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman’s voices make up half of the amazing soundtrack that goes along with this film.
4. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
A group of British pensioners move to a retirement home in India only to find it’s not what they expected. The hotel owner, a young Indian man, has dreams to turn it into an exotic place to stay while fighting
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is surprisingly deep and heartwarming. Britney Spears, Zoe Saldana, and Taryn Manning were best friends as kids but grew in separate directions. After digging up a “wish box” they buried as children on the night they graduate high school, they decide to drive the next morning from Georgia to California. Along the way they catch up on their lost years and rediscover their friendship. family disapproval to marry the woman he loves. Again, another star-studded cast with characters who grow as they learn to live in a whole new world.
7. Eat Pray Love
5. Leap Year
A woman desperate to marry the man she loves flies to Ireland where on a leap year, it is common for women to do the proposing. Her journey to cross the country, aided by a local Irishman, finds what love is really all about. A bit cheesy, but you do get to see the beautiful landscapes of Ireland!
6. Crossroads
Written by Shonda Rhimes (who also wrote Grey’s Anatomy and How to Get Away with Murder), this cross-country tale of three teens
An inspiring story of a woman who gives up a comfortable life to discover her true nature while traveling to Italy, India, and Indonesia. Who doesn’t love Julie Roberts, who is cast in the lead as Elizabeth Gilbert. Also based on the book (which was better), it is still a motivating journey across the globe.
8. Crazy Rich Asians
A romantic comedy that oozes with the rich of the rich, this story follows a ChineseAmerican professor to Singapore as she meets her boyfriend’s family. She is surprised to find they are extraordinarily rich and fights to fit in for his family’s approval.
Give Movies A Chance
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Rants & Raves
Everyone’s a critic - send us your rants and raves but keep it short, please! Submit 150 words or less to givemoviesachance@gmail.com to see your rant/rave/ rebuttal featured here! Palm Springs One of the most entertaining, unique, and charming films of the year. It’s simple, it’s short, it’s sweet. Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti have such amazing chemistry; I could watch them on screen together all day. The Old Guard The exact sort of thing I would have loved to see as a 1:30 p.m. matinee with my parents back in the suburbs and we’re all like, “Great! Why Not!” afterwards. On a laptop, weaknesses are certainly more apparent – the script is full of a lot of nonsense dialogue. Knives Out Flat out phenomenal on every level. Johnson masterfully crafts a riveting, hilarious, and stunningly original entry in the mystery genre. Every character is imbued with so much life and charisma. Daniel Craig’s accent rules, Katherine Langford vapes, Toni Collette is basically a human Buzzfeed article, and Ana de Armas proves once again that she is an absolute national treasure. First Cow A slow-burn film about the purest connection between a skilled cook, a Chinese immigrant, and the first cow on rural America. The slow build-up of male friendship and tension made it all worth it ‘til the end. Greyhound Feels a lot like reading a book about the event, which I guess can be good. Lots of “left full right rudder starboard full stop xo” talk, as you would. The few battle scenes
towards the end are, I’d say, pretty decent. Portrait of a Lady on Fire You ever find yourself staring at a bonfire? Just zoning out and watching the flame change every second, feeling the heat, the energy, the anger, the tension, you get what I’m saying. It’s a beautifully hypnotic thing, and that’s exactly what Portrait of a Lady on Fire is. The only difference being that this brought me to tears in ways a bonfire never could. Relic Mirrors a ton of imagery from stronger examples in the genre, going around and around in circles until the grotesque final act snaps everything into focus. Far from original but still recommendable enough for a stormy night. The Beach House This isn’t quite the explosive calling card for a new voice in horror that I’ve heard some others claim, but it still has value. Sure, the movie takes a bit to really get going and these characters aren’t quite as fascinating as the director thinks there are to carry pretty mundane conversations that make up the first half, but let’s give it up for that third act. When things get serious in this movie, there aren’t many limitations. The last 20 minutes are pretty perfect. Desperados Desperados is filled with cringe-inducing raunchy jokes, annoying and unlikable characters, and a story that goes down a far too predictable route.
Issue 3 / July 2020
Mr. Wonderful
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Written by Cynthia Hall
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n the spirit of full disclosure, I must begrudgingly admit that when contemplating the film “Mr. Wonderful” as a candidate for an Oldie but Goodie movie review, I initially discarded its qualifications because this movie is Simply Not That Old! Apparently, time flies. This guy-centric romcom was released in 1993, and I’m still a little shocked. At its core, Mr. Wonderful is an uncomplicated film -- perhaps a bit predictable -- but its sweet, honest simplicity about ordinary people dealing with life, love, and the pursuit of both is relatable and believable. While the film failed to fare box-office success, it does feature an ensemble cast of A-List actors, each with their own list of accolades. Led by a young, handsome Matt Dillon in the lead role of Gus DiMarco, the movie also showcases Annabella Sciorra (Jungle Fever, The Sopranos) -- playing his opposite, Leonora DiMarco -accompanied by Mary-Louise Parker, William Hurt, Dan Hedaya, Luiz Guzman, Vincent D’Onofrio, and a precious few moments from the legendary James Gandolfini (yes, also The Sopranos). The story opens in New York City, at night. A city of lights. Apropos because the main character, Gus, is an electrician working for ConEd. Our blue-collar worker is very happy with his current girlfriend, Rita (Parker), and equally unhappy with everything concerning his ex-wife Lee (short for Leonora), particularly her insistent existence in his life due to alimony. Immediately you come to grips with the fact that Gus and Lee are polar opposites: he’s a working-class neat freak; she hasn’t cleaned her apartment in months. Gus is straight from the hip and pretty much what-you-see-is-what-youget. He’s a fixer, a doer. He executes and gets things done. Lee is a tad bohemian, a dreamer, a thinker. She’s full of questions and loves the process of finding answers. Therein lies their problem, already dealt with...sort of...since
they’re divorced. Ironically, both Gus and Lee are looking for more out of life than what’s expected of them, but they’re both on very different courses on how to achieve that. Gus and Lee push and shove, poke and provoke each other constantly, each throwing gauntlets at the other, hoping and waiting for someone to come clean, to say the thing that is unsaid. The film also introduces us to Gus’ close-knit group of coworkers/friends, all of them ready to pitch in on a business venture that can elevate them all out of conformity. However, because of the alimony, Gus cannot invest and he’s none too happy about it. Therefore, he devises a scheme. If Gus can marry Lee off...up, up, and away to someone else -- eradicating her and the alimony from his life -- he can begin again with a new job, new girlfriend, new life. What could be wrong with this plan?! It’s a hair-brained scheme, to say the least, but it might just work. And soon, that smidgeon of possibility has everyone in on it, including his friends and Lee herself, if just...to get rid...of Gus. Before long, we’re all on this trip of finding Lee a new husband and having more fun than her in the process. Secondary to all this, but equally impactful, is New York itself. There may be a crumb of bias here, because of my New York roots, but...well, the New Yorker in me has something to say here but I will keep it to myself in
See WONDERFUL, page 18
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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Jou Written by Brittany Mulligan Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Luke Evans, Orlando Bloom, Andy Serkis, Benedict Cumberbatch, Richard Armitage, Ken Stott, Graham McTavish, Peter Hambleton, William Kircher, James Nesbitt, Stephen Hunter, Dean O’Gorman, Aidan Turner, John Callen, Jed Brophy, Mark Hadlow, Adam Brown Directed by Peter Jackson Rating: A
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ess than 10 years following the end of Frodo Baggins’ epic quest to destroy the One Ring, director Peter Jackson takes audiences back into the beloved story of Frodo’s uncle, Bilbo Baggins, and how he came to possess this magical ring. “An Unexpected Journey” is the first part of three films that introduces us to a younger Bilbo and his journey to the Lonely Mountain, accompanied by the wizard Gandalf and 13 dwarves. This first part remains pretty faithful to its book counterpart, while expanding on tiny details to make for a bigger and more harrowing adventure. The movie opens up to some familiar faces, with Frodo (Elijah Wood) discovering a treasure chest in his uncle’s home and a much older Bilbo (Ian Holm). We also learn about Smaug (Cumberbatch) and the ruins of Dale. Then, as Bilbo reminisces,
we are taken back in time to a young Bilbo (Freeman) enjoying a sunny morning on a bench in front of his home, smoking a pipe. Here is the turning point in Bilbo’s relatively quiet life as Gandalf (McKellen) comes by, looking for someone to partake in an adventure. After declining the offer to join Gandalf, Bilbo goes back inside his home and later that evening has an unexpected surprise… 13 dwarves invite themselves inside for supper! Bilbo is told of the dwarves mission to reclaim their home of Erebor, where a sleeping dragon once claimed the mountain as its own, forcing a mass exile of Thorin’s people. Most importantly, the Arkenstone was lost, and Thorin longs to retrieve it. Bilbo learns to grow some thick skin as he takes off on his adventure with the dwarves, who see no use for him yet. In this first part, our small hero begins to build confidence in his skills as he saves his companions from trolls, and later saves his own skin from the hungry Gollum. With this “Unexpected Journey” comes a new cast and a few of the older cast we’ve grown to love from the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. It takes some time to remember who each dwarf is but they all have their unique personality that by the end of the movie you get the hang of it. Some dwarves are
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urney & The Desolation of Smaug rising stars such as “Outlander’s” Graham McTavish, “Poldark’s” Aiden Turner, and other notable names like Richard Armitage and James Nesbitt. Least of all we can’t forget our star Martin Freeman who plays our hobbit Bilbo. Freeman was hot off the set of BBC’s “Sherlock” series when he took this role and has since fulfilled many new roles, including landing in Marvel’s “Black Panther”. For the most part, “An Unexpected Journey” is unexpectedly fun. If you can be open to new things like an expansion on the characters of Radagast and the Necromancer, and new characters like the Pale Orc, following Bilbo on his journey will be an enjoyable one. It’s exciting to be back in the somewhat familiar territory of Middle Earth and the beautiful scenery New Zealand has to offer. n the continuation of the dwarves quest to reclaim Erebor, their homeland, “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” focuses more on plot development in this second part. The first “Hobbit” set up the quest and gave us a character to cheer for. Now well along their way, they face many adventures with the great help of Bilbo. “The Desolation of Smaug” is broken up in a few parts to make it whole. First there are
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the characters that have been flushed out, included a brand new one that was not seen in Tolkien’s fictional universe. The one thing to know before going to see this movie is to forget about the book. Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly) is a welcome addition to the woodland elves. She is a fighter and can bring down many orcs with her bow and arrow. Legolas (Bloom), who was brought back, makes a good fighting duo with her. The Bard (Evans) has more screen time than in the book, with children to look after and a role in helping the dwarves and Bilbo get into Laketown. In this second continuation, Gandalf faces a more serious threat when he leaves the dwarves company. The stress of Sauron’s return grows stronger and even Bilbo is facing a bit of a personality change when it comes to the ring he stole from Gollum. The other big threat is Smaug (Cumberbatch), the dragon who inhabited the Lonely Mountain. The dwarves wish to reclaim their home but with a sleeping dragon in their halls, the Bard worries they will set a terror on his town across the mountain. The trouble with breaking a book into three movies is keeping audiences interested enough to wait each year for the next part. See HOBBIT, page 16
Give Movies A Chance
Hobbit
Going into the movie, it felt like From page 15 watching just a brief part. It didn’t feel complete, unlike the middle of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy which pulled off it’s second movie successfully. “Desolation of Smaug” ends on a cliffhanger (no surprise) and not all is a happy ending, but it’s hard to leave satisfied. The movie was done well with the characters flushed out and a bigger plot in the works. The cinematography made
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viewers feel like they were in the movie, with shots of underwater scene during the dwarves barrel escape. The movie could have been stronger but perhaps as the “middle” of this three-parter it was bound to feel incomplete. As someone who read the book the ending of this movie wasn’t a surprise, which may be why I feel dissatisfied with the ending. By next year the last part “There and Back Again” should bring closure on the films and with a proper ending should be a bigger success.
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
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fter finishing the last movie in “The Hobbit” trilogy, I understand why making a small book into three movies sounds like a good idea but I’m not sure it was a necessary one. The end of the book has some big events happening that really didn’t take long to occur. So, come movie time, the only thing left to do to justify two-plus hours is to embellish the story. “The Battle of the Five Armies” picks up with Smaug on his way to destroy Lake-town. Smaug lays waste to the town in revenge as its obvious to him the Men have supplied the dwarves who disturbed his home. As Smaug sets fire to every structure, men, women, and children flee with their possessions on boats but one man stays behind: Bard. Bard bravely faces Smaug and takes him down with his bow (although the movie slightly changes this scene from the book) and with the dragon slain, all eyes are on the mountain, which is piled with gold. Thorin and company are in for a fight as the Men of Lake-town seek to reclaim the gold stolen from them by Smaug. The Wood Elves also want to take back the jewels that were theirs, but Thorin now suffers from gold sickness. He calls on his cousins in the Iron Mountains to help protect their halls, but
little do they know an evil force of orcs are marching their way. As this concluding part to “The Hobbit” trilogies takes place, Bilbo’s story wraps up and gives the audience an epic journey to remember. While this last part stretches the imagination of what really happened in the book, it’s at least forgivable and enjoyable.
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About Time
Written by Brittany Mulligan Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy Directed by Richard Curtis Rating: A
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on’t go into this movie expecting another British romance film just because it’s the same person who created Love Actually and Notting Hill. Why? It’s more than romance, it’s a celebration of life. Live it. Appreciate it. Even if it isn’t easy. Tim (Gleeson) learns an incredible family secret shortly after his 21st birthday: the men in his family can travel in time. Here’s the catch though, they can only travel in their own timeline and can only go back, never forward. Tim’s dad (Nighy) asks what kind of purpose his son will put his new talent to. The answer is love. Tim is an awkward young adult and with the opportunity to fix those uncomfortable moments when meeting a pretty girl, he couldn’t have asked for a better gift. About Time delves into the father-and-son relationship. As Tim adjusts to his new way of life, his dad is the one to give sensible advice from past experience on using their gift. There are a few similar qualities the movie shares with Love Actually and Notting Hill such as quirky characters (Tim’s sister and uncle), the view of close relationships between friends and family, and the awkward character that falls in love (think of the characters John from “Love Actually” and William from “Notting Hill”). This may be Curtis’ last movie and as an ending film to his career, what better way
to make a statement about living life to its fullest potential? The movie follows Tim as he learns how to use his gift and the choices he makes while using it. He has the advantage of improving his life whether changing first impressions or preventing disasters from occurring. He also sees that there are some moments in life that aren’t worth going back for fixing. Relationships can be a balancing act. Accidentally say the wrong thing or do something stupid and it should be easy enough to edit the past without damaging the future. If there’s one thing in life people don’t seem to have more of it’s time. It’s unpredictable and advice Tim’s father gives is to enjoy it. Every single moment. Tim finds beauty in life whether it’s a bad day or good, and his gift lets him see that.
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Wonderful From page 13
proper print. Albeit, New York IS a character in this film. The city, the noise, the traffic, the spectacle that is New York, without the drama. Case in point: a very nondescript scene where people are grabbing breakfast at dawn, but dawn gifts you the Brooklyn Bridge as a backdrop, and an Airstream Roach Coach -- familiar as the back palm of your hand then, yet the forerunner of the Food Truck we all know today (insert micdrop here). Are there a few clichés? Yes, most definitely; nothing that’s going to ruin the film by divulging the following: a dreamer dating a married professor, Italians and their hand gestures, the New York in-yourface attitude, the girlfriend holding on to her man. This is nothing new to you. The clichés are all there...except, they’re not. Why? Because life is full of clichés yet when a film delivers them honestly, you’re sympathetic, and when you’re sympathetic, you’re hooked. Another great aspect of this movie is that you’re rooting for everyone. There is no antagonist! Die-hard movie critics will battle me on this one, but it’s true. You want everyone to win and that’s a huge achievement for a “simple” movie. Furthermore, I fell deeper in love with Vincent D’Onofrio in this film, as if his role as “Thor” in Adventures in Babysitting wasn’t enough, but I won’t reveal why. Nevertheless, as Gus gets closer to getting everything he wished for, and his ex-wife out of his life for good, he begins to wonder... about a lot of things. Mr. Wonderful is hilarious, honest, heartwarming, and humble. It doesn’t try to be more than that. Does Gus find Mr. Right for Lee? Is Mr. Right, Mr. Wonderful? Is Mr. Wonderful right for anybody? Does the professor profess anything of value? Does Gus get the money he needs to invest with his friends? Do all their dreams come true? What can I say? Why don’t you do yourself a favor and spend a fun-filled hour and a half to find out.
Written by James Davidson for FilmFodderblog.com
“
The Vast of Night” is a Science-Fiction, Thriller that was released in May of this year on the Amazon Video streaming service. It is free to stream for anyone with an Amazon Prime subscription. Based in the Americana of the 1950’s in a small town in New Mexico, the film follows a young switchboard operator, Fay Crocker (played by Sierra McCormick) and her radio disc jockey friend Everett “The Maverick” Sloan (Jake Horowitz) as they investigate a mysterious sound coming through their audio frequencies. The sound, coupled with several reports of something strange appearing in the sky over their town, lead the two young adventurers on a thrilling trek that could change their small town forever. I am a huge fan of classic science fiction movies and literature, and this movie definitely has that classic Science-Fiction vibe. It’s set in a small town in the 50’s and alludes to alien abductions and mind control. It seemed right up my alley and I was pretty excited to watch it and possibly discover a new classic with a modern twist. The film starts out playing heavily into
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Issue 3 / July 2020
the classic Sci-Fi feel by playing most of the cutscenes in black and white on an old 50’s style television set. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that at first, but it grew on me and really drew me into the 50’s era atmosphere that the movie creates. The cinematography is fantastic and there are several long, impressive tracking shots that were really fun and interesting to watch. There aren’t many cut scenes and even someone who isn’t familiar with camera work and cinematography can appreciate some of the camera shots and lighting that really add an air of eeriness and unease to some of the scenes. I was very impressed with the writing style of this story. As is the case with most classic style Sci-Fi, it alludes to the presence of extraterrestrial beings and occurrences and lets the viewer draw their own conclusions instead of spelling everything out for you, which I really enjoyed. It can be a bit frustrating at times, because it seems like the movie doesn’t give any clear, straightforward answers, but I enjoyed the mystery and wonder that it adds to the story. A lot of the time, the movie leaves you wondering if some of the characters are indeed crazy, or if there is really something unearthly happening to this small town. I like being
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challenged to draw my own conclusions and create some of my own narrative to the story. It adds a bit of ambiguity to the story and kept me guessing to the very end what was really going on in this small town. The one drawback to this film, is that there is not a lot of action at all. There are a lot of scenes that are exclusively exposition and it can get a bit tedious at times. While it can get dull in a few places, the exposition is still very engaging and crucial to the story and I didn’t find myself getting bored at all, but some people might find it a bit boring in places. The film is paced very quickly, however, and even though there is a lot of exposition it does drive the story forward and doesn’t seem to drag out at all. The movie is only an hour and a half long and seems to be the perfect length for this style of film. This movie is rated PG-13 for brief strong language, but other than that there is nothing offensive. If you don’t mind a little language, this movie is great for all but the youngest Science-Fiction fans. “The Vast of Night” is a great tribute to classic Sci-Fi works such as “War of the Worlds”, and “The Day the Earth Stood Still”. I would recommend this film to anyone who likes Science-Fiction, or to those that want to learn more about the genre. It has an engaging, mysterious story that allows one to draw their own conclusions, and although it has a lot of exposition and not a ton of action, is well paced and will have you wondering what will happen next. I will definitely be watching this movie again, and if you like this movie, it will open you up to an entire new world of fantastic ScienceFiction. It earns 4 out of 5 stars.