Florence Foster Jenkins (2016)

Directed by: Stephen Frears

Written by: Nicholas Martin

Starring: Meryl Streep, Hugh Grant, & Simon Helberg








Florence (Streep) is dedicated to music...has been all her life.  But after seeing a beautiful opera singer, she decides she wants to sing and do concerts.  Unfortunately, she is off rhythm and always flat.  Nevertheless, her doting husband St. Clair (Grant) will do anything to make her dream come true as well as protect her from humiliation.  But how far is too far?

Since this film is based on a true story, I love it even more.  Meryl Streep was hilarious and Helberg's faces contributed to this.

My favorite character though had to be St. Clair due to his love for his wife.  Even though their relationship was a little out of the ordinary, he still thought she was amazing.  After researching, he loved her even before she was rich so he wasn't a gold digger everyone!

The beginning and a little of the middle are a tad slow.  But after her first concert, the story begins to pick up and be interesting again.

Plus I loved one of Streep's lines: "People may say I couldn't sing, but no one can ever say I didn't sing."  In other words do what you love and disregard everyone's opinions of it.  It's none of your business what other people think of you.

4 popcorns.

Sausage Party (2016)

Directed by: Greg Tiernan & Conrad Vernon

Written by: Kyle Hunter, Ariel Shaffir, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, & Jonah Hill (story)

Starring: Seth Rogen & Kristen Wiig







When Frank (Rogen) discovers the truth that food is murdered once it goes to the Great Beyond (a.k.a. out of the supermarket), he sets out to alert everyone to save themselves and destroy the monsters (a.k.a. humans).

Well this film is definitely not for kids.

When I first saw the trailer, I thought that the main character, Frank, the sausage, would have been taken to a human's home and that's how he discovered the truth.  But nope, he stays in the supermarket.  So in that case the trailer is a little misleading, but the story is better with him being in the market rather than out of it.

Interestingly enough the writers made all the food equal to their ethnicities, such as soy sauce being Asian.  So of course as in the real world, there will be some racist jokes and hatred among the different food.  But I liked the message at the end where Frank says that they all need to become united against the monsters.  It kind of relates to modern society where we all need to stand together against any problem.  Race cannot get in the way.

Also I liked how there was a variety of relationships.  It wasn't just your standard sausage and bun, which, again, also represents our society today.  Our world is reflected in a rated-R animation.

Most of the funny parts were due to the outrageous scenes that the film had.  Like you couldn't believe this was a movie about animated food.  It was still funny, but you shouldn't watch it with your kids and probably not your parents either.

3 popcorns.

Suicide Squad (2016)

Directed by: David Ayer

Written by: David Ayer

Starring: Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Viola Davis, & Cara Delevinge







Despite the bad reviews for this film, I’m pretty neutral about it.  I didn’t think it was bad, but I didn’t think it was amazingly wonderful either.

Negatives:

• The Joker (Leto) is not in the film a whole lot as anticipated by the trailer 
• The villain seems odd, unexpected, and out of place.  The villain also does not have much of a background, which leads to the question of why the villain wants to take over the world.  I mean I understand the villain is “used” to power, but that doesn’t seem like much of reason.
• Clash of who the main star is.  Deadshot (Smith), Harley Quinn (Robbie), and other characters were competing for star power in the film.  It seemed as if the writer did not know who should be the main star.  Like some characters had more screen time than others, but not enough to be the main star.  It makes sense because it’s a “squad,” but it made the film awkward.
• The villain’s henchmen were terribly designed.  I understand that they are supposed to not be comparable to their human lives, but these dead blobs looked like they were just thrown together last minute.  Plus during one of the fight scenes, since the blobs all look alike; I thought that they were coming back to life after being killed.  If they had a distinguishing feature, maybe it wouldn’t have been confusing, or maybe that scene just needed better camera work.
• Dragged a little in the middle.

      Positives:

•       Even though Leto’s version of The Joker is very different than Heath Ledger’s version, it works mostly because of the chemistry between him and Harley Quinn.
•       There were a lot of backstories in play, which took up most of the film.  But I felt that they were needed for future films.  Plus I liked the backstories.
•       All the other stuff: CGI (minus the blobs), locations, character costumes, makeup, set design, and more.
•       Leto and Robbie, to me, made the film, mostly because of their love story.  I thought their acting was great and actually led me to believe they were crazy and crazy for each other.

     High 3, low 4. 4 popcorns.

Jason Bourne (2016)

Directed by: Paul Greengrass

Written by: Paul Greengrass, Christopher Rouse, & Robert Ludlum (characters)

Starring: Matt Damon, Tommy Lee Jones, & Alicia Vikander








So before I begin this review, please note that this is the only Bourne film I’ve ever seen.

After being contacted by Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) and told that his father was involved in putting him in this program, Jason Bourne (Damon) wants answers.  He starts following the clues she left him.  Meanwhile, the government thinks that Bourne is after them and wants to destroy the project all together.  They intend on stopping and killing him before he has a chance to do so.  As Bourne continues investigating, he finds that the government is planning on investing in a new technology that will enable them to watch everyone in the world from their phone, computer, etc…

I didn’t think this was relatively creative, mostly due to Now You See Me 2, which basically has the same concept.  Well at least for the technology watching thing. 

The action was good and I was interested to see what would happen to Alicia Vikander’s character, because I really like Alicia Vikander. 

It did seem a little slow in some places, but I really enjoyed the ending.  Low 4, high 3.  But because it has Alicia Vikander…4 popcorns.

Lights Out (2016)

Directed by: David F. Sandberg

Written by: Eric Heisserer & David F. Sandberg

Starring: Teresa Palmer, Gabriel Bateman, & Maria Bello

I remember when Teresa Palmer was in I am Number 4….memories…

Well Palmer has now appeared in a horror film.  A not that great horror film.

When Rebecca’s (Palmer) little brother Martin (Bateman) begins falling asleep in school, she becomes concerned with his home and her mother.  It turns out that their mother has a demon/spirit/ghost living with them who does not like the lights on.  She also has anger issues.  Rebecca becomes determined to make her brother and mother safe.

Terrible summary, but whatever.

So what I didn’t like about this film is Diana (Alicia Vela-Bailey).  It was never determined what she was.  Technically she could touch you and you could touch her, but then she’d disappear when you’d turn on the lights.  But if you turned them off, she’d be in the same place.  Also she died years ago from light…  Like what?  So then how the heck do you kill her?  (I would tell you, but it would ruin it.) It just didn’t make sense.

Also it wasn’t clear why she was there in the first place.  She was following around her best friend, Sophie (Bello), but that was it.  Was she trying to kill her friend?  Did she want to stay in the human world?  It was just said that she was evil.  Not good enough for me, sorry.

On the positive side, apparently there was no CGI.  Diana was played by a person and did all her own stunts. 

2 popcorns.

Nerve (2016)

Directed by: Henry Joost & Ariel Schulman

Written by: Jeanne Ryan (novel) & Jessica Sharzer 

Starring: Emma Roberts & Dave Franco








Nerve could have been amazing…but they casted Emma Roberts in it.

Don’t get me wrong, I like Emma Roberts.  But for some reason, she sucked in this film.  To me, she wasn’t believable when playing the good girl.  She’s better as a rebel/bad girl.

After being rejected, Venus (Emma Roberts) is dared to play Nerve, the new game that’s all the rave.  In the game you can choose to be a watcher or player.  Feeling that she doesn’t take enough risks, she chooses to be a player.  After earning some cash, she becomes hooked and continues to play along with Ian (Franco), another player.  But when the stakes become too high and she wants to bow out, it may be too late.

So besides Roberts being sucky at playing the good girl, I thought everything else was good.  Franco and Roberts had chemistry and worked well together.  The animation worked well too that gave the audience a look into what the players and watchers are seeing in terms of the game.  And the concept it interesting and symbolic.  They always do say that technology is taking over our lives.  3 popcorns.

Star Trek Beyond (2016)

Directed by: Justin Lin

Written by: Simon Pegg & Doug Jung

Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, John Cho, & Anton Yelchin








After receiving a mission to help out a citizen take back her planet, the crew is ambushed by an unknown group that plans to take over the universe, starting with Star Fleet and the Federation.  In order to protect himself, his crew, and everyone else, Captain Kirk (Pine) has to rediscover the reason why he joined Star Fleet in the first place.

So this film is better than the second one, but not the first.  Well they are all reasonably around the same score actually.

I like this one more though because the film tests unlikely relationships, such as Bones (Urban) and Spock (Quinto); the most and least emotional ones.  Because of this strategy, it creates humor in a horrific situation.

Plus the characters have character arcs that might not have happened had it been the same relationships that have occurred in the past films.

Other than that, the CGI is great.  Makeup and costumes on point.  There isn't much to complain about really.  It's similar to the other films, but just a different adventure this time with some more information about what's to come.  4 popcorns.

Ghostbusters (2016)

Directed by: Paul Feig

Written by: Katie Dippold & Paul Feig

Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, & Leslie Jones








When I first saw the trailer for this film I was not impressed.  It looked like a dud and not very funny. But trailers can be deceiving.

Erin Gilbert (Wiig) is a professor up for tenure.  But when she realizes a book that she made a while ago is up on Amazon, she becomes afraid that it might jeopardize her career.  She finds her used to be friend and co-author Abby Yates (McCarthy) to tell her to take it down and stop selling it.  But when they hear of a ghost nearby terrorizing a museum, they have to look into it.

Oddly enough, I thought this version of Ghostbusters is better than the original.  I was laughing throughout as each character added something to the film.  They all made the movie hilarious with their jokes and physical humor.

There are some people though that feel Kevin (Chris Hemsworth) was unnecessary and too dumb.  I liked Kevin.  He was a good contrast to the original secretary Janine Melnitz (Annie Potts), who was more negative, but also had the uncaring attitude that Kevin carries.  I thought he added more humor to the film since the women have to interact with the "dumb blonde" character that usually women play.  Instead, this film flips the stereotype and lets the women have the smarts and Kevin be the eye candy.

As for the other minor characters, such as the mayor, his secretary, etc...sometimes they were trying to compete with the main characters for laughs.  Sometimes it worked since usually Kristen Wiig had to play off it and it made her that much more humorous, but sometimes it seemed too much.

Other than that, the CGI was great and I loved how they brought the actors from the original into this film.  4 popcorns!

The Infiltrator (2016)

Directed by: Brad Furman

Written by: Ellen Sue Brown & Robert Mazur (book)

Starring: Bryan Cranston, John Leguizamo, & Diane Kruger








Robert Mazur (Cranston) is the top infiltrator in U.S. Customs.  After being given the option to retire, he decides he'll do one last bust, which is the bust of the Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar.

This film is pretty intense so don't bring your kids.  There were kids in the theater when I went.  Ridiculous...

Anyway, the acting was great and so was pretty much everything else.  Since this is based on a true story it makes it even greater.  But I did have a problem with the plot.  It was a little difficult to keep track of everyone that was involved with Pablo Escobar.  They were trying to bust his whole team and with the introduction of character after character, I couldn't understand how each person was connected to Escobar.

Other than difficulty of keeping track of who's who, there wasn't much I had trouble with.  I did find a continuity problem at the beginning when Emir Abreu (Leguizamo) is given a cup of tea and as he leaves, the tea disappears.  I couldn't find it on screen.  Maybe you can.

Overall all though, I thought it was an edge of your seat type movie and gives a terrific insight of what it takes to be undercover, such as the sacrifices one makes and the feelings that come with the job.  4 popcorns.

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (2016)

Directed by: Jake Szymanski

Written by: Andrew Jay Cohen & Brendan O'Brien

Starring: Zac Efron, Adam Devine, Anna Kendrick, & Aubrey Plaza







Mike (Devine) and Dave (Efron) are two brothers who always ruin every party.  When their parents tell them that they need dates for their little sister's wedding, both head to Craigslist to post an ad.  They get about six thousand responses with none of them being the nice, respectable girls that they need. When Tatiana (Plaza) and Alice (Kendrick) see on the Wendy Williams show that they would get a trip to Hawaii, Tatiana comes up with a plan to bump into the boys.  After being asked to go to Hawaii with them, the girls show their true colors and essentially ruin the wedding along with Mike and Dave.

I thought this movie was hilarious...for the most part.  True, a lot of the funny parts were seen in the trailer, but there are also some that aren't, which I think are worth seeing.  There are a few parts of the film that drag, but then another comedic scene comes along and entertains you.

Crazily, this is a true story.  But the wedding was in New York.

If you want to laugh for an hour or two, I suggest seeing this to get you out of the dumps.  3 popcorns.