Tag: Adventure

Summarizing May 2021

In this bit of audio, I run through the movies I watched in May 2021. Listen to find out what I think of ditzy women leads, how I knew that a movie wouldn’t have a bummer of an ending, and to get recommendations for several (!!!!) grownup comedies.

Things mentioned in this post:

The bummer of recording audio is that when I discover I’ve missed an entire move after I’m done recording and editing, I don’t go back and fix that.

In that vein, know that I also watched Mystery Date in May. It would have landed in the Skip category.

Created by women: Together Together (written and directed); Monster (2018) (co-written); The Forty-Year-Old Version (written & directed); Once Upon a Mattress (directed).

Catch up with News of the World

Tom Hanks and Helena Zengel in News of the World

News of the World

?Directed by Paul Greengrass?
?Written by Paul Greengrass and Luke Davies?

The review:

Tom Hanks does his Tom Hanks thing* as he plays a Civil War veteran eking out an existence as someone who travels from town to town to read the news. Helena Zengle meets his acting standard as the white girl raised by Indians who is supposed to be returned to her family.** This movie rolls along hitting all the tense and respite places and is a good way to spend a few hours.

The verdict: Good

Cost: $1.30 via Redbox (with discount)
Where watched: at mom’s house

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*It’s a good thing he has going.
**Most of her performance is nonverbal, which is impressive.

Questions:

  • At what point did you correctly guess the ending?
  • What was the best course of action for Johanna?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

This is the fifth time Tom Hanks has played a character with the rank of captain. News of the World (Capt. Jefferson Kyle Kidd), Greyhound (Capt. George Krause), Sully (Capt. Chelsey “Sully” Sullenberger), Captain Phillips (Capt. Richard Phillips), Saving Private Ryan (Capt. John Miller).

Other reviews of News of the World:

Orange background with a white frame. See all those words printed in a line one after the other? Put 'em all together and you have a story. See all those words printed in a line one after the other? Put 'em all together and you have a story. —News of the World. Read the three sentence movie review: 3SMReviews.com

Soul: Meditations on the Zone

Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey in the Pixar film Soul.

Soul

Directed by Pete Docter and Kemp Powers
Written by Pete Docter, Mike Jones, Kemp Powers

The review:

Not so much a movie that people in middle age should watch if they feel like they are trudging through their life never having found their thing,* but otherwise this movie is an interesting look at personality, passion and the zone. It’s got usual excellent details expected from a Pixar movie.** I also appreciated that the story centered on a middle-aged Black man and his New York City life.***

The verdict: Good

Cost: Disney+/Hulu bundle ($12.99) (We have this because Matt wanted to watch the Mandalorian)
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*For them, I worry it will cause a level of anguished tears equal to mine at the conclusion of L’Illusionniste.
**I loved the look of the counselors in the Great Before, plus the fact they were all named Jerry.
***The middle school band scenes felt very familiar.

Questions:

  • What personality badges would you have been assigned in the Great Before?
  • Who was your favorite voice?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Animators used footage of several music performers, including jazz composer Jon Batiste, performing as reference for the film’s musical sequences. By capturing MIDI data from the sessions, animators were able to retrace the exact key being played on the piano with each note and create the performances authentically.

(I appreciate this as it bugs me when I can tell the actor isn’t playing the instrument.)

Other reviews of Soul:

Mad Max Fury Road Crackles. Plus, That Guitar Guy!

Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy in Mad Max Fury Road

Mad Max Fury Road

Directed by George Miller
Written by George Miller, Brendan McCarthy, Nico Lathouris

The review:

If you, like me, held off from watching this 2015 film because you hadn’t seen the other Mad Max movies, worry not because you’ll catch on right away.* What makes this better than a lot of films that try to be like this is that 1) it’s got a great story at its core with a lot of humanity and 2) the inventive set design combined with its never stop never stopping pace means this movie is a sensory treat. Populated with a lot of actors who are known for, you know, acting** and not just being action movie stars this is the one action film you should watch this year.***

The verdict: Recommended

Cost: HBOMax monthly fee ($12.99) (We’re still living off our month we signed up for due to WW84.)
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*It’s an action film, after all, so the nuance is not great.
**Charlize Theron! Tom Hardy! Nicolas Hoult! Zoe Kravitz! Riley Keough!
***Assuming you didn’t watch it back in 2015, like I should have.

Questions:

  • What was your favorite set detail?
  • Which of the bad guys do you think was the worst?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Editor Margaret Sixel, is married to director George Miller. When she asked why he thought she should take on this project, as she had never edited an action film before, Miller replied, “Because if a guy did it, it would look like every other action movie.” Sixel’s work paid off; she received an Academy Award for Best Editing.

Also this gem:

The cake-decorating company Wilton makes a decorative “Color Mist” in silver that is meant to be sprayed onto baked goods to give them a silver sheen. Before May 2015, the Amazon listing for this product contained a few pages of reviews only from bakers opining on the quality of the product when used as intended (on cakes). After the release of Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), both the comments section and FAQ on the Amazon listing were filled with comments from users posting as though they were War Boys or Immortan Joe “reviewing” the product that the War Boys spray onto their mouths before going into battle. As of mid-June 2015, there were nineteen pages of Mad Max-related “reviews” of the Wilton product on Amazon.

Other reviews of Mad Max Fury Road:

Orange background with a white frame. Text: If I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die historic on the Fury Road! —Mad Max Fury Road. Read the three sentence movie review: 3SMReviews.com

Wonder Woman 1984: A Fun Outing

Gal Gadot and Chris Pine in Wonder Woman 1984

Wonder Woman 1984

Directed by Patty Jenkins
Written by Patty Jenkins, Geoff Johns, and Dave Callaham

The review:

The great moments in Wonder Woman 1984 are the bits that come along with being female in the world that are highlighted in passing* as the story unfolds.** Overall, there are two stories here, one with a pyramid scheme guy and one with a antiquities specialist and I enjoyed the latter more than the former.*** But that is not to say that I didn’t enjoy this movie, it was a fun outing.****

The verdict: Good

Cost: HBOMax monthly fee ($14.99)
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*From the joy of young Diana trying to beat the course to the catcalls and unrelenting attention of the grown Diana (and Barbara Minerva) it’s a low and high thing.
**Also joyful? Chris Pine’s clothes modeling scene which mimicked Diana’s exasperation with WWI-era clothes in the previous movie.
***Also, I didn’t recognize Pedro Pascal and spent the film wondering if that was Nathan Fillion with a prosthetic nose, which was a little distracting.
****It’s also the longest Matt and I have gone without watching a new superhero film in more than a decade. Our last one together was Spider-Man: Far From Home in July of 2019! (Though Matt did see Birds of Prey earlier this year)

Questions:

  • Lotta flight in this film. Necessary?
  • What was your favorite Wonder Woman moment?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

As first reported by Variety, actress Gal Gadot was paid $10 million for this film (which she also produces)—33 times more than what she made on the first film, Wonder Woman (2017) ($300,000).

(To which both Matt and I said, “$300,000? She was the star of that film!”)

Other reviews of Wonder Woman 1984:

Orange background with a white frame. Text: Nothing good is born from lies. And greatness is not what you think. —Wonder Woman 1984. Read the three sentence movie review. 3SMReviews.com

Kurt Russell is Fun in The Christmas Chronicles

Darby Camp, Judah Lewis, and Kurt Russell in The Christmas Chronicles.

The Christmas Chronicles

Directed by Clay Kaytis
Written by Matt Lieberman

The review:

Like many Christmas films, this starts in the land of sad* so that we can find the true meaning of Christmas and get to the land of happy. The film brings Christmas magic by showing a brief glimpse of Santa caught on video which leads to an attempt to capture Santa** in action once again. There are hijinks, a ticking clock, some Santa magic, and even a blues performance in this very nice Christmas film.

The verdict: Good (-ish)

Cost: Netflix monthly fee ($8.99)
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*In this case, Teddy and Kate are sad because their fireman father has died.
**The always charming Kurt Russell. I could have done without his constant griping about being mistyped as fat.

Questions:

  • Why is Kurt Russell so damn charismatic?
  • What’s your favorite Christmas film with children as main characters?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Santa’s list includes several of Kurt Russell’s grandchildren.

Other reviews of The Christmas Chronicles:

Orange background with a white frame. Text: Trading in eight reindeer for 400 horses! —The Christmas Chronicles. Read the three sentence movie review. 3SMReviews.com

Add Arthur Christmas to Your Christmas Movie Collection

The cast of the film Arthur Christmas arranged in a pyramid with the elves on the bottom and Arthur at the top.

Arthur Christmas

Directed by Sarah Smith, Barry Cook
Written by Peter Baynham, Sarah Smith

The review:

Even if this movie didn’t have a scene that takes place in Idaho, it would be worth watching just for the action movie–style depiction of how presents are delivered using the S2, a googleplex of elves, and a doddering Santa, but what makes it a magical Christmas movie is how that operation is contrasted with a simpler one later in the film.* The story of Santa’s second son Arthur, this film has all of the hallmarks of a quality Christmas film: wonder, delight, sorrow, hilarity, and steadfastness. The worriers among us will love how Arthur harnesses that feeling to save Christmas and those of us who hate wrapping presents will marvel at the elf Bryony’s** skill in a time of need.***

The verdict: Recommended

Cost: $2.99 via Redbox On Demand
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Look out for Bill Nighy’s voice stylings as Grandsanta.
**Ashley Jensen, with a delightful accent
***Three pieces of tape!

Questions:

  • What’s your favorite animated Christmas film?
  • How do you imagine those presents get delivered?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

This is the second Christmas film featuring a title song sang by Bill Nighy. He also starred in Love Actually.

Other reviews of Arthur Christmas:

Orange background with a white frame. Text: And may one hundred percent of your Christmases be white. —Arthur Christmas. Read the three sentence movie review. 3SMReviews.com

Adrift is a Survival Win

Shailene Woodley in the film Adrift.

Adrift

Directed by Baltasar Kormákur
Written by Aaron Kandell, Jordan Kandell, and David Brandson Smith

The review:

I think one has to be in a certain mood to watch survival-at-sea-type films, and if you are anywhere near such a mood, please find time for Adrift which is not only a solid entry into the genre, but a great depiction of a woman getting things done.* I thought the back-and-forth structure worked well for the film’s general tension—there was both respite and insight in the flashbacks and I liked how they were often linked to the present. Claflin is good, and Woodley is her usual excellent self, so there’s no reason not to find and watch this film of survival.

The verdict: Recommended

Cost: Netflix monthly fee ($8.99)
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*That we don’t have a better pipeline to these types of films is frustrating. I was intrigued by the trailer but did not prioritize this film for a few years. Part of it was not being in an ocean survival mood, but I wonder if I would have been quicker on the draw if I knew how much woman power this film has?

Questions:

  • How would you have cut the trailer to better bring out this story?
  • What’s your favorite Shailene Woodley role?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

According to Shailene Woodley, there were times on the open sea when, except for the director and cinematographer, everybody was throwing up overboard due to severe seasickness.

(I’ve never wanted to be an actor, and for sure I’ve never wanted to film a movie on open water.)

Other reviews of Adrift:

Orange background with a white frame. Text: What's it like sailing out there on your own? —Adrift. Read the three sentence movie review.3SMReviews.com

How I Live Now Showcases Young Actors

Picture of Saoirse Ronan and Tom Holland in How I Live Now

How I Live Now

Directed by Kevin Macdonald
Written by Jeremy Brock, Penelope Skinner, Tony Grisoni

The review:

While I could see what this movie was trying to do* it didn’t quite pull through, but I did appreciate it for showing war from a civilian perspective. All three leads have gone on to many good things** and it’s great to see these early performances. For anyone who ever wondering, “how would I adapt if my city was invaded during a war?” this provides some good insights.

The verdict: Good

Cost: $2.99 via Google Play
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Show how the average girls’ internal monologue is something akin to a mean girl whispering all the time and show how none of that matters when times get tough.
**I watched this because it was a Saoirse Ronan performance I hadn’t seen, but I was most intrigued to see Tom Holland. He’s tiny! Ironically, his real age when filming this movie from 2013 is two years older than the age his Spider-Man character is in Spider-Man Homecoming (2017). George MacKay was also the oldest boy in Captain Fantastic and one of the two soldiers carrying out the mission in 1917.

Questions:

  • How do you feel about the ending?
  • What act took the most bravery?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Director Kevin Macdonald chose to film the first half of this movie with a hand-held camera to give the paradise like–countryside home a sense of humanity, as though the camera was alive and breathing. The second half of this movie was shot in a more steady and smoother style to make the war-torn countryside more sharp and unforgiving, as though the camera was mechanical.

Other reviews of How I Live Now:

Text: Before the war I used my willpower for stupid stuff, like not eating chocolate. I think I thought if I could control myself, then maybe the world around me would start to make sense. —How I Live Now. Read the three sentence movie review at 3SMReviews.com

Palm Springs is Cool and Refreshing

Image: Cristin Milioti and Adam Sandburg in a pool drinking beer.

Palm Springs

Directed by Max Barbakow
Written by Andy Siara

The review:

While it’s Andy Samberg* who gets this movie started, it’s the delightful performance of Cristin Milioti** that pushes this comedy into a fully rounded film that is something more than a funny romp through a wedding. The relationship between the two leads is the joy of the film, with a little J.K. Simmons as a disgruntled wedding guest sprinkled in for bonus fun. I went in knowing nothing, pulled the boyfriend in to watch it at J.K. Simmons’ first appearance, and greatly enjoyed myself.***

The verdict: Recommended

Cost: Hulu subscription (with Disney+ $12.99/month)
Where watched: at home, with Matt who also enjoyed it.

Consider also watching:

  • Run Lola Run (Drama, not comedy)
  • The Truman Show
  • Groundhog Day
  • Source Code (Drama, not comedy)

Further sentences:

*I am mostly familiar with him through his comedy pieces like Pop Star: Never Stop Never Stopping
**I enjoyed her in It Had to Be You, and am hoping I get to see more than her. So far she seems to have shown up on TV series.
**That said, this isn’t a cinematic masterpiece. It’s a solid film. Don’t go in with your expectations set too high.

Questions:

  • How would you have spent that day?
  • Shall we discuss the dinosaurs?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Palm Springs broke the record for most-viewed Hulu release in its first weekend on the streaming service.

Other reviews of Palm Springs:

Text: That was a grammatical nightmare. —Palm Springs. Read the three sentence movie review. 3SMReviews.com