Tag: Science Fiction

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

Tenet: Fresh Blood, Usual Confusion

John David Washington and Elizabeth Debicki in Tenet.

Tenet

★Directed by Christopher Nolan
★Written by Christopher Nolan

The review:

I managed to see Tenet in the year 2020, even though for many months that wasn’t a sure thing,* and I can say it’s a quality Christopher Nolan film.** Both John David Washington and Elizabeth Debicki were great additions to the usually-white-and-male Nolan players, and I had fun with swarmy and evil Kenneth Branagh. While I couldn’t tell you precisely what happened, it was a fun ride while I was in it.***

The verdict: Good

Cost: $1.80 (we were all ready to pay $19.99 for VOD, but I had a look at Redbox while buying New Year’s Eve supplies and lo, it was there.)
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Things we contemplated: driving to Salem to watch in a theater there; driving to Washington to watch in a theater there (which turned out not to be feasible because Washington switched their level of open); paying the big bucks to rent out an entire theater (which AMC was doing in the fall).
**I mean, he’s a known quantity by now, so you are either in (I love barely holding on to what the heck is happening!) or out (Jesus, man, just make things a bit more clear!) and I’m in.
***And my head did hurt from concentrating.

Questions:

  • Can you sum up the plot for an interested party?
  • What do you think of films that don’t have a name for their main character?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

The production team purchased and then crashed a real 747 airplane into a hangar. The stunt was all practical effects, with no visual effects or CGI. Director Christopher Nolan had originally planned to use miniatures and set-piece builds; however, while scouting for locations in Victorville, California, the team discovered a massive array of old planes and it became apparent that it would actually be more efficient to buy a real plane of the real size and perform the sequence for real on camera.

Other reviews of Tenet:

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

When the Starlight Ends Should Have Never Started

Arabella Oz and Sam Heughan in the film When the Starlight Ends

When the Starlight Ends

Directed by Adm Sigal
Written by Adam Sigal

The review:

Sometimes enjoying actors in TV series leads me to really great films made by the actors,* and sometimes they lead me to stinkers. The looping stories in this film made it hard to tell what was the story and what were side bits the author was writing so he could get over his failed marriage.** And Sam Heughan, who has been holding my attention in Outlander, failed to do so here.***

The verdict: Skip

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

Consider watching instead:

Further sentences:

*Steve Carell is a good example. He was great in the Office, but I’ve also enjoyed him in Dan in Real Life, Foxcatcher, The Big Short, Battle of the Sexes and Beautiful Boy.
**This film also featured terrible green screen stuff, and I couldn’t tell if that was due to budgetary constraints or an intentional feature.
***And, his performance here may have just diminished my enjoyment of him as Jamie Fraser in Outlander.

Questions:

  • Did you have a favorite scene in this film?
  • This movie was so lackluster I can’t come up with a second question.

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Kane Knox is the cute baby in this picture.

(This was the only trivia item and I have no idea who Kane Knox is.)

Other reviews of When the Starlight Ends:

Bumblebee: Transformers for the Whole Family

A picture of Hailee Steinfeld hugging the robot Bumblebee in the film Bumblebee

Bumblebee

Directed by Travis Knight
Written by Christina Hodson

The review:

God bless Travis Knight and Christina Hodson for creating a gem that manages to combine robot cars,* a coming of age story, lots of humor, and 80s pop cultural markers to make a delightful cross-generational film. Hailee Steinfeld is excellent as the mechanically minded Charlie, still grieving her dad’s death. But the digital artists who created Bumblebee also deserve many kudos for creating such a nuanced character.**

The verdict: Good

Cost: $1.80 via Redbox
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*This is my first Transformers movie, and it was a good first-of-series choice.
**Bumblebee inside the house is one of the most amusing scenes of this summer’s movie watching.

Questions:

  • Why could some transformers turn into vehicles that fly, but some could not?
  • What’s your favorite scene with Bumblebee?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Bumblebee’s model is a 1967 Volkswagen Beetle with bumpers, available only for export. The yellow color was also only available for the export version Volkswagens as the color in Germany was used by the then-state-owned German Postal Service (Deutsche Bundespost).

Other reviews of Bumblebee:

Orange background. Text: They literally call themselves Decepticons. That doesn't set off any red flags?

Project Power Has Dominque Fishback

Picture of Jamie Foxx and Dominique Fishback in the film Project Power

Project Power

Directed by Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman
Written by Mattson Tomlin

The review:

Project Power is an entry into the powers-not-heros genre of films* and includes an interesting premise, and a more interesting performance by Dominique Fishback.** This plays out as a perfectly serviceable action/sci-fi flick with some amusing parts,*** some fine fight scenes, and movie logic that doesn’t quite come together. Aside from Fishback**** it was nice to have have Joseph Gordon-Levitt as an undercover cop, and Jamie Foxx did his can-do Jamie Fox thing.

The verdict: Good

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

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Also recently watched in that subgenre: Fast Color
**”Who is that actress?” I wondered as her scenes piled up. It turns out she played Amandla Stenberg’s half sister in The Hate U Give and has done mostly television work. But she’s one to watch.
***The muddled storming of the container ship was fun.
****Really, the reason to watch this film

Questions:

  • What was your favorite power in Project Power?
  • Would you take the pill?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Not related to the Marvel Comics series Powers, though it has a slightly similar plot: Combining the genres of superhero fiction, crime noir and the police procedural, the series follows the lives of two homicide detectives assigned to investigate cases involving people with superhuman abilities, who are referred to colloquially as “powers”.

Other reviews of Project Power:

Orange background with text: There are no laws on this drug. They don't exist officially. 'Cause every time we try to deal with it, some guys in suits show up to tell us to stop. —Project Power. Read the three sentence movie review. 3SMReviews.com

Viral is More Interesting Now

Travis Tope and Sofia Black-D'Elia embrace in a school hallway while wearing masks in the film Viral

Viral

Directed by Henry Joost & Ariel Shulman
Written by Barbara Marshall & Christopher Landon

The review:

2020 is the year to watch Viral, if only for current events comparison purposes.* This seems a fairly standard-issue horror film** but centered on a sister relationship*** and with the girls making a lot of the choices.**** It’s a creepy crawly film, but not gory, which made it a fun watch for a hot August night.

The verdict: Good

Cost: Free via Tubi (with ads)
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*At one point my reaction was: “Hey! We didn’t get survival kits delivered to our doors!”
**Horror is not my genre, so I can’t say for sure.
***In choosing between this film and Nerve (both directed by Joost/Schulman) I went with this one because it stars Analeigh Tipton, (Crazy, Stupid, Love and Two Night Stand) whom I love.
****Barbara Marshall, one of the writers seems to have written several movies that travel along these lines. That’s a fun treat!

Questions:

  • Analeigh Tipton as a bad girl. Did it work for you?
  • What part of this film felt very familiar?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

The brief picture of the virus as seen on one of the newscasts is the same graphic used in the movie Outbreak (1995) to represent the Motaba Virus, using a red color tint rather than blue. However, the fictional Motaba Virus looks very similar to the Ebola Virus.

Other reviews of Viral:

Fast Color: Focusing on Relationships Not Super Powers

Photo: Lorraine Toussaint and Gugu Mbatha-Raw in the film Fast Color

Fast Color

Directed by Julia Hart
Written by Julia Hart, Jordan Horowitz

The review:

The Venn diagram of this movie includes circles for dystopian* and super powers, but also includes a circle for created by a woman** and in these overlapping circles things don’t play out as one would expect.*** While there is some cat and mouse going on, plus some mystery, this is mostly a family drama, which makes for a nice superhero change. While I wasn’t convinced by a character’s choice at the end of the movie, there was a lot to like about this film.****

The verdict: Good

Cost: monthly Hulu charge ($12.99 with Disney+)
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*No rain for eight years.
**Directed and co-written.
***It would be interesting to do a breakdown of the difference between movies with superheros and movies with characters with superpowers. Where does the power cross over into the hero category?
****Gugu Mbatha-Raw, for one. I’ve yet to see a bad movie with her in it.

Questions:

  • Would you be interested in a sequel, or a series set in this world?
  • What would be the advantage of having such an ability?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

They wanted to feature the women between the camera and their abilities as often as possible. Director Julia Hart says superhero movies, films with big effects beats, frequently put the FX first and leave characters off to the side of the screen. They instead chose to acknowledge that the characters are “extra ordinary”—a description Horowitz stole from Toussaint—and that they deserved to be front and center.

Other reviews of Fast Color:

Black text on an orange background. It's gotten harder for us to stay in hiding. —Fast Color. Read the three-sentence movie review 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

The Old Guard: A Thoughtful Action Film

A picture of the five stars of The Old Guard

The Old Guard

Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood
Written by Greg Rucka

The review:

I like an action film with some conundrums* and The Old Guard served up a good story along with its fight scenes. The camaraderie of the four main characters was great,** as was KiKi Layne as she worked through her complex feelings about joining the group.*** The action scenes are well done, and I think the depiction of the motivation of pharmaceutical companies was spot on.****

The verdict: Good

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

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*That are something other than: How will this particular fight end? (I’m looking at you, Extraction.)
**Especially good were Marwan Kenzari and Luca Marinelli
***”She’s just a baby,” Theron says, when she first sees a glimpse of her, and there is a quiet innocence on her face. It was also on display in the very good in If Beale Street Could Talk. Though she got a BFA in 2014, so she’s probably in her late twenties.
****I published a Facebook rant about their price-gouging practices right before I turned on this movie. Also, I’m enjoying Henry Melling (the former Dudley Dursley) turning up now and then in things. He was great as the head of the pharmaceutical company and also quite excellent in the Coen Brother’s The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.

Questions:

  • I get how we’re supposed to feel about the Old Guard by the end of the film, but I kept wondering if all those faceless mercenary soldiers might also matter? What are you feelings on this topic?
  • That end-credits stinger, does it excite you, or did you roll your eyes?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

The airplane fighting scene between Andy (Charlize Theron) and Nile (KiKi Layne) was the first sequence shot. Theron was nervous because it was the first week of shooting, the character was new and things were still being adjusted, and Layne because she had never done anything like that. Theron explained to Variety that it was done on purpose because the whole scene would set the tone for the whole relationship between both characters.

Other reviews of The Old Guard:

Text reads: You're a child, an infant, Your mocking is thus infantile. He's not my boyfriend. The Old Guard. Read the three sentence movie review 3SMReviews.com