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| Courtesy of Warner Bros. |
(Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, and some suggestive content.)
The cast: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, David Thewlis, Lucy Davis and Danny Huston.
What it’s about: Diana (Gadot), a princess on the secluded island of Themyscira, is trained to be a warrior from a small age. She’s sheltered from the horrors of mankind until an American pilot (Pine) crashes on her shores, bringing the atrocities of World War I along with him. Convinced she can help stop the threat, Diana leaves the only home she’s ever known to aid a cause greater than herself.
The good: I’m happy and relieved to announce that the current incarnation of the DC cinematic universe has finally produced a good movie. (Man of Steel was okay despite a ton of problems, but Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad were downright abysmal.) Wonder Woman on the other hand, is an absolute joy from beginning to end. It’s not perfect by any means, but it’s practically a masterpiece compared to its predecessors.
Most importantly, director Patty Jenkins and screenwriter Allan Heinberg understand that most viewers don’t want their superheroes to be sullen and emo. They should be aspirational figures, not destructive forces that cause more harm than good. This version of Wonder Woman, thanks to a revelatory performance from Gadot, gets it exactly right. She gives up her perfect life and runs straight to the front lines of war with no hesitation whatsoever – simply because it’s the right thing to do.
That’s why people love superheroes. We don’t want to see them suffer existential crises or hurt more people than the supposed villains they’re trying to stop. It’s why Captain America makes such an impact in our modern era, and the same traits apply to Gadot’s Wonder Woman. Ironically, she has become the classic version of Superman in this run of DC films, since Zack Snyder’s movies have tainted the iconic character beyond repair (sorry, Henry Cavill; it’s not your fault).
Another reason Wonder Woman is good? People in the theater laughed. On purpose. At moments that were designed to be funny. That may be an alien concept for Snyder, but Jenkins and Heinberg clearly understand that a world without warmth, humor and love isn’t worth saving. Sure, that makes several scenes in the film cheesy. But it’s old-school, Christopher Reeve cheesy. I’ll take that over angry, sociopathic heroes any day.
The not-so-good: As with many superhero flicks, the third act runs out of steam because everything comes down to a CGI slugfest. Fortunately, Jenkins ramps up the stakes in this battle (death packs an emotional wallop here, as it should; there’s no faceless collateral damage), but it’s through secondary characters rather than our hero. The movie is also far too long at 141 minutes, but I can’t complain too much since a good bit of that extra time is devoted to proving that Diana has a personality. Viewers like her because we’ve gotten to know her, not just because the script tells us we should.
Grade: B
Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie
(Rated PG for mild rude humor throughout.)
The cast: Kevin Hart, Thomas Middleditch, Ed Helms, Nick Kroll, Jordan Peele and Kristen Schaal.
What it’s about: Based on Dav Pilkey’s wildly popular children’s books, this animated film centers on fourth-grade pranksters George and Harold (Hart and Middleditch). After one of their tricks goes too far, the best friends accidentally hypnotize their grouchy principal (Helms) into believing he’s Captain Underpants, the dimwitted superhero from their homemade comic books.
The good: The movie was much better than I expected, mostly due to Nicholas Stoller’s funny, surprisingly smart screenplay. It treats the main characters like actual kids rather than miniature adults, but also sneaks in some biting satire of the superhero genre and the increasingly sad state of the American education system.
It helps that the voice cast is packed with some of the funniest comedic actors around. Hart and Middleditch instill their characters with infectious joy and enthusiasm; Helms pulls double-duty as hero and antagonist; and Kroll is hilarious as the big bad. However, Peele was the big surprise for me. He proves himself to be a vocal chameleon as Melvin, the humorless teacher’s pet. I honestly didn’t know it was him until I read his name in the end credits.
I was also thrilled to see that the deceptively simplistic animation style didn’t fall victim to the studio’s usual template (type “DreamWorks face” into Google to see what I mean). It stays close to Pilkey’s sketches, while adding depth and a gorgeous color palette. It reminded me more of the recent big-screen adaptation of Peanuts than DreamWorks’ recent fare (Home, Trolls, The Boss Baby, etc.)
The not-so-good: While fun and creative, director David Soren is still basically working within the confines of a one-joke premise. Captain Underpants starts wearing thin at the halfway point, even though the running time is a brisk 89 minutes. I could see this working as a half-hour series on Netflix or Nickelodeon, but it’s a stretch as a theatrical feature.
Grade: B-
Blu-ray Review: Logan
(Rated R for strong brutal violence and language throughout, and for brief nudity.)
The cast: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen, Boyd Holbrook and Stephen Merchant.
What it’s about: The final Wolverine movie takes place in 2029, where an aging Logan (Jackman) attempts to live a normal life, working as a chauffeur and caring for an ailing Charles Xavier (Stewart). Both are aging much faster these days, so Logan is trying to buy a boat where they can spend the remainder of their lives on the ocean. However, that plan changes when they meet a young mutant (Keen) – one who possesses familiar abilities – fleeing a dangerous government agent (Holbrook).
The good: We’re almost halfway through 2017 (can you believe it?) and Logan is still a contender for my Top 10 in December. The adamantium-clawed hero’s swan song is also the definitive cinematic version of the character. Jackman delivers one of the best performances of his career, giving his beloved character the sendoff he deserves.
Stewart is also terrific, clearly relishing the opportunity to play a bitter, defeated version of Professor X. But the film’s biggest surprise is Keen, a relative newcomer who delivers a fierce performance despite almost no dialogue. Something tells me this won’t be the only time she plays the formidable X-23.
The film’s R-rating allows for a much more realistic interpretation of the characters, and parents should take it seriously. The tone is almost unrelentingly bleak, and the blood and f-bombs flow freely. But it’s a perfect match for this neo-Western, depicting Logan and Xavier as the last of their kind in a world that has moved on. It’s no accident that the movie “Shane” plays such a pivotal role in the story.
For Logan fans, the Blu-ray (which hit stores last week) is a must-buy. There are several engaging bonus features, including an audio commentary from director James Mangold, deleted scenes (along with commentary from Mangold) and a behind-the-scenes documentary. But the most exciting extra is Logan Noir, a compelling alternate version of the film presented entirely in black and white, which evokes the feel of the classic Westerns that so clearly inspired it.
The not-so-good: Like almost every entry in the X-Men series, this one is too long. The middle section sags in places, and could’ve easily benefitted from a 20-minute trim. Still, I can’t really fault Mangold and Jackman for wanting to provide depth and shading to Logan’s world.
Grade: A-
Grade: B
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| Courtesy of 20th Century Fox |
(Rated PG for mild rude humor throughout.)
The cast: Kevin Hart, Thomas Middleditch, Ed Helms, Nick Kroll, Jordan Peele and Kristen Schaal.
What it’s about: Based on Dav Pilkey’s wildly popular children’s books, this animated film centers on fourth-grade pranksters George and Harold (Hart and Middleditch). After one of their tricks goes too far, the best friends accidentally hypnotize their grouchy principal (Helms) into believing he’s Captain Underpants, the dimwitted superhero from their homemade comic books.
The good: The movie was much better than I expected, mostly due to Nicholas Stoller’s funny, surprisingly smart screenplay. It treats the main characters like actual kids rather than miniature adults, but also sneaks in some biting satire of the superhero genre and the increasingly sad state of the American education system.
It helps that the voice cast is packed with some of the funniest comedic actors around. Hart and Middleditch instill their characters with infectious joy and enthusiasm; Helms pulls double-duty as hero and antagonist; and Kroll is hilarious as the big bad. However, Peele was the big surprise for me. He proves himself to be a vocal chameleon as Melvin, the humorless teacher’s pet. I honestly didn’t know it was him until I read his name in the end credits.
I was also thrilled to see that the deceptively simplistic animation style didn’t fall victim to the studio’s usual template (type “DreamWorks face” into Google to see what I mean). It stays close to Pilkey’s sketches, while adding depth and a gorgeous color palette. It reminded me more of the recent big-screen adaptation of Peanuts than DreamWorks’ recent fare (Home, Trolls, The Boss Baby, etc.)
The not-so-good: While fun and creative, director David Soren is still basically working within the confines of a one-joke premise. Captain Underpants starts wearing thin at the halfway point, even though the running time is a brisk 89 minutes. I could see this working as a half-hour series on Netflix or Nickelodeon, but it’s a stretch as a theatrical feature.
Grade: B-
Blu-ray Review: Logan
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| Courtesy of 20th Century Fox |
(Rated R for strong brutal violence and language throughout, and for brief nudity.)
The cast: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen, Boyd Holbrook and Stephen Merchant.
What it’s about: The final Wolverine movie takes place in 2029, where an aging Logan (Jackman) attempts to live a normal life, working as a chauffeur and caring for an ailing Charles Xavier (Stewart). Both are aging much faster these days, so Logan is trying to buy a boat where they can spend the remainder of their lives on the ocean. However, that plan changes when they meet a young mutant (Keen) – one who possesses familiar abilities – fleeing a dangerous government agent (Holbrook).
The good: We’re almost halfway through 2017 (can you believe it?) and Logan is still a contender for my Top 10 in December. The adamantium-clawed hero’s swan song is also the definitive cinematic version of the character. Jackman delivers one of the best performances of his career, giving his beloved character the sendoff he deserves.
Stewart is also terrific, clearly relishing the opportunity to play a bitter, defeated version of Professor X. But the film’s biggest surprise is Keen, a relative newcomer who delivers a fierce performance despite almost no dialogue. Something tells me this won’t be the only time she plays the formidable X-23.
The film’s R-rating allows for a much more realistic interpretation of the characters, and parents should take it seriously. The tone is almost unrelentingly bleak, and the blood and f-bombs flow freely. But it’s a perfect match for this neo-Western, depicting Logan and Xavier as the last of their kind in a world that has moved on. It’s no accident that the movie “Shane” plays such a pivotal role in the story.
For Logan fans, the Blu-ray (which hit stores last week) is a must-buy. There are several engaging bonus features, including an audio commentary from director James Mangold, deleted scenes (along with commentary from Mangold) and a behind-the-scenes documentary. But the most exciting extra is Logan Noir, a compelling alternate version of the film presented entirely in black and white, which evokes the feel of the classic Westerns that so clearly inspired it.
The not-so-good: Like almost every entry in the X-Men series, this one is too long. The middle section sags in places, and could’ve easily benefitted from a 20-minute trim. Still, I can’t really fault Mangold and Jackman for wanting to provide depth and shading to Logan’s world.
Grade: A-
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