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Which Movies Are Worth Your Time?
The Mummy introduces the Dark Universe but, will it survive?
The main complaint from critics about Iron Man 2 was that Marvel tried to showhorn in all the world building stuff and the plot got lost along the way, leaving the movie to coast on the RDJs snarkiness. I didn't agree with that but everything I just said applies to the Mummy; except instead of RDJ's snarkiness we get Tom Cruise's dramatic running.
Here are my 3 thoughts:
1. It's bold for Universal to so prominently proclaim the start of their "Dark Universe" in the opening titles. Much respect.
2. cruise seems miscast in a movie where the star is ...the mummy. You'll wonder why he's there; by the end, you'll understand. It makes a certain kind of sense for the future but doesn't make the movie you're watching right now better.
3. A very puffy Russell Crowe is supposed to be this dark universe's Nick Fury. He comes off more like basil exposition.
I'm in for more of these but they can't bank on star power carrying the universe. They have to start making the movies good.
FINAL GRADE: C
Sandy Wexler is a 2 hour long Adam Sandler comedy. Enough said.
Adam Sandler has been on autopilot for quite a while. Netflix writing him a big fat check hasn't helped and, in fact, he's probably regressed.
Here are 3 quick thoughts:
1. I didn't laugh very much during this movie. It's a mix of non comedic actors like Jennifer Hudson and Arsenio Hall playing such significant supporting characters and Adam Sandler's famous friends who are unlucky enough not to play themselves hamming it up too much for my taste
2. The movie looks cheap. I know that can't be but maybe it's the camera they're using? or maybe the money is all going to Sandler and he's not paying a lot to the costume designers, set designers, and other vital below-the-line players?
3. I still can't muster THAT much hate for Sandler. He means well. This movie isn't mean spirited, it's sweet. I just wish it were funnier
FINAL GRADE: C-
Wonder Woman revives the ailing DCEU
I liked Man of Steel, thought Batman V Superman the dawn of justice was as silly and disappointing as its title and didn't hate Suicide Squad.
Wonder Woman is the DCEU's best film to date. Here are 3 quick thoughts:
1. Gal Gadot looks really tall. I think she is in real life but whatever they do in this movie makes her look, and more importantly feel, like she's 10 feet tall. She's bad ass as WW but they don't use her appropriately bad ass theme song enough.
2. Comedy and DCEU is very hard to pull off, apparently. After the emoness of Man of Steel and B v S, Suicide Squad showed glimpses of sly humor which was obviously edited in after-the-fact. WW balances it the best so far but it still feels awkward. Perhaps a better developed sidekick in the sequel?
3. Liked the ending but the fact that WW accepts that she's a god is kind of ridiculousness. She's obviously an alien, like superman but older. But maybe they'll leave some more discovery of her backstory for next time
FINAL GRADE: B
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