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Movie Review The Penguins of Madagascar

by Justin Hall December 1, 2019

written by Justin Hall

penguins-penguins-of-madagascar-swaps-release-dates-with-home

The Penguins of Madagascar is a spin-off from the successful franchise and while it has its moments of energy and humor, I think it would’ve been much more successful as a DVD release.

The four penguins (Skipper, Kowalski, Rico, and Private) begin their adventure after the events of the third movie and it takes them from Fort Knox to Venice where they are confronted by one of their old enemies, an octopus named Dave (John Malkovich). He wants revenge against the flightless birds after they stole his spotlight at virtually every zoo he was an exhibit in.

After escaping, the penguins try to stay one step ahead of his diabolical schemes and they are soon joined by the task force of animals known as the North Wind: a wolf named Classified (Benedict Cumberbatch), a seal named Short Fuse (Ken Jeong), and a polar bear named Corporal (Peter Stormare). As hi-tech and sophisticated as they are, I would say that Gru from Despicable Me and his Minions don’t really have too much to worry about.

The Penguins of Madagascar will probably work well for 7-year-olds, but that’s about as far as it goes. There are some clever sight gags and the animation is occasionally terrific to look at, but overall, this is a mostly safe, predictable entry to the Madagascar series, and I think teens and adults will find it to be too corny.

The penguins have personality, but I don’t think it was enough to justify their own movie. I don’t think they will have the popularity or longevity that the Minions of the Despicable Me series has. Unless you happen to have young kids, The Penguins of Madagascar is pretty much a missed opportunity in theatres, but it will play better at home.

Grade: B

(Rated PG for mild action and some rude humor.)

Until next time, White County, this is Justin Hall saying I’ll see you AT THE MOVIES!

Movie Review The Penguins of Madagascar

December 1, 2019 36 comments

Movie review The November Man

by Justin Hall September 1, 2019

written by Justin Hall

JUSTIN HALL AT THE MOVIES

Movie review The November Man

The November Man

The November Man stars Pierce Brosnan returning to his spy thriller roots, though not exactly having the type of charisma he brought to James Bond. Instead, we’re treated to a competently made yet cliché-ridden film that will be a surprise if anybody remembers it in November.

Brosnan stars as Peter Devereaux, a retired CIA agent who’s back in the field, assigned to protect a witness (former Bond girl Olga Kurylenko) out of the hands of a dangerous organization. Along the way, he also faces competition in the form of his ex-protégé, (Luke Bracey).

Like I mentioned before, the movie recycles just about every single cliché in the Movie Cliché’s Book for Dummies: Brosnan loses someone he loves and swears revenge, certain individuals are not whom they claim to be, the witness uses seduction to take the terrorist, blah, blah, blah, etc., etc., etc.

You’re not going to see a lot in The November Man that you haven’t seen in a lot of other spy movies including Bond and the Bourne series. Plus, the routine of one retired spy duking it out with younger spies and defeating them in hand-to-hand combat can be seen coming from a mile away.

The November Man is made with style and skill, but the fact that the script is loaded with clichés is its undoing. The cast is effective and Brosnan still has the moves, but this is something that seems like it’s recycled out of an episode of 24. Did I mention it’ll be a surprise if anyone remembers this movie by November?

Grade: C+

(Rated R for strong violence including a sexual assault, language, sexuality/nudity and brief drug use.)

Until next time, White County, this is Justin Hall saying I’ll see you AT THE MOVIES!

September 1, 2019 1 comment

Entertainment Movie Reviews

Movie review Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

by Justin Hall August 23, 2019

written by Justin Hall

Sin-City-A-Dame-to-Kill-For-Poster-Crop-850x560

JUSTIN HALL AT THE MOVIES

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For is the long-awaited sequel to the graphically stylized hit from 2005. It’s been nine years, but all the blood, broads, and bullets are back in style and they’re delivering the same old, same old. Good news? Nothing has really changed. Bad news? See good news.

Just like the first movie, we’re getting three storylines that occasionally interconnect. One story features Jessica Alba’s Nancy looking to avenge the death of Bruce Willis’ Hartigan by taking down the corrupt senator Roark (Powers Boothe).

The second storyline involves Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a cocky gambler who gets in way over his head in a deadly game of poker with Senator Roark. Something tells me the character of Roark is in for one wild night.

he third and final story takes place years before one of the stories in the first movie as we meet a young Dwight McCarthy (Josh Brolin replacing Clive Owen). He’s a private investigator who’s caught up in an affair with his former lover (Eva Green). This is Green’s second time this year acting in a comic book adaptation after 300: Rise of an Empire and just like that sequel, she gives us another campy, seductive performance.

Directors Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller once again bring their hyper realistic vision to the screen, but like a lot of sequels, Sin City seems merely content on revisiting the fun, gory visuals rather than building on them narratively.

Still, I have to say with all of its over-the-top violence and wicked sense of humor, I didn’t really expect anything different. In addition to the regulars like Willis and Alba, we also get the return of Mickey Rourke as Marv (having survived his grim execution), and newcomers to the series such as Ray Liotta, Christopher Lloyd, and a brief cameo by Lady Gaga.

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For provides the type of visual sensations and terrific performances to carry it through, but Sin City 3 may need Rodriguez and Miller to up the ante and no, I do not mean the body count.

Grade: B+

Rated R for sustained strong stylized violence, nudity and sexual content including dialogue.)

Until next time, Whie County, this is Justin Hall saying I’ll see you AT THE MOVIES!
Movie review Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

August 23, 2019 1 comment

Entertainment Movie Reviews

Movie Review The Expendables 3

by Justin Hall August 15, 2019

written by Justin Hall

JUSTIN HALL AT THE MOVIES

The Expendables 3 continues the franchise featuring all of the well-known action movie icons of the ’80s and ’90s in an attempt to recapture their glory days. I thought the first movie was average, the second movie was actually better-than-average, but the third movie falls by the wayside and like so many action movies, it gets shot at and blown up, but it never really dies.

Sylvester Stallone returns as Barney Ross, the head of the Expendables who’s back with his old comrades in another movie with the following: shootouts, explosions, one-liners, repeat. Joining him for this third installment are old-and-new school veterans including Jason Statham and Dolph Lundgren.

The first two movies gave us everyone from Chuck Norris to Stone Cold Steve Austin and just about every other action hero in between. This one gives us the likes of Antonio Banderas and Wesley Snipes who gives one of the few funny one-liners in the film when he’s asked why his character was in prison for so long. Snipes’ response: “Tax evasion.”

As for the plot (like it really matters), the Expendables go up against one of their former members. Perhaps one of the most awkward-sounding names ever for a villain, Mel Gibson stars as Conrad Stonebanks who’s now become a deadly arms dealer bent on world domination. Gibson tries to have his moments, but his charismatic presence is really underutilized.

In addition to Gibson, Banderas, and Snipes, The Expendables 3 also gives us a returning Arnold Schwarzenegger and Harrison Ford as both a replacement and an upgrade from Bruce Willis.

One of the best things I can say about the Expendables series is that every actor involved is in on the joke and knows when they are entering into preposterous territory. I imagine if Michael Bay was behind this, there wouldn’t be any kind of film at all.
However, this movie felt completely bankrupt for most of its time. One thing that might disappoint fans of the first two is the PG-13 rating whereas the first two were rated R. I would’ve preferred an R rating for this one, not for obvious reasons, but instead for keeping in the style and tone of what these movies are.

Other problems are that it’s bland and predictable with an inconsequential plot, repetitive action scenes, and dull one-liners that the guys think is a lot funnier than we do. Plus, none of these characters are really put into any kind of legitimate jeopardy. Nothing bad ever happens to any character unless the screenplay requires it.

his latest entry felt tired and I think there’s only so much coolness to be found in the notion of these Hollywood tough guys trying to relive their golden days. I think Stallone and company should take their retirement from this series and move on.

Grade: C

Movie Review The Expendables 3 (Rated PG-13 for violence including intense sustained gun battles and fight scenes and for language.)

Until next time, White County, this is Justin Hall saying I’ll see you AT THE MOVIES!

This review is dedicated to the memory of Robin Williams.

August 15, 2019 74 comments

Entertainment Movie Reviews

Movie Review Guardians of the Galaxy

by Justin Hall August 3, 2019

written by Justin Hall

JUSTIN HALL AT THE MOVIES
On the surface, Guardians of the Galaxy may seem like a parody of the Marvel universe, but it actually succeeds as a stand-alone effort. For most of its time, it’s at once smart, hilarious, visually spectacular, and never forgets to have a heart.

It stars Chris Pratt as Peter Quill, a space pirate on a distant planet who comes into possession of a powerful orb. It isn’t long before every bounty hunter in the galaxy (no pun intended) is after him. He’s spared a doomed fate by a green-skinned alien named Gamora (Zoe Saldana). Together they are joined by another alien named Drax (WWE superstar Dave Bautista) and joining them is a tree-like humanoid named Groot (Vin Diesel) and a wise-cracking raccoon named Rocket (Bradley Cooper).

Altogether they team up to keep the orb safe from the forces of Ronan (Lee Pace) who wants to use it to, you guessed it, destroy the galaxy. What else would a good villain have use for a MacGuffin-like device?
Most characters in superhero movies are rarely memorable. They almost always have to say or do something idiotic in order to be remembered. However, that’s not the case with Guardians of the Galaxy. All of the characters get their moments where they can either be funny, exciting, or heartfelt. In terms of the humor, Cooper’s Rocket offers plenty of one-liners to rival Steven Seagal and Diesel’s Groot finds a charming combination of being childlike yet unsure about what he’s going to do.

Guardians of the Galaxy does drag on a little bit with its climax, but other than that, this is one highly entertaining movie that surpassed my expectations. Besides the terrific cast including the likes of John C. Reilly and Glenn Close, much of the credit has to go to director/cowriter James Gunn who’s put together a cross between Star Wars and The Avengers, though not nearly as original as either of those movies were.

In a weak summer movie season, this is certainly the way it should go out. This is an amazing start to what will hopefully be a great franchise.
Grade: A-
(Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for some language.)
Until next time, White County, this is Justin Hall saying I’ll see you AT THE MOVIES!

Movie Review Guardians of the Galaxy

August 3, 2019 3 comments

Entertainment Movie Reviews

Movie Review Hercules

by Justin Hall July 25, 2019

written by Justin Hall

JUSTIN HALL AT THE MOVIES

Hercules is the second attempt this year to make another incarnation of the Greek warrior after The Legend of Hercules. For me, Hercules is like a lot of other characters in literature and mythology such as Dracula or Robin Hood that has been subjected to various cinematic interpretations. Everyone from Disney to Schwarzenegger has taken a stab at it. This latest effort mostly works due its commitment to goofiness being its biggest charm.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is perfectly cast as the hulking half-man, half-god and this story tells of his life and journey after he performed his legendary 12 labors. He’s now hired as a mercenary and his services are called on by a king (John Hurt) to train his army and go into battle against an evil warlord. What the movie may lack in depth or realism, it makes up for with some impressive set pieces including an ambush sequence with some ferocious barbarians.

Some of the scenes look like they were stolen right out of Schwarzenegger’s own Conan series. Director Brett Ratner (The Rush Hour trilogy, Red Dragon) as well as Johnson himself has a sense of tongue-in-cheek throughout. Johnson knows for a fact that he’s winking at the camera during some scenes and he finds a good balance between being the action hero and also not taking himself too seriously. There’s something borderline campy and cheesy about this Hercules. The movie makes no apologies for that. The dialogue knows it’s silly.

The conclusion is predictable and the action sequences are standard CGI stretched out to infinity and beyond. Not to mention we get the likes of Joseph Fiennes and Ian McShane adding energy and humor where necessary. Having said that, I am recommending this movie on the basis of its campy spirit and Johnson always keeps the movie on its toes. I think it works in the tradition of dumb, fun summer movies. It does what it’s made to do: Be entertaining in the moment and not much else.

Grade: B (Rated PG-13 for epic battle sequences, violence, suggestive comments, brief strong language, and partial nudity.) Until next time, White County, this is Justin Hall saying I’ll see you AT THE MOVIES!

July 25, 2019 166 comments

Entertainment Movie Reviews

Movie Review Transformers: Age of Extinction

by Justin Hall June 30, 2019

written by Justin Hall

Movie Review Transformers: Age of Extinction By Justin Hall
The original Transformers from 2007 was a pleasant surprise that was loud and preposterous, but extremely entertaining. The sequels that followed basically took the what made the original so much fun and turned it into spectacles that relied too much on overkill. This latest installment, Age of Extinction, left me hoping that director Michael Bay and his filmmaking crew had learned from their mistakes. They haven’t. This time, there’s no Shia LaBeouf driving the franchise, but Mark Wahlberg steps in as Cade Yeager, a widowed inventor from Texas raising his daughter. He finds a run-down truck that looks like junk and yet he hopes he can turn into it something great so he and his daughter don’t get evicted from their home. Luckily for Cade, this truck just happens to be Optimus Prime hiding out after the events of movie have warranted the Transformers as outlaws.

Soon afterwards, more and more Autobots return including Bumblebee and a few others that happen to have the voices of John Goodman and Ken Watanabe. Together, they face a new threat to humanity both on and off Earth in the form of a government agent (Kelsey Grammar) and some more new Deceptions arrive to find a key device that was responsible for the creation of the Transformers on their home planet. Or something like that.

Stanley Tucci costars as a billionaire inventor himself who wants to use the technology that created both races and make his own version of the Transformers. Hey, what better way to continue to send the franchise down the toilet than by making more? Ooh, that’s an interesting thought.

In the meantime, the war between the Transformers takes place halfway around the world, mostly in Asia and everywhere from Hong Kong to Beijing is left devastated in their path. After Godzilla, it looks Hollywood can’t quit its unrelenting assault on the Far East.

Transformers: Age of Extinction certainly supplies more of the same old thing that fans of the first three loved, but that’s also its Achilles ‘heel. The first movie came out of nowhere and its charms won us over due to its creativity in special effects. As for the sequels, including this latest one, well, let’s just say there’s so much we could’ve done without.

I will director Bay credit where credit is due. The special effects are sometimes impressive and occasionally inventive, but it’s more of the usual blowing up city buildings, blowing up boats, blowing up trains, etc., etc., etc. I don’t mind things that go “BOOM!,” but give me a story and characters that I can care about instead of humorless dialogue and action that looks good, but draws out far, far, far too long.

The movie is also bloated in its running time at 165 minutes, the longest movie yet. What did the filmmakers think they were making, Lawrence of Arabia? The rabid fans will line up again for this one and more sequels that will inevitably follow, but next time, Mr. Bay, lighten up on the pyro. This movie is appropriately titled, but I doubt its extinction won’t be on the horizon anytime soon.

Grade: C-

(Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, language, and brief innuendo.)

Until next time, White County, this is Justin Hall saying I’ll see you AT THE MOVIES!

June 30, 2019 96 comments

Entertainment Movie Reviews

Movie Review McFarland USA

by Justin Hall February 28, 2019

written by Justin Hall

Movie Review McFarland USA

McFarland USA is another inspirational sports drama from Disney. However, unlike Remember the Titans or Miracle, this one deals with a cross-country track team. The movie basically follows the same formula as every other Disney sports drama, but somehow, it works.

Kevin Costner (Who better?) stars in the true story of Jim White, a hot-tempered coach who receives a position in the small town of McFarland, California in 1987 and leads a team of Hispanic-American students into a competition of cross-country running in order to make a difference in their lives. Maria Bello costars as his wife.

Like I said before, there isn’t a single cliché that isn’t used in the film. We get the obligatory team who think it’s a joke. We get the typical father who thinks his son is wasting his time. We get the typical adversaries who think the team are losers, etc. This might as well have been called Sports Drama Clichés for Dummies On Screen.

While the movie may be hampered with clichés, Costner is well within his comfort zone of sports-themed films. His best is still Field of Dreams in my opinion. He knows how to deliver motivating speeches and bring a real winning screen presence at all the convenient moments.

The movie is shamelessly corny and predictable from start to finish, but that’s also part of its charm. It’s a movie that chooses triumph over adversity and does it without being overly sentimental or forced. McFarland USA may not get the gold like it wants to, but it gets pretty close.

Grade: B (Rated PG for thematic material, some violence, and language.)

Until next time, White County, this is Justin Hall saying I’ll see you AT THE MOVIES!

February 28, 2019 0 comment