Mary Poppins Returns

So, last night I finally go around to seeing Disney's latest film Mary Poppins Returns. Now, I love the original Mary Poppins from 1964; It's great fun, the songs are catchy, and Julie Andrews is perfect in the film. While I was excited to see more Mary Poppins, I was a bit nervous about a sequel to an iconic film that came out more than 50 years ago. 

In the film, a now grown up Michael Banks has hit a rough patch in his life. His wife passed away about a year ago, leaving him to take care of their three children and he is at risk of losing his family's home on Cherry Tree Lane to the bank. Of course, Mary Poppins comes floating in to look after the Banks children, bring them some joy, and maybe teach Mr. Banks a thing or two by the end. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I thought the cast was solid, Julie Andrews is one of a kind but, I felt like Emily Blunt still did an outstanding job and Lin-Manuel Miranda's character Jack (who serves a similar purpose as Dick Van Dyke in the original) was on of the highlights of the film for me. Is it one of the best movies ever? No. It's not Vertigo or Citizen Kane or Singin' in the Rain, but I do think it's a worth-while follow up to the original Mary Poppins. I keeps with spirit of the first film and I found myself smiling and tapping my foot along with the songs the whole time. It not perfect, but it's the type of movie that reminds me why I love going to the movies. It's an escape from the ordinary and a chance to see something fantastical. 

I give Mary Poppins Returns 4.5 out of 5.

Some Brief Thoughts on the Blade Runner Films

I really like Ridley Scott's 1982 film Blade Runner. For those who don't know, it's an adaptation of the 1968 Philip K. Dick novel 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?', and takes place in the futuristic time of 2019... No, I don't love it like some people do but I do like like it. The themes are interesting and visually I find the movie captivating. It does however lack a little bit on story and there are some scenes that drag on way too long. I think that it's 2017 sequel (Blade Runner 2049 directed by Denis Villeneuve) takes what works about the first film and does it just a little better, and thus, I feel like it's a slightly better movie. Also, I personally think Ryan Gosling's Officer K is a more interesting protagonist in the sequel.

 I didn't see the first one until about two decades after it's initial release and by then numerous people had given me their synopsis of the film. When I finally did end up watching it, there were several things that I took away that no one had even mentioned. That speaks to what turned the original into a cult classic, everyone seems to get a little something different out of it. It's a fun movie to discuss with friends and to revisit every so often. I don't know if Blade Runner 2049 will eventually earn that same cult status because, now more than ever, movies have become about pure spectacle. As of writing this the film came out over a year ago and I know very few people who have seen it. I hope that over time, through Blu-ray and streaming services, it becomes a beloved as the original.

Overall, as a double feature, I wouldn't recommend watching the two back-to-back. By design the films are both atmospheric, slow-burns that combine for a 4.5+ hour runtime that you will feel every minute of. They are very good, some would even argue great, films but neither one was a hit at the box-office and they are definitely not movies I'd recommend to everyone. If you like sci-fi films that make you think a bit (rather than the good guys and bad guys just shooting space lasers at each other kind) and you don't mind movies that take their time then you will probably really enjoy these.

I give Blade Runner a 4 out of 5 

-and-

I give Blade Runner 2049 a 4.5 out of 5.

Aquaman

This review comes with a bit of a disclaimer: Truth be told, Aquaman is my all-time favorite superhero and has been since I was a little kid, so I was all in on this movie from the very first trailer. If you're looking for a purely objective view on this particular film, then take this blog post with a grain of salt because I'm coming at this one as fan who never thought he'd get a live-action, big budget, Aquaman film. 

Aquaman is the latest live-action superhero flick based on a DC character. Directed by James Wan, the film stars Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Dolph Lundgren, Nicole Kidman, Yahya Abdul Mateen II, Willem Dafoe and, of course, Jason Mamoa as the title character. The acting is pretty solid overall, and the story kept me engaged throughout. Being a comic book film and with significant portions taking place under water, I was a little worried going in that the CGI effects would be distracting but I feel that most of it was done well. 

While I don't know how this one will hit with audiences overall, for any fans of Aquaman this one offers a bit of everything that makes those comics interesting: It features Aquaman's two most iconic villains Ocean Master and Black Manta, sea monsters from the Trench, Mera, and Atlanteans fighting with tridents... it's all there. 

I had a blast with this one, and it's the most fun I had with a comic book movie this year.
4.5 out of 5 


*Also, If you want to know how all of the DC films stack up for me you can click HERE to see my rankings

Disney's Live-Action Revival

Over the past few years Disney has been caught up in a wave of remaking some of there classic properties with a "but now it's live-action" twist and, as it turns out, there is big money to be made there. While all of these are "live-action" (or at the very least live-action mixed with photo realistic animal characters like 2016's The Jungle Book), and not animation remakes, the approach to retelling the story and the quality of the films has varied. Some of the movies are simply a straight remake with an extra song or minor details thrown in, while others try to put a spin on the story you grew up with. 

Like I already stated Disney is riding this trend with no signs of stopping. Just looking at next year, there are three of these films coming out! Aladdin, Dumbo, and The Lion King are all due for release in 2019, with other remakes in various stages of production to come out over the next few years.

So, what's come out so far, and how do these films stack up? Disney did make the occasional attempt at adapting their animated classics to live-action in the 90's with 1994's The Jungle Book and 1996's 101 Dalmatians, but I'm just going to focus on this current wave of films starting in 2010. I'll also keep updating this list as these movies come out.

The Good:

The Jungle Book (2016)

Christopher Robin (2018)

Maleficent (2014)

The Watchable:

Cinderella (2015) 
Aladdin (2019) 

Beauty and the Beast (2017)

Skip:

Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016)

There was also a remake of Pete's Dragon in 2016 but the original was already a live-action/animation hybrid, so I didn't count it. There was also a Nicholas Cage movie called the Sorcerer's Apprentice in 2010 which was a fantasy-action flick that I think was just using the Fantasia segment of the same name to sell tickets... I believe there's a bit in there with the brooms and buckets of water, but I don't remember. I found both of those film pretty underwhelming, in case you were curious. Also, I haven't seen Dumbo (2019) yet.

10 Superhero Movies Everyone Should See

Usually entries to my ongoing '10 Movies Everyone Should See' series focus on an individual actor or filmmaker. I have previously written posts about Tom Cruise, Sean Connery, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Alfred Hitchcock, and many others. However, the topic of which Superhero films people should see came up recently in a conversation and it felt like a good fit for this series. If you're not familiar with how I make these lists, they aren't necessarily a 'Best of' or 'Top 10', It's merely 10 films that I feel best represent the topic overall. If you're a big fan of comic books, like myself, then you probably will go see any superhero flick that hits theaters. For those with a more casual interest in the genre, these are what I consider some notable selections. 

*Also, for anyone wondering, the only films considered were those featuring superheros. So comic/graphic novel adaptations like Road to Perdition, 300, Sin City, and V for Vendetta are films I thought were best left for a different day.

#10 Logan (2017)

Hugh Jackman played the popular X-Men character Wolverine for 17 years and did a fantastic job overall. But it was his last film in the X-Men universe that gave us arguably his best performance.

#9 Watchmen (2009)

I know people are split on Watchmen but whatever your view on how the source material was handled, it is still a well-made, visually striking film, worth watching at least once.

#8 The Avengers (2012)

Even though the X-Men franchise had been showing that superhero teams in movies could work since 2000, this was the first time we saw heros from several different franchises come together in a major motion picture. It was a game-changer.

#7  Blade (1998)

Blade isn't perfect, the CGI especially hasn't held up, but it's still a cool movie. The story is interesting, it's a solid action-horror mashup, Wesley Snipes is awesome, and the quality of the film should be appreciated even more when you consider the status of comic book movies at the time. Blade came out just a year after Batman & Robin, Spawn, and Steel.

#6 Superman (1978)

It's been 40 years since this one hit theaters and I think for a lot of people, myself included, Christopher Reeve is still the definitive live-action Superman.

#5 Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Guardians of the Galaxy isn't my favorite of the Marvel films but it stands out because it came at a time when many where looking at comic book movies and saying "Let's make them gritty". The folks at Marvel on the other hand were saying "Let's get weird and do the one with the sentient tree and talking racoon".

#4 Wonder Woman (2017)

This is far from the best film on the list but, it was the first wildly successful, female-led, comic book movie, and for that alone it's worth watching. Plus, it's pretty good until the third act.

#3 Ironman (2008)

To date the MCU consists of 20 films and it is the all-time highest grossing film franchise of all time, and it all started with Ironman. It might not be everyone's favorite MCU film but, it's hard to deny its impact.

#2 Hellboy (2004)

I just really like the Hellboy films and it's my list... Go watch Hellboy, it's a fun movie.

#1 Batman (1989)

Comic book movies have always had a pretty spotty track record. Sure, the MCU films have helped to establish some quality standards (and even then not all of those films are great) but I think it was Tim Burton's Batman that was the high water mark for the genre for a long time.


 Honorable Mentions: The Incredibles (2004), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2016), X-Men (2000), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Spider-Man (2004), Batman (1966)

What are your 'must-see' superhero film? Leave a comment below.
-and-
To check out the other entries in this series click HERE

Today's Movie: Black Mass

Black Mass is a 2015 crime film starring Johnny Depp, and it's about real life Boston crime boss James "Whitey" Bulger. I like a good crime-drama and this is a film I had been meaning to get around to watching for some time but, it just kept getting pushed to the bottom of the stack. Right off the bat, I've never been a big Johnny Depp fan. Sure, there are a few gems but, I think too many of the movies that make up his his filmography involve him putting on a wacky costume, over-acting, and doing a dumb voice (see: Mortdecai, The Lone Ranger, Dark Shadows, 2010's Alice in Wonderland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, all of the Pirates of the Caribbean films etc.). That being said, I think he's good in this film.

The film starts off in 1975 with Bulger as a fairly small-time criminal, but soon shows him making a deal with FBI agent John Connolly (played by Joel Edgerton) to become an informant. This arrangement between the two allows Bulger to operate and gain power while Connolly diverts the heat to other crime bosses. Intercut throughout the movie are quick scenes with older versions of members from Bulgers gang giving statements to the FBI and, even though in some films this can be distracting, I think they pulled it off in a way that enhanced the film.

Overall, this is a solid film that I'd recommend to anyone who is interested in organized crime stories. At times it felt a little longer than it's two-hour runtime but, the subject matter is compelling enough that I can excuse a scene or two that drag a bit too long.

I give this one a 3.5 out of 5

A Look Back At Porky's

The 1980's gave us a number of films which are today considered by many to be cinematic classics. Films like Ghostbusters, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Raging Bull, Back to the Future, Blade Runner, Scarface, and Full Metal Jacket... There was also the 1981 film Porky's

Porky's was one of those films that came out during the post-Animal House, sex-comedy wave along with things like 1983's Screwballs and 1984's Revenge of the Nerds. I like Porky's overall and I'm not ashamed to admit that I get a bunch laughs out of its lowbrow humor whenever I watch it but, like a lot of 80's movies, it hasn't aged all that well. If you've never seen the film, the plot is pretty thin. Set in Florida in the 1950's, it centers around a group of sex-obsessed high schoolers who get into a bunch of wacky shenanigans and that's pretty much the foundation upon which the movie is built. The "Porky's" of which the movie is named after, is a nightclub deep in the Florida everglades. The boys get thrown out of the club one night, and seek to get revenge on Porky, the club's owner. 

While it does have it's funny moments, and features a memorable scene involving a peephole in the girl's locker room shower, it isn't a movie I'd really recommend to anyone in 2018. If you're looking for a fun, even if dated, comedy about some high school-age guys trying to get laid I'd recommend going back to the 'American Pie' films over Porky's. However, if you've never seen this one and you want to check it out, it's harmless dumb-fun.

2.5 out of 5