“Godzilla: King of the Monsters” follows the heroic efforts of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch as its members face off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah.
When these ancient super-species – thought to be mere myths – rise again, they all vie for supremacy, leaving humanity’s very existence hanging in the balance.
Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Bradley Whitford, Sally Hawkins, Charles Dance, Thomas Middleditch, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Ken Watanabe, and Zhang Ziyi co-star in the film opening May 31st.
Written by: Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely
Directed by: Anthony Russo and Joe Russo
Featuring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, Karen Gillan, Danai Gurira, Bradley Cooper and Josh Brolin
Steve Rogers:“We lost. All of us. We lost friends. We lost family. We lost a part of ourselves. This is the fight of our lives.”
Well the wait is finally over, after twenty-one previous MCU movies as well as eleven years, we can now see where the entire franchise has been heading to, this movie, “Avengers: Endgame” (2019) coming over one year after “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018) that left half the Universe behind as the other half was ‘ashed’ at the conclusion to that movie. There is no doubt at all that “Avengers: Endgame” is the most anticipated movie in pop culture ever, in case you wondering if that hyperbole, it isn’t, with a forecast first weekend global box office gross nearing US$1 billion there simply has never been a movie like it, not only that I doubt there may be anything like it again. This franchise has beaten the odds to deliver, now twenty two movies that have either been blockbusters delivering both critical acclaim as well as huge revenues or on the lower side have been speed bumps, but still providing revenue so that the franchise was always looking forward. Not only that but there was nobody predicting that after the surprise hit all those years ago in “Iron Man” (2009) that featured an ex drug addict in its lead, Robert Downey Jr. as well as untested director in Jon Favreau, that it would be the franchise of franchises, the cinematic crown in Disney’s empire, almost unbelievable.
“Avengers: Endgame” also marks the closing of a chapter with many of the A list stars now ending their contracts as well as entirely new casts assembled for what will be known as ‘Phase Four’ which kicks off in 2020, with titles only rumored currently, but expected to be announced in the coming months. The question remains after the huge success of “Avengers: Infinity War” both critically as well as at the global box office, and a cliff-hanger that promised so much could a sequel deliver on many fronts? Could there be a satisfying conclusion that would not feel like trickery, could the writer once again balance so many main characters, would there be enough story to keep audiences entertained, how would it be possible to at least match the spectacle of the first movie and would there be time as well as smaller moments to say goodbye to some of the greatest characters in mainstream cinema today. The simple answer is yes it is another stunning achievement that almost matches the first movie but does have to thread a narrative that takes in much of the work carried out by previous MCU movies that have come before, but make no mistake this is a bookend to not only thre previous Avengers movie but to the entire franchise to this point.
“Avengers: Endgame” takes place after half of all life in the universe was eliminated due to the actions of Thanos in “Avengers: Infinity War”, the remaining Avengers and their allies must reassemble to revert those actions in one last stand.
This is very much a movie about loss, how that transforms people as well as how grief will push people to their very limits. It is also about something many people would like to think they would do for others, that is sacrifice. As we see with those left in the aftermath—including original Avengers Tony, Captain America (Chris Evans), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), who are as one would expect shadows of their former selves, lost, alone and wondering how to solve the problem of Thanos and his gauntlet. What is fantastic about this new movie are all the quiet moments that occur throughout the movie, with so much to all back to not only with the previous movie but all the others the filmmakers could be forgiven for missing characters or even call backs, it is to their credit that they seem to almost hit every story beat perfectly.
This movie deserves accolades for just getting to the screen as it is an exercise in not only logistics but in getting the right tone for a movie with this huge scope as well as so many characters from the previous movies over the past ten years. It is the second MCU movie this year, which is incredible considering it is only April, not only that the first MCU movie this year was “Captain Marvel” (2019) which while no universally loved has still powered its way to US$1.1 billion at the global box office. We also have still to come “Spider-Man: Far From Home” (2019) which is sure to be another massive hit, and will close Phase Four acting as an epilogue of sorts for this new movie.
Fresh of the double success that was “Captain America: Winter Soldier” (2014) and “Captain America: Civil War” (2016) directors Anthony Russo & Joe Russo, not forgetting screenwriters Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely had the task of corralling over thirty main characters as well as bringing to a kind of conclusion the past eleven years. However, with three of the best MCU films under their belts all four seem to be the obvious choices to bring “Avengers: Endgame” to the screen with its disparate locations, very different characters, high drama and of course comedy that has become the staple of not only their other work but the MCU in general. Of course, there is one other player, the constant force behind every single MCU movie from the first “Iron Man” (2008) through to this one, that is producer Kevin Feige. Feige is the real mastermind behind all the ups, downs, accidents, mistakes as well as the successes of all the MCU movies, the question is will this new Avengers movie be a “Black Panther” or an “Avengers: Age of Ultron” (2015)? The good news is that as far as I am concerned this is an unmitigated success on most fronts, it brings together a kind of conclusion to what was started all those years ago while leaving the MCU in an extremely strong position.
Much has been made of the amount of characters within this movie, there are plenty, so much of the actual story as well as the character beats are presented with looks or shorthanded dialogue, this is a movie that expects viewers to know the histories as well as previous plot points before going in, it is one of the ways the movie has been streamlined – if you could say a running time of three hours is streamlined. That and the fact that the majority of this movie is spent on the run, literally, from the opening to the very end, this is most definitely a conclusion of a six hour epic. Unlike previous MCU movies this is not a comic book movie presented within the framewprk of other genres, like a heist movie, a spy movie or even a comedy – “Avengers: Endgame” is exactly what it is presented as, a 100% comic book movie, with a villain trying to get something, with hench men and heroes attempting to stop him in a variety of ways, at various locations and of course the ultimate comic maguffin, the Infinity Gauntlet, more precisely the power behind said gauntlet. It is goal focused, one of the easiest stories to tell as well as plot so that audiences can keep up, staying focused until the very ending, which for some will most definitely be a shock.
The use of CGI is stretched to its limits here with the (over?) use of artificial sets, artificial people as well as artificial lifeforms, the good news is that they are juxtaposed by the real sets of New York and Wakanda which at times were welcome relief after so many digital backgrounds and extensive makeup, as well as of course the completely CGI characters of Rocket, Groot and Thanos himself – not counting multiple CGI iron people, Spider-Man, henchmen and various others. Of course it goes without saying that the third act, like many marvel movies, is a huge spectacle but unlike many other MCU movies there are major callbacks to important moments in the Marvel Comics, too many to name here but it is fun and rewarding seeing them all.
“Avengers: Infinity War” is such an assuredly as well as competently directed movie by the Russo’s that it is easy to forget the challenge that was placed before them, they have made all the right moves, covering each location with just enough to give the audiences a taste of what is to come in the final shocking act.
The MCU is still dominated by Robert Downey Jnr as Iron Man, more so with his new armor as well as his ability to stand up to anyone, but it was with glee that I thought Chris Hemsworth as Thor take his well earned success from last years movie, running with it and proving that like Downey he now owns his character, I hope to see more of him in the future. However, it is Chris Evans as Steve Rogers who is the real heart of these movies, he was born to play Captain America, someone who is the least powerful among his peers, but time and again proves that the bigger they are the harder they fall. As he moves away from the role tough I can easily see Chadwick Boseman taking his place as the born leader who will make decisions many are unable to, as will Sebastian Stan as Bucky who more and more proves he too owns his character.
In saying that I still loved this movie, has there ever been a bigger event movie in terms of not only anticipation but also a possible payoff after ten years as well as the weight of eighteen movies? The answer is no, this has been the most successful franchise globally ever, it has had ups and downs, but it has persisted with more good parts than bad, which is proven by the fact that next year we will be seeing the conclusion to this movie as well as some of the characters that this franchise has been built on. In terms of comic book films as spectacle and jeopardy this has to be one the best of all time, it has such an emotional ending that I was surprised by how I felt in thinking about what the ramifications were going to be as well as how some of the characters will not only move forward but how this story has been resolved.
Written by: Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty based on‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?’ by Lee Israel
Directed by: Marielle Heller
Featuring: Melissa McCarthy , Richard E. Grant, Dolly Wells, Jane Curtin, Anna Deavere Smith, Stephen Spinella and Ben Falcone
Lee Israel:“Jack Hock, you said?”
Jack Hock:“That’s me. The renegade, the rebel. Jack Hock, big cock.”
One of the cinematic highlights of last year, as well as a pleasant surprise overall is released this week on DVD, that being the excellent as well as multiple Oscar nominated “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” (2018), based around part of the life of writer (and con artist) Lee Israel, who was as unique an individual as one could ever hope to find. In fact I would go so far as to say there have been few people like her since her death in 2014. Although this movie is framed as a biopic about Israel, in particular her part (a major one) in the forging of celebrity letters and autographs it is actually a buddy movie in disguise, as it concentrates on the stressed friendship between Israel and Jack Hock, someone very little is known about, but who was important in Israel’s life as her accomplice, but more importantly a friend and confidant. In fact it is the surprising dynamic between the two that fills this film out in the most interesting of ways. It is surprising for a story about a forger then that this is more a character piece that plays out like a literary ‘Lethal Weapon’ with two performances from two fine actors who both could be described as character actors but prove their worth here as well as to any film being produced today.
“Can You Ever Forgive Me?” has to walk a tightrope between portraying what was a serious crime as well as the ridiculousness it is to pay large amounts of money for what are scraps of paper that have over the years become collectable, for no reason other than perceived celebrity. The film also has to show the scope of the crimes committed, in what is explained to audiences, as an industry fraught with deceit, of course Israel took it to a another level entirely with her brazen attempts, both successful and not, of creating realistic counterfeits that fooled almost everyone, at times within the narrative you may even expect her to get away with it. But no matter the outcome this film stays the course not giving in to what could have been something different by not hedging its bets, keeping it intensely personal providing us with two people that are not only out of time, but becoming obsolete as we watch them, they are hard living, hard talking and willing to bet everything on each other as all great onscreen partnerships do, think Joe Buck and Ratso from the classic “Midnight Cowboy” (1969) if you want a good comparison.
“Can You Ever Forgive Me?”, set in 1991, follows, author Lee Israel as she struggles with financial troubles, writer’s block and alcoholism. With her agent unable to secure her an advance for a new book, Israel is forced to sell her possessions to cover expenses, selling a personal letter she received from Katharine Hepburn to local book dealer Anna. While conducting research for a potential Fanny Brice biography, Israel discovers two letters written by Brice, one of which she takes and shows to Anna. Anna gives a low offer due to the letter’s bland content, prompting Israel to return home, add a postscript to the second letter, and bring it back to Anna, who takes the letter for $350. Israel then starts forging and selling further letters by deceased celebrities, incorporating intimate details in an attempt to command higher prices.
This film went through a number of iterations before it landed onscreen, it was co-written by Nicole Holofcener who was also originally tasked with directing but ended up handing the reigns over to Marielle Heller who was looking to follow up on her debut, the critically acclaimed “The Diary of a Teenage Girl” (2015), which she also wrote. What Heller has been able to accomplish is to take someone else’s script, moulding it into a coherent drama that has many touches of humour through the ever-present humanity of both characters who are tragic in their own inimitable ways. The film has a streamlined as well as efficient way in which the narrative complements the plot which while being linear in nature gives us insight into the way celebrity alters over a period of years and how those changes can have an effect on people who live off the idea of celebrity. We live in a celebrity (mostly) driven culture, which has only magnified with the advent of social media since the days of Lee Israel’s biographies that kept her career alive until they didn’t, as tastes changed but she was unable to adapt. Of course Israel has an aspect of herself that she was unable to alter, her abrupt and sometimes caustic personality that comes across in this film at points like a comic part but as an audience we soon realise this was her, one hundred per cent, which seems to be one of the reasons she is unable to alter how she makes her way in life. This aspect of Lee means she is not only unable to make alterations to her work, but it costs her much, a career, money, relationships and possibly the most important thing of all, love.
There is no doubt in my mind that the key to this film, with any of its potential success comes down to the casting of the two co-stars in Melissa McCarthy and Richard E. Grant who give career best performances that were rewarded with acting Oscar nominations although both lost which was a great injustice, especially for Grant. Both McCarthy and Grant came to the project late in the day but are totally professional exhibiting onscreen chemistry that seems so natural you would be forgiven for thinking they were friends in real life, they, of course, are not. Most obviously it is Grant with his own unique way of playing over the top characters that really steals the entire film from everyone, the real people as well, it is a master class of how to not only read a semi fictional person but also how to fill in the blanks so as to inform the plot, by defining the traits of the person you are portraying in three dimensions. Melissa McCarthy who is mostly known for comedies, playing characters who are likable, here has to show a side audiences have not seen, the unlikeable protagonist that we must side with, but also understand that she has to be caught, paying a price so that she does seem like a victim, she does this extremely well.
One of the elements that I found refreshing was the look back at a pre 9/11 New York where life seemed easier, there was not the feeling that permeates other movies set in the same location and the idea that someone ripping people off using fake letters seems somehow innocent and quaint. There are no hints of what is to come nor the society that will take shape after 9/11, or even the way society has polarised like we have in 2019, it is a tale of a bygone era that we will not see for some time to come, certainly not in my lifetime.
When I first viewed this film I was surprised by just how much I loved it, from its obvious first class performances, to its unusual subject matter through to the narrative where it becomes obvious early on that the scam Lee is running will not last, the only question remaining is how will she pay and will her friendship with Jack go the distance. I recommend “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” highly; it should be seen, not only that but it should be added to any collection as it is an instant classic.
HBO has released the below featurette which goes into the details of the second episode ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ that aired last night including its key use of that song.
“POKÉMON Detective Pikachu” (2019) – Behind the Scenes Featurette
The world of Pokémon comes to life!
The first-ever live-action Pokémon adventure, “POKÉMON Detective Pikachu” stars Ryan Reynolds as Detective Pikachu and is based on the beloved Pokémon brand—one of the world’s most popular, multi-generation entertainment properties and one of the most successful media franchises of all time.
Fans everywhere can now experience the iconic Pokémon Pikachu on the big screen as never before, as Detective Pikachu, a Pokémon like no other. The film also showcases a wide array of beloved Pokémon, each with its own unique powers and personality.
The story begins when ace detective Harry Goodman goes mysteriously missing, prompting his 21-year-old son Tim to find out what happened. Aiding in the investigation is Harry’s former Pokémon partner, Detective Pikachu: a hilariously wise-cracking, adorable super-sleuth who is a puzzlement even to himself. Finding that they are uniquely equipped to work together, as Tim is the only human who can talk with Pikachu, they join forces on a thrilling adventure to unravel the tangled mystery. Chasing clues together through the neon-lit streets of Ryme City—a sprawling, modern metropolis where humans and Pokémon live side by side in a hyper-realistic live-action world—they encounter a diverse cast of Pokémon and uncover a shocking plot that could destroy this peaceful co-existence and threaten the whole Pokémon universe.
POKÉMON DETECTIVE PIKACHU is directed by Rob Letterman and also stars Justice Smith as Tim, and Kathryn Newton as Lucy, a junior reporter following her first big story; as well as Suki Waterhouse, Omar Chaparro, Chris Geere, and Rita Ora, with Oscar nominee Ken Watanabe, and Bill Nighy.
POKÉMON DETECTIVE PIKACHU releases in New Zealand on May 9, 2019.
“Game of Thrones – Season Eight – “A Knight of Seven Kingdoms” (2009-2019)
Fantasy
Six Episodes
Created for HBO by: David Benioff and D. B. Weiss based on A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin
Featuring: Emilia Clarke, Kit Harrington, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Gwendoline Christie and Alfie Allen
Jamie“I swore to fight for the living, that is a promise I intend to keep.”
Arya Stark:“First, I robbed you.”
There can be fewer television shows going today that are more closely watched than “Game of Thrones” (2009-2019), especially as the production has been cloaked in secrecy that has only increased from year to year, this has been magnified by the fact that there has not been a new episode in almost two years. Another reason that there has been so much secrecy is that this eighth season is also the shows last which has only heightened expectation as well as fans and news outlets offering their own theories about how it will all end, who will live, who will die and what will be the fate of the seven kingdoms of the fictional Westeros.
“Game of Thrones” (after a reportedly terrible pilot) has introduced new actors as well as directors and writers while at the same time blending them with more experienced and veteran talent which ten years felt refreshing but now in this final season it could be said that the entire cast (those that are left) are all now strong veterans who are on a victory lap of sorts no matter how the plot unfolds and resolves itself.
This episode (as well as the last one) really are all laying groundwork for episode three which is going to be the battle for Winterfell which means elements need to be set in place, not only that but as an audience we need to be let in on truths as well as questions. Of course any new questions that are posed need to be paid off in the next four episodes, that means for a change we are going to have a conclusion. Last week was all about reunions, that is for the perceived ‘good guys’, they not only had some nice moments but also set up what is to happen this week as well as next. Of course the two biggest reveals were, Jon, finding out about his Targaryen background, and then Jamie coming face to face with Bran, which was where we left the episode.
Once again though this is another episode where we call back to previous seasons and where relationships that have been formed now come into play and actually mean something for once. In previous seasons it has seemed that we have seen characters randomly put together but now those relationships have had payoffs in this episode on multiple occasions, such as Jamie and Brienne, Tyrion and Jorah, Sansah and Theon as well as many many more. Of course in the opening we see a small showdown with Jamie and Daenerys, who decides the fate of the one time Kingslayer. As well as that there are still smaller battles being waged on multiple fronts, the more obvious one being between Daenerys and the now ‘Joan of Arc’ looking Sansah who seems just as entitled as Daenerys which is a false attitude for both to have, especially as his heritage was revealed last week.
Another element that comes through is the question of what happens after both the war with the dead as well as the war with Cersei. We have multiple scenes with questions about what happens after, no-one really knows if they will even survive the battles to come which is a reality that comes to pass as not all will be triumphant. Along with that we also witness some of the main characters reminiscing on better times, which is an age old trope on the eve of any major battle. This trope is played out to its fullest, it not only builds tension but sets the table for all the major characters, it either acts as a goodbye or a cementing of their importance for the story that is going to unfold in the final half of the season. What all the conversations illustrate is the redemptive arc that almost all the characters have travelled as well as the alliances that have now been formed for better or for worse. There are conversations that mainly revolve around death which is again is part of the trope of the the eve of battle where they all recount the many battles they have survived as well as the very real situation they find themselves in. Two of my favorite parts of this episode happen in one location, where Jamie Knights Brienne, something she has wanted her entire life which cements the importance of these two to each other, it is not a sex scene but it is as close as they get. My other highlight is when
Tormund Giantsbane discloses how he came by his surname (which many people will know is a bastardisation of Giantsbabe), it is a great story that I though we would never hear, but it is a real treat.
There does seem to be too many people heading for the crypts, I wonder if they realize how many people are buried beneath as well as the power in the undead army which can raise the dead, I am assuming that those people are going to have fight the undead anyway regardless of where they are.
Of course this episode ends with the approach of the Night King and his army, although we did not actually see him or his ice dragon, I wonder the fate of that being in the episodes to come. Of course the question is who will perish from the Winterfell side in the next episode, I think it goes without saying that Theon is for it, which is fitting considering his sins from previous seasons. I assume there must be a high body count that will consist of many of the characters we have come to know and love, but who will make it to the battle to come at Kings Landing? I would assume that Tyrion as well as Jon, Daenerys, Sansah are really the only guaranteed survivors, everybody else is fair game.
Looking forward we know there is going to be two episodes that will be devoted to massive battles clocking in at around an hour and a half so outside of those we will possibly have more narrative based episodes which will be good counter programming as well as hopefully sorting out storylines from previous seasons. Some of the elements of the show that I hope we will see is some actual magic as well as more story based episodes. I also think that Bran should and needs to be explained more, some of the actual rules for him are confusing, I mean shouldn’t he be able to know anything, very odd. So onward to next week and the biggest Game of Thrones episode ever which is saying something, I cannot wait.
Episode One: “Winterfell”
Written by: Bryan Cogman Directed by: David Nutter
The battle at Winterfell is approaching. Jaime is confronted with the consequences of the past. A tense interaction between Sansa and Daenerys follows.
Hobbs (Johnson) is a loyal agent of America’s Diplomatic Security Service. Shaw (Statham) is a former British military elite operative turned criminal.
When cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist Brixton (Idris Elba) gains control of an insidious bio-threat that could alter humanity forever, and bests a fearless rogue MI6 agent (Vanessa Kirby) who happens to be Shaw’s sister – these two enemies will have to partner up to bring down the only guy worse than themselves.
Mark Hamill will voice ‘Chucky’ in the film which also stars Aubrey Plaza, Brian Tyree Henry and Gabriel Bateman. “Child’s Play” opens in cinemas on June 21st.
The slow burn horror tale follows a young woman and her reticent new stepchildren who find themselves isolated in the family’s remote winter cabin, locked away to dredge up the mysteries of her dark past and the losses that seem to haunt them all.
Riley Keough, Jaeden Martell, Richard Armitage and Alicia Silverstone co-star in the film which is slated to open later this year States-side. Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz direct.
Featuring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Rashida Jones, Kenan Thompson, Cameron Seely, and Angela Lansbury, and is narrated by Pharrell Williams
Grinch:“Well, Santa had eight reindeer, he looks like he ate the other seven.”
Critical Commentary
Released this month on 4K Blu-ray is the latest incarnation of the Dr Seuss classic ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas!’ which has been transferred to the small screen as well as the big screen before, in the Boris Karloff voiced special in 1966 and more recently in 2000 with the Ron Howard, Jim Carrey starring “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (2000), which at the time was a box office behemoth, but was not enjoyed by critics, it was also more or less live action which at the time was a change of pace and predated the Disney animated reimagining’s we have now. Now almost twenty years later the story has been turned into a completely animated affair with a high profile list of voice talent to go along with a colorful and noisy adaption that outshines the movie but still does not come close to the Chuck Jones animated version from over fifty years ago. What is great about this new version is that it is squarely aimed at children as well as Christmas and teaches an age old lesson in a broadened plot and narrative that many will be able to identify with in an ever increasing media marketplace that each holiday season offers more and more messages about consumerism that can bring many families to the edge of sanity. What this movie does is take a classic and updates it but keeps the sprint of the original reframing it for a new audience.
The movie is set in the town of Whoville, the humanoids called Whos are filled with excitement about celebrating Christmas. The only one who isn’t amused is a cantankerous, green furred creature called The Grinch, who has a heart “two sizes too small” and lives in a cave on the top of Mount Crumpit just north of Whoville. The Grinch has a pet dog named Max and they both only visit Whoville when the Grinch needs to buy food and do bad things.
To be honest I do not have children but if I did I would not hesitate to show them “The Grinch”, it is colorful has images that are in the spirit of the original story and has enough originality that it nicely talks about family values as well as friendship and kindness but is not heavy handed and uses comedy to push points home whether picked up consciously or otherwise.
Technical Commentary
Universal Studios Home Entertainment brings “The Grinch” to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray as a two-disc combo pack with a Digital Copy code. The triple-layered UHD100 disc sits comfortably opposite a Region Free, BD50 disc inside a black, eco-elite case.
Video Review
“The Grinch” arrives on Ultra HD with an excellent HEVC H.265 encode, offering a welcome but ultimately slight upgrade over the Blu-ray. Considering the movie was likely rendered at 2K resolution, the upscaled UHD transfer is really not any sharper. The animation remains extraordinary to behold, exposing the most minute decoration and item within every nook and cranny.
A better and far more appreciable upgrade are the colors that burst onscreen with seemingly endless clarity. Contrast doesn’t show a significant difference from its HD SDR counterpart, but admittedly, the small jump is enough to give the 4K video a brighter tone. There is also better detailing within the darkest, deepest shadows, making this 4K HDR version the preferred way for enjoying the movie with the whole family.
Audio Review
“The Grinch” is armed with an excellent Dolby Atmos soundtrack that complements the visuals effectively.
The front-heavy design establishes a wide and splendidly spacious soundstage, as the action moves between the three channels fluidly and into the off-screen space. Imaging exhibits extraordinary clarity and detailing during the loudest, high-piercing segments, allowing for the crunch of snow to be perfectly heard while maintaining distinct, precise intonation and pitch in the various voices.
For a zany and wacky animated film such as this, rear activity is surprisingly limited and confined to the on-screen action. From time to time, a few atmospherics are employed, such as the local wildlife in the distance or when characters are seen sledding through trees or do down the mountain slope.
Special Features
Who’s Who in Who-Ville (2160p): A virtual interactive map in the style of a pop-up book giving viewers an opportunity to learn more about the characters and their making. When selecting one of these characters, the following four options are made available: Character Profile, Animation Tests, Progression Reel and Photo Gallery
Mini-Movies (2160p): A trio of animated shorts, all of which are presented in Dolby Vision HDR, provide a few more minutes of amusement for the whole family. One of these featuring the Minions played at the start of the movie in cinemas: Yellow Is the New Black (4 min), The Dog Days of Winter (4 min) and Santa’s Little Helpers (4 min)
The Making of the Mini-Movies (2160p, 6 min): Briefly explore the themes of each of the mini-movies through the eyes of the filmmakers who made them.
Cindy-Lou’s Yule Log (2160p, 8 min): A Grinch version of the virtual fireplace stylized after Cindy-Lou’s living room on Christmas Eve with music as decorations are slowly stolen.
Any Who Can Draw (2160p, 7 min): Hosted by an Illumination artist Mark O’Hare, viewers can learn how to draw Grinch, Max and Fred.
Lyric Video (2160p, 5 min): Essentially, a pair of sing-along music videos by Tyler, the Creator: “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” and “I Am the Grinch”.
From Green to Screen (2160p, 6 min): Very brief EPK-style piece with cast & crew interviews discussing characters, themes and the adaptation with BTS footage.
Illuminating The Grinch (2160p, 5 min): Another featurette made from interviews and BTS footage looking at the animation of the characters from sketches to finished product.
My Earliest Grinch Memories (2160p, 3 min): Cast and crew reveal their earliest memories and the enduring appeal of this holiday classic.
Grinchy Gadgets (2160p, 3 min): Explore the wondrous world of Grinch’s gadgets.
Songs from His Little Heart (2160p, 3 min): From Danny Elfman’s score to specialty songs, a brief discussion on creating the music behind the movie.
Christmas Around the World (2160p, 2 min): Quickly highlights how different cultures celebrate the holiday season.
Production Babies (2160p, 1 min): Celebration of the babies born to the filmmakers during the production.
Trailer: “Game of Thrones – Season Eight, Episode Two”
The premiere episode aired yesterday and reunited some fan-favorite characters, brought the Dragon Queen (Emilia Clarke) up North, saw a major truth revealed, and more. In the wake of the premiere, HBO has released the trailer for the next episode.
Created for HBO by: David Benioff and D. B. Weiss based on A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin
Featuring: Emilia Clarke, Kit Harrington, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Gwendoline Christie and Alfie Allen
Sandor ‘The Hound’ Clegane:“You left me to die.”
Arya Stark:“First, I robbed you.”
Sandor ‘The Hound’ Clegane:“You’re a cold little bitch, aren’t you? Guess that’s why you’re still alive.”
There can be fewer television shows going today that are more closely watched than “Game of Thrones” (2009-2019), especially as the production has been cloaked in secrecy that has only increased from year to year, this has been magnified by the fact that there has not been a new episode in almost two years. Another reason that there has been so much secrecy is that this eighth season is also the shows last which has only heightened expectation as well as fans and news outlets offering their own theories about how it will all end, who will live, who will die and what will be the fate of the seven kingdoms of the fictional Westeros.
“Game of Thrones” (after a reportedly terrible pilot) has introduced new actors as well as directors and writers while at the same time blending them with more experienced and veteran talent which ten years felt refreshing but now in this final season it could be said that the entire cast (those that are left) are all now strong veterans who are on a victory lap of sorts no matter how the plot unfolds and resolves itself.
So the first episode of the final season is possibly a little predictable but sets up the final season as it should do and as the first episode has for the past seven, so we actually spend most of the episode at Winterfell as characters who have been apart come together. We do however visit two other locations briefly, those being King’s Landing and Eastwatch where the wall was taken down at the end of season seven.
Amongst all the events that occur in this episode from a gratuitous section of dragon riding to the introduction of the much heard about Golden Company as well as some brief Greyjoy business the entire episode is about the rekindling of past relationships as well as echoes going all the way back to the first episode most obvious in the great opening all the way to the last scene which is not only surprising but directly acts as a look how far we have come, that features Bran and Jaime in a cliff hangerish ending.
My only real fear this episode was the Jon would not find out about his true heritage but to my relief he does and it occurs to me that this is going to set up conflict between him and Daenerys, as he feels more and more selfless she on the other side feels more entitled as well as a little arrogant, this can only mean bad things for their relationship as well as the alliance that they have formed.
Another elements and my absolute favourite part of “Winterfell” was the way many members of the supporting cast are now coming into their own, no more so than Sam who is possibly the most trusted person in the show, he is also Jon’s best friend and in many ways will be a trusted advisor. Sam learns of this Father and Brothers death at the hands of Daenerys as well as her dragons which is heartbreaking, you can see in his eyes the sense of loss but pulls himself together enough to leave and to find Jon. From there Sam confromts Jon who is shocked by the revelation, of course the revaltions do not stop there as Jon’s lineage is revealed, he is disbelieving but it becomes apparent that he believes what Sam is telling him. This is where the episode more or less ends so we will have to wait until next week to see what ramifications come.
Looking forward we know there is going to be two episodes that will be devoted to massive battles clocking in at around an hour and a half so outside of those we will possibly have more narrative based episodes which will be good counter programming as well as hopefully sorting out storylines from previous seasons. Some of the elements of the show that I hope we will see is some actual magic as well as more story based episodes. I also think that Bran should and needs to be explained more, some of the actual rules for him are confusing, I mean shouldn’t he be able to know anything, very odd. So onward to next week and episode two.
Episode One: “Winterfell”
Written by: Dave Hill Directed by: David Nutter
This week’s episode is mostly set at three locations and is all about reunions, at Winterfell, as well as the introduction of a new character at Kings Landing, not only that but it acts as a reset for the rest of the season to come. We also learn the fate of a few of the fringe characters after the army of the undead broke through the wall and what the Knight King is up to.
Featuring: David Harbour, Milla Jovovich, Ian McShane, Sasha Lane, Daniel Dae Kim and Thomas Haden Church
Lady Hatton:“On an island off the coast of Scotland, something was summoned from the depths of Hell, something that would end mankind.”
Hellboy:“And this thing, did it show up?”
Lady Hatton:“Oh, yes. You did.”
Released this week is the third movie made out of Mike Mignola’s ‘Hellboy’ comic book character, this one serving as a reboot after the first two directed by Guillermo del Toro failed to live up to the box office potential the studio had for them, as well as the fact that Del Toro has moved onto other projects. There had been rumours over the years of a third movie in his series, to close out the story in a fitting way, but this has not come to pass, mainly because of budgetary concerns, as well as the fact that creator Mignola felt left out of the creative process and who still owns at least partial rights to the titular character. The first two movies “Hellboy” (2004) and “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” (2008) both had very big budgets (for their time) and seemed to be following a trajectory that may have been wrapped up in a possible third movie, it is a shame that never occurred. The main reasons this third movie never eventuated was the relatively poor box office of both movies, they also showed early indications of what del Toro’s ‘Hobbit’ movies may have looked like. The other factors that weighed in for del Toro not completing this trilogy are the fact that he sets himself so many projects with little follow through as well as his bankability as a director, even now with the critical as well as commercial failures that have occurred he still finds it difficult to get his own movies green lit. These are some of the reasons that we have ended up with this new “Hellboy” (2019) which doesn’t come close to touching the two previous installments, not only that it seems like it was rushed into production with little idea of how it should be presented in terms of tone, look, story and narrative which is a huge missed opportunity for all involved, in particular director Neil Marshall and star David Harbour who are both coming off successful stints on massively popular television shows in “Game of Thrones” (2009-2019) and “Stranger Things” (2017-present) respectively. The first indication (and it seems the only one required) is that there are sixteen producers credited on this movie which is far too many masters to serve for anyone, I am at a loss as to why “Hellboy” required so many chefs to cook what amounts to an overcooked meal.
There are very few movies that I have seen in cinemas that do not have some redeeming value in one way or another, whether it is the performances, the direction, some of the plot or even the spcial effects. What is hard to accept is the very idea that “Hellboy” is devoid of any reason to seek it out at in cinemas at all. What is criminal is the way in which these filmmakers have taken a character that has been seen twice before as a misfit who while being a dark soul has a sense of humour as well as people around him he trusts and are as oddball as he is, who can forget Abe Sapien for example? Not only that but this new Hellboy is hard to like and has no support so he carries almost all the scenes by himself, which he needs as is proven in the final act which is rushed as well as non sensical and illogical. We also are provided with what seems an overly mixed and convoluted plot, and a narrative that is so jumbled by the time the final act arrives it has been forgotten, or worse it is obvious that none of the backstory is really required as the entire plot is not only nonsense but ripped from any number of genre movies that have come before it. One of the strengths of the previous movies was that del Toro had built an entire world that was easily accessible in the first movie and was broadened in the second. Not only is this latest movie muddled in where it is set, but it is painted with such a broad brush that there are no layers to the locations or any feeling of how the environs have been constructed. When bringing a comic book movie to the screen, one that also mixes in elements of horror and fantasy, it has better be interesting and original as well as engaging which “Hellboy” fails to accomplish on any level, in fact I would go so far as to say that this movie commits the most heinous cinematic crime in that it is dull and boring.
“Hellboy” begins during the age of King Arthur, where Nimue, the Blood Queen, is betrayed by her coven as she prepares to wipe out humanity and is dismembered by Merlin and King Arthur, who scatter her remains across Europe. In the present day, Gruagach, a hog-like creature, seeks advice from a supernatural being, Baba Yaga to exact revenge on Hellboy. She suggests resurrecting Nimue and gives him the locations of her scattered body parts. Three weeks later, Hellboy, who lives and works at the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defence, which is located in America, is ordered by his adopted father, Trevor Bruttenholm, to go to England to aide the Osiris Club in hunting three giants. The club’s seer, Lady Hatton, reveals to Hellboy that Bruttenholm found him on an island during World War II after the Nazis summoned him, and chose to raise him as his son rather than kill him. This is just the beginning of the movie and I have left out a few details as well as what happens after the giant hunt, it really is as bad as it sounds and is compounded by trope laden characters and dialogue.
Directed by Neil Marshall who has been a stalwart of both movies and television, “Hellboy” on the surface seemed like a perfect fit, as it was a genre movie that also included a healthy dose of modern mythology. Marshall has dealt with these elements before on “Game of Thrones” as well as his own horror movies, “Dog Soldiers” (2002) and the now legendary “Descent” (2005), but here he has too much going against him to create something that rivals his earlier work. He has an inexperienced screenwriter in Andrew Cosby, far too many producers that evidently were heavy handed in their dealings with him and a budget that appears to have been far to small to create believable effects on-screen which is unforgivable in that this was an effects heavy movie. My belief is that Marshall has done his best to put together a movie that was doomed from the outset which is a disservice to him as this was his first time directing a movie since the misjudged “Centurion” (2010) that suffered from a far to small a budget for its scope. It has been proven time and again that Marshall is a very good director as can be seen by his “Game of Thrones” duty but he really required the right material for big screen success, he has a great eye for horror as well as creating memorable movies, under favourable conditions.
In some cases these genre movies are cast with great actors always knowing what kind of movie they are appearing in, however with the exception of David Harbour, who it has to be said is a very good Hellboy, the rest of the cast seem lost, all either employing very bad accents or just playing parts they have inhabited many times before. So we have an inexperienced Sasha Lane, who as an actress is not only authentic but original, who really is asked to do too much of the heavy lifting in many scenes as well as Daniel Dae Kim who plays a character that is so obvious that when his own revelation comes it is just a complete anti-climax. Then there is Ian McShane who as a kind of grumpy old mentor we have seen him do before, most recently in “American Gods” (2018-present) but here it feels phoned in, and may have been influenced by the production hassles that have created a movie with little redeeming values, not even the cast can save this mess.
As the budget is less than the first movie, and that is comparing 2004 dollars to 2019 there has to be some kind of quality loss somewhere, which on the surface seems to be the special effects and CGI, as both of these elements look lacklustre and in some cases unfinished. In many instances the CGI stands out so bad that it is distracting, a good example is the fight between the giants and Hellboy where the entire sequence looks dated as well as out of place, the quality is so low that it is distracting and takes an audience out of the story completely.
This is a movie that attempts to raise the stakes by offering a R-Rated take on a property that worked fine when the rating was much lower, the problem is with the quality of the entire production which should have been much better than what has turned out. I would not recommend this movie at all in any capacity; it is not worth the time needed to invest to sot and watch. There are far better examples of genre movies out there, in fact you would be better re-watching the first two del Toro movies, they are far superior and much more enjoyable.
Trailer: “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” (2019)
The new J.J. Abrams-directed film serves as both the final film in the current trilogy, and last film in the franchise’s overall nine-film Skywalker saga with Disney already confirming the films will go on a bit of a hiatus after this.
Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Issac, Adam Driver, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, Billie Lourd, Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant, Dominic Monaghan, Matt Smith, Keri Russell, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels and Billy Dee Williams star while the role of Leia Organa will once again be played by Carrie Fisher, using previously unreleased footage.
The film journeys to the African savanna where a future king is born. Simba idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and takes to heart his own royal destiny. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub’s arrival. Scar, Mufasa’s brother – and former heir to the throne – has plans of his own.
The battle for Pride Rock is ravaged with betrayal, tragedy and drama, ultimately resulting in Simba’s exile. With help from a curious pair of newfound friends, Simba will have to figure out how to grow up and take back what is rightfully his.
The all-star voice cast includes Donald Glover as Simba, Beyonce Knowles-Carter as Nala, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar, James Earl Jones as Mufasa, Billy Eichner as Timon and Seth Rogen as Pumbaa. Alfre Woodard, John Oliver, Keegan-Michael Key and John Kani also star.
Featuring: Tom Selleck, Kohl Sudduth, Kathy Baker, Viola Davis, Vito Rezza, Stephen McHattie, William Devane, Saul Rubinek and William Sadler
Luther ‘Suitcase’ Simpson: “Is this official?”
Chief Jesse Stone: “No. It’s personal.”
Tom Selleck has had a pretty great career although you may not think that until you start looking at his filmography, he was catapulted to international stardom in the 1980s with his TV show “Magnum P.I.”(1980 – 1988), film roles followed and even now he is in the long-running “Blue Bloods” (2010 – present ). He is blessed with a great smile, a handsome face and the ability to play almost any kind of role. The ability to play deeply flawed characters was not something he was know widely for, until he started playing Jesse Stone in the TV movie adaptions of the characters created by the late author, Robert B. Parker. My personal opinion is that this is his greatest role, which very few people know about.
This is a character piece through and through and we find Jesse Stone, at about 35 years old. He is a former minor league baseball shortstop whose career was cut short by a shoulder injury. He was asked to resign from his job as a homicide detective for the LAPD Robbery-Homicide Division because of a drinking problem that began after his divorce from his wife, Jennifer. Showing up drunk to an interview for a job as police chief for the small town of Paradise, Massachusetts, Stone is hired because the corrupt president of the town board of selectmen thinks he will be easy to control. Stone quickly notices that the town has big league crimes, struggling with the mob, white supremacists, wildly errant wives and a triple homicide, and that his job will be more difficult than he expected. But, he proves up to the task, beginning with making a corruption case against the town council president and arresting him.
The series chronicles Stone’s cases as chief of the Paradise Police Department, as well as his struggles with alcohol and his complicated relationship with his ex-wife Jennifer. He is respected and well liked by the police officers in the town police department. He develops a good working relationship and friendship with the State Police Homicide Commander, Captain Healy.
No man is an Island – unless your name is Jesse Stone in which case it is entirely possible. After a career spent as a cop and reaching the homicide division it is a pretty hard fall going to a small town in the middle of nowhere – where the biggest crime might be speeding or theft. This is where Stone finds himself, its no wonder he is so introspective and difficult in dealing with authority as well as having an outsized sense of justice. This sense of justice has a price and as the series moves forward you can see the toll this has on Jesse as well as those that are close to him.
Each film is well directed but the atmosphere is helped by the fitting compositions by composer Jeff Beal, they not only haunt Jesse as the main character through whom the plot of each film flows, but they undercut each scene well – there is little manipulation added when viewing to the mise-en-scene and the outlook of the ocean, this is a soundtrack that complements the images and spoken audio well.
The following is a breakdown of each TV film that has been produced. They have just been re-released this month and are available now from retailers. The descriptions are not full as to get the most out of the stories you really need to watch them in order and there are many spoilers that would be given away by going too deep into any synopsis. Each movie deals with Jesse Stone and his peers as well as crimes that he has to solve with assistance from those around him.
Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost (2011)
After being replaced as the chief of police in Paradise, Massachusetts by the town council president’s son-in-law, William Butler (Jeff Geddis), Jesse Stone is still without a full-time job (though he vows to one day be reinstated). Nevertheless, he continues to find ways to pursue investigations into two separate murders: one involves a friend with whom he had lost contact, and the other has him working as a consulting investigator for the Massachusetts State Police Homicide Division on a case involving a robbery and murder suspect. Both Jesse and his friend, State Police Captain Healy (Stephen McHattie), have doubts as to the robbery/murder suspect’s guilt. His problems with his ex-wife, and drinking issues are still present.
Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt (2012)
Jesse Stone still misses the Paradise, Massachusetts police chief position, which he lost because the current town council president, Carter Hansen (Jeremy Akerman), wanted his son-in-law, William Butler (Jeff Geddis), to have the job. A suspicious police cruiser explosion kills chief Butler and officer DeAngelo (Vito Rezza). Curiously, the former town council president, Hastings “Hasty” Hathaway (Saul Rubinek), appeared to know about the incident before the current town council president was officially notified. Jesse is reinstated as “temp chief” by Hansen and uncovers apparent (but unproved) police corruption involving Butler.
Jesse attempts to reassemble his team, starting with his deputy Luther “Suitcase” Simpson (Kohl Sudduth) and then longtime assistant Rose Gammon (Kathy Baker), but both have moved on to other pursuits after choosing to not work with Jesse’s replacement, thus Jesse is left to solve the case himself. State Homicide Commander Healy (Stephen McHattie) also returns, along with Jesse’s psychotherapist Dr. Dix (William Devane). Thelma Gleffey (Gloria Reuben) also remains in Jesse’s life, and continues to work as a sales associate at Hasty’s luxury car dealership.
Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise (2015)
Police Chief Jesse Stone (Tom Selleck) accepts a position as an unpaid consultant with the Massachusetts State Police, working for Lt. Sydney Greenstreet (Leslie Hope) who gives him case files on several murders. After reviewing the files, Stone takes special interest in one case that involves the fourth victim of a brutal serial killer who slashed and disemboweled his victims while they were still alive. The jailed killer, a man named Richard and known as the “Boston Ripper” (Luke Perry), admits to the first three murders with pride, but maintains he did not commit the fourth murder. After interviewing the killer, Stone concludes that he’s a “sick son of a bitch”, but does not believe he killed the fourth victim, Mavis Davies.
The doco is described as an intimate, in-depth look at the organisation and staging that went into Beyonce’s instant-classic set at the 2018 Coachella festival.
Nanjiani plays mild-mannered Uber driver named Stu who picks up a passenger (Dave Bautista) who turns out to be a cop hot on the trail of a brutal killer (Iko Uwais).
He’s thrust into a harrowing ordeal where he desperately tries to hold onto his wits, his life and his five-star rating. Natalie Morales, Betty Gilpin, Jimmy Tatro, Mira Sorvino and Karen Gillan co-star.
Michael Dowse helms the film which opens in cinemas on July 12th.
Featuring: Zachary Levi, Mark Strong, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer and Djimon Hounsou
Freddy Freeman:“If you could have one superpower, what would you pick? Everybody chooses flight. You know why?”
Billy Batson:“So they can fly away from this conversation?”
These days, in particular the past five years, it seems like every few weeks there is a new comic book movie released into cinemas, 2019 will be no different, just a few weeks ago the juggernaut that it has turned out to be, that being the latest entry into the MCU, “Captain Marvel” (2019) was released which is coasting its way to US$1 billion dollars worldwide. Now we have a new DCEU movie, “Shazam!” (2019) being released, followed in a few weeks by, what seems like the movie event of the decade, “Avengers: Endgame” (2019) which is already promising to have a US$800 million opening weekend alone. It would be easy to see “Shazam!” as a lightweight movie (even its budget is less than half of the last DCEU entry) especially sandwiched between these two behemoths, but in fact it does offer some nice counter programming as recently the MCU may be perceived as going a little darker, this new DCEU movie is definitely lighter in tone as well as performance which for me was quite welcome. “Shazam!” does benefit from three very important and vital elements, one, it is an origin story which means audiences will be familiar with what is being told, two it has some great comic performances, especially from star Zachary Levi and three, it is more comedic in tone, much like parts of the recent DCEU success, “Aquaman” (2018). It also explores the horror genre more than any other comic movie produced to date, especially for a mass audience which is canny as horror is big bucks now.
Ever since the DCEU launched with “Man of Steel” (2013) there has been a darkness and dourness about each subsequent movie leading directly to “Justice League” (2016) which was laughably terrible, a misfire on all levels, the only element of these movies had in common was that they all made extreme amounts of money for Warner Bros., which was why they kept producing them. The other element they all had in common was that for the most part they were becoming more and more critically derided culminating with that same movie, “Justice League”. In attempting to ape the MCU in linking and creating a shared universe the DCEU had also created a rod for their own back, that was up until the mostly well received and box office hit “Wonder Woman” (2017) which seemed to (temporarily) right the ship. Then last year the DCEU had not only its biggest commercial success yet, but also its biggest critical one as well, which may have been more important as well as setting up a new batch of DC origin movies, which leads directly to this weeks release, “Shazam!”, a new look as well as feel for this franchise which may reinforce this once aimless series of movies with new blood.
“Shazam!” is set in mostly in present-day Philadelphia; Billy Batson is arrested by child services after he lures and traps police officers to assist in his search for his mother. At some point a family, the Grazers, adopts Billy and he shares a room with Freddie Freeman, a paraplegic. While at school, Freddie is bullied by a group of kids. Billy intervenes and flees onto the subway where he is summoned by a being known as Shazam. Shazam explains who his is and has Billy grab his staff and say, “Shazam!”, which transforms Billy into an adult with multiple superpowers.
This is the first DCEU movie that really has been handed over to two untested people in director David F. Sandberg and screenwriter Henry Gayden who both have never been in charge of a movie of this size or complexity. In saying that they both acquit themselves very well as this is an origin story so certain beats must be hit, it is everything else that they must concentrate on, in respect to this movie those things are the casting, the action set pieces, the humour and how all these pieces fit together into an overarching narrative. This is a movie that introduces a new mythology to the DCEU in the use of magical entities, so having Sandberg as the director seems like a great idea as he has directed movies that deal in the adjacent genre of horror, where he has had to deal with already existing mythology fitting a story around that. Here he does that very well considering the history that exists in the “Shazam!” which is confusing and sprawling to say the least. This movie also has a heavy horror element reflected in the seven deadly sins as well as the high body count that exists on a personal level, so shock is required. The screenwriter, Henry Gayden, has assisted here to by streamlining the plot as much as possible so that it is always moving forward, not looking back and helping ease an audience into the story by using humour which is accentuated by the ‘body swapping’ (kind of) narrative that feeds the overall feeling of this movie, the humour and horror are juxtaposed so that the audience never fits with either for too long.
As with the vast majority of comic book movies the casting of the central character is one of the key aspects and sometimes is directly linked to the success of the movie both commercially as well as critically, many DCEU characters have been cast by well known leading actors, however “Shazam!” has the relatively unknown Zachary Levi as the titular character. It is a actually a plus for the character of Shazam to be played by Levi as he brings no baggage to the part at all as he needs to play both an adult as well as a adolescent balancing these two things for the entire time he appears in the movie which he does as believably as one could, think Tom Hanks in the classic “Big” (1988). On the flip side of that equation is Asher Angel who plays the young version of Billy who is exceptionally good in the part who has to be the human face of the movie, doing an excellent job considering he has all the heavy lifting to do dramatically. As far as the rest of the cast goes the are all entirely in support of the main character so they are given limited characterisations which is not surprisingly framed by their ages and physical condition which makes the final act in the movie all the more special. The other major actor in “Shazam!” is Mark Strong playing the villain, Thaddeus Sivana, who while the original villan of the titular hero, here Strong seems a little ill fitted to the role, while looking the part his performance seems not only hollow but a little disingenuous and routine, which is where the movie is really let down, much like many of the new comic book movies in regard to both the DCEU and MCU.
It must be obvious by now that every Superhero has an origin story, telling how they gained their powers and decided to fight crime. It may be revealed in their first appearance, or not until an eventual flashback. But once established, it sets ground rules for which tropes are applicable to that particular superhero. The in-story explanation may be that the ultimate source of the hero’s power is magic, Sufficiently Advanced Aliens, or Weird Science. Of course “Shazam!” has a magical base, so it also has magical or mythical villains, in the seven sins, which to an extent help flesh out the universe but they also complicate matters by arbitrarily glomming on to the main villain Thaddeus Sivana. The abilities of Sivana seem to be similar to our heroes but at times we do not know if that is because of his association with the seven sins or if they are with him because of his taking of a mystical energy ball. It is not until the third act that his weakness bears out but that to seems like a on the spot fix made in the editing room and fixed up with reshoots which is a major let down as I felt our hero deserved more than some CGI battle seen a million times before.
This is a very good movie to see in cinemas, it has a healthy does of scares fitting its mystical setting, as well as quite a but of humour with some good performances from the entire cast and unlike many movies it does not give away all its surprises in the trailers that have been released, unlike a certain MCU movie released only a few weeks ago. Not only that but this movie links into the wider DCEU in a few ways, a couple done very subtly, one not so much but still welcome in the overall narrative arc. If you want to take the entire family to a standalone comic book movie that has a lot of heart as well as some lessons then “Shazam!” is for you.
