Thoughts on 5 Films

1. Deadpool 2 - A little bit disappointing. Certainly not as funny as the first one, but I knew that it would have been a difficult task anyway. *spoiler* I DO NOT like that they killed Vanessa. First, such a cliche; second, I love Morena Baccarin (and she's married to Ben McKenzie so I *should* hate her, but I don't. Seeeee...it's possible). I do, however, love the addition of Zazie Beetz as Domino, and I think it's hilarious that her superpower is luck (and it was definitely "cinematic"). I also love Josh Brolin, as Cable. He's just always so perfect. Actually, I can't really fault anything specific in the movie - the cast is great, it has some funny moments, the plot is full of heart (like the first one), and the action is really fun. I think I just expected better - I expected to be crying with laughter like I did the first one. I am a bit confused by the end-credits sequence - if he went back in time, does that mean the whole movie doesn't actually happen? Also, I kept hearing about Deadpool going back in time and killing Hitler, but that wasn't in the version I watched. Are there different cuts? Hmmmmm....

2. Overboard - Better than I expected, and actually not terrible. I thought the gender swapping was a dumb idea, but it worked. Anna Faris does the same character from her tv show, Mom, but she does it so well (she deserves the same amount of awards as Allison Janney). The best aspect of it, though, is the casting of several Hispanic actors and having them ACTUALLY SPEAK SPANISH. The film brilliantly embraces different cultures and languages and does it so effortlessly - it feels authentic. It's kind of a big deal, but the film wasn't good enough for it to gain such positive attention. It's unfortunate that they couldn't also get "single mom with 3 kids and no money" correct (poor people don't live in gorgeous houses in the suburbs with fresh flowers on their table). Why didn't they refer to original for figuring out what "poor" looks like? Very disappointing. However, there were a few great moments - mostly the ones that nod to the original - the Arturo and Caterina story is continued and utilized at the end (side note - is it Caterina? I googled it for spelling and some people seem to think it's Catalina). Yet, the end still felt fresh (and it's really funny when he hesitates and then tries to negotiate). I love the scene where Anna Faris wears the denim jacket with her hair up (direct nod to Goldie). I also laughed at the line "Have a garlic knot, it makes everything a little bit better" - TRUE STORY. Garlic knots are pure bliss.

3. Tully - First, I don't have kids. I can not relate to what this woman is dealing with at any level at all. But I do want to say, this movie definitely makes me not want to have kids EVER. I'm already susceptible to being super depressed, I think I would end up exactly like her. The main reason is that I've realized that I absolutely need at least 7 hours of sleep every night. I can function on 3 hours just fine, but I notice that anything less then 7, the depression sets in. So, the idea of a Night Nurse sounds brilliant! Does this actually exist? I understand not wanting to have someone else take care of your baby - but this way you get sleep and then you can be a better mother during the day. Anyway, that's the concept of the movie - only that *spoiler* she doesn't actually exist. Tully is just a figment of her imagination; a younger version of herself. It's quite obvious from the beginning, so I'm a bit concerned about people talking about how great the twist is. While watching it I wrote in my notes - about 15 minutes after Tully's introduction - "she doesn't exist, does she?". It's still wonderful even if it's not "a twist". It's a beautifully written story about a woman who is trying to cope, and "Tully" helps her do that. I think a lot of mothers will be able to relate to this story. Charlize Theron is fantastic and I adore Mackenzie Davis - she is perfectly cast here.

4. Rampage - This is a seriously terrible movie. I don't even know where to begin - the concept, the plot, the acting, it's all TERRIBLE. I will be highly surprised if it doesn't end up as my worst film of the year. The plot is so dumb, but the weird part is - it doesn't have to be. It could have been, at least, cliched & average. Instead, there are villains who accidentally (?) create gigantic, killer animals and then call them into a major city (where they are residing - essentially killing themselves) for absolutely NO REASON. It's just silly. However, it's an action-packed, city-destroying, brainless, blockbuster. If I was a 14 year old boy, I would probably enjoy the Hell out of it.

5. Tomb Raider - I know I watched the original Angelina Jolie version, however I don't remember it at all, but I do believe that it is terrible. I thought that maybe this would be a good idea - maybe they would get it right this time? Casting Alicia Vikander, was certainly a step in the right direction (although, I'm a big fan of Jolie - so that wasn't a dig at her). I think Vikander serves the story well - it felt grittier, a bit more realistic, and down-to-earth. She kept me invested - even though I could have done without the origin story. This is the problem I find with most reboots. Filmmakers should understand that audiences already know the story, why not skip ahead? Or condense it down to just the first 20 minutes. This is ultimately the reason that this movie fails. It's actually a 3 star movie (which is much higher than I was expecting), it just doesn't get to the actual "tomb-raiding" until the end, and by then, we are bored. Imagine if we got this fantastic female action-hero solving puzzles, finding ancient artifacts, killing evil men, saving the world, etc., for the whole film? We would want to see more. Instead, we're left disappointed and certainly not wanting a sequel.