The Kitchen

The Kitchen is crime drama based off of a DC comic book series of the same name by Ollie Masters. The film stars Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish, and Elisabeth Moss as the housewives of Irish mobsters in the 1970s. After their husbands are arrested and they are left for broke by the mob, that was supposed to protect them, they take it upon themselves to reign control over overlooked organized crime operations in their New York neighborhood of Hell's Kitchen. 

The plot was engaging and easy to follow. It kept me locked in throughout and had some great twists at the end. If I didn’t know this was based off of a comic book I could have easily thought this was based on a true story.

All three women did a great job playing off one another. I liked seeing the serious side of comedians Melissa McCarthy and Tiffany Haddish. I appreciated that the women led this film and all had strong character development and diversity in personalities. McCarthy playing the family woman with questionable alliances, turned mob boss, Haddish as the cutthroat, conniving and brilliant co-partner and Elisabeth Moss as the innocent, abused housewife turned ruthless independent woman. I enjoyed seeing these characters pull themselves up from their bootstraps, not depending on any man to get what they wanted. They were willing to take smart risks and be the drivers in their own futures.

The sets and costumes were all very appropriate for the time. Some of the looks were super chic and could definitely be rerun today.

This movie gave a fresh take to a familiar mobster themed drama. With these three strong female leads at the forefront it made for an intense and thrilling movie that is absolutely worth checking out.

Anna

Anna is an action thriller starring newcomer Sasha Luss, alongside veterans Helen Mirren, Luke Evans, and Cillian Murphy. Anna Poliatova is a strikingly beautiful and intelligent young woman on the brink of a life destroying decision when she is given the opportunity to change her situation forever by becoming one of the world's most feared government assassins.

This plot is the same as all the others, it’s basically Atomic Blonde, meets Nikita, meets Red Sparrow. It was entertaining but predictable. Some of the fight sequences were choreographed well but at times weren’t very believable. In certain scenes I was sitting there saying, “how can one woman kill like 50 men in one scene?” It was another Power Rangers’ “Putty Patrollers situation”. It would have been nice to have seen something a bit more realistic and original in that aspect.

The acting was impressive for some and a letdown for others. Sasha Luss did a great job carrying this movie as Anna. She was able to bring the beauty, athleticism, mental and physical strength, cleverness, and resourcefulness to the role. Helen Mirren was a surprise addition. She is accomplished and well renowned actor, so I found this movie as an interesting choice for her. She, of course, did a great job and I liked her conniving, powerful, take no crap from anyone character. Cillian Murphy was intriguing in his role. I have noticed that he likes to choose a diverse array of projects. In this, he gave me a lot of range and I liked his conspiratorial role. The major disappointment for me came from Luke Evans. I’ve seen Luke in a few things and don’t mind him as an actor but he dropped the ball on this one. He was supposed to be Russian but didn’t have a Russian accent. There wasn’t a lot of character development there so he was boring to me and didn’t give me a lot of range in his acting.

All in all this movie was just okay. It would not have been worth paying for in a theater but it’s okay to catch at home on a lazy weekend.

American Son

American Son is a drama based off of a Broadway play of the same name starring Kerry Washington. 

Set in a Miami police station waiting room and it opens with Washington, who plays Kendra, a mother worried sick about her son, Jamal, who hasn’t been home all night. She begins losing her patience because rookie Officer Paul Larkin, played by Jeremy Jordan, who is White, doesn’t seem to care very much about her Black teenage son. Steven Pasquale plays Scott Connor, Kendra’s estranged White FBI husband and Jamal’s father, and Eugene Lee plays Lt. John Stokes.

The movie touched on a lot of heavy themes including stereotyping, the relationship that the African American community has with the police, racism vs ignorance, parenthood, interracial relationships, and raising biracial children. It asks the uncomfortable questions and forces you to think about what you would do in that situation and how you would react.

The acting from the entire cast was great. They go through a wide range of emotions and you really feel for Kendra, who is complicated and hurting. She lashes out, sometimes at the wrong people and you get that. She is also forced to face hard truths and even gets a dose of humble pie from Lt. John Stokes.

The plays writer, Christopher Demos-Brown, was also credited for the script. I didn’t think this was a good idea because there was not a smooth transition from Broadway to film. It felt like a copy and paste from the play; very dialogue heavy and lengthy monologues. Honestly, I’m not even sure if a proper screenwriter was brought to translate this from the stage to the screen if it would have been worth it. The intention was impactful but the delivery couldn't quite get me there. This movie felt like it should have just stayed a play.

The King

The King is a Netflix produced medieval, 15th century, drama that follows disgraced, Prince Hal, the Prince of Wales as he must unwillingly turn from drunken philanderer to warrior king. Starring Timothée Chalamet, Joel Edgerton and Robert Pattinson, this movie showcases the politics and hostilities Hal faces from those close to him inside his castle and those from outside the castle in the battle for the respect to claim English reign. 

The plot was interesting and easy to follow. The script was well written and had a good mix of character driven dialogue along with a significant amount of action sequences. The fight scenes were intense at times, bringing a gritty, dirtiness that felt historically accurate. The costumes and the sets were also perfect for the movie, properly transporting you to this archaic, ruthless world.

I thought that the acting throughout the film was great. I especially enjoyed Timothée Chalamet’s portrayal of King Henry V. He was really able to carry this movie by bringing to life this smart and calculated king with strong military prowess. He was able to showcase his evolution from a drunken black sheep, to a naïve ruler who just wanted peace, to a powerful, merciless king. Joel Edgerton also did well playing the military expert and loyal friend whose guidance was meant to steer Hal in a righteous direction. The only actor I wasn’t completely on board with was Robert Pattinson. His acting was good, as an almost French reflection of the drunken disappointment that Hal used to be, but his French accent was terrible, as it kept fading in an out thought out each scene that he was in. Honestly, they should have just hired a French actor to play the role. They also could have elaborated more on his character development as he was a bit too one dimensional.

Even though Pattinson was a bit of a damper he couldn’t derail this movie for me. I was still engaged throughout and could have easily enjoyed this film in a theatre. Netflix can be hit or miss with the quality they put out but this one, for me, was definitely a hit.

Good Boys

Good Boys is a coming of age comedy of three friends going into the 6th grade who were invited to their first kissing party. 

The themes of friendship, growing up, taking responsibility and growing apart were all great and relevant in this movie.

The plot was fun and interesting. Unfortunately the comedic piece didn’t hit as hard as I wish it would have. There were a couple of funny moments but for the most part all of the best jokes were in the trailers.

I thought that the three kids in this movie, Jacob Tremblay as Max, Keith L. Williams as Lucas and Brady Noon as Thor, did a great job acting off one another and staring in this movie. I have seen Jacob in other films and I think he has a great range for someone so young. Keith L. Williams brought a lot of the comedy and was probably the funniest one in the entire movie but it wasn't enough to carry an entire movie.

The script lacked creativity and it actually became a bit awkward watching 11 year olds cussing and carrying around sex toys. I remember watching Role Models over 10 years ago and thinking it was hilarious watching a young kid throw insults and cuss but the writers this movie couldn’t deliver in the same way. Ultimately, the movie was entertaining but not worth seeing again.

Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn

Birds of Prey is the Harley Quinn standalone movie starring Margot Robbie, Rosie Perez and Ewan McGregor. 

The plot picks up after Suicide Squad. It was fun, had touches of comedy but was very predictable. The character development was good but the script was too long and full of too much backstory. The purpose of this movie is to showcase the Birds of Prey but the girl gang doesn’t even get together until the last 20 minutes of the movie which was a disappointment.

I enjoyed the reprisal of Robbie’s Harley Quinn. She does great in everything and really could do no wrong in my book. She carried this movie with a quick wit, resourcefulness, some heart and character growth. Her fight sequences were creative and full of athleticism. I thought that the acting from the rest of the group was mediocre at best. I liked the diversity of the rest of the Birds of Prey but didn’t think that they all interacted well together. It wasn’t believable that Rosie Perez, as Renee Montoya, could be in this group. Mary Elizabeth Winstead was an unknown to me and although her character, Helena Bertinelli / The Huntress, was awkwardly funny at times I just didn’t really care about her. I have seen Jurnee Smollett-Bell in some lower budget things in the past. It was nice to see her in a bigger budget movie, but unfortunately she lacked the athleticism, which her character, Dinah Lance / Black Canary, required. All of her fight sequences were painfully slow and boring. In regard to Ewan McGregor, I always think of him as more of a good guy or a hero so it was weird seeing him in a villain role. His character, Roman Sionis, was not my favorite; he had odd proclivities and his costume, which was supposed to be scary and intimating just came off corny. And finally, even though I was never a fan of Jared Leto's Joker, it was odd that he didn't even make a cameo in this movie.

In the end, this was not worth seeing in theatres. It wasn’t as bad as Suicide Squad, but it was not worth spending money on. For those who want to support Margot, I’d suggest waiting until it's released on Netflix.

Long Shot

Long Shot is a comedy starring Charlize Theron as Secretary of State Charlotte Field and Seth Rogen as journalist Fred Flarsky. Charlotte and Fed were childhood neighbors who hadn’t seen each other since they were teenagers. Then by serendipity they happen to run into each other at the same party, spurring an unexpected partnership.

I thought that the plot was unique, easy to follow, well thought out and moved seamlessly. There were some parts that were predictable but overall it was very entertaining. Additionally, the script was witty, smart and packed with really funny punches.

I liked the diversity of cast and the strong character development. The acting was also great all around. Charlize played a strong, smart woman in a powerful position, trying to stand on her own, with her merits, as she made the transition to running for president. Seth Rogen was pretty much the same character that he is in everything, but it was a nice contrast to Charlize’s more serious character. I was pleasantly surprised to see O'Shea Jackson Jr in his role. He was an optimistic, supportive friend though all odds. He brought something very different than what he has played in the past.

In the end, I have always thought comedies are one of the hardest films to make. Not ever joke hits with everyone so when a good comedy does come out, it is worth the wait. This is one of those movies. If you are looking for a hilarious movie, full of heart and a bit raunchy, this is the one for you.