Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

 

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is the sequel to 2016's Doctor Strange starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Benedict Wong. The film is directed by Sam Raimi and follows Doctor Stephen Strange and Wong who must team up together to protect a multiverse jumping child who is being hunted for her power.

It’s been a while since Raimi was in the director seat for a superhero movie. The last few that he directed were from the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man trilogy, which was almost 20 years ago. Those were my least favorite of the Spider-Man films and unfortunately Raimi’s filmmaking in this genre hasn’t improved much. Even with last year’s Spider-Man: No Way Home perfectly teeing this up, I still found this movie to be a bit of a disappointment. 

The plot was supposed to be close to the comics, which I'm sure the purists will appreciate, however some of the visuals just don’t translate well to screen. There were quite a few bits that they could have taken out or toned down. Also, the cinematography was another Inception style edit, which is honestly getting a bit old. There was also too long of a gap in between the 2016 movie and this one. I had forgotten I lot of the backstory between Doctor Strange and his counterparts. And the attempt at filling the audience back in was weak at best. 

Regarding casting, I did like that they brought in Elizabeth Olsen, who played Wanda Maximoff aka the Scarlet Witch. The script was able to fill in her past few years a bit, but I do think for those to fully understand her current arc, you would need to go back and watch the Disney+ TV show, WandaVision. It helps to fill in more of her complicated journey. I know that some felt like she was overacting but I thought it was more of a manic, desperate act, which made sense based off of the trauma she experienced with Vision and her children. Benedict Cumberbatch is a great actor, he has definitely evolved the character of Doctor Strange to a more likeable hero vs the first film. For the rest of the cast, I liked the diversity in the group, there were some strong female characters that could hold their own, and there were some cool multiverse character introductions that will hopefully make some possible spinoffs in the future.

Overall Doctor Strange is a great character when infused in an Avenger movie or a Spider-Man movie. As a co-star I feel like he lets his serious guard down and is actually a lot funnier, but on his own, I’m just not as engaged in his story. This movie was better than 2016's Doctor Strange with an action packed and unpredictable plot but it still didn't meet the Marvel standard that I am accustomed to. It is unfortunate, with all the acting talent, that these movies aren’t better.

Ambulance

Ambulance is the story of a bank robbery gone badly that ended up turning into a hostage situation starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Eiza González. Directed and produced by Michael Bay.

Many say that this was Bay’s “return to form”. In the cinematography you could see his influence with the aerial shots and helicopter usage. At times I thought I was watching Bad Boys.

This heist movie was formulaic in the screenplay. It was a typical plot with nothing that was particularly original, but I still enjoyed the high action and suspenseful ride.

I liked the diverse casting of Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Eiza González. There was descent character development for the three main leads but I would have liked a bit deeper dive to have really been able to connect to each to them. Gyllenhaal commanded the screen as Danny Sharp; he was tactical, vicious, and was a force to be reckoned with. He gave a wide range in his performance which I really enjoyed. Yahya, whom I’ve seen in a number of different roles now, gave me a different side to himself by playing Will Sharp. He did great at playing the more kindhearted, down on his luck, wrong guy in the wrong place. Eiza who played EMT Cam Thompson, one of the only females in the film, gave a strong performance, she held her own, and she was resourceful and brave.

Ambulance reminded me of The Town mixed with Cut Throat City. It was a bit slow moving at times, I felt like they could have cut some of the chase sequences out altogether and I wasn’t entirely pleased with the end. Even though I wanted a bit more closure there I was still pleasantly surprised by the quality of this film.

Uncharted

 

Uncharted is an action adventure movie based off of the video game of the same name starring Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg. When streetwise Nathan Drake is recruited by treasure hunter Victor "Sully" Sullivan to search for riches lost 500 years prior, Drake must use his wits to figure out the clues to the treasure while also uncovering if Sully and his accomplices are trustworthy.

The plot was high action but I had a feeling, even from the previews that the story was going to be a bit one dimensional and predictable, which is how it unfortunately turned out. The script was lazy with lame one-liner jokes. The cinematography at the beginning was very video game-y and unrealistic and some of the props looked cheap and fake.

The fight choreography was well done and creative. Tom Holland and his stunt man have some incredible athleticism that worked really well in the action and fight sequences.

Even though I never played the video game, it was a nice bridge from the game to the film to have the original voice actor for Nathan Drake, Nolan North, make a small cameo in the movie. Regarding the rest of the casting, Tom Holland was entertaining and the best part of the film. His character was likeable and had a great evolution from naivety to savvy. I also appreciated that they tried to add a bit of diversity in the casting as well. Where they dropped the ball for me was that there were only two women cast. This was a bit of a letdown as it would have been nice to see a bit more gender diversity in this heavily male dominated movie. Even though there were only two women, who didn’t have very strong character development and were both portrayed as untrustworthy, I at least appreciated that they were independent leads that could handle their own.

In the end, the only really good thing about Uncharted was the action and fight choreography. It didn’t give me enough in the script or character development to want to see this movie again nor would I seek out the sequel that this movie has been primed for.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

 

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is the third installment within the Wizarding World franchise. Picking up after Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald, Newt Scamander has been tasked by Professor Albus Dumbledore to put together a team to try to take down Grindelwald; whose power of persuasion is rising.

I don’t understand why critics didn’t like this movie. I really enjoyed it. I thought that plot moved well; it was a great mix of action and storytelling. And the themes around corruption in politics and how divisive language can seep in the minds of others was so relevant, even today. It also helped to answer a lot of questions from the first two movies.

As always, these Fantastic Beasts movies are great at casting for diversity. I liked that they brought back William Nadylam who played Yusuf Kama. They expanded on his role and gave him a bit more context so that you could understand his drive even more. I also enjoyed the addition of Jessica Williams who played a wizard professor named Eulalie "Lally" Hicks. She was probably one of my favorite characters. She was smart, witty and resourceful. Even though I would have preferred Johnny Depp to have reprised his role as Gellert Grindelwald, Mads Mikkelsen did a great job filling his shoes. He also had really strong chemistry with Jude Law who once again took up the mantel as Professor Dumbledore. I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for Eddie Redmayne’s Newt Scamander. He plays him so well. There is a kindness and an eccentricity to him. You always want to root for him. He really comes into his own on this one, stepping up to do what is right. I also liked his dynamic with his brother, Theseus Scamander, played by Callum Turner. They are such different characters but know each other's strengths so well and respect one another for it. 

I came out of this movie so filled with joy. I was excited for this one, and look forward to watching it again. It also made me excited for potentially another one. Although it had not been confirmed I hope that they continue this story as there is still so much to be uncovered in this fun, action packed joy ride. 

West Side Story

 

West Side Story is the second film rendition of the classic 1957 stage musical inspired by another famous stage play, Romeo and Juliet. It is the story of star crossed lovers linked to rival high school gangs.

The plot was similar to Romeo and Juliet with a few differences that keep you on your toes. I never saw the 1961 version of this movie but realized quite quickly how many of the songs I recognized. The catchy soundtrack from the original version definitely transcended time.

I really enjoyed the beautiful dance chorography and costumes. The sets, hair and fashion easily transport you to the late 1950s. The themes around racism and how it's toxicity can infiltrate an entire city and how love and forgiveness are the keys to healing are still very relevant, even today.  

The cast is supposed to be high school age but the only person who looked even close to high school age was Maria played by Rachel Zegler.  Zegler did a great job bringing out the innocence and naivety of Maria. She and Ansel Elgort had good chemistry but it didn't quite get me to fully connect to their characters. I did like that they brought back Rita Moreno, from the 1961 film. It was a nice nod to her original role. Ariana DeBose, who re-presented the role that Rita played in 1961, did a fantastic job, stealing every scene she was in as Anita. She definitely deserved all of the history making accolades she received for this character. Regarding the rest of casting I appreciated their attempt at diversity with a transgender character and an Afro-Latina but I felt like they could have done more. I appreciated the realistic usage of Spanish throughout and everyone had fantastic singing voices.

This heartbreaking tale should have had me in tears but for whatever reason, it didn't quite get me there, as other renditions of Romeo and Juliet have done in the past. Even though this movie didn't trigger the water works, I still thought it was a well-made film.

CODA

 

CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) is a coming of age story of a young adult, Ruby Rossi, with a passion for singing. As the only hearing member of her family, she has been a lifelong interpreter for her parents and brother who are deaf. When given the opportunity of a lifetime she has to decide if she will take that next step into adulthood and face the fear that she may be abandoning her family.

The writing was well done and did a great job of helping viewers to understand the humanity in all people, those who are deaf and those who are not. This movie wasn’t about just being deaf it was about family. The character development was so strong that you really understood and connected to each of the characters. Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur and Daniel Durant did a great job at playing Ruby's family, Jackie, Frank and Leo respectively. Troy Kotsur who played Ruby’s dad Frank had the biggest impact on me. I could see why he won the Oscar. He was funny and really likeable. He had such a great connection with his daughter Ruby and his wife Jackie. I honestly felt like Emilia Jones who played Ruby also deserved more Academy attention than what she received. She did an interview where she stated that she didn’t know how to sign nor ever took a formal singing lesson before filming and I can honestly say that I was impressed. She had a beautiful singing voice and was a confident signer.

Overall I was really enjoyed this movie. It was funny, heartfelt and full of great themes about understanding, empathy and independence. This is definitely a movie I would recommend all to check out with a box of tissues.

Army of Thieves

 

Army of Thieves is the prequel to Army of the Dead, starring and directed by Matthias Schweighöfer. This action comedy is a bank heist movie that follows an unlikely band of misfits as they attempt to break into several highly intricate safes during the beginning of the zombie apocalypse.

I thought that the plot was fun to watch even though it was pretty predictable and there were parts that were unrealistic. There were pops of horror but nothing like Army of the Dead, which I was okay with. This was a much tamer, less zombie filled, action thriller. The script intended to have funny bits, and I did chuckle occasionally when Matthias' character Sebastian Schlencht-Wöhnert would do something or say something awkward but for the most part I wasn't laughing. 

Regarding casting, I liked that they brought Matthias back to do a deeper dive on Sebastian's past. This was a critique I had of Army of the Dead in that they didn't develop his character enough. So in going back, it helped to strengthen this piece, so that you could see his evolution from a more introverted and socially inept Sebastian to the confident safecracker Ludwig Dieter he becomes in Army of the Dead. He and Nathalie Emmanuel had good chemistry. I thought that her character as Gwendoline Starr was a perfect match for him. She was kind, confident, strong with impressive fight sequences, smart and fashionable.  The variety of her hairstyles throughout were also enviable. For the rest of the cast, some of the characters were pretty corny, and the majority were one dimensional and forgettable.

Even though this will not be a movie I would seek to watch again, it was at least an improvement from Army of the Dead.