Captain Marvel

Captain Marvel is the origin story for super hero Carol Danvers. It takes place in the mid-90s and is a prequel of sorts to the rest of the Marvel franchise.

When I saw the previews for this movie I was not convinced at first. I didn’t find the trailer to be as exciting as its Marvel predecessors. I came away not really knowing what it was going to be about. Additionally, Captain Marvel wasn’t introduced in any Avengers movies, like some of her forerunners (Thor, Black Panther, etc.) before their flagship movies, so I was skeptical on how it would pan out. But thankfully I still decided to check this movie out because it was a fantastic, strong female driven story.

I thought that the cinematography was put together very cleanly and believable. There were some really great fight scenes and overall action choreography. The storytelling was engaging and easy to follow. It also fit right in with the other movies in the Marvel franchise. The script was predictable but still entertaining. I liked how it was set in the mid-90s. The costumes were great and the music was a prefect 90s girl power/grunge soundtrack. Additionally, some characters from previous Marvel films made appearances as their younger selves, which I appreciated in seeing how some later connections were made.

The cast was full of great actors, all who all worked well off of one another. I thought that the choice of Bri Larson as Captain Marvel was a surprisingly great one. I had only seen her in the movie, Room. So I knew that she could hold her own in a dramatic setting but didn’t see it coming that she could also carry a super hero franchise. She did a fantastic job portraying this strong-willed, well rounded, powerful character. Along with Larson I also thought that Jude Law’s character, Yon-Rogg, was an interesting choice for him, something quite different than his past acting roles, but one that I enjoyed. Additionally, there was a good amount of diversity among the cast which I also delighted in seeing. And the character development was strong across the board. You were able to connect to a number of characters which  I appreciated.

Overall this was yet another great Marvel movie. One that is action packed and fun to watch. Marvel fans will love this one. Be sure to stick around for the 2 end credit scenes! Up next, Avengers: Endgame!

Vice

Vice is the Dick Cheney biography directed by Adam McKay who also directed The Big Short. It shows Cheney's ascension from expelled college drunk to Vice President of the United States. 

The storytelling was pretty powerful. There were things unveiled that I had no idea about. I never realized how much control Cheney had during the Bush presidency nor how much he was involved in orchestrating the Iraq war and all of its humanitarian crimes. This movie did a great job of portraying the former VP in a way where you could see all of his conniving and manipulating tactics to the point where you almost feel bad for former President Bush.

The acting from Christian Bale, as the central character, was quite impressive. I would not have been mad if he won the Best Actor Oscar. His mannerisms, the makeup, hair and costumes were all on point. Amy Adams, who portrayed Cheney’s wife, was also great. She was unrecognizable and did a masterful job of portraying a king maker of sorts. Additionally, Steve Carell was a surprising yet very entertaining Donald Rumsfeld. I thought he did a really great job bringing the humor to this dark satirical dramity (dramatic comedy). On the more disappointing end of the casting, I was confused as to why Sam Rockwell was cast as George W. Bush. He didn’t look anything like him, he was too small and couldn’t capture his voice or his essence. The way he portrayed him was generic, I felt like his acting could have been any random person. Perhaps it was partially the makeup departments’ fault, who focused so much on Bale & Adams that he was just swept him under the rug.

The cinematography and specifically the editing were weird and didn’t make much sense at times. As a joke, the director randomly added end credits in the middle of the movie, but it went a little too long and in the end wasn't very funny. Additionally, I wasn’t a huge fan of the choice to include a narrator throughout the film. I think the film would have been better if it was more of a straight forward story telling.

With all that said, I still felt like the movie was good. Not Best Picture at the Oscars good nor good enough to catch in theaters but good enough to watch from home. I found it to be quite eye opening and informative. It just needed better editing and a couple of re-casts.

Mary Queen of Scotts

Mary Queen of Scotts is a historical drama starring Saoirse Ronan as Mary Stuart and Margot Robbie as Queen Elizabeth I.

It was an interesting plot. I’ve seen a lot of movies and TV shows focused on the Tutor era, from the perspective of the English monarchs, so it was refreshing to see a version from the Scottish perspective. The story itself was slow moving at first and it was hard to catch on. However, once the script picked up, it was much more engaging.

I thought that the costume design, set design and makeup were all put together perfectly for the time period. It was proper transportation to the post-middle ages 16th century.

It was great to see another strong female driven story, with Robbie and especially Ronan portraying their characters in a very believable way. The movie focused more on Ronan’s character, and she was able to deliver in taking that lead and really anchoring this movie. I thought that the character development for the two female leads was also done also well. You were able to connect to the characters and see how smart they were.  I also liked seeing the chess moves they had to make to keep their respective roles in their male driven worlds.

In the end, I thought that the movie was good but wasn’t great. It wasn’t one that made a lasting impact therefore, for those that enjoy historical dramas, I’d say wait for this one on video.

Widows

Widows is a crime drama about four women who have to make life changing decisions after their husbands are murdered during a robbery gone bad. 

The movie stars Viola Davis as one of the widows. I thought that this was a role unlike anything else she has done before. The background and the character development primarily focused on her which was thought out pretty well. I would have liked it if they had expanded on the other characters, especially that of her husband, played by Liam Neeson, and the other widows.

I liked the amount of diversity within the cast. I also found it pretty interesting that there were so many Hollywood stars in this film. I don't recall this movie getting a lot of press so to see people like Robert Duvall, Colin Farrell and Black Panthers, Daniel Kaluuya, in this movie was pretty surprising. They were all in unexpected roles but they portrayed their parts well.

Additionally, I appreciated how this story just jumps right into it. There wasn’t a lot of buildup needed as it was clear what the story was about. The writers were able to give the viewer a unique plot twist on the typical bank robbery story. There were some surprises within the movie that were pretty good and even though the ending was a little predictable, I still enjoyed it.

Overall I thought that the movie was an interesting Set It Off kind of movie, full of suspense and drama. If you are into this type of genera then I would recommend checking this one out.

The Favourite

The Favourite is a historical period drama set in early 1700's England. Based roughly on a true story of a love triangle between Queen Ann and two of her servants.

This fantastic all-woman leading cast starred Olivia Colman as Queen Anne, an emotional, easily manipulated, insecure woman, longing of love and admiration. Rachel Weisz as Lady Sarah, the confident, controlling, smart politically savvy cousin to Abigail played by Emma Stone. A lady who had fallen from grace who was ambitious and cutthroat. Doing whatever she could to advance her position and be in the queen’s favor. All three women brought very diverse and strong performances. All worthy of their Oscar nominations.

I thought that plot was interesting but moved kind of slow. The soundtrack was very heavily classical, lots of organ use, it felt like church music. It wasn’t my favorite but it was appropriate for the movie

The cinematography and editing were pretty good, additionally the costumes and sets were beautifully authentic. Overall this was an interesting movie but I don’t think it was worthy of an Oscar Best Picture nomination. This would be one that I would have only wanted to watch at home.

Ant-Man and The Wasp

Ant-Man and The Wasp is the sequel to 2015's Ant-Man. Picking up after Captain American Civil War, it follows Scott Lang, Ant-Man, as he has to deal with the consequences of working with Captain America and how it will impact a decision he has to make on if he will participate in an urgent mission.

I thought that the plot was simple and easy to follow. The script was well written and at times quite funny. I liked getting the backstories on some of the other characters that weren't brought up in the original movie. All of the cast was put together well. I thought that the villain had an interesting story-line and was more of an antagonist, which was a nice twist. Additionally, I really enjoyed Michelle Pfeiffer’s contribution to the team. She hasn't been in something like this since 1989's Batman so I really liked her role.

The fight scenes and action sequences were entertaining. The ending was pretty predicable but the director gave the desired outcome. In the end, I don’t think that this movie was a good as the original but I did still think it was a well-made Marvel movie. If you are looking for something lighthearted and fun, this could be the one for you. Just make sure to watch the original Ant-Man and Captain American Civil War first.

The Wife

The Wife is a drama starring Glenn Close as Joan Castleman, the spouse and support system to writer, Joe Castleman, played by Jonathan Pryce. When Joe is awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, it triggers something in Joan, as she starts to reflect on her life and the sacrifices that she has had to make to help her husband become a success.

I thought that the plot was interesting and felt very realistic. It was an honest depiction of unhealthy relationships. The character development of the main characters, Joan, Joe and their son, David, were well done. It showed Joe as the charismatic, untrustworthy dependent, Joan as the introverted mother, protector, and someone who was always trying to please in the relationship and David as the young man desperate for his father’s approval. I appreciated seeing the complexity in all of their relationships. For me Glenn Close stole the show. She did such an amazing job portraying the lead role. It was emotionally powerful throughout, even in the quite moments, you could see in her face, the conflicted feelings that she was having toward her husband and her strong desire to be supportive to her children. It was so well done there was no dialogue needed. She is definitely deserving of all of the Best Actress nominations that she has been receiving as of late.

The only issue that I had with this movie was that it was very slow moving. I didn’t provide any type of climax until the last 20 minutes of the movie. It ended up delivering something completely surprising and not quite gratifying, for the viewer, in its close. But that felt like an honest reflection of life, you don’t always get you want or what you deserve in the end.

For those looking for strong dramatic performances, this could be the one for you. Just know that the movie is a bit dry.