Deadpool is one of the better non-MCU Marvel movies, but it had to go in a completely different direction to make it happen. Whereas past movies are PG-13, this one is a definite R, full of graphic violence and graphic language. Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool is funny, breaking the fourth wall to lampoon himself and others. He is on a hunt to track down the man that made him disfigured, and shuns the “superhero” title. This isn’t the Marvel movie to take your kids to, but if you are old enough to handle the constant stream of vulgarity and sex jokes, it is an entertaining adventure.
13 Hours as a military action film is good. It is intense, gripping, full of white-knuckle action. If you liked recent movies like American Sniper and Lone Survivor, you should dig this one too. The only problem is it isn’t just a movie, but based on the Benghazi attacks on Americans in 2012. It highlights many problems with many aspects about missions abroad, especially those not officially sanctioned by the USA government. Libya was a mess at the time, and while many countries decided to pull their citizens from the area, we left a group there, not only official diplomats, but a secret CIA base that really had no jurisdiction. When the CIA base is attacked by militants, they can’t get military support or backup, as they aren’t supposed to be there. It is hard for me to really enjoy a film about Americans really dying, but it is an eye-opening experience worth a viewing.
I hate to say it, but Mediterranea is really kind of a boring film. It is about a couple friends from Burkina Faso, Africa, who make the trek to Europe (Italy) for a better life. This timely film should be must-watch, but it plays out almost like a documentary. And while the one friend accepts the difficulty in the journey and is ready for the challenges for work, food, and pure survival awaiting in Italy, the other almost expects everything to just come easily. Guess what? It is actually pretty fucking hard for them. The lead’s acting didn’t help; not sure if he was going for stoicism or what, but it came off like a deer in the headlights in front of the camera.
Zootopia also was just OK for me, and I hate to say that because I went in with really high hopes. It isn’t a bad movie by any stretch, and it has a good message of inclusivity despite differences, but it is very much a “kids movie” and doesn’t have some of the reach for an adult audience that many Dreamworks or Pixar movies do (this one is straight Disney Studios). In the film, a rabbit becomes a cop, even though there has never been a rabbit cop, and she struggles to be taken seriously by her fellows and even the criminals. She befriends a fox, who is also stereotyped by society as a scam artist. Obviously a great message to teach our kids that you can be whatever you want, and everyone is important, but the jokes and antics are squarely aimed at a younger group. Watch this one with your kids, they will, I’m sure, highly appreciate it.
It is hard for a good adventure film to be boring, but The Finest Hours is pretty close. The deadpan acting of Chris Pine and Casey Affleck (who I usually like) doesn’t help. Telling the story of a 1950’s Coast Guard rescue in treacherous conditions, the film is predictable to a fault, and even the “rousing” Disney ending wasn’t enough to get me going. All of the characters are one dimensional, and nothing in this film is deeper than a wading pool.
Jons Movie Takes 