Quick takes on 5 films

Pacific Rim Uprising is a sequel to the 2013 film, albeit with a new starring cast (with some returning supporting roles). Replacing Charlie Hunnam is Star Wars’ John Boyega as Jake, son of Idris Elba’s character from the previous film. The film takes place a number of years after the last, in which the gigantic alien kaiju have been defeated and peace has been reigning on Earth. On the eve of a new program to replace human controllers of the giant robot defenders of the planet with drones, the drones go nuts and start destroying cities. Boyega is a good actor, but he isn’t asked to do much here. Its not a deep film, no serious acting chops are needed, just point the giant robot at the bad guys and watch the destruction ensue. The plot is even a bit thinner than the first film, but it is still an enjoyable diversion, especially if you like disaster films. The movie didn’t do great in theaters, but will probably do well in home video and downloads, so we may see another sequel down the line.

I adored I Kill Giants, and am not ashamed to admit I was a sobbing fool at the end of it. It’s about a teenage girl, Barbara, who has tasked herself with protecting her little town from ancient evil giants who want to maim and destroy. She is an outcast at school, and her only friend is a new girl who doesn’t know anyone else. At home, Barbara’s older sister is raising her and her brothers, and the viewer does not know what happened to the parents. Barbara has invented a magical world of creatures, potions, wards, and omens, and seems to live in the land of make believe more than real life. When a new school counselor tries to break through to what is causing Barbara to invent these things, the whole picture of Barbara’s life starts to open up to us. There are cliches here for sure, but it is impossible not to root for Barbara to find her way.

The 15:17 to Paris is quite possibly the worst movie I’ve seen in quite some time, and it can’t entirely be blamed on the fact that the real-life heroes of the story are portraying themselves, rather than being replaced with professional actors. The story of the Americans who stopped a gunman on a train in Paris in 2015, director Clint Eastwood decided to let the trio be the stars of the film. Yes, the acting is bad, but I found the atrocious dialogue to be distracting to the point of embarrassing, and you can’t blame that on the actors. The banter between all characters on screen is stilted, inauthentic, and downright unnatural compared to how real people talk to each other. It seems forced, and is too bad to ignore. The story itself is only ok, with the majority of the film being the backstory of these three men (the event itself obviously happens over the course of just a couple minutes of film time). Poorly written and boring, the real life heroes of that day literally cannot save this movie.

Annihilation blew my mind. Part science fiction, part psychological thriller, and all parts trippy as hell, it is a wild ride with some truly unique ideas, and like a lot of good movies, it leaves you thinking about it long after the credits roll. There is a strange phenomenon known as “the shimmer” which has been spreading across the coast. The military has been sending troops in to explore and see what it is, but once inside, they lose communication, and no one has come back. One day a man does come back, Kane (Oscar Isaac), though he confesses he has no memory of the year he was gone. His wife Lena (Natalie Portman) is a scientist and former military herself, so she volunteers to go in and find answers. With a new team, they go in, and immediately start seeing all kinds of strange mutations to the plants and animals within. To say more would ruin lots of the fun. This movie has a wild story and is downright scary at times. Highly recommended, as long as you like a movie that doesn’t tie up the ends in a pretty bow for you.

The newest Tomb Raider seems like Indiana Jones with a female lead, but unfortunately also with a paper thin plot. Headed by the talented Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft, it tells of how she came to be the title hero from the old video game series. Lara goes in search of her father, missing now for years, and stumbles upon a plot to unearth an ancient and powerful evil. Lara stumbling into something is a common theme here, as much of what she accomplishes seems to be by accident, until she comes in to her own in the latter part of the movie. Oscar-winning Vikander is great and the movie made enough money, that perhaps a sequel will surface somewhere down the line. There is potential there, but they need better writers the next time around.