PLAYING WITH FIRE

John Cena     Keegan-Michael Key     Judy Greer     John Leguizamo

Tyler Mane     Brianna Hildebrand    Dennis Haysbert

     

     I shake my head when I see productions like Playing with Fire presented to kids.  Clearly, the filmmakers don’t know kids very well (all the dialog for these kids sounds like an adult who still has childhood remnants in his psyche and/or has no idea what real children are like), and they portray adults behaving and sounding like children.  The movie misses the mark in so many ways in consideration of quality programming for children.  These children smart off to adults (you’re supposed to laugh when they do), and the adults have their feelings stuck out, making them vulnerable and looking foolish, and do unlawful things like revving up the fire engines and roaring down the street on a shopping trip.

     The star, Jake Carson (Cena), is aspiring to follow in the steps of his revered father, a smoke jumper, who followed the creed of being a first responder in wildland fires; these are highly trained firefighters parachuting into remote and rugged areas to contain the fire and rescue people.  His crew includes Mark (Key), Rodrigo (Leguizamo), and Axe (Mane).  They get fired up when they’re alerted to a fire that has reached some cabins in a forest.

     As a well-trained crew, they quickly investigate, only to find three children huddled together; the oldest, Brynn (Hildebrand), holding her little brother and sister.  Keep in mind that none of the crew has any experience at all in dealing with children, and they’re terrified.  Roads are closed off, so they have to transport them back to their station.  But the heroic men treat them in all the ways that are bad for children—not listening to them and not respecting them, but still expecting them to do everything they’re told.

     Once they arrive, filmmakers have them getting into all kinds of trouble with nail guns, fire extinguishers, paint strippers, and soap that becomes suds when it’s sprayed with a water hose.  All of this is supposed to be a barrel of laughs, but it’s completely off base in terms of reality, as these are clearly well brought up children, and Brynn has served as a sensible, mature mother figure for them.  All the antics are simply a way for the filmmakers to poke fun at the men.

     A romantic interest (don’t we always need one?) is introduced in the form of Dr. Amy Hicks (Greer), an environmentalist whom Jake dismisses, but is, of course, secretly (he thinks) attracted to.  Authority is presented in the form of Commander Richards (Haysbert), who has informed Jake he will conduct an inspection at a specific time.  So when the whole place is in a shambles, everyone must work together to get it in tiptop shape.

     The story ends with the creators’ still clueless as to what is good for children (a truckload of presents, for instance), and a shameless attempt to pull at the heartstrings, revealing significant parental loss.

If you know children and are mindful of them, you will not like this movie.

Grade:  F                                    By Donna R. Copeland

DOLEMITE IS MY NAME

Eddie Murphy     Kodi Smit-McPhee    Wesley Snipes    Keegan-Michael Key

De’vine Joy Randolph     Chris Rock     Craig Robinson     Snoop Dogg     Mike Epps

     Here’s a way for black people to get into their groove and for those of us unfamiliar with Rudy Ray Moore (aka “Dolemite”), the “Godfather of Rap”, to jive a little with him and his cohorts when he is just getting started in show business in the 1970’s.  In the beginning of this story, he’s trying to make it as a comedian in L.A. when he has an inkling that there are black audiences who are not being served in the entertainment industry.  He finds in his stand-up routines that black people can appreciate a certain kind of humor, so he cagily puts out three bawdy records that sell well—much to others’ surprise, and even to his own.  

     It turns out that what was regarded by most of America at that time as profane—even porn--black people found in it a particular kind of humor (as in “Yo daddy’s a freak, and yo mama’s a whore”—the beginnings of the rap genre).  This encourages Rudy—who has stellar aspirations to add singing, acting, and film producing to his resume.  He is determined to satisfy the appetites of his people without regard to conventions (primarily white people’s), running up against not only white “shirts”, but (middle/upper class?) blacks in the arts and in production, who have been going in the direction of “refinement” as they envision it.  Rudy crashes right through all of that, while bringing many of those people on board with him.

     Rudy Ray Moore (expertly rendered by Murphy) is a fascinating individual with the unusual ability to sell his visions (and he is a master salesman) to producers who will back him so that he can give full vent to his creativity, first and foremost in comedy with music (what would eventually become rap), but as well in business (managing to get funding, construct a studio, act in and produce a movie).  How Rudy got started in show business is remarkable.  After serving in the Armed Forces, he was working in a record store, trying to get the DJ (Snoop Dogg) to play some of the records he’d made, which were based on a homeless man’s lewd limericks.

     We get to go along with Rudy on a major part of the making of his first movie, Dolemite, its significance being that it’s the first of what came to be known as Blaxploitation films. The filming of it has hilarious scenes where ineptness is clearly visible, but in Rudy’s hands becomes a delightful farce, helped along by Wesley Snipes (stunning!) as director D’Urville, Keegan-Michael Key (socompetent) as writer, Kodi Smit-McPhee (respectful, how-old-is-he? cinematographer), and Lady Reed (Randolph), Rudy’s creation of a saucy character from a self-deprecating, disillusioned woman. 

     Rudy is a complicated character in whom people have little faith; but in actually possessing talents in salesmanship, sensibility about black folk, and astute judge of character, he was able to pull it off, not only by proving his worth to the powers that be, but also recognizing traits in others that could be encouraged and brought out to serve his purposes.  A prime example is Lady Reed (Randolph) whom he decides after talking to her in a bar that she could be a funny sidekick in his comedy routine.  Writer Jerry Jones (Key) helps in coaching Rudy in script writing.  Rudy plucks his reluctant, snobbish director D’Urville Martin (hilariously played by Snipes) out of a strip club.  He accepts a new graduate (Smit-McPhee) from film school to be his cinematographer.  His old friends Ben Taylor (Robinson), Jimmy Lynch (Epps), and Daddy Fatts (Rock) are his reliable stand-bys.  

     In Dolemite is My Name, Eddie Murphy and Director Craig Brewer revive this character with apparently similar sensibilities about the world today as Rudy had about his people at the time.  It may seem a bit slow to viewers in the beginning, but that is partly because it takes a while to get oriented in another world—at least for many of us.  This was certainly true for me, as I had not seen previews and knew nothing about Rudy Ray Moore.  But after a time it became fascinating and truly funny.  

An entertaining account of the beginnings of rap popularized by a remarkable figure in showbiz.

Grade:  A-                                             By Donna R. Copeland

THE LION KING

Voices of:  Keegan-Michael Key     Seth Rogen     Donald Glover     Chiwetel Ejiofor     James Earl Jones

John Kani     Billy Eichner     Alfre Woodard     Beyonce     Amy Sedaris     John Oliver     JD McCreary

     What hard lessons for a cub to learn, especially when malevolence is involved! Simba (McCreary as the young Simba) is so proud to be next in line for king, but is so young he doesn’t understand the responsibilities that are part of such an honor.  He sees it initially as more freedoms for him, without regard for others.  He’s impatient, and easily led astray by Uncle Scar (Ejiofor), going where he shouldn’t go and being susceptible to outright lies.  Fortunately, the pride looks out for him, the best they can, especially the hilarious mother hen, Zazu (Oliver), but sometimes, Simba is too much for him, even.  The story contains high risks and tragedies, and although adults are likely to be entertained, it may be a little too heavy for young children.  

     The filming is spectacular (VFX by Rob Legato, cinematography by Caleb Deschanel, production design by James Chinlund), and the varied pace gives the viewer times to simply soak up being in the wild with exotic animals.  Hans Zimmer’s score made up of mixed genres is a definite highlight, sometimes being background and sometimes center stage.

     The story (screenplay by Jeff Nathanson) is mostly captivatingly suspenseful, but has interludes showing community solidarity, loving family life, and Simba’s coming of age experiences and his relationship with his father Mufasa (Jones).  There is plenty of humor too, such as the warthog Pumbaa (Rogen) and his sidekick Timon (Eichner) providing funny “stand-up” routines while being protective of Simba (with an ulterior motive, of course).  

     Romance is supplied by Mufasa and Sarabi (Woodard) in their continuing loving relationship, and the preadolescent/young adult attraction between Simba (Glover) and Nala (Beyonce) when they’re teenager/young adults.  The latter has its humor in the preadolescent phase, when the two friends cannot fathom being married (Ewww!), but then later on clearly being attracted to one another.  

     The Lion King has good modeling for kids, as well, showing them what it means to have community solidarity, nurturance by the older for the younger, and the importance of truthfulness.  I also appreciated their illustrating to children that adults do lie sometimes, so all of them cannot be trusted.  

Hard lessons learned in the transition from cub to king.

Grade:  A                                    By Donna R. Copeland

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3: SUMMER VACATION

Voices of:  Mel Brooks     Adam Sandler     Selena Gomez     Andy Samberg     Kathryn Hahn
Fran Drescher     Steve Buscemi     David Spade     
Keegan-Michael Key     Chris Parnell     Molly Shannon

     For a little background information, Dracula (Sandler) is a widower with a grown-up daughter called Mavis (Gomez) who has decided they both need some R&R and more family time.  So for a surprise, she has arranged for all of them to go on a trip, without telling them it will be a cruise—which Drac would never agree to beforehand. Their party will consist of Mavis’ human husband Johnny (Samberg), and their child Dennis (Asher Blinkoff)—along with a trail of friends:  Wayne (Buscemi), Griffin (Spade), Frank (James), and others.  

     They go on a harrowing plane trip, and are dropped off in the Bermuda Triangle (a place where only the adults will sense the danger), where they board the ship, the Legacy.  (The name is something of a pun in that Drac and the Van Helsing families have been archenemies for generations, and both have an interest in continuing their legacy.)  Drac has had a lot of anxiety about the trip, and Mavis has wisely kept the cruise as a surprise. Now, it’s all she can do to convince him to board the ship for the sake of the family.

     Drac goes into a funk because he hates being on a boat.  In his despair, he has given up on having the “zing”, thinking one can only experience that once in a lifetime, and he had that with his wife. So, of course, much to his surprise, when the captain of the ship, Ericka (Gomez), appears, his heart goes thumpedy-thump, and he gets the zing.

     The thrills and chills of the story will stem from Erica’s heritage:  Her great grandfather is a Van Helsing, and he is on board the ship and counting on her to use the stowed away “instrument of destruction” to do away with Drac.  From what her ancestors have told her, Erika is already chomping away at the bit to do away with him, is delighted when she sees he is attracted to her, and begins to plot his demise.  But Van Helsing instructs her to wait until she can use the special instrument. She proceeds anyway to try to do him in, but neither she nor her great grandfather have anticipated the power of the zing.

     Sony Pictures has created an impressive production design and animation with special effects, and there is a lot of cartoon-like action throughout the film, which will please many viewers.  I thought it odd, though, that for a children’s movie, the thrust of the story would be about love, murder, and generational grudges—more adult-type of subjects.  It does end with a positive message about acceptance of differences and the unity that should exist among all living beings on earth—whether human, animal, monster, or whatever.  And this is done cleverly with music from three songs (“Good Vibrations”, Don’t Worry; Be Happy”, and “Hey Macarena”).  Everyone should have an opportunity to experience the zing.

Summer vacation can mean many things, including one with monsters aboard a cruise ship.

Grade:  C                                    By Donna R. Copeland

WIN IT ALL

Jake Johnson     Keegan-Michael Key     Joe Lo Truglio     Aislinn Derbez

     Eddie Garrett has a gambling problem and sporadically attends group sessions for it.  He’s a major irritant for his sponsor (Key), because for all his big plans to change, little happens, and he doesn’t hesitate to call the sponsor any time of day or night.  His infantile demands and self-preoccupation require strict limit setting on the sponsor’s part.

     Eddie leads a seedy life without a job, scrounging around for any dough he can get his hands on and going through incessant winning/losing cycles.  After a discouraging night (through which he always maintains his optimism), he comes home to find someone in his apartment who looks like he is going to call in a debt.  But he has a strange proposition; Eddie can make $10,000 by holding a big bag for the man while he has a stint in prison, probably about six months.  All Eddie has to do is stay out of the bag and keep it until the man returns for it.  He doesn’t have a job, but when someone asks him what he does for a living, he replies that he is in the “storage business.”

     Of course, this is more temptation than just about anyone—especially a gambler—to stand, and although he wrestles with himself mightily, you can guess what happens and what the bag contains.  In no time at all, Eddie’s persistent optimism that he can use the money and make even more with it gets the better of him.  When he first launches his plan, he blossoms with his wins, becomes gregarious with friends, and even meets an attractive woman who succumbs to his charms. Eddie becomes so desperate he goes to his brother Ron (Truglio), who has bailed him out numerous times.  Ron has their father’s landscaping business and always begged his brother to be a part of it, saying he would have to start at the bottom, but could work his way up to eventually being a partner.  Eddie has always been disdainful, but now he is so desperate, he takes Ron’s offer, and begins doing medial labor.  If he works six months, he will be able to put the money he’s lost back into the bag.

     After a few fits and starts, Eddie is taken by surprise by how much he is enjoying working.  He starts reforming, with his new girlfriend supporting him all the way, even after she learns his earlier free spending was temporary and not substantive.  He stops gambling and begins to think about becoming a family man.  All of this is groovy until the owner of the bag notifies Eddie that he will be getting out of prison early.  Eddie goes to his brother once again, asking him to advance him his salary enough to replenish the bag.  But his brother refuses.

      What will Eddie do and how does this story end?  In a very clever way, but it has an aspect to it that made me flinch.

     Writer/director Joe Swanberg is a favorite filmmaker in his hometown of Austin, and his work is generally well regarded across the world.  His style is easygoing, always with substantive points to make about people and society.  He co-wrote this script with Jake Johnson, his collaborator on Drinking Buddies, and Johnson gives a stellar performance as Eddie in Win it All.  I was especially taken with the brother Ron’s character played perfectly by Joe Lo Truglio, which is a rare characterization of a supportive brother who does/says all the right things to someone like Eddie, with a lot of humor thrown in.  He’s a little corny at times, which is likewise just right.  Debez is an experienced actress from Mexico, so I don’t recall seeing any of her films, but she also comes across as a natural in this film.

A well conceived, entertaining comedy about the rehabilitation of an addicted gambler.

Grade:  B                                    By Donna R. Copeland

DON'T THINK TWICE

Mike Birbiglia   Gillian Jacobs   Keegan-Michael Key   Kate Micucci   Tami Sagher   Chris Gothard   Katie Rediger

         The Commune is an improv comedy troupe in New York City, with member aspirations to make it big by being chosen to write or perform on the popular television show, Weekend Live.  It’s a close-knit group of people, some of whom have been together for a long time, and they see themselves as a family.  They live, eat, breathe skits-in-the-making constantly, and seem to assume that they will always be together.  They’re very open, feeling free to criticize someone’s performance or how they’re behaving.  Although writer/director Mike Birbiglia is a comedian, as are many of the actors, Don’t Think Twice is as much a drama as it is a comedy.

        The drama comes when it dawns on everyone that they have individual aspirations, and some will succeed and others won’t, at least for a time.  It puts a strain on the group, and they have to work through the congratulatory high-fives, the envy, the disappointment and the realization that they indeed will not always be together.  Interestingly, some actually blossom, and some find other avenues of satisfaction, such as personal relationships and new venues. 

         It’s a strength of Birbiglia’s writing and direction that the drama has depth and realism and goes beyond pure comedy.  It covers competitiveness in the workplace, coping with limited funds, intrusions of events and people in the outside world, problems in finding/keeping a venue, and personal relationships.  Not that the comedy isn’t funny; it is.  I especially like the beginning when a history and definition of improv is outlined, with its three basic rules:  Say yes (building on what your partners create), remember it’s about the group—not one individual, and don’t think (get out of your head).

         The improv moments are funny within a backdrop of a group of young people who are wrestling with the realities of life in show business.

The heartbreak of not being chosen.

Grade:  B                        By Donna R. Copeland