Adnerb the Movie Nerd

Movie reviews from a middle school teacher's perspective

Minions: The Rise of Gru

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First of all, I am a Minions fan.  They are cute, lovable, yellow, banana lovin’ and loyal.  Their gibberish, as well as their antics, always put a smile on my face.  That being said, I didn’t like this one as well as the past Minions movies.  At first I couldn’t understand what the problem was.  They are still entertaining and the movie contains a few hilarious moments (especially on a plane) involving those cute yellow-skinned rascals!  And then I had an epiphany!  It is the Minions that make the movie.  Every time the movie was about Gru, I felt my interest wavering.  The scenes with Gru were not funny (to me anyway) and I kept on waiting for the Minions to reappear.  The Gru of Despicable Me (which I loved) is just not the same without Agnes and her siblings.  This younger, awkward, Gru comes across as just plain tedious.  So if you ignore the scenes about Gru, you may end up enjoying this movie.

The Lighthouse

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I will start out by saying this is one of the most bizarre movies I have ever seen, and I’ve seen some strange ones.  I also can’t say that I enjoyed watching it and I really do not want to see it again.  Ever. That being said, this was an acting tour-de-force by both Robert Pattinson and Willem DaFoe.  The Lighthouse is a black and white atmospheric movie set around 1880 somewhere on a New England Island.  Dafoe plays  gruff, enigmatic Thomas; a wickie, or lighthouse keeper.  Pattinson is Ephraim, who takes on a contract job serving as an assistant for a month under the strange supervision of Thomas.  Thomas gives Ephraim increasingly difficult tasks, like cleaning out the cistern or scrubbing floors he just scrubbed.  The booming of the foghorn, the terrible isolation, menacing seagulls, and harsh environment create an atmosphere of foreboding and oppression.  Left by themselves in this dismal lighthouse station, both  men become increasingly unhinged.  When their supply ship doesn’t make it through a terrible storm, it gets even worse.  The men have only alcohol as a diversion, and their behavior starts to slip.  They run out of alcohol and resort to drinking a weird mix made from kerosene to sustain them.  Behavior starts slipping to insanity. They both get crazier and crazier until finally they snap with disastrous results.  The acting is first rate, but the rest of the movie is almost incomprehensible, and unbelievable.  I really can’t recommend this to anyone.  However, if you do decide to watch, you can find it on Netflix.  But really, there are way better and more enjoyable things to watch.  Why not check out ANY of them?

Jurassic World Dominion

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Let me start out be saying DO NOT listen to the critics (except for me, but I am more of a reviewer anyway And besides, I know better!).  Critics are panning this movie big time and I just don’t get it.  I was very entertained throughout the whole movie.  The plot, in a nutshell, has dinosaurs loose all over the world.  People are trying to learn how to live with them, but mankind, no surprise, is not being kind.  Some are being hunted and used as sport in giant fight pits, some are turned into side show carnival food, while some are being protected in dino sanctuaries.  But overwhelming all of that is a worse problem. A certain evil biotech company has made genetically altered dino-grasshoppers that are threatening the entire food crop producers of the world (except in areas they control).  This is where the original Jurassic Park crew meets the Jurassic World actors.  I loved this whole part of the movie.  It was so cool to see Ellie Satler (Laura Dern) and Alan Grant (Sam Neill) reunited along with Jeff Goldblum as Ian Malcolm.  Bryce Dallas Howard and Chris Pratt are back too.  Not only do these five band together to save the earth, they are out to rescue a young girl whose genetics hold a key to the future for us all.  One of the best things I like about this movie was the little tributes to the original.  There are allusions to electric fences, a shaving cream can, the original Jurassic Park logo, Samuel L. Jackson’s “hold on to your butts” line and Ian Malcolm’s many wives and kids.  I am not saying this is the best movie of the year (I think I would give Top Gun that distinction) but for fans of the Jurassic movies this is definitely a must see.  On a side note, if you have never read the original novel by Michael Crichton, I highly recommend you put this book at the top of your summer reading list.

Top Gun: Maverick

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No matter what you think of Tom Cruise as a person, he consistently makes interesting, action-packed movies.  “Top Gun: Maverick” is no exception.  The first one came out in 1986, so the sequel was over 35 years in the making!  I saw the original back in the day, but to be honest, didn’t remember what it had been about.  It doesn’t matter because any questions you might have are probably answered in this movie!  Anyway, “Top Gun: Maverick” is top-notch entertainment and is a definite sign that movies are bouncing back.  Tom Cruise reprises his role as the unconventional pilot Pete Mitchell, nicknamed Maverick,  who this time around is being tasked to train other top guns to undertake a very dangerous mission.  Jennifer Connolly is Penny Benjamin,  the woman that he never seems to quite be able to commit to.  Miles Teller is Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw, the son of “Goose” Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards), who died in an accident in the original.  He has a grudge against Maverick, because of that.  The issues will become clear as the movie unfolds.  There is a poignant appearance by Val Kilmer, whose real life health problems mirror those of his character.  This is a very fast paced, high energy action packed movie from beginning to end.  I enjoyed every minute even when I knew exactly what was going to happen, it didn’t matter.  I think you will enjoy this movie whether you are a fan of the first movie or have never even heard of Tom Cruise!  DO NOT wait until this is on television.  You will not  want to miss the breath taking action and sweeping cinematography on the big screen.  And having Hans Zimmer and Lady Gaga involved with the music isn’t bad either.  If I could do it, this movie would rate two gold apples!

Downton Abbey: A New Era

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If you have seen the Downton Abbey series and saw the first movie – this will not disappoint.  First off,  all of our old favorites are back including Mr. Carson, Lady Crawley, Mrs. Hughes, Daisy Parker, Mrs. Patmore and Lady Mary.  There are two subplots going on and they are both intriguing.  In the first one, Maggie Smith, everyone’s favorite Countess, has inherited a villa in the south of France.  So some of the family goes there to check out the villa and to solve the mystery of why it was left to her.  The other subplot is a bit more fun.  It is 1930 and a movie crew is willing to pay a pretty penny to be able to film at Downton Abbey.  The movie is silent but talkies are coming!  If you have ever seen “Singing in the Rain” you will be able to guess what happens.  What I loved the most though was how many of our favorites find love, grab new opportunities and discover hidden talents.  Maggie Smith, as always, has some of the best lines.  All in all, if you love Downton Abbey, I highly recommend this one.