Welcome back Jackie Chan! I sure have missed you and your inventive, choreographed fight scenes. And the return was worth the wait. Yes, he is older (aren’t we all?) and perhaps not as energetic as he was in movies past, but I loved this new Jackie Chan. He plays it totally serious in this one, and is surprisingly moving. Chan plays Quan Minh, a Chinese immigrant living peacefully in England. But then, his only daughter is killed in an IRA bombing and Chan is out to bring the perpetrators to justice. The IRA presence is a bit dated, and it’s part as a plot device is a little tenuous, but it at least is a change from the continual mid-East based villainy. And of course, the greater, hidden, plot sets him to solving the basic question…what are the names of the men who killed his daughter? Apparently, he has a certain set of skills (ala Liam Neesen) and sets out to do what Scotland Yard is failing at. There is less fighting and humorous action than you may be used to seeing in a Jackie Chan movie, but there is more character development and plot. Pierce Brosnan is satisfactory as a dubious British government official who may have clues to the identities of the killers. I look forward to seeing this new, older and serious Jackie Chan in future movies!
Kingsman: The Golden Circle
Colin Firth could read from a phonebook (do they even still have those?) and make it sound high class, but even he wasn’t quite enough to make the “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” a worthy sequel to the first movie, partly because he’s hardly in it in an effective way. The Golden Circle misses out on being as entertaining as the first one for several reasons. First of all, why put Jeff Bridges, Halle Berry (two Academy award winning actors), Michael Gambon and Channing Tatum in a movie and not give them much to do? Their appearances were short lived and inconsequential. That was very perplexing. Also, I found Elton John’s story line (he has been kidnapped) rather sad and seedy instead of humorous and campy. On a positive note, Pedro Pascal, a fan favorite from Game of Thrones, gets to ham it up as an American agent who uses a lasso instead of a gun. Mark Strong returns and gives the the best performance as “Merlin.” He is the only surviving member (along with Eggsy played by Taron Egerton) of the Kingsman after their headquarters is blown up by Julianne Moore in a rather unbelievable plot device. She is great, as the over-the-top villain named Poppy, an evil pharmaceutical maker (okay, that’s not a stretch) who also makes a killer hamburger. This is not a bad movie, in fact, if you loved the original Kingsman, I think you will like this one. It does have a few laughs and the kind of over-the-top cartoonish violence that you would expect from such a movie. if you go, you will be entertained, just not as much as you were with the first one!
The Hitman’s Bodyguard
I must admit that when it comes to Samuel L. Jackson, I will see him in just about anything. Even a movie on a plane with a bunch of snakes. For a teacher about to go back to work, this was a good diversion. He plays the hitman of the title, and he needs a bodyguard because he is the only surviving witness who can testify against bad Eastern European President Gary Oldman. Ryan Reynolds plays the down on his luck Grade A protection agent who is tasked to guard the life of this world’s most notorious hitman. It turns out they have met before and both have tried to kill the other. Plus, Sam knocked off one of Ryan’s clients in the past, which caused him to go downhill. And…there are more little plot quirks! As you might expect, this summer buddy comedy is full of action packed car chases, witty banter, menacing bad guys and even a little pathos. Gary Oldman is fine as the villain, but I think you will be surprised by Selma Hayek’s character, who is married to Jackson’s character and possibly uses even more profanity than Jackson does. So if you like Ryan Reynolds and Samuel Jackson and want to see them in an amusing fluff of a movie, you won’t be disappointed.
Atomic Blonde
I will cut to the chase, this kind of movie is just not my cup of tea. I am not a fan of unrelenting violence. This is saying something as I religiously watch Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead, so I am no shrinking violet. However, the violence, for me, gets in the way of a story that I found somewhat interesting. Charlize Theron plays an elite MI6 British spy who uses her considerable skills in Berlin right before the Berlin Wall is demolished. She is sent into Berlin and makes contact with another spy played by James McAvoy. The plot also involves a search for a missing list of double agents, a ruthless espionage ring, nudity and enough blood to fill a bathtub or two. Even though this movie is not my kind of movie, that is not to say it is bad. If you like John Wick, Jason Bourne and Jack Reacher, I think you will enjoy seeing a woman playing this kind of character. Plus, she looks good in all of those different costumes and can do one thing all of those other characters can’t do; fight in and with three inch heels! Plus, any movie that throws in John Goodman and Toby Jones can’t be all bad.
Spider-Man Homecoming
I was skeptical about seeing yet another reboot of a classic comic book character. I mean, we all know he gets bitten by a spider and fights crime; what more is there to tell, right? Well was I pleasantly surprised!! This new Spider-man is highly entertaining and extremely funny. In fact, I laughed more during this movie than I have at so called comedies like Baywatch! ( Chris Evans’ Captain America shows up in several hilarious PSAs). Tom Holland makes the perfect awkward teenage super hero, trying desperately to be an Avenger but not quite measuring up. Robert Downey Jr. appears through out and even makes an appearance as Iron Man. What I appreciated about Michael Keaton is he did not camp it up as the Vulture. In fact, his portrayal was one of the most believable villains that I have seen in these kind of movies. There is not as much action as in other Spider-man movies but that is a good thing. Characters and plot drive the story rather than CGI effects. Don’t get me wrong, the special effects are impressive, but do not take front and center. I also loved Jennifer Connolly’s unseen role as Karen, the artificial intelligence who helps Spider-Man navigate the intricacies of his new high-tech suit. If you go see ‘Spider-Man Homecoming’, and I think you should, stay to the very end of the credits-the very end. Your patience will be rewarded.
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