Adnerb the Movie Nerd

Movie reviews from a middle school teacher's perspective

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.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

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I am pretty sure that I would want to visit a Jurassic Park as envisioned by Steven Spielberg and the original book by Michael Crichton.  Yes, things went wrong; but if scientists could bring dinosaurs back safely, admit it, you couldn’t stay away either.  However, I can’t imagine many people would want to go to a Jurassic World, with its sheer commercialism and lack of feeling and empathy, its wanton disregard for anything other than making money.  The newest entry into the Jurassic frachise demonstrates the pessimistic notion that people will do anything, and I mean anything, to feed their greed.  The movie opens with the abandoned island doomed because of an impending volcanic erruption.  All dinosaurs will perish. This is a big moral dilemma.  Should these creatures, who were engineered in a laboratory and have no business livng in our century, be saved – or should  nature be allowed to take its course?  Luckily (or is it?) for the dinosaurs, Sir Benjamin Lockwood (James Cromwell), the former business partner of John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) and the team that created the original park, wants  to step in and save as many of these noble creatures as possible,  To this end, he hires Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) and Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and others, to retrieve the dinosaurs and place them in a reserve where no one will be able to bother and/or exploit them.  As you can imagine, this may be his intent, but it’s not the real plan.  Lockwood’s assisstant and right hand man Eli (Rafe Spall) has plans that are utterly mean and cruel.  This is a character beyond redemption! (Pretty much as all the bad guys in these movies are).  But you will find everything you would ever want to see in a Jurassic movie in this one: gorgeous scenery, realistic dinosaurs, evil scientists and a cautionary quote from Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum).  All of this being said, Jurassic World is scary, emotional and exciting.  I won’t spoil it here, but Jurassic World has one of the most sequel-worthy endings in the history of franchise summmer movies.  I’m betting Chris and Bryce have already been committed to a resolve-the-teasers movie! So, there will be a sequel; oh yes, you will want to go see it!

Avengers: Infinity War

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This is 160 minutes of movie jam-packed with every possible thing you could ever want in a super hero movie.  First of all, want to see your favorite Marvel character?   Everyone from Teenage Groot and Dr. Strange to Vision and Black Panther are here.  Want to see epic batles?  You will  see several, including an amazingly complex one that threatens Wakanda.    Do you love witty banter?  The script writers have your back.  Long for a terrible villian who is complicated by a twisted reality in which he feels he is doing the universe a favor by almost destroying it?  Josh Brolin’s Thanos will  not disappoint you.  One concern I would have about this much anticiapted movie would be for people who haven’t been following these movies in the Marvel Universe.  You are going to be confused by the myriad of characters who are all following threads that started in their various earlier movies.  But don’t worry too much, the screenwriters have tied together a pretty cogent, understandable story. It was fun to see the Avengers meet the Gauardians of the Galaxy for the first time.  I loved seeing Bruce Banner have a problem turning into the Hulk.  There is also a cute cameo by Peter Dinklage as a rather large dwarf. ********** SPOILER ALERT**********  This is a very ejoyable movie, but be warned, there are  major characer deaths that will upset some fans.  In fact, the end of this movie will leave some of you very unsatisfied and disillusioned.  But don’t be downhearted, this is only the first half of Infinity Wars.  The conclusion will be released in March 2019.  I have a feeling that all will be put right in the Avengers Universe (and Marvel’s future money earnings).

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

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I may not be Groot, but I know an entertaining movie when I see one!  If you liked the first “Guardian of the Galaxy” movie, you will not be disappointed with this second installment.  All the characters you loved in the first movie are back:  Chris Pratt as Quill, still playing music from the 80’s on his cassette player, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, who may or may not have feelings for Quill, Dave Bautista as Drax, who has no social filter and Bradley Cooper voicing Rocket, the weapon toting raccoon. The new characters are excellent additions, especially Kurt Russell as Ego, who claims to be Quill’s dad and a god.  There are few actors around today who could pull that combination off, and thankfully Kurt is one of them.  There are a lot of explosions of course and plenty of action.  There is also a killer sound track full of songs like “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac, “Brandy” by Looking Glass, “Come a Little Bit Closer” by Jay and the Americans and a timely placed “Father and Son” by Cat Stevens.  I loved Groot’s character in the first movie but Baby Groot is so adorable even the villains can’t bring themselves to kill him.  If you are looking for an entertaining way to spend a few hours, you can’t go wrong with this movie.  By the way, like all Marvel movies, stay to the very end of the credits for a preview and a surprise.

The Magnificent Seven

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I am starting this review with a shout out to  the Cinemark Theatre in Hanover, Maryland.  I asked if they would be willing to donate an item to my school as a student reward and they countered with a donation of 30!  I appreciate the generosity and support of education.  Now on to the review.  If you are a fan of the original Seven Samurai or the previous Magnificent Seven starring Yul Brenner and Steve McQueen, you will not be disappointed in this new remake.   Denzel Washington plays the bounty hunter who agrees to help a young widow whose town is being taken over by a sleaze bucket played by Peter Sarsgaard.  I was charmed by Haley Bennett and hope to see her in more movies in the future.  Denzel never disappoints and he doesn’t here.  Chris Pratt provides some laugh out loud comedy relief.  Do not go to this movie if you are squeamish about violence.  This movie has a higher body count than I have seen in recent years.  That being said, it was a diverting and well-done movie.  I doubt if you will be sorry you went and you will definitely be entertained.