Adnerb the Movie Nerd

Movie reviews from a middle school teacher's perspective

Jungle Cruise

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Do you want to completely escape your troubles and watch a movie that doesn’t involve any thinking what-so-ever; and yet is surprisingly entertaining? Then you are in luck, because I have the perfect movie for you. Disney is constantly coming out with movies that are loosely inspired by some of its most popular theme park rides. The Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean immediately come to mind. Jungle Cruise is another one, but it is made enjoyable by the performances of Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt. I was mesmerized by Emily Blunt’s performance in the Quiet Place I and II. But here she is equally engaging as a turn of the century scientist who wears pants and kicks butt. Dwayne Johnson plays a charming riverboat captain with a big secret. Paul Giamatti has a small role as the Italian dock owner Nilo Nemolato; while Jesse Plemons is the inevitable evil villain, Prince Joachim. The story is loaded with spectacular special effects, and a somewhat complicated plot with a few little twists here and there. And of course, there is the usual spooky jungle river mythos story. It doesn’t have much to do with the ride, but neither have the others! There are a number of interesting side characters (including British comedian Jack Whitehall as Emily’s brother) that really flesh out the tale and help add a touch of humor. They do a pretty good job of establishing the settings and atmosphere. No worries about me spoiling the plot, it is silly, full of holes, and really who cares? Just sit back, relax and escape.

A Quiet Place Part II

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Wow! What a deifference a week makes. Last week, our theatre was nearly empty. Today, the theatre was quite full; it seemed almost like pre COVID times! It looked like every group of viewers had only one “socially distanced” space between them. Many people were excited to see John Krasinski’s follow-up to his successful “A Quiet Place,” and so were Bill and I. This was a very worthy sequel! Emily Blunt, playing Evelyn Abbott once again, gives an amazing performance as a mother trying to keep her three children (including a baby) alive in a world overrun with aliens whose goal seems to be to utterly destroy the human race. The catch is that these aliens are basically blind but have super=sensitive hearing. Any small sound is enough to alert them-even from a good distance away! In order to survive, people must stay quiet. Abbott has even found a way to keep her baby quiet with a pretty ingenious “pacifer.” If you didn’t see the first movie, no worries. John Krasinski gives you a little recap of how this whole thing started. He creates a dystopian sort of post-alien massacre world where isolated humans can only eke out a meagre, desparate existence. In this movie, Blunt meets up with Cillian Murphy, a family friend, who reluctantly agrees to help them. The two kids, played by Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe, give gut-wrentching performaces as the two older kids. A favorite of mine, Djimon Hounsu makes an unfortunately short appearance. I found this movie highly suspenseful, keeping me on the edge of my seat for the entire time. If you enjoyed the first movie, you will love this one too. If you didn’t see the first one, you won’t be disappointed with this sequel!

Mary Poppins Returns

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Mary Poppins returns!  I think we were all looking forward to this movie!  And while I may have a few concerns, I still found it quite enjoyable. Lin-Manuel Miranda and Emily Blunt put in a great effort; they have great energy and voices and are very endearing. The special effects  and costumes were dazzling.  I even enjoyed the opening song.  So how could a movie with all of this going for it, end up not quite getting there?  “Mary Poppins Returns” really had several strikes against it before it even started.  First of all, the orginal Mary Poppins was so well-loved and has been a classic ever since it first came out.  So this movie had to live up to some pretty lofty expectations, and that’s a very high bar to reach. Next, the original movie had toe-tapping songs that you sang as you left the theatre.  Who can forget the catchy earworm “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?”  Or the joy of “Let’s Go Fly a Kite?” Or the sweet sadness of “Feed the Birds?”  Third, Julie Anderews sparkled as Mary Poppins and had the singing range to hit those high, operatic notes.  Last of all, the movie had heart.  The newest reincarnation would probably find a more apprecative audience if we had never seen the original.  But we did, and so we can’t help but judge this new one by comparing it to the older one.  Sorry, but the newer one comes up short.  I would say one of the biggest disappointments is the songs.  I can’t remember one, even the one at the beginning that I liked.  Yes, there was one about a book and another about going up with a balloon, but I don’t remember any of the lyrics or melodies.  I found the grown up Michael Banks to be rather dim-witted and ineffective, you didn’t end up ‘rooting’ for Ben Whishaw like you did for David Tomlinson. The plot was not involving or even mildly tense.  I love Meryl Streep, but she was utterly wasted as a cousin of Mary Poppins named Topsy whose presence was suppose to be a hommage, I suppose, to Ed Wynn’s “I Love to Laugh” in the original.  I am not saying this is a bad movie, I think kids who haven’t seen the original will love it, and I did enjoy the performances of the two leads.  There are also cameos by Dick Van Dyke and Angela Landsbury that I found delightful.  I just wish I found the rest of the movie as charming.

A Quiet Place

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Finally after a short string of less than great movies, John Krasinski and his wife, Emily Blunt, star in a horror movie that is tense, suspenseful, but not chock full of cliche!  Krasinski also directed and co-wrote “A Quiet Place,” which reminded me alot of movies like “Cloverfield” and “Signs”.  However, this movie has a creative spin that you just don’t expect in today’s movies.  There is very little dialogue spoken, because to do so, means instant death!  Apparently some strange alien creatures have come to earth.  They can’t see and are outfitted with inpenetrable armour, but they have supersensitive hearing.  As long as you stay quiet, you are safe.  Speak, or make more than the tiniest noise, and you will find how fast these creatures can move to where you are!  In this day and age of super special effects and unending noise, it is kind of nice to watch a movie where you must be focused on the screen.  Look down at your phone and you might miss a key scene or cue.  The quietness of the movie (there are sounds and a bit of dialogue) will not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I think you should give it a chance.  I almost gave “A Quiet Place”  a golden apple but I didn’t care for one key scene, even though I understand the reasons for it.  If you are looking for a quiet, tense little triller, look no further!

The Girl on the Train

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I enjoyed Emily Blunt a lot in this movie.  She plays the alcoholic Rachel, who takes a train every day into NY city; and happens to pass  the very house she chose with her ex husband, that he, his new wife and baby  live in. They have a nanny, who turns out to be the wife of a neighbor.  While watching from the train, she observes some shenanigans. When the nanny disappears, the mystery  begins.  Emily Blunt’s Rachel was drunk that night and had got off the train to confront the nanny.  She wakes up at home, covered with blood and bruises.  She has no memory of what happened.  A detective, played by the always intriguing Allison Janney, investigates.  Then the nanny is found dead! Rachel has been violent before, could she be a murderer?  Things are not what they seem though, as all the main characters appear to be hiding something.  Even though there are some plot holes, and everything doesn’t exactly add up, it doesn’t harm the flow of the story, and Emily Blunt’s performance ties the whole movie together.  I read the book when it first came out and thought at the time it would make an interesting movie;I was not disappointed.