Adnerb the Movie Nerd

Movie reviews from a middle school teacher's perspective

Jumanji:The Next Level

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It may not be as good, or charming, as the original, but ‘Jumanji: The Next Level’ is a pleasant little romp to take your mind off of the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping.  Nerdy college student, Spencer, is feeling down in the dumps, and it seems, missing the fun and excitement of being Dr. Smolder Bravestone, and decides to repair the broken Jumanji game.  You know what’s going to happen next… Our main favorites are all back: The Rock, Jack Black, Karen Gillian (my fave) and Kevin Hart.  Of course they get sucked back into the game again, only this time around their “avatars” are inhabited by different characters.  This can all be explained by the fact that the game was smashed, put back together, and is working, but malfunctioning. Bethany is left behind, at first; but it turns out she has to find Alex (Colin Hanks/Nick Jonas). He will get them into the game.  The Rock is inhabited this time by Spencer’s grandpa Eddie (Danny de Vito), while Jack Black is Fridge the Jock.  Kevin Hart is Eddie’s buddy Milo (Danny Glover). Eddie and Milo are injected in the story as old friends who hadn’t see each other in years when Eddie resented Milo for retiring from their successful restaurant business.  Spencer ends up in the body of Awkafina while Bethany gets to be a horse.  Are you confused?  Well there is more confusion to come when the characters find some’ magical water’ in the game that make them all switch avatars yet again!?!  The plot really doesn’t mattter, it has something to do with a jewel, Game of Thrones’ Rory McCann (The Hound), and a flying horse.  I enjoyed the addition of Awkafina, she is hilarious.  However, I wish that the writers had kept everyone in their original avatars, the new ones were not as endearing.  All in all, a decent, if not great, adventure movie!

The House With a Clock in Its Walls

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I liked this movie.   This is a good one for adults to bring older children to.  The younger ones will find it spooky, and both adults and kids will find plenty to chuckle at.  The story centers on nerdish orphan Lewis Barnavelt (Owenn Vaccarro), who comes to live with his very eccentric Uncle Jonathan, played by Jack Black, and his uncle’s mysterious friend, Miss Zimmerman, played by Cate Blanchett.  They live in a deliciously creepy house full of furniture that moves, intriguing objects and secret rooms.  It turns out there is a mysterious clock hidden somewhere in the house, ticking away and counting down, which will cause the destruction of the human race if not found and stopped! Barnavelt discovers his uncle is a warlock and eventually talks him into letting him become an apprentice.  He hopes sorcery and magic will help him win friends. It doesn’t, but he unwittingly brings about impending doom by resurrecting a great evil.  However, his magical assistance to his uncle and his friend helps them face that evil. I loved the word play between Blanchett and Black, who clearly are having a good time making this movie.  Do not go if you are looking for true horror or a great script.  Do go if you want to watch an ambiable family friendly movie that has fun with the John Bellairs 1973 novel.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

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I loved the duo of Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart in the very funny ‘Central Intelligence.’  However, I admit I wasn’t expecting much out of their latest pairing in this updated version of ‘Jumanji.’  I have to admit, though, that I laughed quite heartily through most of this movie.  Jack Black and Karen Gillan were fine too.  In a shift from the unwilling participants of the original movie,  there are now four teenagers who stumble across an old video game called ‘Jumanji,’ while cleaning an old school storeroom (they have all been assigned detention for various reasons). They start the game, and choose avatars before things begin to go in an odd direction and they stop playing.  However, in that inexplicable magic that only happens in the movies, they are whisked into the game anyway, where they are turned into the avatars they chose.  How they cope with their new bodies (one female is now in a male  body) and complete their mission makes for  interesting comedy and some good old out loud laughs.  No, it’s not Oscar material in any way, it’s not a deep or edge pushing show.  But, if  you are looking for a fun movie for a few laughs and a good time, look no further!