Adnerb the Movie Nerd

Movie reviews from a middle school teacher's perspective

Jumanji:The Next Level

By Leave a Comment

Apple Rating:

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!

Stuber

By Leave a Comment

Apple Rating:

Stuber is a not very good buddy film, is a bad comedy, and is a terrible detective/thriller.  David Bautista plays Detective Vic, who loses  his glasses during a shootout, thus ( in his mind anyway) causing the death of this partner.  By the way, kudos to Karen Gillan, who is murdered in the first few minutes of the movie and thus doesn’t have to stick around for this silliness. The “humor and action” come when the detective decides to get lasik surgery and is told he will not be able to see more than a blur for 24 hours.  Of course, he gets a tip right after the operation, but since he can’t drive, he hires an Uber to help him get to the places he needs in order to apprehend the man who killed his partner and bring him to justice.  The Uber driver, Stu (Stu + Uber = Stuber hahaha) is played by Kumail Nanjiani who really just wants a five star review and to get the girl he is pining for.  Anyway, the whole thing is rather silly, but not in a good way. The acting is plebeian at best, the action not inventive, and the writing weak. There are a few laughs here and there, but nothing to warrant even waiting for the release to pay tv.  So you may thank me for helping you dodge a bullet (unlike several characters in the movie) on this one.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

By Leave a Comment

Apple Rating:

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!