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 Upside

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“The Upside” is based on the true story of a wealthy French aristocrat who was paralyzed in a paragliding accident, and the ex-con who becomes his caretaker.  This new American version  changes up some of the details, but the basic concept of a man and his assisstant remains.  Emmy winner Bryan Cranston plays Phillip, a quadrapelgc who is despondent and angry that he wasn’t allowed to die after the accident happened.  He is in the market for a new caretaker and this is where Kevin Hart makes his appearance.  He plays ex-con Dell, who has an exwife, a kid who he never sees, and a ton of back child support payments.  He is about to be sent back to jail unless he can prove he is seriously looking for work.  Dell stumbles upon the interview, thinking he is there for a janitorial position.  Phillip seizes this  opportunity to hire the worst prospect for the job and hopes that Dell won’t know how to take care of him properly and he can finally join his dead wife.  This is a very stale premise that has been overdone in movies and television, and yet in this movie it works.  I give a lot of credit to the chemistry between Bryan Cranson and Kevin Hart.  The are very good together.  Dell helps to mellow Phillip and give him many reasons to want to live and enjoy life.  In return, Phillip gives Dell a steady job and the seed money to venture out on his own.  I notice that many critics gave this movie a low rating, but don’t listen to them.  This is funny and heartwarming and I think you will enjoy it.  My favorite scene had to do with a painting that a pretentious rich guy thinks was painted by Banksy.  This movie doesn’t have a deep message like “Green Book” or a ground-breaking performance like “Bohemian Rapsody” but it is entertaining and satisfying.  I suggest you give it a try.

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!