Tyler Perry's Acrimony

This film stars Taraji P Henson as a young woman who falls in love with a man and marries him and supports him throughout his developing career. But he never makes anything of himself, until he does. But in that time between never and until, Henson bails. Whose fault is it, what is the role of family, and what is right and wrong in this relationship? All good questions in this thriller. Unfortunately, something was missing in my engagement so that my interest was lost. Henson is great, but maybe the others are flat? I am not sure...

2 stars (out of 5)

My Spy

Dave Bautista is a big, bruising former special forces soldier working his way into the intelligence service. But his big and bruising keep getting in the way. His current assignment to surveil and mom and her daughter (related to an arms trafficker), is a parking place for the agency to keep him out of trouble. But he gets uncovered by the girl and takes her under his wing (her she takes him) and it becomes a classic, improbably buddy-spy-action film. Cute - but not novel.

3 stars (out of 5)

Hobbs and Shaw

Set in the Fast and Furious universe, The Rock and Jason Statham get paired up as a team needing to take down genetic super-soldier Idris Elba. They do because Statham's sister has injected a virus into herself in order to keep it from Elba (as part of her MI-6 job), but she has a limited time before it kills her. To defeat said genetic super-soldier, the three warriors go to Johnson's home island in order to take advantage of back home muscle and car mechanic skills. If all of this sounds ridiculous, it is on screen as well. What did you expect?

3 stars (out of 5)

Seventh Son

Jeff Bridges is a witch hunter and he had imprisoned a witch queen many years ago. She (Julianne Moore) escapes and is calling her evil hoards to her to exert her dominance over humans and the earth. Bridges, after losing an apprentice while trying to recapture her, finds a new one (the 7th son of a 7th son) and the two go to battle. The witch queen's witch niece kinda falls for the new apprentice, who happens to have a witch mom, [sarcasm on] so the relational intrigue is thick [sarcasm off]. Super ordinary.

2 stars (out of 5)

Eragon

The movie version of the first book of the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini. The book series was a pretty good fantasy/dragon story following a young boy who becomes one of the last dragon riders when he finds a dragon egg that hatches for him (the dragon has chosen him). This film is only moderately good, and leaves so much out that watching becomes confusing. It was launched shortly after the Lord of the Rings phenomena, but did not stand up to that excellence. Read the books.

2 stars (out of 5)

Crazy Rich Asians

Finally got around to seeing this, which was really the rage a couple years ago. Constance Wu (as Rachel Chu) agrees to travel to Singapore with her New York boyfriend Nick Young (Henry Golding). She is nervous because she is Chinese American and her culture is truly American, while Nick's family has deep Chinese roots. What she doesn't know (he has kept from her) is that Nick is ultra-wealthy and heir to a family business and fortune. She is just a "working class" university economics professor with a PhD. The story follows all the introductions and faux pas's and self doubt and back stabbing that one would expect. What makes this film better (and what always makes a film better) is the presence of Awkwafina. As the old college friend/social media influencer, she keeps it fresh and fun. 

4 stars (out of 5)

Yesterday

Some sort of alternate reality is entered and the Beatles don't exist. Fortunately, Jack Malik, a wannabe singer-songwriter, is a huge Beatles fan and he remembers all the lyrics. So he writes and performs all the songs in this alternate reality, claiming them as his own, and becomes a big hit. Good, only because the music is good. 

2 stars (out of 5)

This Means War

Reese Witherspoon is the oblivious civilian looking for love and Tom Hardy and Chris Pine are partner spies who inadvertently both fall for her. They use the full force of their office to "win the prize" and you should be able to see that this is slapstick at best. Clever fun, but not novel or unique. Similar in tone to the movie versions of 21 Jump Street. 

3 stars (out of 5)

Just Go With It

Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston are on a trip to Hawaii together. Sandler is the plastic surgeon boss, Aniston his assistant who agreed to go along as the fake ex-wife to further ensnare the girlfriend. Aniston brings the kids, of course. Sort of a romantic keystone cops feel with lots of moving pieces and each "mistake" leading to a more involved lie. It is clear that the real relationship is between Sandler and Aniston so even from the opening scene, we wait expectantly for how that will ultimately play out. 

3 stars (out of 5)

Six Days Seven Nights

Harrison Ford is a drunk pilot hired to take. Anne Heche (on their vacation with beau David Schwimmer in the South Pacific) to a neighboring island for a work event. Storms and crashing on an uninhabited island leads to the two entering survival mode, bickering constantly with the inevitable hook-up. Then we get pirates. Woo hoo! Only moderately entertaining, and clearly 1990's in its feel.

2 stars (out of 5)

School of Rock

Jack Black is an aspiring rocker in this now classic film. He really wants to win the Battle of the Bands, but his band has just axed him. Needing money, he gets a job as a sub at a school, recruits the kids into a rock band (a special project) and then goes on to perform at the Battle. All good fun, Black at his best, and everybody gets a little bit wiser from their exploits. 

4 stars (out of 5)

Bohemian Rhapsody

Sometime you just need a little Queen. 

Still 5 stars (out of 5)

Line Walker

Set in Hong Kong, a special police task force is working to disrupt the criminal activity of the triads. When the commander is killed, his list of undercover agents is also lost, leaving the new task force boss unable to utilize these people. The agents are also left without handlers or instructions. This twisty mystery navigates the unfolding of identities and criminal intents when trust is the one thing that is no longer reliable. Interesting, entertaining, and had me guessing and thinking throughout. Nice.

3 stars (out of 5)

Prime Suspect (Serial)

Helen Mirren is fabulous as Jane Tennison, an inspector and then superintendent in the British police. Over the course of 7 seasons, she moves around (London, Manchester) and moves up the ranks. But what doesn't change is her command of the case (she dominates any room she is in) and her personal struggles with relationships, alcohol, family, etc. Mirren does not play this as a person who is fabulous at work and then struggles at home. She is fabulous and struggles simultaneously throughout. Bravo.

4 stars (out of 5)

The Italian Job

The 1969 version where a bunch of gold is stolen out from under the noses of Italian police and mafia bosses who know it is going to be stolen. Moderately good heist planning, quite good chase scenes with the mini's and obviously 1960's pacing.

3 stars (out of 5)

The Mighty Macs

The based on a true story of the first year that collegiate women were allowed to play 5 on 5 basketball. Cathy Rush (new wife of famous NBA ref Ed Rush) takes a job at a small catholic college as the basketball coach. In classic sports film fantasy, she cobbles together a group of players, some reluctant and with families that don't support them, into a team that plays together beyond their skill level. The school eventually gets behind them and they become a local sensation. Threaded throughout the film are the gender bias/discrimination struggles that were par for the course in the early 70's. While sports films can't really be any more formulaic than this, there is a reason that the formula works. This was predictably entertaining.

3 stars (out of 5)

The Last Days of American Crime

Sometime in the future, the government is finally defunding the police. However, the catch is that they have invented a brain disruptor that can be broadcast and remotely demobilize anyone who is doing a crime. So the police aren't needed and the tyrannical system will go into effect soon. Our protagonists work out a plot to do a last minute heist of the federal reserve, and then bolt to Canada with their newfound wealth, slipping under the wire of the end of crime. Of course it doesn't go smoothly, but I enjoyed watching the world created. Action and drama and just enough of reality to give the characters depth. Granted, it is action movie depth, but it is depth none-the-less.

3 stars (out of 5)

New Tricks (Serial)

I suppose it says something about the amount of entertainment being consumed these days that I am now reviewing a Series (not a season or episode). This British cop drama/comedy delivers 12 seasons of fun. And although over the course of the series the individual characters move on, it is not until the last season that it feels like something is missing in the chemistry. The premise is set on a special unit of the metropolitan police being set up to investigate cold cases. The squad includes one DCI and several retired police who are now civilians. They are cheap, but experienced. This plays out as a British version of a cross between The Streets of San Francisco and Monk. Eccentric personalities all held together by the DCI, who begrudgingly and ultimately with affection, guides her  charges to solve every case they pick up. This is not a binge-fest, but instead something comfortable that I came back to regularly over the past 6 months. Well worth adding to your library.

4 stars (out of 5)