Sunday, 8 July 2018

Special: Sicario: Day Of The Soldado, Incredibles 2, Game Night Mini-Reviews

Sicario: Day Of The Soldado:

Synopsis: In Sicario: Day of the Soldado, the series begins a new chapter. In the drug war, there are no rules--and as the cartels have begun trafficking terrorists across the US border, federal agent Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) calls on the mysterious Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro), whose family was murdered by a cartel kingpin, to escalate the war in nefarious ways. Alejandro kidnaps the kingpin's daughter to inflame the conflict--but when the girl is seen as collateral damage, her fate will come between the two men as they question everything they are fighting for.

My thoughts: If you enjoyed the original you'll enjoy this one as well, keeps the same tone without sacrificing any acting ability, even with losing Emily Blunt, as Del Toro takes center stage and carries the film. First time English feature director Stefano Sollima seems comfortable taking the reigns from an Oscar nominated director and makes the most of  his opportunity.

Final verdict: 3 (nearly 4) drug mules out of 5.

Incredibles 2:

Synopsis: Everyone's favorite family of superheroes is back in "Incredibles 2"--but this time Helen (voice of Holly Hunter) is in the spotlight, leaving Bob (voice of Craig T. Nelson) at home with Violet (voice of Sarah Vowell) and Dash (voice of Huck Milner) to navigate the day-to-day heroics of "normal" life. It's a tough transistion for everyone, made tougher by the fact that the family is still unaware of baby Jack-Jack's emerging superpowers. When a new villain hatches a brilliant and dangerous plot, the family and Frozone (voice of Samuel L. Jackson) must find a way to work together again--which is easier said than done, even when they're all Incredible.

My thoughts: All though it doesn't really live up to the original, it's close. Which is more than you can say for most Pixar sequels (Sorry Dory and University). There's no point talking about detail or design since it's Pixar, so you know it's top notch. The scripting is great as Brad Bird (writer/director) had a clear vision and executed it well. Even if it was lacking the heart the first one had, it's still a first-rate family feature that people of all ages will enjoy.

Final verdict: 4 super-powered family members out of 5.

Game Night:

Synopsis: Bateman and McAdams star as Max and Annie, whose weekly couples game night gets kicked up a notch when Max's charismatic brother, Brooks (Chandler), arranges a murder mystery party, complete with fake thugs and faux federal agents. So when Brooks gets kidnapped, it's all part of the game--right? But as the six uber-competitive gamers set out to solve the case and win, they begin to discover that neither this game--nor Brooks--are what they seem to be. Over the course of one chaotic night, the friends find themselves increasingly in over their heads as each twist leads to another unexpected turn. With no rules, no points, and no idea who all the players are, this could turn out to be the most fun they've ever had... or game over.

My thoughts: This was an enjoyable dark comedy even when it tries too hard, which it does frequently. But the talented cast and all the twists and turns are enough to keep you entertained from start to finish,

Final verdict: 3 lying siblings out of 5.

No comments:

Post a Comment