Special: Point Blank, Dumbo, Stuber Mini-Reviews

Point Blank:

Synopsis: When his pregnant wife is kidnapped and held as collateral, Paul, an ER nurse, must team with the badly injured career criminal and murder suspect under his charge in order to save the lives of his wife and unborn child. Pitted against rival gangs and a deadly ring of corrupt cops, the unlikely duo find a way to survive together in the fight of their lives.

My thoughts: I've honestly never seen the original but sticking Anthony Mackie and Frank Grillo together in a film again (throwback to The Winter Soldier) and I'm on board. I generally like all Grillo's films I've seen and this one is no exception. The action was fast, almost too fast at times but overall I never found myself not enjoying this film even though it's flaws are apparent if was never enough to take away from the viewing experience.

Final verdict: 3.5 "good" bad guys out of 5.

Dumbo:

Synopsis: Circus owner Max Medici enlists former star Holt Farrier and his children Milly and Joe to care for a newborn elephant whose oversized ears make him a laughingstock in an already struggling circus. But when they discover that Dumbo can fly, the circus makes an incredible comeback, attracting persuasive entrepreneur V.A. Vandevere, who recruits the peculiar pachyderm for his newest, larger-than-life entertainment venture, Dreamland. Dumbo soars to new heights alongside a charming and spectacular aerial artist, Colette Marchant, until Holt learns that beneath its shiny veneer, Dreamland is full of dark secrets.

My thoughts: Like all Disney live-action remakes I enjoy the films that change up the source material and Dumbo does just that even though it follows a similar over arching story the tone and feel is different. The attention to the human characters and Tim Burton's visual flair makes this a great watch.

Final verdict: 4 Pink elephants out of 5.

Stuber:

Synopsis: When a mild-mannered Uber driver named Stu (Kumail Nanjiani) picks up a passenger (Dave Bautista) who turns out to be a cop hot on the trail of a brutal killer, he's thrust into a harrowing ordeal where he desperately tries to hold onto his wits, his life and his five-star rating.

My thoughts: Stuber is a nice throwback to the 80's buddy cop movies where it was all about over the top comedy and gritty action. It does modernize it, tackling the subject of toxic male masculinity throughout and the pairing of Nanjiani and Bautista is gold. If we don't get a sequel, these 2 better be paired up again soon. With comedies, I always worry that all the "funny" parts are shown in the trailer but there was more than enough material to keep me laughing throughout.

Final verdict: 4.5 Uberpools out of 5.

Special: Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children/Jack Reacher: Never Go Back/Ouija: Origin Of Evil Mini-Reviews

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children:

Synopsis: From visionary director Tim Burton, and based upon the best-selling novel, comes an unforgettable motion picture experience. When Jake discovers clues to a mystery that spans different worlds and times, he finds a magical place known as Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. But the mystery and danger deepen as he gets to know the residents and learns about their special powers...and their powerful enemies. Ultimately, Jake discovers that only his own special "peculiarity" can save his new friends.

My thoughts: Beautifully crafted and colourful, as you might expect, but the strong storytelling and striking characters are what you'll leave the theater thinking about. Sam Jackson feels slightly out of place here but I mean it doesn't hold the film back at all considering he needs to be in every film anyway...

Final verdict: 5 Peculiarities out of 5.

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back:

Synopsis: Tom Cruise returns as Jack Reacher in this sequel based on Lee Child's bestselling novel Never Go Back, which finds the itinerant problem-solver accused of murder, and learning that he may have a child he has never met.

My thoughts: Not as exciting as the original, who really took me by surprise by the time I came around to watching it with how good it was. The non-Cruise actors were a step back from the original. The script also isn't as tight as the original, however the director does a good job of navigating that and keeping the pacing light and without noticeable holes. The action sequences were as impressive as the first even if the hand to hand combat wasn't nearly as impressive.

Final verdict: 4 Court marshals out of 5.

Ouija: Origin Of Evil:

Synopsis: In 1965 Los Angeles, a widowed mother and her two daughters add a new stunt to bolster their seance scam business and unwittingly invite authentic evil into their home. When the youngest daughter is overtaken by a merciless spirit, the family confronts unthinkable fears to save her and send her possessor back to the other side.

My thoughts: This was definitely an upgrade on the first, though that's not saying much seeing as it ranks #71 out of 89 films in the 2014. I kinda expected more given the positive reviews although it was still lackluster relying on a series of jump scares which by the time you get to the "fright filled" conclusion the jump scares lose their luster and are expected which kinda makes the ending fall flat, but hey they did try to curate this movie towards a larger audience then the 14 year olds targeted during the original.

Final verdict: 3 board game movies out of 5.