Friday, May 27, 2022
Wednesday, May 25, 2022
Friday, May 20, 2022
Wednesday, May 18, 2022
Tuesday, May 17, 2022
The Bad Guys Review
Yeah, this is a kids film. With that in mind, The Bad Guys does try something a bit different compared to most Dreamworks film and most animated films in general. It's a focus on a criminal group of animals and their trials and tribulations of trying to commit the perfect crime and changing how people view them. It's not the most clever movie or the funniest. However, I'd give it credit for not being generic either.
It all starts with the Big Bad Wolf. He's the ring leader of his group. Him, Tarantula, Shark, Snake, and Piranha commit unthinkable deeds, but get caught. A genius professor decides to rehabilitate them and make them become citizens that are welcomed, not feared. Wolf gets his crew to play along and what ensues is many moments to be good and bad at the same time.
The characters all interact fairly well and the performances are above average given the talent used for it. There are some surprises that will catch a few off guard. As far as humor goes, it's not deliberately in your face, but you'll get some chuckling out of it. It's scripted out and doesn't come off as low brow for the most part. I find it hard to explain since it is for kids. Yet there are moments that make it feel as if this was written for adults to an extent. That feeling of being given a second chance or having redemption, though that's not the main focus.
There is a definite style to the CGI. Well done visuals and some attempt at some hand drawn like effects for scenes. It doesn't look like the typical mold of a Dreamworks animated film. You'll see some of it, though. Nothing against the score or the songs, but it seemed about average. Nothing that wows me, but not dreadful. I would try to see The Bad Guys in the theater if its still around. It's a bit better than what I was expecting. Not perfect, but nothing offensive either.
Score: 7 out of 10
Friday, May 13, 2022
Wednesday, May 11, 2022
Friday, May 6, 2022
Wednesday, May 4, 2022
Tuesday, May 3, 2022
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent Review
Simply put, I'd figure The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent would be an outlandish way to poke fun of Nicolas Cage. Him playing himself seems like something that should have been done five or ten years ago due to the films he did. From what I've watched, it's not hearty laughs, but there can be far worse comedies out there.
Nic is a washed out has been who finds ways to embarrass himself and his family. He also knows he has to clean up his act to do better for his daughter. That might include retiring from acting until being told about attending a fan's birthday party. The fan, Javi (Pedro Pascal), is more than just a normal fan. And that also involves CIA agents (Ike Barinholtz and Tiffany Haddish) and ridiculous situations and scenarios that require Nic to be the hero.
It is very obvious to be meant as a parody. Nicolas Cage himself is one of those guys with a resume that speaks for itself in terms of making it over the top. You add in the type of superfan that Javi is, and it comes off as that fantasy that is propped up in most people's heads of hanging out with a movie celebrity. The redemption and hero aspects are a little cliched, but in good taste. You got characters who are mostly down to earth dealing with Nic's mind and trying to get him back into reality with the exception of Javi and the CIA people.
Some of the cinematography is well done with the location they were in and the score is all over the place. The editing is pieced together with thought. I kind of was expecting some more humor, so Massive Talent was kind of a let down. It's still a watchable film though. If you're a big fan of Cage, try to find it in the theater. Otherwise, I'd probably wait until it hits video and streaming.
Score: 6.5 out of 10
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