Better late than never review: A Quiet Place Part II

Possible spoilers ahead!

Written and directed by John Krasinski, “A Quiet Place II” continues the story of the Abbott family, Evelyn (Emily Blunt) and her children — Regan (Millicent Simmonds), Marcus (Noah Jupe), and her newborn baby — picking up the pieces after the death of Krasinski’s character, Lee at the end of the first film. Their first task is to look for another safe place to stay, and they soon run into Emmett (Cillian Murphy), an old friend of Lee’s.

As the group hides from the creatures, Regan decided to head out on her own to find the location where “Beyond the Sea” is playing over the radio on repeat. She’s convinced that it’s a call from other survivors, and If she can find them, she can use their system to amplify the feedback that is created when she puts her hearing aid directly into a speaker. And as we know from the first movie, this is the only thing that can stop the creatures.

After watching “A Quiet Place Part II,” I’m glad that I didn’t pay to see it in the theater and instead waited for it to hit Paramoun+. Had I seen it on their screen I would have been disappointed because the movie is a mixed bag. There are some brilliant moments here, like the opening flashback to the day the creatures arrived on earth. This sequence is tense and action-packed as we witness what the family was up to on the day everything changed for the world. Another good scene is when Regan comes across a derailed train that was taken out by the creatures some time ago. But beyond that, the movie’s main purpose seems to be to pass the torch to Lee and Evelyn’s kids.

Maybe John Krasinski put the focus on the kids in an attempt to build excitement, but since they’re kids, they often make poor decisions that usually put them and their families in greater danger. Not that Evelyn had a good track record making decisions, but at least in her case, the family was always together. In part Ii, the family has to split, which took me out of the movie to be honest. Evelyn Abbott became a supporting character when she should have been the centerpiece of the film. I loved how the first movie ended with her holding the shotgun ready to go to town on the invaders, but that didn’t amount to much in the sequel.

It wasn’t all bad though, I did enjoy how Regan Abbott has grown as a character since we first met her. The events of the first film had a lasting effect on her, and because of it, she is now willing to put her life on the line if it means her family lives to see a better day, and Millicent Simmonds does a phenomenal job conveying Regan’s development. But even this is cut short when her mother sends Emmet to look for her and he accompanies her for the rest of her journey.

I should also mention that “A Quiet Plance Part II” definitely looks amazing. My guess is John Krasinski got a bigger budget this time because we see a lot more of the creatures from start to finish. We even get to see them in proper daylight which was nice. Too often movies use the monsters at night, or in the rain to hide the CGI, but here they went all out and they looked great. I do wish the plot had given us more answers about them or expanded to show us what is going on elsewhere, but maybe they’re saving that for the next installment.

Despite my many complaints, I would say “A Quiet Place Part II” is still a good movie but with flaws. The family drama from before is replaced with more action and the father figure is also replaced to varying degrees of success. Look, If you liked the first movie, then part II is still worth seeing, even I liked parts of it. But in the end, I would say that the sequel is not as good as the first entry.

“A Quiet Place Part II” final grade: B

Movie Flashback:Blue Hawaii (1961)

I wasn’t a fan of Elvis Presley’s music until the mid-90s when I was in my teens. It took another two decades before I watched one of Presley’s movies. Luckily, a few years ago one of the Encore networks aired an Elvis Presley marathon on the King’s birthday, giving me the chance to see most of his films.

Out of all the Elvis movies I watched that day the one that stood out the most was “Blue Hawaii.” Released in 1961 and directed by Norman Taurog, the film starred Elvis Presley, Joan Blackman, Angela Lansbury, Nancy Walters, Roland Winters, John Archer, Howard McNear, Steve Brodie and Darlene Tompkins.

“Blue Hawaii” kicks off as Maile Duval (Joan Blackman) speeds down a Hawaii highway on her way to the airport.  When Maile is pulled over by a cop she tells him that her boyfriend Chad (Elvis Presley) is finally returning home from Europe after his stint in the U.S. Army. Since the cop knows Chad Maile he gives her a police escort to the airport. Maile makes just in time to see Chad in the arms of a friendly flight attendant. But the two patch things up once Chad assures Maile he was (almost) true to her while he was away.

Surprisingly, Chad doesn’t want to go to straight his parent’s home. Instead, he has Maile drive him to the beach where all his buddies live and hang out. We later learn that Chad refuses to see his parents because his overbearing mother, Sarah Lee (Angela Lansbury), wants him to follow in his father’s footsteps and take over management at the Great Southern Hawaiian Fruit Company. His dad Fred (Roland Winters) would also like his son to work with him too, but Chad wants to find his own job and make his own money.

By the way, the first time I watched “Blue Hawaii” I didn’t realize Elvis’ mother was played by Angela Lansbury. I think it was due to the fake Southern accent Lansbury does for the role. Had I known ahead of time I might have skipped the movie because I usually can’t stand Ms. Muder She Wrote. However, I have to admit she won me over with her constant nagging of her husband and the way she constantly drops in little comments about how her family fought for the South.

Anyways, I respected Chad for not wanting a hand out from his parents and for trying to stand up for what he believes. I also appreciated him standing up for Malie and his friends. His parents wouldn’t listen to him so he decided to take matters into his own hands. Chad thinks he could work as a tour guide at the same travel agency Maile works at, but the owner, Mr. Chapman (Howard McNear) has his doubts about hiring him. Mr. Chapman finally agrees to give Chad a shot when school teacher Nancy Walters (Abigail Prentice) hires the agency to show her and four teenage students around the islands.

Of course, things don’t go as planned for poor old Chad. He has a dream job, but his parents stopped talking to him while at work one of the teenage girls, Ellie (Jenny Maxwell), is bratty and self-centered and does not get along with the other three girls. During their time with Chad, she becomes smitten with him and even tries to seduce him. Meanwhile, Maile becomes jealous because she thinks Chad is having an affair with Ms. Walters when in reality she found romance with Jack Kelman (John Archer), the owner of the pineapple company Chad’s father works for.

Throughout the film we’re treated to some great musical numbers like “Blue Hawaii,” “Almost Always True,” “Aloha ‘Oe,” “No More” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love” which he sings to Maile’s grandmother on her birthday. The music adds to the story and never takes away from what the characters are saying. The Hawaii location also plays a role in the film as we get to see much of the island (even if some of it is on a rear projector).

Based on what you see of the island in “Blue Hawaii”, it’s easy to see why Hawaii became a go-to location for Elvis after this. It was also clear that the filmmakers had the template for what an Elvis Presley movie should be: put Elvis in a glamorous location, have him sing a few tunes, and surround him with lots of beautiful girls in the most modest bikinis you’ve ever seen.

Besides the music, the movie’s plot was something you could quite easily get into.
It’s not complicated and easy to follow as Chad wants to make a life for himself away from his wealthy parents’ wishes. The plot is tame by today’s standards, but I’m sure young people in 1961 could probably relate to wanting to do your own thing. This plot probably wouldn’t have worked in the late 60s but in 1961 I think it was fine.

Something else that makes “Blue Hawaii” work is Elvis himself. Here he’s still in his prime, and it looks like he was having fun in the movie. Elvis is great in the musical numbers of course, but he’s also very good at the comedy bits. He doesn’t do slapstick, but his timing is on point for the most part. Out of all the Elvis movies I’ve seen, I like his work in “Blue Hawaii” the best. Maybe it’s not an Academy Award-worthy performance but it’s perfect for the kind of story “Blue Hawaii” was trying to tell.

Out of the supporting cast, I was most impressed by Joan Blackman as Maile Duval. Yes, Blackman is beautiful but there’s more to her than just her looks. She loves Chad and is always trying to get him to do the right thing. Malie is not after his family’s money or anything else. She’s just a good person and is always willing to give Chad a good talking to when he needs it. Blackman gets some good scenes too, like when she shows up in Chad’s hotel room and she wallops him with a pillow. It was a good performance and a god character for Joan Blackman to play with.

 

This is not the type of movie I generally gravitate towards. But maybe I ended up liking the movie so much because the first time I watched “Blue Hawaii” was a few days after my grandmother passed away. Much of that week was a blur, and the first time I sat down to catch my breath was the day of the Elvis movie marathon. For whatever reason, “Blue Hawaii” was the right movie at the right time that snapped me out of my funk.

Movie Flashback: Flashdance (1983)

In 1983, the film “Flashdance” came out of nowhere and became a huge box office hit. The movie also delivered one of the biggest soundtracks of the decade and dance numbers which are still talked about today

Directed by Adrian Lyne, “Flashdance” starred Jennifer Beals as Alex and Michael Nouri as Nick Hurley. The film’s supporting cast features Lilia Skala as Hanna Long and Sunny Johnson as Jeanie Szabo among others. “Flashdance” is also notable for being the first collaboration of producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer.

“Flashdance” followed the story of Alex Owens  (Jennifer Beals) a young woman from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who despite not having any formal training, dreams of becoming a professional dancer. While she attempts to pursue her dream, Alex works as a steel mill welder by day, and an exotic dancer by night at a bar called Mawby’s. She’s not a tripper though, this is more like along the lines of what Teri Hatcher did in “Tango & Cash.”

One night at Mowry’s, Alex catches the eye of customer Nick Hurley (Michael Nouri), who just happens to be the owner of the steel mill where she works. After learning that Alex is one of his employees, Nick begins to pursue a date with her, but Alex turns down his advances at first. Now, I’m no expert, but the way Nick was going after Alex should have gotten him in a lot of trouble with Human Resources. But since he’s the boss, I guess it was okay? Still seems wrong though. But it’s all good because the two starts dating after Nick saves Alex from a couple of goons.

Not sure what her next step should be, Alex seeks the advice from her mentor, retired ballerina Hanna Long (Lilia Skala). After their chat, Alex tries to apply to the Pittsburgh Conservatory of Dance and Repertory. But Alex becomes intimidated by the application process, which includes listing all prior dance experience, so she leaves without applying.  After some ups and downs in their relationship, Alex tells Nick about her goals and she gains the courage to finally apply to the Conservatory. Nick encourages her but doesn’t tell her when he uses his connections in the arts council to get her an audition. Naturally, Alex is furious when she finds out, feeling that she did not earn the opportunity on her own.

I get what Alex meant, but at the same time it seemed like she needed that last little push, and Nick gave it to her. As the film nears its end, Alex decides not to go through with the audition, especially after seeing her friends fail at achieving their dreams. And after losing a friend, Alex becomes a resolution about her future, but she also realizes she can’t quit now and decides to go through with the audition. “Flashdance” wraps up with the famous audition dance routine in which even a guy doubled for Jennifer Beals.

As I said at the top, “Flashdance” was released in 1983 when I was only 5 years old. I didn’t see the movie then, it wasn’t until 1989 or 1990 that I caught it on tv one weekend afternoon. When I finally saw the movie, I was surprised by how invested I became in Alex Owens’ story. The main reason is because of Jennifer Beals’ acting. She’s perfectly cast as Alex and she plays the part with such conviction that you just have to root for her. “Flashdance” is an underdog story and everyone loves an underdog story. Plus keep in mind dance movies hadn’t been done to death yet.

Something else that I liked about “Flashdance” is the music. The film begins and ends with Irene Cara’s “What a Feeling,” an impossibly catchy song that got things off on the right beat. The son was the perfect way to start and end the film because it got the crowd going every time. As you’d expect, “Flashdance” is knee-deep in 1980s gloss. Every time we see Alex or some of her co-workers dance, the routines seem more like music videos than scenes from a movie.

Doing the dance sequences like this may seem tame by today’s standards but in 1983 these montages were the perfect ingredient to get butts into the theater. The only downside to the dance scenes is knowing that it’s not Jennifer Beals’ doing most of the dancing. What’s worse is the filmmakers didn’t even give the real dancer a credit in the film which is plain wrong.

Speaking of the filmmakers, I still find it weird that Jerry Bruckheimer and the late Don Simpson produced this movie. Today they seem like an unlikely duo to tackle a movie like “Flashdance, ” but maybe I feel that way because by the time I saw this flick I only knew their work on action-adventure movies. But I can’t say they didn’t pull it off, this movie exceeded my expectations.

However, my first time watching “Flashdance” was also my last for nearly 13 or 15 years. Even though I had liked the movie, I never gave it a second thought. That changed quickly one summer day in 2003 when my boss suggested we should all go to Foxwoods casino that night. In the afternoon she told me to come to her apartment to pick her up and then we’d go meet the other people who were going with us. When I got there, she was watching “Flashdance” and I sat down to watch the rest of it with her.

I walked in just before the famous scene in which Alex is sitting on the floor in front of Nick and she proceeds to take off her bra without taking off her shirt. I joked that the scene probably took a bunch of takes, but my boss said no, that it was easy and she could do it herself. The next thing I know she is sitting in front of me and she took off her bra just like Alex did in the movie. Now before anyone starts thinking bad things, this is as far as things went between me and my boss.

For most guys this would be a great story to share with his friends. The trouble is that ever since that fateful day, whenever “Flashdance” is on television or I see the DVD in a store, or Jennifer Beals is in something, all I can think about is my former boss. Even the other day the movie was on Staz or one of those channels and I just happened to change the channel right at that scene.

Putting my memory aside for a moment, I suppose what matters most about “Flashdance” is the legacy it left behind. The dancing, the music, the story of Alex remain iconic for nearly 40 years since the movie came out. I think there’s even a Broadway musical based on the film, or so my wifey claimed. My memories of “Flashdance” have changed since that afternoon with my boss, but the fact remains that this movie is the blueprint for all dance movies that have followed in its footsteps.

 

Movie Flashback: Days of Thunder (1990)

Produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Tony Scott, “Days of Thunder” starred Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid, Cary Elwes, John C. Reilly, and Michael Rooker.

And based on the amount of hype I saw before its release,  “Days of Thunder” was the odds on favorite to be 1990s biggest Summer blockbuster.

The film tells the story of Cole Trickle *Tom Cruise), an experienced (but cocky) open-wheel racing driver who is trying to make the move into NASCAR. Cole is recruited by tycoon Tim Daland (a pre-crazy Randy Quaid) to race for his brand new team in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Daland hires retired crew chief and car builder Harry Hogge (Robert Duvall), to lead Cole’s pit crew. I think Harry retired to avoid an investigation into a crash or something, but this is never brought up again so I guess he was cleared or something.

Being an old school kind of guy, Harry doesn’t like Cole or his attitude and this was Tom Cruise before he got into couch jumping. But Tim is paying him well, so Harry builds the team a spanking new Chevrolet Lumina which looks dated now, but in 1990 was state of the art. Unfortunately, Cole has a ton of problems adjusting to stock car racing. This leads to multiple crashes and blown engines which start costing Tim a lot of money.  During this time, Cole also makes enemies of  Winston Cup Champion Rowdy Burns (Michael Rooker).

After nearly coming to blows with Cole during a race, Harry discovers that Cole does not understand common NASCAR terminology. Tim tells the two that he’s running low on money and if they don’t get a sponsor soon, they’re all out of a job. From there Harry and Cole finally begin to work together, and their hard work pays off at Darlington, when Cole wins his first race, earning the team their first sponsor.

As Harry and Cole get to know one another, they give the film some of its funniest moments like when Harry tells Cole to crash into the pace car since he’s already crashed into everything else and he wants Cole to be perfect. There is also the time when Harry refuses to let Cole come into the pit because he and the crew are too bust eating ice creams. However, once they start winning races, Cole’s win intensifies his rivalry with Rowdy. Things escalate at the Firecracker 400 in Daytona, where both drivers are seriously injured after being caught in a spectacular crash that is still impressive 30 years later.

Because Cole isn’t cleared to drive after the crash, Tim hires Russ Wheeler (Cary Elwes), a rookie driver who becomes Cole’s bitter rival when Tim chooses him over Cole and Harry. Before that though, As he recovers from his injuries, Cole develops a romantic relationship with Claire Lewicki (Nicole Kidman), the neurosurgeon who saved his life. She’s not at all interested at first, but it is funny seeing Tom cruise beg her for a date until she says yes.

Meanwhile, NASCAR President Big John (played future Presidential candidate Fred Thompson), meets Rowdy and Cole and warns them that NASCAR will not tolerate any more dirty driving from the two. If it happens again, they will be kicked out. Cole and Rowdy getting to the meeting is one of my favorite scenes in the film: the two drivers settle their differences by smashing rental cars in a race on the beach. The bitter rivals soon become close friends.

Sometime later Rowdy learns he has to undergo brain surgery which means his racing days are likely over. But he asks Cole to drive his car at the next Daytona 500 so the sponsors will pay for the year. Despite knowing he’s not ready to return to the racetrack, Cole reluctantly agrees and convinces Harry to return as his crew chief. The night before the race, Harry discovers metal in the oil pan, a sign of engine failure, but he can get a new engine hours before the race. The only question remaining now is whether Cole is ready for the biggest race of his life.

I was living in Boston when “Days of Thunder” was set to come out, but even up there it was hard to avoid all the advertising for the movie. There were posters at many T stations and the tv ads were in heavy rotation in the afternoons. During the week of release my family and I took our annual vacation in Nags Head North Carolina, and not surprisingly, down South “Days of Thunder” was all the rage. On the day we arrived, I made my first ever trip to Hardee’s and I walked away with a toy replica of the Mello Yellow car seen in the film.

It was in the Outer Banks where I first saw “Days of Thunder” on the big screen. The theater was packed, and we were not able to get tickets to the late afternoon show. We managed to get tickets for the 7:15 show, which also sold out, and despite not knowing a single thing about NASCAR, I thoroughly enjoyed “Days of Thunder.” I’m not sure if it was the choppy MTV-influenced editing or the crashes or just the sight of stock cars going around a speedway. Whatever the reason I was, I thought “Days of Thunder” was great and I saw the movie three more times while I was on vacation.

However, the more times I saw the movie, the more aware I became that “Days of Thunder” does have some flaws. For one thing, the cast of characters is criminally underdeveloped. We know Cole Trickle is from California and that he raced open-wheel cars. But that’s all we know about the main character. I would have been okay not knowing much had the filmmaker built Cole up during the movie, but they missed a huge opportunity by not exploring hist PTSD after the big crash. It’s alluded to by another character, but never truly explored.

Similarly, the character of Harry and Tim don’t get much backstory. I think there’s one line of dialogue that mentions Tim owns car dealerships in Charlotte. And Like I mentioned earlier, Harry left stock car racing because a driver got hurt or killed in a car he built. This could have been a compelling plotline, but it isn’t brought up again. Then we get to Rowdy, who plays a big role in the first half of “Days of Thunder,” only to completely disappear from the third act.

Something I wish “Days of Thunder” had done more or is explaining in more detail certain things about NASCAR. Not being a fan in 1990, I had no idea that the Daytona 500 is their biggest race. The importance of sponsors is also overshadowed by some of the film’s more soap-opera-like scenes, like when Cole decided to drag race some idot at a red light while Nicole Kidman is in the car with him.

Don’t get me wrong, Tom Cruise, Robert Duvall, and the rest of the cast are good with what they were given. I think they all had fun with their parts, but with their talents they should have been given more to do. All I do know is that all the ingredients were there and executed correctly would have made “Days of Thunder” more impactful.

Look, nothing in “Days of Thunder” is awful by any means. I just think that with a few edits, the script could have been much better. But as it is, I guess Tony Scott and the producers felt big, loud racing scenes would keep audiences entertained more than well-developed characters.  I guess they were right, because “Days of Thunder” went on to gross over $157 million at the box office. Although I’m not sure if that was enough to make it the biggest movie that Summer.

Even with these complaints, “Days of Thunder” is a fast-paced entertaining movie. The racing scenes are amazing, and the cast is top-notch even if they don’t get a ton to do. The film even features appearances by real-life NASCAR racers like Rusty Wallace, Neil Bonnett, and Harry Gant. Pit Lane analyst Dr. Jerry Punch, (then of ESPN) has a cameo too.

Even if the movie isn’t perfect, it is still worth checking out. At the end of the day, “Days of Thunder” is a movie that kept me entertained during the summer of 1990, and continues to do so thirty years later.  In 1990 the film was often referred to as “Top Gun” on wheels. And after seeing the movie that Summer, that tagline was right!

Movie Flashback: The Saint (1997)

Directed by Phillip Noyce Paramount Pictures’ big-budget adaptation of  “The Saint” starred Val Kilmer as Simon Templar, Elisabeth Shue as Dr. Emma Russell, Rade Šerbedžija as Ivan Petrovich Tretiak, Valery Nikolaev as Ilya Tretiak and Henry Goodman as Dr. Lev Naumovich Botvin.

Simon Templar is a man who is constantly shifting appearances and identities as he travels around the world stealing things for people. But this Saint is more high-tech than his predecessors and uses a then high-tech Mac Powerbook and a palmtop to dial the Internet and check on his Swiss bank account. He doesn’t even use virus protection and Interpol still can’t find him!

In the film, Templar’s latest assignment sends him to steal the secret of cold fusion from an unsuspecting Oxford scientist named Emma Russell (Elisabeth Shue). If her Cold fusion works, it would provide unlimited free power, and that is of great interest to the man who has hired the Saint, Ivan Tretiak (Rade Serbedzija). Tretiak is a former communist boss who is now an oil billionaire and is secretly withholding vast stores of heating oil from the Russian people. This is an attempt to freeze Russian citizens into an uprising, which would sweep Tretiak into the presidency.

Anyways, the Saint poses as a Boer traveler and steals the formula after having a one night stand with a very naive Emma. However, Tretiak learns Emma’s formula is incomplete and orders his henchmen, led by son Ilya, to kill Simon Templa and kidnap Emma so she can finish the formula. Meanwhile, a heartbroken, Emma reports the theft to Inspector Teal (Alun Armstrong) and Inspector Rabineau (Charlotte Cornwell) of Scotland Yard, who inform her Simon is a wanted international thief they’ve been after for some time.

In other words, neither Scotland Yar or Interpol can find Simon Templar. But somehow, little Emma can track down Simon to a hotel in Moscow. She hops on the next flight and confronts him about the one night stand and him stealing her work. Before Simon can explain, Russian cops loyal to Tretiak, arrest Simon and Emma. However, they manage to escape from the police van before they get to Tretiak’s mansion.

As they flee through the city, Simon and Emma are separated. Simon dives into the frozen river and hides under the ice. Once the goods are gone Emma finds Simon nearly frozen to death. They’re helped by a prostitute and her family who shelter them in a hidden room in their apartment. Later, they meet “Frankie” (Irina Apeksimova), a fence/black marketeer who sells them the directions through an underground sewer system that leads to the U.S. embassy.  Simon and Emma exit the sewer tunnel only to find Ilya and his men waiting for them among a large number of protestors outside the embassy’s front gates. Emma barely makes it to the embassy thanks to Simon allowing himself to be caught by Ilya as a distraction. Simon can escape after rigging a car bomb that severely burns Ilya.

Simon then learns that Tretiak plans to stage a coup d’état by selling the cold fusion formula to Russian President Karpov to frame him for wasting billions on useless technology. Tretiak then plans to use the political fallout to install himself as President.
At the embassy, Emma finishes the equations to complete the formula, and Simon delivers the information to Tretiak’s physicist, Dr. Lev Botkin (Henry Goodman), who builds an apparatus which proves the formula works.

Later that night (the longest night ever by the way) Simon infiltrates the Kremlin and informs the president of Tretiak’s conspiracy just before Tretiak loyalists detain them both. Simon and the president are brought to Red Square and are put on public trial in front of the massive gathering of protestors. Tretiak makes public accusations against President Karpov, but when the cold fusion reactor works, Tretiak is exposed as a fraud and he and his son are arrested by the military. Tretiak is also revealed to have caused the heating oil shortage in Moscow by illegally stockpiling vast amounts of heating oil underneath his mansion.

That would have been a logical place to end “The Saint,” but nope, this movie still has more to go. Sometime after the events in Red Square Simon and Emma spend the night together. The next at a news conference at the University of Oxford, Emma presents her cold fusion formula to the world. Simon attends the conference in disguise and once again avoids being captured by Inspectors Teal and Rabineau, even though his disguise isn’t that great. Simon drives away with a smile on his face, knowing he will see Emma again soon.

I used to watch the black and white films and the Roger Moore show with mom when I was a kid, so when a big-screen adaptation of the Saint was announced, I was very excited.  But the 1997 film never felt like the Saint I knew from before. This is more of an action movie rather than a mystery or thriller.

I figured 1997s “The Saint” might be in trouble when I didn’t see Leslie Charteris listed as a creator in the opening credits. But once the film began by telling the audience about the childhood origins of the main character, (something Charteris never revealed)  I knew for sure this movie was doomed.

One of the things I always enjoyed about the Saint was seeing the character go undercover. The movie has some of that, but about 90% of the film is just Val Kilmer as Val Kilmer. What always cracks me up is how bad Kilmer’s disguises are int he movie. Regardless of the saint, he’s playing, it obvious that it’s Val Kilmer.  From the looks of it, I’d say most of the film’s budget went to car chases, explosions, and probably location shooting in Europe and not into the script.

Speaking of the locations used in the movie, the Saint’s assignment involves a trip to Moscow in the middle of one of their coldest winters ever. To be fair though, the stuff in Moscow features some impressive location shots, including the final act around Red Square. But just like in the James Bond films, none of the Russians speak Russian. If you’re gonna take the time to shoot your movie in Moscow, why not go the extra step and use local people. Instead, most of the Russians in the movie are all fluent in English.

It’s not all bad though, there are two sequences in “The Saint” that I like. The first scene is early in the film when Val Kilmer meets a woman on a plane and in just a few minutes can convince her to smuggle something for him since he knows the authorities are after him. It’s a simple scene that has nothing to do with the main plot, but it’s the only scene in the film where I believed Val Kilmer as Simon Templar.

The other scene comes towards the end of the film when Kilmer dresses like a Russian soldier to infiltrate the Kremlin. Once he’s in the building he has to take down a soldier but is caught in the act by another one. Again, this is a simple scene that leads to a short foot chase as Kilmer makes his way to the Russian president residency. But the scene looks great, and if it was shot in a set, it’s one of the best sets in the entire movie.

I’ve seen the movie a couple of times, and I kept trying to figure out why it didn’t work. I think it may come down to the way Val Kilmer played the Saint. The portrayal is too realistic, there’s no sense of wonder or that he’s even having fun playing Simon Templar. At the end of the day, the character of the Saint is a fantasy, and it should have some fun elements to it.

Meanwhile, I think the film wasted the talents of  Elisabeth Shue. The character of Emma Russell is supposed to be a brilliant scientist, but in the first half of the film, she’s written as a naive and lonely woman. Even when she meets up with Kilmer in Moscow she either needs to be rescued or is always a step behind. This isn’t  Elisabeth Shue’s fault, she did what the script said. But this is one talented actor, give her something good to do!

“The Saint” is not the worst movie I’ve ever seen. This is a well-made movie, but it doesn’t feel or look like the Saint I remember. Chances are that if you didn’t know anything about the Saint, then you probably liked this movie. Look,  I’m not against updating long-established characters for new audiences, but there is a correct way to do so. To see what I mean the see 2017 film starring Adam Rayner and Eliza Dushku.

The 2017Saint film updated the character for modern audiences but also played homage to the legacy of the character. It even made room for a small Roger Moore character which was great to see. The only difference between Val Kilmer’s film and the 2017 reboot is the budget. But if I had to choose between the two I would go with the Adam Rayner, Eliza Dushku flick.

Holiday Movie Flashback: White Christmas (1954)

Since we are knee-deep into the 2019 Holiday season now,  I figured this month I’m going to tell you about favorites Christmas movies. These are movies I watch multiple times every December. These are movies that get me into the Christmas mood and bring back a lot of memories.

Today’s movie is 1954s “White Christmas” directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen.  The film features songs written by the legendary Irving Berlin, who of course wrote the song the movie is named after. “White Christmas” was also one of the first movies filmed in Paramount Pictures’ state if the art format called VistaVision.

The movie begins in Europe on Christmas Eve, 1944. Some American troops are enjoying a song and dance act from Captain Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) and Private Phil Davis (Danny Kaye). The show was Davis’ idea since Wallace is a famous entertainer in civilian life, he thought it would give the troops a little cheer. It was a nice idea by Davis, but since we can see artillery shells exploding behind them,  I always thought it was odd the two would put on a shot so close to the frontline. But that thought is soon forgotten as Wallace closes the show by singing “White Christmas” to his fellow soldiers. Unknown to Wallace and Davis, their soon to be relieved  Major General Thomas F. Waverly (Dean Jagger) arrived just in time to catch the end of the show. After bidding his men farewell, Wallace and Key lead the men in singing “The Old Man” as the General departs.

Suddenly, an enemy artillery shell strikes the area. During the attack, Davis saves Wallace’s life when a wall almost falls on him.  Wallace doesn’t get a scratch on him, but Davis breaks his arm in the attack. Later at the hospital, Davis asks to be part of his act and leverages the wound to become part of the new duo Wallace and Davis. Flash forward to several years after the war ends and the duo is the biggest nightclub act in the country.

 A quick montage shows us how wildly popular the two have become, but working this hard has left little time for leisure. Ar one point Davis begs fo Wallace to marry and have 9 kids. He goes on that even if Wallace only spends five minutes a day with each, Davis will still have time to get a massage. This part always makes me laugh because one, it was Danny Kaye’s idea for the duo to start producing. Kaye plays the scene with a lot of aggression. Almost as if he were saying he couldn’t keep up with Bing Crosby’s workload.

Anyways, while the duo performs in Florida, Wallace and Davis receive a letter from their old Army mess sergeant, “Freckle-Faced Haynes, the dog-faced boy,” asking for them to look in on his two sisters’ act. That night the boys meet the beautiful and talented Betty Haynes (Rosemary Clooney) and her younger sister, Judy (Vera-Ellen).  While Davis dances with Judy, Betty reveals to Wallace that the letter came for Judy and not their old Army buddy, which leads to an argument between the two. The first time I saw this scene  I  thought Betty overreacted to the whole thing and was out of line snapping and Davis like she did. But boy, this was nothing compared to what she did later.

This is followed by Davis helping the girls elude the town sheriff who has a warrant for their arrest. Davis tells them they need to get out of town fast, so he gives them his train tickets. After Wallace Davis barely make the same train, the sisters invite the boys to spend a few days together at their next gig in Pine Tree, Vermont. When they arrive at the Columbia Inn, they’re greeted by nosy resort worker Emma Allen (Mary Wickes) who tells the sisters that their gig has been canceled due to lack of tourists and snow.  Wallace and Davis are shocked to discover that the Inn is owned by their old commander General Waverly.

What’s amazing about this scene is that it’s supposed to take place a decade or so after the opening of the film. Yet, none of the actors have aged or changed in any way since the war ended. Still, Wallace and Davis are pleased to see their mentor and former commander. The boys later learn that Waverly has invested all his money into the inn, and because of the warm weather, business is slow and he could lose the inn. To add insult to injury, the General’s hope to reenlist in the military is shot down by the State Department.’

Seeing their mentor like this makes  Wallace and Davis want to help him. They start by bringing their entire musical to the Inn for a Christmas Eve show.  But when that proves to not be enough, Bob Wallace goes on television and asks for anyone who served under General Waverly to come up to Pine Tree Vermont to be part of a surprise gift for the General on Christmas Eve.

“White Christmas” was the movie that made me realize how good film musicals could be. For me, everything in this movie seemed to work well. It just goes to show you, if you get the right actors who can also sing and dance, and give them the right songs to sing, you could have box office gold. Of course, that might have been easier in 1954 than it is today. It’s not every day you can cast Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye and give them Irving Berlin originals to sing and dance to. Simply put: they don’t make musicals like this anyone.

As for the cast, every time I watch the movie I get the feeling that everyone is having a ball. Danny Kaye, in particular, seems to be having a blast playing against the straight man in Bing Crosby. I still laugh when the two sing the “sisters” number and Kaye continuously hits Bing with the fan. You can call it a silly moment, but it makes me laugh whenever I see it.

So does Mary Wickes as the General’s nosy housekeeper. One of my favorite Wickes moments is when the General tells her he got along fine without her in the army, only for her to reply “It took 15,000 men to replace me.” Granted, id it wasn’t for Wickes’ meddling in other people’s personal stuff, the conflict in the third act would not have happened.

When it comes to dancing, Vera-Ellen steals the show multiple times. First in the Florida dance/song number with Danny Kaye, and later during the minstrel number. Just when you think you’ve seen everything Ellen can do, she comes back with the “Choreography” routine and later a practice dance with John Brascia. By the way, John Brascia needs to be seen to be believed. This guy was phenomenal, and together with Vera-Ellen, they made movie magic. Seriously, their routines stand up 65 years after the movie was made.

As you can probably tell by now, I enjoy this movie. But I would be lying if I said: “White Christmas” is perfect in every way. When I watch “White Christmas” now, it’s clear the movie was made in a different era. Things like the nightclub act, the clothing, the way people talked and music choices seem dated now. As a kid, I found it difficult to believe things were ever like that. Also, I can’t ignore the fact that the only nonwhite character in the movie is the cook on the train. The lack of diversity in the film sticks out, and it’s easily the biggest issue I have with the film.

That said, I still enjoy watching “White Christmas” every year because of the memories it brings back. I was a kid the first time I watched “White Christmas.” I saw on TV Guide that the movie was airing on Boston’s channel 5 (WCVB) on a Thursday night at a special time of 7:30.  My grandmother mentioned it was a wonderful movie, so I sat down and watched it with her.

By the time Phil Davis uses his “broken” arm to shake Bob Wallace’s hand, I was hooked. From then on it became a tradition for me and my grandmother to watch “White Christmas” every year. Back then WCBV would air the movie on the first Thursday of December, which was handy since this was well before DVDs.

I’ve heard that “White Christmas” was almost a sequel to “Holiday Inn.” I don’t know if this is true or not, but there are similarities between the movies. Both films revolve around holiday shows in a New England inn, Bing Crosby is in both films, the two feature Irvin Berlin songs, and both feature a big fight between Bing Crosby and his love interest. However, I’m glad “White Christmas” is its movie. I think making it a sequel to “Holiday Inn” would have required so many script changes that it would have made for an entirely different movie.

“White Christmas” works because of the perfect combination of director by Michael Curtiz and stars Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen.  Mix them with some of Irving Berlin’s best songs, and you got the right ingredients for a classic. Had just one of those people rejected the job, “White Christmas” would not have been the same. Today this movie is considered a classic because of the combines work of the crew and cast. So if you’ve never seen “White Christmas,” or its been a while since you last watched it, check it out this holiday season.

Terminator: Dark Fate Review

Possible spoilers ahead!

In “Terminator: Dark Fate,” Linda Hamilton reprises her role as Sarah Connor, the mother of John Connor (Edward Furlong), the man who would lead the resistance against Skynet in the future. But that was a long time ago, and in the years since, Sarah has spent her time avoiding the law, drinking until she’s unconscious and hunting down any remaining Terminators.

Sarah Connor’s past (and future) collide when a brand new Terminator called the Rev-9 (Gabriel Luna), arrives in present-day Mexico City. The Rev-9’s mission is to locate and kill a young woman named Dani Ramos (Natalia Reyes). Luckily, the future also sent an augmented human soldier named Grace (Mackenzie Davis) to the present day to protect Dani, at all costs.

After initially clashing with Grace, Sarah Connor joins her in protecting Dani because as she puts it, she used to be in Dani’s place. But to survive the Rev-9 the three women will need all the help they can get. In this case, they turn to an original T-800 Terminator, who’s assumed life as a human and taken on the name Carl (Schwarzenegger). They’ll have to work together of their home to kill the Rev-9, assuming of course that Sarah doesn’t kill Carl first.

Something happens at the very beginning of “Terminator: Dark Fate” that could have easily derailed the entire film. I won’t say what exactly happens in this scene because it would spoil something major. But I will say that I wasn’t against it. I’d even say it was necessary so that the rest of the movie had some weight. Maybe it would have worked better if it wasn’t right at the start, and the script had built to it, but I understand why the filmmakers did what they did.

With that out of the way, I have to admit I enjoyed “Terminator: Dark Fate.” This sequel finally returns to the original premise of a group of humans standing up against a seemingly unkillable machine. It’s a battle between humans and technology, and it works even better today because every person is walking around with smartphones and other kinds of technology. Dark Fate even has several mentions on how dependent we’ve become on technology over the years.

We also get to see the dark side of technology, including how technology is used for surveillance, and how that instills fear in people. Dark Fate taps into those fears and shows what lengths people go through to avoid being found. But the plot never loses focus on the human characters. And while much of this film is essentially a long chase, the script still had room for plenty of character development.

Cast wise, I was impressed with Natalia Reyes as Dani Ramos. I’m not familiar with her previous work, but I thought she did a solid job in Dark Fate. Ramos showed range throughout the film, going from a scared auto plant worker to becoming a leader in her own right. The only thing that was never explained is how her entire family was fluent in English. I thought it would be explained later in the film that maybe she’s a genius or maybe grew up in the States, but her background was never addressed. Regardless, If they make more movies after Dark Fate, I thing Natalia Ramos will do an excellent job as the lead.

Meanwhile, Linda Hamilton hasn’t missed a beat. I thought she looked great and felt that her being older added to the character. It showed the toll the Terminators and Skynet have taken on her. I love the idea of her hunting down Terminators whenever they pop up, and wouldn’t mind seeing that in a sequel of a streaming series. If I can get more of Hamilton as Sarah Connor I will be a happy little boy.

A big surprise was how good Arnold Schwarzenegger was as Carl. He has a small role compared to the women, but he makes the most of his time on screen. The character of Carl adds some nice humor to the film thanks to his career selling draperies. There’s a short scene in Dark Fate where Carl tells Connor about a customer of his and why you should never use a certain color drape. The look on Connor’s face pretty much said it all, but the audience in the theater got a good laugh.

The highlight for me though was Mackenzie Davis as Grace. She looked amazing and more than held her own in the action scenes. I liked her character’s backstory and it made her go back in time more impactful. I liked Davis in 2015s “The Martian,” and it’s awesome to see her get a big role like this. Now I understand why she was rumored for the role of Domino in “Deadpool 2.” Hopefully, Marvel and DC see her in Dark Fate and sign her up for a film soon.

Surprisingly, there isn’t a lot of action in “Terminator: Dark Fate.” There is a big seat piece early on when the Rev-9 goes after Dani, her brother, and Grace. And of course, the last act of the film is more or less all action. But the middle part of the film is entirely character-driven which I thought was a nice touch. Not only did it give me a chance to get to know Dani, Sarah and Grace more, but it also made me care about what happened to them.

The only bad thing I can say about “Terminator: Dark Fate” is that some plot points were a little too convenient. Like Dani’s uncle just happens to be a coyote who can get them across the U.S./Mexico border. Or how Carl knows ahead of time where and when new Terminators are popping up. If Skynet was still a thing it would make sense, but Carl has no connection to Legion (the Skynet replacement) so why would his censors be linked to anything from them?

Speaking of Carl, there are also some holes in the story he tells Sarah, Grace, and Dani. At one point he mentions how he was without purpose once Skynet was defeated, but that doesn’t click with that opening scene I mentioned earlier. Though I suppose a lot of these plotholes were created to keep the main plot moving along.

At the end of the day, despite a few issues, I enjoyed this movie. I thought the cast was good and their characters were compelling throughout the film. The action is solid and the special effects were rather good as well. However, it goes without saying that “Terminator: Dark Fate” is not as good as “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.” That is a sci-fi classic that deserves all the accolades it gets.

But leaving the theater after Dark Fate, I can honestly say it was the first time I’ve left a Terminator sequel happy about what I just saw. Dark Fate has heart, humor, action, and characters I cared about. That’s something that I haven’t been able to say since T2. I was hoping audiences would give Dark Fate a try, but after seeing the weekend’s box office numbers it appears Terminator fans have been burned one too many times and decided to stay home. That’s too bad because they’re missing one heck of a ride.

“Terminator: Dark Fate” score: B

Movie Flashback: The Phantom (1996)

Because we’re currently enjoying the Golden Age of comic book movies, audiences often forget any comic book based films that came out before the year 2000. This is probably because many of those movies were awful, but there were some good ones too. Take for instance 1996’s “The Phantom” from Paramount Pictures, one of those comic book adaptation that has never gotten the credit it deserves.

Based on Lee Falk’s creation, “The Phantom” was directed by Simon Wincer and revolved around Kit Walker (Billy Zane). Kit is the latest incarnation of the Phantom, inheriting the responsibilities from his late father. Most of the action is set in the jungle, but some of the action takes place in 1930s New York where shady businessman Xander Drax (Treat Williams) is determined to obtain the fabled Skulls of Touganda.

Drax wants the skulls because legend has it that when brought together, The trio of ancient artifacts will give immense power to those that possess them. Upon learning of Drax’s plan, Kit springs into action, and in his travels runs into his beautiful former girlfriend Diana Palmer (Kristy Swanson). Kit also learns that Drax is working with the evil Sengh brotherhood, an age-old enemy of the Phantom who was responsible for the murder of Kit’s father. The film also stars a then relatively unknown Catherine Zeta-Jones as Sala, Drax’s pilot.

The film was produced for $45 million, a decent amount for the time. But when “The Phantom” opened in theaters, it received poor reviews and flopped at the box office. This essentially killed any chance for a Phantom franchise. Being a longtime fan of the character, I was one of the few people who actually saw the movie in the theater during its opening week. However,  since I was one of only four people in the theater, I knew this movie was doomed from day one.

“The Phantom” was actually part of a trio of 1930s-set comic book adventure movies from the early 1990s following “The Rocketeer” and “The Shadow.” All three movies flopped, but they make an entertaining triple feature. Action wise, I think “The Phantom” is the best of the three thanks to the stunts and special effects. The production design is also worthy of praise, and the most realistic out of the three movies.

The movie’s plot is essentially a series of adventure sequences, which reminded me of the old movie serials of the 30s and 40s. Just like the serials, the movie has a bunch of little cliffhangers and action pieces, My personal favorite is the sequence where the Phantom and Diane have to jump from a seaplane to a horse. The entire sequence is well filmed and the effects are great for 1996. There are other action scenes like an aerial dogfight between a Pan American Clipper and two red biplanes, and perilous crossing by truck over a disintegrating suspension bridge.

For me, the best part of “The Phantom” is Billy Zane as the Kit Walker/Phantom. Zane strikes the perfect balance between hero and regular guy. When he’s under the mask he’s strong, heroic, and wise. As Kit Walker, Zane is a wisecracking aw-shucks kind of guy. I’ve always enjoyed how Zane has to keep himself from doing Phantom things when he’s in New York. The Phantom costume is pretty spot on too, and Billy Zane more than looked the part.

Kristy Swanson is okay as Diana Palmer. For the most part, she’s the damsel in distress which is fine in a movie set in the 1930s. But I like Kristy Swanson and I wished she’d been given more to do. I also wished they had done more to her look because she didn’t look like someone from the 1930s to me. Catherine Zeta-Jones, on the other hand, looked right at home, and she chewed up every scene she was in.

Then we have Treat Williams as the villainous Drax. This guy is an over the top evil. At one point he blinds a librarian by hiding spring-loaded needles in a microscope and you can always tell Treat Williams is having a ball playing his part. My only disappointment is that he doesn’t really do much of the heavy lifting, leaving that to his goons most of the time.

From the moment I first saw “The Phantom,” I was hooked. I loved this version of the character I had first discovered in his daily newspaper strip and it made me sad that audiences didn’t give this movie a chance. I think some blame has to go to the poor marketing the film got from Paramount. 

I know the Phantom is not as big a name as Batman or Superman, but everything you could want in an adventure movie is here in spades. “The Phantom” is action-packed, fun, exciting, and well acted. I had a blast watching the movie in 1996 and all these years later it still brings a smile to my face.

Better late than never review: Bumblebee

Possible spoilers ahead!

After just ten minutes, “Bumblebee” was already the best Transformers movie ever. Everything this movie clicked with me. The action was good and you could tell who was fighting who. All the robots looked like the Transformers that  I remember as a kid, you know before Michael Bay destroyed my childhood with his crap movies.

The “Bumblebee” script had the perfect combination of heart and genuine humor, and the relationship between Bumblebee and  Charlie Watson (Hailee Steinfeld) is the best in the series. Hell, even John Cena was good, and I’m a wrestling fan who can’t stand John Cena. By the time the movie was over, I had a tear in my eye. If that’s not a great Transformers movie, I don’t know what is.

“Bumblebee” score: A-

TNU Box Office Preview: Uncle Liam returns!

Listen up kids: Liam Neeson and his “very particular set of skills” are back, and ready for one last ride in the third and final installment in the Taken franchise. His target this time? “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.”

Playing at 3,593 locations, “Taken 3 arrives in theaters nearly six years after the original “Taken” opened to a surprising $24.7 million over Super Bowl weekend in 2009. The film held up remarkably well thanks to strong word-of-mouth, and Liam Neeson’s now classic performance as Bryan Mills.

“Taken” wrapped up its domestic run with $145 million. Then, a little over two years ago “Taken 2” opened to $49.5 million, and closed at $139.9 million. However, I didn’t think “Taken 2” was nearly as good as the first movie.

While I don”t expect “Taken 3” will match the opening of its predecessor, the movie should have no trouble matching the original’s debut. “Taken 3” should easily take over the number one spot with around $30 million. Basically, after three weeks of Hobbits, movie audiences are ready for something else, and uncle Liam will do very nicely.

Playing at 2,179 locations, “Selma” should wind up in second place this weekend just behind “Taken 3.” Since opening in limited release on Christmas Day, the Paramount film has earned a solid $2.2 million. Critics have praised the film, and it’s currently at 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. How many movies can say that?

“Selma” also has major awards potential, including four Golden Globe nominations for Picture, Director and Actor. And let’s not forget: the Academy Award nominations are less than a week away, and “Selma” should receive a few nods. Look for “Selma” to finish the weekend with around $15 million.