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REVIEW: “HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON” (2025) Universal/Dreamworks

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Honestly… going into “HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON”, I didn’t expect to feel the same way I did back in 2010, but this film brought it all back and I mean ALL back. Well, I should say, Director Dean DeBlois, Writers Cressida Cowell & William Davies have brought it back here in this great animated film done in live-action remake. I mean you know the story, and if you don’t, a brief summary follows. But, you probably know the original one as it is the story of a friendship between a timid young Viking and a mysterious dragon. And not much has changed story-wide, or at least if it is, very little is to be spotted. And that’s what makes this wonderful live-action version so excellent, because it retains what made the original so charming and popular, while also standing on it’s own as possibly one of the best live action remakes we’ve ever had the pleasure to view.

For those who don’t know yet, ‘HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON’ is the story of Hiccup, the unpopular son of the Viking chieftain Stoick from he Viking village of Berk, which is home to dragon slayers only. Hiccup not only finds himself unable, but essientially also doesn’t want to slay dragons. Nevertheless, he submits himself to the ritual of dragon-slaying lessons in order to finally be accepted into the community and, above all, by his father. Hiccup has a little secret, though, and that’s Toothless, a Night Fury. Night Furies are the most feared dragons, but this one becomes friends with Hiccup.

Mason Thames (right) as Hiccup with his Night Fury dragon, Toothless, in Universal Pictures’ live-action How to Train Your Dragon, written and directed by Dean DeBlois.

The film is set what we can assume is the early medieval times. The village of Berk, inhabited by Vikings and a few other tribes, is constantly attacked by dragons. These dragons cause destruction and take away livestock. Hiccup (Mason Thames), the son of the village chieftain Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler), wants to fight the dragons just like other warriors in his village. However, he’s deemed not suitable to do this and is instead asked to intern with Gobber (Nick Frost), the village blacksmith. The experience helps Hiccup to learn other facets of life and start to understand and create different machines. He invents and makes his very own ‘bolas launcher’, something completely created by his own mind & knowledge he has obtained from this internship, and he takes it out when the dragons attack one night. He also takes daytime jouneys on his own away from the village, and realizes one day that he is able to spot a Night Fury. It’s a dragon no one has ever seen and is considered to be the most dangerous of all. Hiccup launches a well, sort of attack in the way of mostly trying to trap the Night Fury, and ends up shooting it down. He cautiously informs his father and villagers about it but they don’t take him all too seriously. The next day, he goes back to the outskirts of the villlage to kinda tell himself he didn’t imagine all this and this is all real. He realizes that he is right and that he indeed attacked the creature, but again, not wanting to be a dragon slayer, instead of killing him, he sets the Night Fury free and furthermore names him Toothless. The dragon also doesn’t kill him but escapes. Toothless is now able to fly but only if Hiccup will ride him in another invention made of his own, a dragon-riding saddle. Meanwhile, Stoick and the rest of the warriors have ventured into the sea to find the nest of the dragons. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

With up-and-comer Mason Thames, they’ve found a really good Hicks, who bears a striking physical resemblance to his animated alter ego. Thames has a great sense of timing and finds subtle perfect nuances between comedy and drama. And his interactions with a non-existent dragon are simply flawless. The same can be said for newcomer Nico Parker’s performance as Astrid, as we see a little crush form over time of the film between the two of them, which was just sweetness personified.

The impressive images of many of the flying shots with Hiccup and Toothless are particularly breathtaking here. Virtually all of the dragons inserted with CGI are impressive in their realism. The visual effects and live-action footage are flawless, and both seem to be from the same world, the same place. Even the actual lead character, Nightshade Toothless, gains an unexpectedly realistic presence in realistic texture and movement – ​​and in cuteness factor. John Powell’s music is exemplary. Bill Pope’s cinematography is breathtaking. The locales of Ireland are well captured by the lensman. The VFX is top-class and the team especially did a great job with the dragon. It looks cute yet has the ability to terrify in its own sweet way of more tensenees vs. scary. The action is without any gore, but done to where you understand it, but it’s not mean, as say a machine gun battle form of violence. Lindsay Pugh’s costumes and Dominic Watkins’ production design are appropriate for the era depicted. Wyatt Smith’s editing is satisfactory, despite it being nearly 20 minutes longer than the 2010 animated film.

Stoick (Gerard Butler) in Universal Pictures’ live- action How to Train Your Dragon, written and directed by Dean DeBlois.

“How to Train Your Dragon” hasn’t refocused, really updated, or even expanded in any way here over the animated version. But it is still very much so it’s own film. Real images are fundamentally more appealing, even more so when a fantasy world becomes an almost visual, tangible reality. The images of the Viking village of Berk, or the Great Hall of the Council. The rocky landscapes and forests are impressive. Populated by real people of all kinds (again, great casting), and realistic dragons. It’s a beautiful and vibrant world, mystical yet inviting. DeBlois has increased the running time from the original 98 minutes to 125 titillating, pefectly done minutes. But the new “How to Train Your Dragon” justifies itself in every way possible. This isn’t just a children’s film, this is a film for all ages and I myself, was completely and thoroughly enthralled with it throughout the entire film. I lost myself in this world and I loved it.

This remake went far beyond my expectations. The casting was spot on all the way down the line from the entire young group of Dragon Slayers: Snotlout (Gabriel Howell), Fishlegs (Julian Denison), Tuffnut (Harry Trevaldwyn), to Flatula (Kate Kennedy) & Snorti (Marcus Onilude), all the way down and again, to the main cast who are just impecable. Too many to mention all, but they ALL mattered and added to the film. The performances as well, all felt genuine and convincing. Especially Hiccup and Astrid. I found myself reconnecting with them like it was the first time all over again. This film isn’t just a copy of its animated family-it’s a heartfelt experience that stands on its own and was nothing short of breathtaking. “How to Train Your Dragon” for me personally, completely exceeded my expectations – and then some. From the very first scene, I was drawn into its world, and I didn’t want to leave.

(from left) Astrid (Nico Parker), Ruffnut (Bronwyn James), Gobber (Nick Frost), Fishlegs (Julian Dennison) and Snotlout (Gabriel Howell) in Universal Pictures’ live-action How to Train Your Dragon, written and directed by Dean DeBlois.

What else can you ask for in a film except to escape for a short time. I think audiences will do just that this weekend and more.

Grade: A+

“HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON” IS OUT IN THEATERS FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2025

Review Screening: Monday June 9, 2025 ~ Courtesey of Universal Pictures & Dreamworks

Fun HTTYD T-shirt given to us by Universal/Dreamworks Thank you!!

Drama, Fantasy, Independent Feature, Movie Reviews, Movies, Sci Fi

REVIEW: “THE LIFE OF CHUCK” (2025) NEON

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Remembering only vaguely of the book that I probably read ages ago, Director Mike Flanagan and Writer extraordinaire’ Stephen King make a deep, beautifally layered film about the value of life here with “THE LIFE OF CHUCK”. It’s the kind of film that must be seen, not so much to be told about because it expresses so much in its 1 hour and 50 minutes of run time. It’s also really hard to explain, but Flanagan does not waste a single shot in this story told essentially backwards to forwards in different Acts.

The Third Act starts us off with Marty Anderson (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a school teacher, and starts with chronicling the crumbling world from the perspective of a small American town he lives in. The internet has been down for months and is about to go dark, along with the television and cell phone service. Meanwhile, climate change has devastated almost every country with California practically submerged itself in the Pacific, the mid-west is on fire, the rest of the World, I have no words, and the local doctor Felicia (Karen Gillan), also Marty’s ex-girlfriend, try to stay afloat. 

With all this going on around them, oddly the most frequent topic of conversation besides the latest catastrophic news, is everyone wondering about the curious billboards they’ve seen thanking a nerdy, but professionally dressed man, named Charles “Chuck” Krantz (Tom Hiddleston), congratulating him for his “39 ​​magnificent years.” But no one knows what he did for said 39 years. Is he a doctor? A radio host? A local TV personality? No one seems to know, but this is just one of the many questions that affect the film’s characters and, by now, undoubtable us, the audience, who are wondering how this apocalypse came about. However, “The Life of Chuck” doesn’t rush to provide linear answers, at least not at first. Instead, it features deep conversations between Felicia and Marty, who reflect not only on the state of the world, but on humanity’s very existence, now that society may be taking its last breath.

There is a narration, unfallably provided throughout the movie by the wonderful Nick Offerman, yet right from Act Three, everything seen and experienced unfolds perfectly all the way till the end, which is yes, Act One. But first, we have Act Two, where we finally meet “Chuck” and the focus immediately goes on Hiddleston and his character, but truly it’s a full team effort here and we watch as Janice (Annalise Basso), Hiddleston’s dance partner in this act, and Taylor Franck (The Pocket Queen), who is a drum busker, all combine their magnificent talent with moves from the amazing choreography of Mandy Moore & Stephanie Powell really make the dance scene sing. The Pocket Queen aka Franck, is a truly a magnificent talent in herself in her brief, but excellent role is a full standout of this Act Two and the movie as a whole. Hiddleston, while getting top billing, is really very much a smaller supporting role here in every sense of the word.

And then there is “Act One” and what an act it is. Pay attention here everyone as there is a young ‘Chuck Krantz’ here played by Benjamin Pajak that will blow you away. In fact, ALL the kids performances were just as brilliant as the adults, if not more so. Act One is beautifully done when young Chuck (Pajak), receives a very haunting monologue from his grandfather Albie Krantz (Mark Hamill), about certain choices in life. Act One really helps put the puzzle together that was Act Three, where the cosmic elements are more defined to you and it all comes together with a beautiful synergy. Act Two is the filler we needed to understand who older Chuck is and then as well, we have teenage Chuck (Jacob Tremblay), in a smaller, but poignent step in this story of ‘The Life of Chuck’.

The supporting cast brings warmth, depth, and surprise. Mia Sara, in a heartfelt return to the screen, shines as Chuck’s mother Sarah Krantz. Matthew Lillard’s brief appearance in Act One as Marty’s friend Gus, is both deeply touching. Mark Hamill lends weight and tenderness in his role as Chuck’s grandfather and is one of my three huge standouts here along with Pajak and The Pocket Queen. And again, Nick Offerman serves as the narrator, and his voice, calm, grounded, and thoughtful, beautifully anchors the film’s reflective tone.

Stephen King is right when he says The Life of Chuck is one of the good ones. The spirit and energy is felt from beginning to end, and with all on board performances giving their best, Flanagan is further establishing himself as a fine present-time director with this one as there is so much here to appreciate. As well, from the cosmic elements in ‘Act Three’ to the dancing scenes in ‘Acts Two & One,’ Flanagan did an exceptional job incorporating the sound throughout. The choreography is stunning and this film speaks to you. It just does. One thing I will say is The Life of Chuck is dedicated In Memory to Scott Wampler. And there are a few cameos in The Life of Chuck including Flanagan himself, but Scott’s inclusion just tugged me right at the heart.

As one does, I too have pondered in my life why certain moments are impactful and have helped form me into the individual I am today. It feels like utter randomness, but that’s the point isn’t it. What matters to us..what gives us substance…is what makes me well, me and us the unique people wer are. It’s the good, the bad, the meager, and the reality all of it that comes together to form our universe and reality as we know it.

So I’ll leave you with this: In a world where things are changing by the minute, not always in the positive, try to remember to still be kind to yourself and others. Hug your loved ones, forgive those you can forgive, and when or if, things don’t go as planned, accept and trust that your life was exactly as it was meant to be.That’s what my mom used to tell me, keep doing what makes you happy no matter what others say. She told me that as she was passing. I’ve never forgotten it.

“The Life of Chuck” is more than just a film, it’s a love letter to life, memory, connection, and the meaning we create in our short time here. Flanagan’s masterful direction, paired with a stellar cast and emotionally intelligent storytelling, makes this one of the most beautiful and thought-provoking films of the year.

I do highly recommend “The Life of Chuck” as it’s the film we all need right now.

Grade: A

“THE LIFE OF CHUCK” IS OUT FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 2025 IN LIMITED RELEASE. WORLDWIDE RELEASE – FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2025

Review Screening: Thursday, May 29, 2025 ~ Courtesey of Ginsberg/Libby PR

Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Movie Reviews, Movies, Sci Fi

REVIEW: “ELEMENTAL” (2023) DISNEY/PIXAR

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“ELEMENTAL” takes you on a journey through Element City, where people of different elemental backgrounds like fire, water, earth, and air characters live side by side in mostly sequestered harmony. Elemental is director Peter Sohn’s second feature, coming eight years after The Good Dinosaur. There is, however, a beating heart here, and the framework is basically good as Ember who is Fire and Wade who is water, embody the film’s central characters and let us know that we are more alike than we realize.

The premise of Elemental is at its core quite straightforward: Elements do not mix. But what happens when Ember Lumen (Leah Lewis), a fiery and hot-headed young woman who loses her temper when mad, meets Wade Ripple (Mamoudou Athie), a nice guy who as a city inspector, is the one who shows up when water pipes in Ember’s family store explode. As the two humanoid elements get to know each other and their romance blossoms, they influence each other and grow together as Wade introduces her to the multicultural world of Element City outside of her ethnically isolated neighborhood. More importantly, Ember realizes that her dreams and aspirations may not align with the future she believes her parents have envisioned for her. She’s bound by the traditions of her parents, Bernie (Ronnie del Carmen) and Cinder (Shila Ommi), as they remind her constantly of the adage that’s been drilled into her her entire life “Elements don’t mix.”

IT’S “ELEMENTAL” — In a city where fire-, water-, land-, and air-residents live together, a fiery young woman and a go-with-the-flow guy are about to discover something elemental: how much they actually have in common. Directed by Peter Sohn -Disney and Pixar’s “Elemental” releases on June 16, 2023. © 2023 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.


Still, they fall for each other, prompting a dating montage and Ember’s awkward visit to a Ripple family dinner with Brooke Ripple (Catherine O’Hara), warmly welcoming Ember to their luxury apartment building. The restrained romance is backed by a sense of danger, suggesting that if Ember touches Wade, he’ll boil and evaporate, or alternatively, his water will put out her flame and that’s not the only allusion to romantic chemistry of the chemical reaction when Ember and Wade finally touch. The world-building in “Elemental” is stunning. The city itself is a visual feast, with each element having its own distinct architecture and style. From skyscrapers covered in lush greenery to water slides and wind-powered homes, every detail immerses you in this vibrant and enchanting world.

The film’s portrayal of how the elements interact is both amusing and touching. Whether it’s a water-being’s sneeze causing a flower to sprout under one little neighbor Clod (Mason Wertheimer) arms as he’s ‘growing up’ or Ember’s intense heat affecting others around her – these moments showcase the intricate relationships between the elemental residents. They provide a delightful blend of entertainment and insight into the film’s underlying plot. There is also a fun side plot with Gale (Wendi McClendon-Covey), as Wade’s boss at work and how she first hinders, then helps the couple move towards their end goal.

WELCOME TO ELEMENT CITY – Disney and Pixar’s “Elemental” takes fire, water, earth and air and imagines what it would be like if they were alive and living in the same city – a place called Element City. Directed by Peter Sohn – Disney and Pixar’s “Elemental” releases on June 16, 2023. © 2023 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.


While the hint of romance between Ember and Wade adds an extra layer of intrigue, “Elemental” is so much more than just a love story. It delves deep into Ember’s personal journey as she navigates the city and tries to form meaningful connections. The character development is strong, and you can’t help but cheer for Ember and Wade as they face their challenges and strive to make a positive impact on their community.

“Elemental” isn’t perfect, but it is a sweet story that was lovely to watch as it’s a captivating story that reminds us of the incredible strength found in unity and the beauty of finding common ground in a diverse world.  It’s an adorable, heartfelt family film about the immigrant experience told in a way kids can understand, an animated romantic comedy anyone can enjoy that doesn’t go too overtly hard on its messages of racial and class dynamics, instead opting for a universally digestible “love is love” mentality.

Grade: B-

Side note: the cute follow up to Carl from ‘UP‘ story, “Carl’s Date” previews before the showing of the film as it’s just a lovely little short!

Follow me on twitter: @pegsatthemovies or Instagram: Peggyatthemovies

“ELEMENTAL” FROM DISNEY/PIXAR PICTURES IS OUT IN THEATERS FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2023

Review Screening: Saturday, June 10, 2023 ~ Courtesy of Disney/Pixar


1990's, Action, Action Adventure, Adventure, CGI, Movie Reviews, Movies, Music, Sci Fi

REVIEW: TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEAST (2023) PARAMOUNT PICTURES

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The essence of the ‘90s is captured in Director Steven Caple Jr.’s new venture into this franchise with “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts”. Going into this venture felt wildly out of place as not usually a film franchise I could say I loved. Walking out of it was a whole different story as the entire screening audience gave it a whopping applause upon its ending, myself included.

MIRAGE and Anthony Ramos in PARAMOUNT PICTURES and SKYDANCE “TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS”

Maybe it’s my love for Anthony Ramos as an actor, but this film highly entertains and in all the best ways. The opening scene is a mixed bag of loud robots and not understanding it completely, gives and initial “oh no” feeling. But those went immediately away as the real story begins in New York City circa 1994 – six years after the events in Bumblebee. As we are first introduced to Noah (Anthony Ramos), a proud New Yorker, ex-military, tech wiz trying to make ends meet by setting up illegal cable boxes for his friends. Out of a job, and trying to provide for his hard-working mother Breanna (Luna Lauren Velez), and younger brother Kris (Dean Scott Vasquez), who is battling sickle-cell anemia, his desperation leads him to attempt to stealing a fancy car. As luck would have it, the car he chooses is a actually a Transformer named Mirage (v/o Pete Davidson), which places Noah smack dab in the middle of the conflict between Autobots and a planet destroyer bot called the Unicron (v/o Colman Domingo).

Our other lead human on board this film is Elena (Dominique Fishbeck), a museum curator who finds an artifact that awakens Unicron’s henchman Scourge (v/o Peter Dinklage), which gives him the power to locate all the bots on Earth. With Optimus Prime (v/o Peter Cullen) and the voice-less Bumblebee back, the main revelation is a new robot species of Transformers called the Maximals. They are giant metal animals and include a gorilla named Optimus Primal (v/o Ron Perlman), a rhino named Rhinox (v/o David Sobolov), and a killer eagle named Airazor (v/o Michelle Yeoh). With the goal being completely apparent that it will be their job to save Earth, get the Autobots back to their home of Cybertron, and do it all before everything is destroyed.

L-r. RHINOX, WHEELJACK, OPTIMUS PRIME, MIRAGE, CHEETOR, ARCEE, OPTIMUS PRIMAL and Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback, TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS”

Whew! In case you haven’t guessed, yeah, there is a lot going on here – and to keep track of it all seems daunting, but while it’s happening, you just do. And you have so much fun while doing so. The third act’s action set piece is up there with Bumblebee’s and the only real miss is that opening segment. But with possibly the best soundtrack of a film all year, all wrapped up with robots, you’ve got yourself some fun entertainment.  With stylistic needle-drop moments on the soundtrack packing in tracks from Wu-Tang Clan, A Tribe Called Quest and more, including the roaring rumbling score by Jongnic Bontemps, all comes together to bring 90’s hip-hop to the forefront. But the absolute highlight is by far LL Cool J’s “Mama Said Knock You Out”, being overlayed a brutal bot fight scene that not only perfectly times and fits the scenes, but adds so much and then more.

The visual effects however, although overwhelming in the climactic battle, still manage a ‘wow’ factor with seamless transformations that look impressive. Far from perfect, Rise of the Beasts sticks to the basics of action blockbusters and focuses on getting them right, making it an enjoyable entry that pushes the Transformer franchise in the right direction. With the snappy dialogue, colossal fight scenes and even some tender moments — Rise of the Beasts has all the ingredients of a summer blockbuster.

Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback star in PARAMOUNT PICTURES and SKYDANCE “TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS”

Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback do a great job with their characters and their chemistry working on-screen is truly wonderful. While some of the characters we don’t see as much as maybe we’d like, the film is full of names and Pete Davidson as Mirage might just have stolen the show. But as noted, the true star is without a doubt the soundtrack stacking up to any film yet this year, and that is stating a lot as there have been some gems out there. The ending is spot on and even though it’s setting up for the next one, it could almost be a stand-alone and yet still, it’s the music and you just can’t get past how the music in the movie is so fire.

Lastly, it’s just plain fun. Period.

Grade: B

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“TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEAST” FROM PARAMOUNT PICTURES IS OUT IN THEATERS FRIDAY, JUNE 9, 2023

Review Screening: Friday, June 2, 2023 ~ Courtesy of LAFTV Film Group

Action, Action Adventure, Adventure, bad movie, CGI, Disaster, Movie Reviews, Movies, Sci Fi

Review: “MOONFALL” (2022) Lionsgate

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Going into director Roland Emmrich’s latest film “MOONFALL”, I kept an open mind knowing it was going to be a disaster film of some sort, expecting a dumb fun disaster film with some crazy fun set pieces. What I didn’t expect was it to be the complete disaster that it was.

To be noted, I’m not someone who will intentionally trash a film just for the sake of doing so, but this was just plain bad and there is just no way to sugar coat this plain in-your-face fact. If you go into this movie expecting anything other than cheesy acting and a preposterous story the you will be sorely disappointed.

The film’s premise is simple. The moon’s orbit is changing and making it get closer to Earth, raising the question, can Earth survive? Which doesn’t sound to bad as a whole to make a movie about as we’ve seen it before, but hey, who knows, this might be good right?! But instead the film decides is going to try to offer a cerebral and complex backstory to the moon for some reason, along with at the same time mind you, astronauts Brian Harper (Patrick Wilson), and Jocinda Fowl (Halle Berry), facing an alien while on a space mission singing “Africa” by Toto. Oh and let’s not forget the pill-popping conspiracy theorist KC Houseman (John Bradley), who of course has always wanted to be an astronaut trying to get into NASA and magically does exactly that. Then there is the car chase with Harper’s son Sonny (Charlie Plummer), and him getting thrown in jail, all the while, yes again, all at the same time then they have families that are escaping the imminent demise of Earth with tidal waves and all, mind you they are showing actual real disaster footage of tsunamis along with the inevitable CGI. Not even Michael Peña as step dad Tom Lopez, who is usually a spot on actor, can save this from complete mind numbing disaster. But it hasn’t ended, oh no it hasn’t ended, as a ten minute exposition where Harper ‘learns’ that humans actually originated from a halo ring, but then A.I. rose up and took over nanoparticles to kill humans, so the humans made 1000 moons and flew them to different parts of the galaxy. Say what now?

They literally throw the everything but kitchen sink at you including actual footage of the Endeavor space shuttle supposedly being commandeered out of the California Space Museum so it can be flown to the moon to blow up the bad alien that lives in the middle of it. And don’t get me even started on discussing the lacking of any intelligence dialogue along with just flat out bad bad acting by every single person involved in this film, not even Donald Sutherland coming in for a quick two-liner can help here.

John Bradley as KC Houseman in MOONFALL Directed by Roland Emmerich. Photo Credit: Reiner Bajo/Lionsgate

Of course you know never to take these films seriously, but as well, you do want to have some fun while watching, but instead of even laughing at the absurdity of it all, you will instead just be miserable for two hours and I honestly feel I should award myself, and anyone else points just for making it all the way through this one. I don’t think I could say not worth it in any other way but to simply state “Not Worth It.

Grade: D-

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Review Screening: Wednesday, February 2, 2022 ~ Courtesy of Lionsgate and 42West PR

“MOONFALL” hits theaters Friday, February 4, 2022

Movie Reviews, Movies, Sci Fi, Thriller

REVIEW: “ENCOUNTER” (2021) Amazon Films

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Well to say this film went into the unexpected might not quite sum up completely as writers Joe Barton and Michael Pearce, whom directs as well, take us on a road trip journey of science fiction – adding in a very personal side to the lead character, that at first is just thought of as being a crazy person, but it really goes much deeper than that.

Malik Khan (Riz Ahmed) is a ex-Navy Seal/Marine who is on a mission. But not the kind you would think it would be like the ‘too busy saving the world’ kind so he rarely gets to see his sons, who live with their mom Piya (Janina Gavankar), and her new husband Dylan (Misha Collins), but as young boys do, they miss him dearly, and vise versa. One night Malik shows up unexpectedly and persuades his two young sons, Jay (Lucian-River Chauhan) and Bobby (Aditya Geddada), to come with him but won’t explain the urgency of why or where they are going to his them. He has convinced himself and in short, tries to convince his sons that something has happened, something more important than the initial mission apparently, or rather, the ‘mission’ has come to their home.

ENCOUNTER

Malik’s mission as he finally explains it while on the run is this. A comet has brought alien micro-organisms to Earth, and the organisms use mosquitos to transplant themselves into humans where they can manipulate their behaviour. While it might sound far-fetched saying it out loud, think about it, mosquitos do carry things. So in essence he makes it feel very real to them and even somewhat to us, the audience, as he tells his kids, though they might not have observed it first hand, but the aliens had already infected their mom, and it was only a matter of time before she in turn infects them. So Malik is taking Jay and Bobby to a base where they will be safe, while, in the meantime, their mother has reported them missing, and there is an all out alert for Malik for kidnapping. The only person he has trusted so far is the person he has to report and check in with for the past few years, Hattie (Octavia Spencer), and even she is baffled and confused by what he is doing, and while she keeps noting to those hunting for him, how this isn’t really him and he would never hurt his boys. This is where I started to realize what the deeper part of the film was, and it’s clear that Malik is delusional, traumatized and suffering from some sort of PTSD. And it seems the boys are picking up on this as well.

Honestly, Riz Ahmed once again proves once again that he will always pick roles that challenge him and that he somehow pulls off without a blip as he lives up to his reputation of engaging an audience with an intense, committed performance. As well, the kids are scene-stealers with both of the young actors showing real intensity and just the right amount of kid-cuteness to make it all realistic. The long desert cinematography was all quite encompassing aside from the three leads and their obvious chemistry as a family.

This is a hard one to put a label on as yes, it’s Sci-Fi, but it’s underlying tension of what is real and what isn’t, keeps you well alert long after whatever you realize is actually going on. It’s also very much about the bond between a parent and children. It also handles a surprisingly hard subject of PTSD in a such a sympathetic and realistic manner when Hattie is speaking for him, yet the others think he’s going to hurt the kids, it’s done so well, but also in the most different original manner ever. Yet somehow it all works, as there is tension, love, aliens and a road trip all in one film. Colour me Alien-rated as I quite enjoyed this for it’s originality of idea and how that idea was told.

Grade: C+

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Review Screening ~ Courtesy of Ginsberg/Libby PR

“Encounter” will be in theaters December 3, 2021 for a limited release // Coming to Amazon Prime on December 10, 2021

Comedy, Female Director, Foreign Film, Independent Feature, Movie Reviews, Movies, Rom-Com, Romance, Sci Fi

REVIEW: “I’M YOUR MAN” (2021) Bleeker Street

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Not knowing much going into this film, little did I know what a lovely surprise I would be in for in director Maria Schrader’s quirky fun rom-com “I’M YOUR MAN”. Not usually being someone who is fond of the A.I. genre of films and having once been known to say “If I ever find that an A.I. is my my relationship – please slap me”, I found myself thoroughly enjoying this one even though I wasn’t ready for it to be almost entirely in German as well.

Thankfully though – this isn’t my story though as this one is not only better but it centers on esteemed archaeologist/researcher Alma (Maren Eggert), who accepts an offer to participate in an usual experiment in exchange for research funds. She agrees to “beta test’ on a three-week trial run, living with a humanoid named Tom (Dan Stevens), who has been programmed to be her exact ideal life partner. From there, she has to evaluate on the successes and/or failures of the AI prototype to help decide whether they should be introduced into society as potential life partners for well, everyone. During this three week time period, we find ourselves watching things that are essentially very human. Alma is anti-relationship as the film starts to reveal more about her we find she grieves over a miscarriage she suffered during a past relationship and her former partner Julian (Hans Low) is very much around. While Alma is single, she’s not alone – she has a younger sister, Cora (Annika Meier) and an elderly, deteriorating father (Wolfgang Hübsch), who require a lot of her attention in life as well.

Not to be overlooked is the fun CGI of a bar scene of playing itself well on the ‘who is/who isn’t’ a AI or hologram and of course the acting. Eggert is wonderful at playing off the strong, defensive woman she is supposed to be and slowly letting her wall down to open up to the idea of this AI actually being ‘the one’. While Stevens is quite good here as he absolutely crushes it by speaking surprisingly fluent German, that is when he’s not speaking Spanish, French, or Korean and most notably, not a single word of English. He also manages to somehow be a robot, yet convey small emotions such as being flirty, funny, sad and dare I say it – humanistic.

With some funny, snappy, smart dialogue and a well structured storyline “I’m Your Man” moves it all along in a realistic looking manner, while being hugely entertaining as well. There can be huge risk involved with films that tackle themes such as this one, and then be successful at it to boot, but this one was all handled so well and came across as down to earth while also making itself fun and thought-provoking.  

Grade: B+

Follow me on twitter: @pegsatthemovies or Instagram: Peggyatthemovies

“I’M YOUR MAN” from Bleeker Street Films – is in limited theaters on Friday, September 24, 2021

Review Screening ~ Courtesy of Ginsberg/Libby PR

Drama, Horror, Movie Reviews, Movies, Sci Fi

REVIEW: “A QUIET PLACE PART II” (2021) Paramount Pictures

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Sequels. That dreaded word to most – as they usually begin where the original inevitable cliffhanger of it’s predecessor left off. It’s usually a re-hashed, mish-mash of the original film, and rarely if ever, is it as good as the original. Well colour us thankfully out of that sequel slump as “THE QUIET PLACE PART II“, is anything BUT a slouch of it’s original.

This wonderfully woven sequel gives us the briefest of a flash of the past, probably just for old time-sakes to remember where we were, but then with the flick of scene, we are brought to a time we have never seen before. The time before ‘it’ all began that we all really wanted to know about, and answers so many questions in a very short time. Wrapping up it up cleanly on how ‘the Quiet’ came upon them, and giving us our first glimpses of the monsters that we now know, who hunt by sound, like the dropping of a pin or too loud of a breath, and just like that, they’ve got you. And right as we understand the implications, again, with another flick of the scene, we just skip from day one of the invasion to day 474 of the apocalypse, just after mom Evelyn, kills the alien in her home in the first movie that started it all, ‘A Quiet Place‘.

Continuing on, as Evelyn (Emily Blunt), Regan (Millicent Simmonds), and Marcus (Noah Jupe), are forced to venture out and continue traveling on foot with baby Abbott in tow. They enter the fortified compound of old family friend Emmett (Cillian Murphy), who is not nearly as welcoming as they hoped. The family must now face the terrors outside, while continuing their journey and struggle for existence while in complete silence. They also now know some of the vulnerabilities that the aliens are susceptible to as well, like the high-frequency audio feedback from Regan’s cochlear implant hearing aid. But by being forced to venture into the unknown, they realize that these aliens that hunt by sound, aren’t the only dangers they face lurking in the beyond. In a turn of events, Marcus and Regan discover a radio signal that plays the song “Beyond the Sea” over and over on repeat, and after some doing, finally realize the whereabouts of the location it’s emanating from. Regan figures this might be her chance to not just find, but help other survivors that might be stranded as well. But as with everything in a twisty-turning film like this one, there is always going to be that one thing in the narrative that doesn’t really turn out the way you might want or need it to, or maybe it does? And therein lies the fun, brilliance and suspense of it all.

To give away anymore of this film would be to spoil it inherently, and that’s just something to not be done. What can be said is how much a ‘A Quiet Place II‘ does an amazing job of ‘world’ building, to use an odd descriptive of how the locales are made to look deserted and destroyed, with a worn, dilapidated sense to many of them. Along with the places and the practices that must be observed to live in this world help to flesh out this apocalyptic-type setting, just add to the overall feel of the film. There are some imaginative locations and very clever tricks used by everyone in the film to essentially, ‘stay quiet’. This takes thought, oodles of imagination, and is to be appreciated as it adds so much to the sense of tension surrounding our characters. The film is also an acoustical treat for the ears, (ours – definitely not theirs), with great sound and some amazingly detailed, very quiet panic scenes where it made the silence truly all the more deafening. As well, the acting is very good with Simmonds’ taking over as the main lead character, and Blunt playing the strong, albeit, more supporting part. Krasinski, well, he is briefly here at the beginning of our story to tell us why. But it’s truly Simmonds’ who rises to the occasion of being the lead with a fantastic, captivating and compelling performance. Jupe and Hinds, put in some good support here as well, as truly everyone here has a lot to do to just survive, and some of the activities they are forced to do while staying silent are really quite amazing to witness and watch. 

Krasinski divides the action here over three separate narratives, cross-cutting between them to heighten the tension at important points. All the while, he never loses sight of the fact that A Quiet Place Part II – is a horror film, and he keeps the well-crafted scares coming at a steady pace. All in all, Krasinski does the almost impossible here by making a sequel that – dare I say it – is better than the original.

“A”

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Review Screening: Monday, May 17, 2021 ~ Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

“A QUIET PLACE PART II” OPENS IN THEATERS NATIONWIDE ON FRIDAY, MAY 28, 2021

bad movie, Drama, Movie Reviews, Movies, Romance, Sci Fi

REVIEW: “BLISS” (2021) Amazon Studios

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To be completely candid here, I’m not really sure what Director Mike Cahill is trying to say or where he is going with “BLISS”, his latest feature coming out on Amazon Prime this Friday, February 5th. In an already overcrowded movie fueled month, along with it being Black History Month, I’ve a feeling this one just isn’t going to find it’s footing with too many audiences. It has a lot of difficulty focusing on what it is Cahill is actually going for. Let me try to explain.

First off, all we can be sure of our lead character is that Greg Wittle (Owen Wilson) is newly divorced and that he misses his family, most particularly his daughter Emily (Nesta Cooper), who is worried about him. His son Arthur (Jorge Lendenborg Jr.), on the other hand, doesn’t seem to care one bit about him or what happens to him in the slightest. We see Greg at work at a seemingly high profile job, yet he’s spends his day drawing pictures of what he envisions as the ‘perfect world’ along with drawings of a woman. Because of this silliness we also see Greg lose his job and end up at the bar across the street where some very odd, crazy things begin to happen.

Enter in Isabel Clemons (Salma Hayek), who seems to know everything there is to know about Greg Wittle in a almost stalker type way, yet he loves this odd fact. She presents herself as the solution to his problems and begins to tell him some fantastical stories that most of the people he sees and the situations he’s in, aren’t real. She tells him over and over that they are just simulations of people/places and simply through the power of his mind, he can make them do all sorts of crazy things like fall down or crash as they are just in his head. He falls for it and they seem to both think hurting others for fun is well…fun. So it seems like they are sadly both just lost in a fantastical world of severe mental health issues and using a specially ‘formulated’ drug as escapism. Except then we find them inside the actual drawings of Greg’s in a whole other Science Fiction type world where they are the actual creators of an alternative society and add in Bill Nye the Science Guy as actual proof of what they have discovered is profound. And that’s the problem here. This film is ALL over the place with itself.

Honestly, you can watch “Bliss” in a number of ways:

Example #1. You can assume that everything Isabel And Bill Nye are saying is true, and then this is a story about parallel worlds.

Example #2. You can see this as a story about the plight of human mental health issues and why so many turn to drugs to find refuge in said fantastical fantasy story also presented.

Example #3. You can even see “Bliss” as an account of how easy it is for the average person anywhere in the world, to fall out of our society norms and end up lost and homeless due to no fault of their own.

In whichever way you choose to see it is your call, but my call is that pretty much all of them won’t be that great and unfortunately, ‘Bliss’ just never comes across anything even remotely profound, as it’s so jumbled and pasted together in a completely non-coherent manner. All the different stories it tries to tell all fizzle out, and the ending is wholly predictable to a shocking degree. The acting performances are just as bizarrely put out there, with only Cooper coming through as a decent performance in this all-over-the-place feature.

Grade: D

Follow me on twitter: @pegsatthemovies and Instagram: PeggyattheMovies

Review screening: Courtesy of Ginsberg/Libby PR

“BLISS” WILL BE STREAMING ON AMAZON PRIME – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2021

Horror, Movie Reviews, Movies, Mystery, Sci Fi

REVIEW: “THE INVISIBLE MAN” (2020) Blumhouse/Universal Pictures

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There is a difference between what makes scary/horror movies well, scary. There is the slasher/gore type that really aren’t scary, but serve a purpose. And there there is the kind that from the very first moment, have you on the edge of your seat/holding your breath type scare. These are the preferred kind. The kind that holds you in it’s grip with every one of your senses tingling in anticipation.  Writer/Director Leigh Whannell’s “THE INVISIBLE MAN” is that movie.

Where James Whale’s masterful 1933 version of H.G. Wells‘ story saw its main transparent character commit murder on a mass scale on a self-proclaimed reign of terror, Whannell’s refreshing take on The Invisible Man, has gone for the opposite approach.  It’s not just jump-scares or loud noises, it’s something psychological. From the opening shot, you’re immediately put inside Elisabeth Moss’ character Cecilia’s head.  The whole opening scene makes you uncomfortable as we see Cecilia trying to make her escape and this kind of tension is kept on throughout the film.

Cecilia Kass (Elizabeth Moss) is a woman living in fear. She is stuck in an abusive relationship and can’t get out of it despite living a life of wealth and privilege in a seaside home; she is ready to take some drastic steps in her life to try to escape from her controlling and abusive husband who despite being considered a wealthy genius in the field of Optics, has made her life a living hell.  All of this combined forces her to make a daring escape that has her barely getting away with the help of her sister Alice (Harriett Dyer).

Picking us up two weeks later – we find Cecilia is in hiding with a friend of her sister’s, Officer James Lanier (Aldis Hodge) and his daughter Sydney (Storm Reid). She is scared to even leave the house and do the most basic of things such as checking the mailbox. All this begins to change (or does it?) when Alice brings Cecilia some information that starts the ball rolling for us all.

So with now having supposedly escaped the controlling relationship, Cecilia’s rehabilitation is cut short by the sudden intrusion of her ex who has figured out how to regain control over her life without anyone knowing how or why.  As it’s around this time that unusual things begin to happen to her. A lost item from the night of her escape shows up, a mysterious kitchen fire starts and lets the audience know to keep their eyes locked on everything as if you blink, you just might miss something cold and calculating happening.  When she expresses her concerns to others that her husband is alive and exacting revenge, and when things begin to escalate, Cecilia is the one who starts to look more and more unstable as the tormenting continues and her life spins out of control.

Expertly utilizing sci-fi trappings to take gaslighting to a whole new extreme, (there is a restaurant scene that you will never forget) the film depicts first-hand the anxieties faced by many modern-day survivors of abuse. As Cecilia stresses to those around her that her genius scientist ex has become invisible, we are left conflicted by knowing the truth of her words but also the understanding that, without hard evidence, it’s hard to accept her story at face value.

By operating in that grey area, ‘The Invisible Man’ proves the horror genre to be one of the most effective means to reflect modern day anxieties to mass audiences. Another thing this film succeeds upon is the writing. The story progresses in a fast paced way which doesn’t seem hurried. The 2 hr. run-time feels achieved. There’s definitely more than one ‘WTF’ moment in this film to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout.  As well, the score and the sound design definitely puts you in Cecilia’s shoes as you struggle with her to point out where and how exactly these events are happening aka where this ‘invisible man’ might be. The camera work is exquisite, and the action sequences definitely feel thrilling and the way it’s shot makes you feel like you’re living it.

Lastly, make no mistake about it, this movie is Elisabeth Moss’s and she lives, breathes and takes you along for the ride as if you are living it right next to her.  Hodge has always been a favourite and holds his own genuinely well here as does Storm Reid.  And don’t feel fooled by the seemingly small part of Michael Dorman as the brother Tom or Cecilia’s husband Adrian (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), as both have a surprise or two in hand for you.

Grade: B+

@pegsatthemovies

 

Media Review Screening: Tuesday, February 25, 2020 ~ Courtesy of Universal Pictures

“THE INVISIBLE MAN” IS NOW PLAYING IN THEATERS NATIONWIDE