Tag Archives: Luna Lauren Velez

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

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

5 Comments

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

Follow me on twitter: @pegsatthemovies or Instagram: Peggyatthemovies

“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, Animation, DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Movie Reviews, Movies

REVIEW: “SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE

9 Comments

I know I’m supposed to love this “SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE UNIVERSE” and be drooling all over this film directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson, because everyone is, as well as hailing it as the greatest movie ever. Now those, as we like to joke are, ‘fightin words’ and something that just cannot be uttered by me – not for this film at least. And yes, I know I will probably get crucified for not agreeing. But then again, following and loving something just because the crowd does, has never really been my forte’. As well, I’ve always been pretty good in standing my ground and here will be doing just that and also noting that it’s okay to have differing opinions. It keeps things like movies interesting.

Now first off, don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed Across the Spider-Verse way more than I thought I would, but I mean who knew there were so many Spidermen besides Tobey Maguire Andrew Garfield & Tom Holland. Well I just found all this out in Spider-Man:Across The Spider Verse that there are a vast amount of them – and it took over two hours to do so. That I was not ready for and my initial question was why? And then I answered it myself by noting “this is what comic books are” a fantasy world, in this case, universes – then it also became clear that that is literally the point of showing all those comic book stills inbetween. So while I still had that unsatisfied feeling when I realized I was watching the first half of a really long movie, I feel like I understand it a lot more after thinking about it. Doesn’t mean it’s in my wheelhouse, but sometimes, getting out of said wheelhouse is what needs to be done.

Jessica Drew (Issa Rae), Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson) and his daughter Mayday in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animations’ SPIDER-MAN™: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE.

Having not seen the first one, I picked up pretty quickly what was happening in this new web-slinging, multiverse-traveling adventure. It clearly takes place a year or so after the events of the first one – ‘Into the Spider-Verse’; and sees Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) back. Having been Spider-Man for about a year now after being bit by a mutant spider, his parents still have no idea, even though his father, Jefferson (Brian Tyree Henry), is a cop who frequently works with “Spider-Man” to stop other villians with super powers. He is once again teaming up with Spider-Girl Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), trying to fix something he clearly thought had been fixed before that wasn’t fixed properly. Included in all this is a whole lotta other Spider-People of this multiverse (that I’m trying to piece together and understand), for a big high stakes mission. This time around, the Spider-People face off against villian The Spot (Jason Schwartzman), whose powers threaten the stability of the entire this Spidey multiverse as he is able to move through spots he creates from one place to another, very quickly and simply. Issues are amplified when Miles and the Spider-People, led by Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Isaac), disagree on how to best deal with this new threat.

Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) and Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) take on The Spot (Jason Schwartzman) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation’s SPIDER-MAN™: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE.

A lot of this moves at a pace that is zip-flash fast so keeping up is key. The parts that probably worked the best for me as a first time viewer were the family ones. One of the most effect scenes on an emotional level is Miles’ relationship with his mother Rio Morales (Luna Lauren Velez), as he wrestles personally with the idea of revealing his superhero Spidey-alter ego to his parents, a decision that creates great conflict within his family. Watching Miles’ struggle to come out as Spider-Man in a particularly moving scene with his mother that is so heartbreaking and is bound to resonate with many who have struggled to reveal things of themselves to others, whatever it may be. Meanwhile, Steinfeld’s Gwen Stacy also has some intense family matters lll for her character, especially as it pertains to her relationship with her father Captain Stacy (Shea Whigham), regarding her suposed murder and loss of her Peter Parker (Jake Johnson), (whose animated character looks surprisingly a lot like Jake Gyllenhaal). Intially thinking Gwen was a lead character and the films focus would be on this, as she has a pretty extended opening focusing on solely on just her, but then with it doing a round-about and not going that direction was confusing at times, but as they say ‘All’s well that ends well”.

The animation is incredible, especially during a long intro scene in a different universe, along with the action and soundtrack. There are so many different styles and techniques. Some again, took time of afterwards for processing if you don’t know the stories, to digest and make logic of. As well, some of the dialogue gets to be a bit too corny and tries to hard to be quirky and fast-talking, which seems to be a Marvel staple now. My other issue is that the story felt a little messy and all over the place, and there were moments that felt weren’t really necessary to the plot of the movie itself. That plus the fact it was almost two and a half hours, which was a longer than it needed to be, only then to realize at the end it’s only essentially half of a movie. So now we’ll have to wait an see how the second part pulls it all together or the five parts which are sure to follow that one. Which leads me into my “Think about your favorite movies”; now imagine that when you saw them for the first time, someone cut it off halfway through and made you wait a year for the rest. A truly great movie needs to be able to stand on its own. Also, no post credits so no need to stay after this two hour plus run time.

Spider-Man/Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animations’ SPIDER-MAN™: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE.

So for those in the back who feel differently, I am saying that it was a good movie, but it wasn’t the greatest one and to call it that just seems so out of place for me. I did have a good time watching it and it’s by no means a bad movie, just not the “Masterpiece” everyone is building it up to be and is certainly not, “The Greatest Animated Movie Of All Time”. I think you have to be a BIG DC Universe fan or comic book one to understand why alot of it is happening to be sure. A lot of it just didn’t resonate to me and the windup into it started to really drag in the middle, all to just to get to a point where they basically said “see ya next time”.

And yeah, I will go see the next one in two years – hope you will too as who knows, maybe it will be the one to reveal all.

Grade: B-

Follow me on twitter: @pegsatthemovies or Instagram: Peggyatthemovies

“SPIDER-MAN:ACROSS THE UNIVERSE” FROM SONY PICTURES IS OUT IN THEATERS FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 2023

Review Screening: Tuesday, May 30, 2023 ~ Courtesy of Sony Pictures

Drama, Independent Feature, Movie Reviews, Movies, Mystery, Thriller

REVIEW: “SWALLOW” (2020) IFC FILMS

6 Comments

Not sure why IMDB had this noted as a horror/thriller and have since changed it as to be clear, this is not a horror film, but yes, it is a thriller of sorts. But please don’t go in expecting horror movie from “SWALLOW” as it’s clear Director Carlo Mirabella-Davis never meant it to be that. It’s more of a psychological drama mixed in with mental health, mixed in with a wife coming into her own. ‘Swallow’ truly fascinated me as I’ve never seen a movie like it and as strange as the film was, I was never bored.

‘Swallow‘ is a study of our main character Hunter (Haley Bennett), and a really good one at that. Hunter is a newly pregnant housewife who finds herself in marriage to Richie (Austin Stowell), one in which his parents feel she married above her stature in life. Richie is the youngest director at the firm that his father Michael (David Rasche) is in charge of and his mother Katherine (Elizabeth Marvel), is what one might want to call a ‘socialite’. Hunter – who is constantly and condescendingly reminded from the three of them that she is not from the same class as them, so she feels out of place. This film highlights profound consequences of trauma and what is clearly a form of PTSD and how it affects some mentally as Hunter – not really knowing who she is or what she is supposed to do, she starts to eat things – as in non-food items. It starts with a marble and then progresses to things that are much more dangerous like thumbtacks and batteries. When she goes to have an ultrasound her they begin notice all is not normal and find the foreign items inside which are removed by an emergency surgery. This infuriates Richie and his family to no extent, though they play the blame game more than anything and never try to find out why, they just want her to stop. They don’t understand she doesn’t know why she’s doing this and are embarrassed by her. Yet when having a dinner party pretending all is well and wonderful, Hunter finds out he has shared everything with those he works with and is beyond upset with him. She is also taken to therapy as well as having Luay (Laith Nakli), a male nurse, to take care of her but it’s more like he is there to watch her every move to make sure she doesn’t start eating household items again.

Be very clear here though as when Hunter is swallowing things, it has absolutely nothing to do with wanting to endanger the child as she really wants the child. The bigger issue rising within that we begin to see was that she hates being a housewife and the biggest issue of all, that she doesn’t know who she is in relation to her past. It’s a poignant way to showcase the point that even if you have everything of what so many people aspire to get – a handsome, successful husband, a big beautiful house, wealth, marriage, and not having to work etc., that it far from guarantees happiness. Her life completely encompasses the age old adage of “Be careful what you wish for”.

Acting wise you have to give major props to Bennett as she makes every scene gripping. On the outside she looks like an a pretty blonde without a care or thought in the world, but there’s something vulnerable about her and in her eyes you can see she is hiding some dark, ugly and sad secret. You really come to understand her motivations and why she does what she does. Stowell seems like the perfect husband on the outside, but we get glimpses that he’s really isn’t and he does well at portraying both sides. Marvel and Rasche do well and portray the overbearing, snobby parents very believably. And Nakli as the male ‘nurse’ will give you not only a great performance, but a wonderful backstory and surprise as well.

Overall, I adored the acting, story, and cinematography, again it’s a little strange maybe but oh so fascinating. A warning to some though, this films ending is very decisive and I can see what happens at the end might be a hot button for some, for me it was perfect where it went and is definitely empowering her as a woman. 

Grade: B

Follow me on twitter: @pegsatthemovies and Instagram: PeggyattheMovies

Review screening: Courtesy of IFC Films

“SWALLOW” IS STREAMING ON TO HULU