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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

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, CGI, Crime, Movie Reviews, Movies

REVIEW: FAST X (2023) UNIVERSAL PICTURES

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Harkening back to the days of old when the Fast franchise first started Tyrese was still a supermodel,Ludacris was still a rapper and Jason Momoa was running around shirtless on the beaches of Baywatch – Here, Fast X begins 10 years in the past making it the end of Fast Five which was the one that found Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel), and his impromptu family pulling off a heist against Brazilian drug lord Hernan Reyes (Joaquin de Almeida). Turns out Reyes had a son, Dante (Jason Momoa), who has spent the last decade growing up planning an extravagant scheme to avenge his father’s death. It also features a touching memory of how it all started including of course, the stunning Paul Walker and it truly was glory days being all about the cars. Now the “family” now possibly has more branches than Game of Thrones.

Fast X, directed by Louis Leterrier.

Similar to its predecessors in the lengthy franchise history, and its spin-offs, the benign plot is beside the point in contrast to the stunt-tastic CGI spectacles. This one is full of the usual cars action, but that’s what it’s all about – as let’s be real, no one is going to a Fast and Furious movie for the acting or the dialogue,and here is no different. There are points where the audience is laughing, but it’s more at the movie absolute ridiculous delivery of dialogue (yes, I’m looking directly at Vin Diesel here), than with it. The plot, quickly explained without spoilers, involves Dante going after the family. He lures Dom, his wife, Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), and their pals Roman (Tyrese Gibson), Tej (Chris “Ludacris” Bridges), Han (Sung Kang), and Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel) to Rome, where a bomb goes off right outside the Vatican. The explosion gets pinned on them, forcing them to split up in different directions and go into hiding. Meanwhile, Dante has set his eyes on revenge with Dom and Letty’s son, Little Brian (Leo Abelo Perry), who goes on the run with Uncle Jakob (John Cena). Yep, you got it, it’s all over the place.

Back also is Mr. Nobody’s daughter Tess (Brie Larson), trying to spring Letty from a blacksite prison, where she’s being held alongside none other than ruthless cyber-terrorist Cipher (Charlize Theron), who isn’t the villian in this one. Little Nobody (Scott Eastman) is here as well; Diogo (Luis Da Silva Jr.) also as quick cameos from Queenie (Helen Mirren), Mia (Jordana Brewster), Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), and of course, Shaw (Jason Stathom). It’s like they threw everyone and then the kitchen sink in for good measure. But wait, we aren’t done – Abuelita (Rita Moreno), is also here for a quick family scene (you thought I was joking about more family sides than GOT), Bowie (Pete Davidson – yes, Pete Davidson is in it), and adding in some new supporting role faces with one of the better characters here, Aimes (Alan Ritchson), and Isabel (Daniela Melchior), a Brazilian street racer.

Jason Momoa as Dante in Fast X, directed by Louis Leterrier.

The film takes you from Los Angeles, to London, to Brazil to Rome and location-wise, it’s all done fairly well. The biggest addition by far is Jason Momoa, as he takes what would usually be just another running on fumes ending – channels his inner Jack Nicholson, and blasts this villain role right out of the full ham sandwich, flamboyant sociopathic park. He brings this whole film up a plus level grade all on his own and makes it worth the watch. The film pretty much ends telling you what to expect next and even though they claimed this is the last of the Fast & Furious many, many incarnations – it will most likely go on for many years to come in various forms. Lastly, a little bit of a surprise plot twist at the end – a surprise guest star as well, to wrap it all up, though not as neatly as one would think.

As usual..stay for the credits.

Grade: C+

Follow me on twitter: @pegsatthemovies or Instagram: Peggyatthemovies

“FAST X” FROM UNIVERSAL PICTURES IS OUT IN THEATERS FRIDAY, MAY 19, 2023

Review Screening: Monday, May 15, 2023 ~ Courtesy of Universal Pictures

Comedy, Movie Reviews, Movies, Rom-Com

REVIEW: “I WANT YOU BACK” (2022) Amazon Studios

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Have you ever found yourself in a movie where the surprise of how good it is actually stuns you? Well colour me that person with this wonderful little surprise from director Jason Orley and writers Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger, with Prime Videos exclusive upcoming release of “I WANT YOU BACK.” It took the rom com cynic in me and turned it upside down and inside out, with this wonderful little switch-a-roo of taking the norms of the genre and well, not just changing them, but owning them and so much more.

It all starts with a little bit less than stellar opening for the first 10 minutes or so, with Emma (Jenny Slate), whose boyfriend Noah (Scott Eastwood), is breaking up with her. All the while Peter (Charlie Day), girlfriend Anne (Gina Rodriguez), is doing the same with him by citing the fact that even though she’s a teacher, she somehow thinks he’s holding her back from her non-existent acting career and life as a worldwide traveler. From there, the two recently dumped strangers stumble upon each other’s breakup anguish in, of all places, the stairwell of the office building where they both work. Terrified at the prospect that, in their 30s they have lost their last shot at love, they each seek some solace in each other and together hatch a desperate plot to win back their ex’s, which ends up turning into a mission to help each other con their respective exes back into their lives. Emma agrees to seduce Peter’s ex Anne’s new boyfriend high school drama teacher Logan (Manny Jacinto), and Peter agrees to become Emma’s ex Noah’s best buddy to distract him from his new pie shop owner girlfriend Ginny (Clark Backo), each in an effort to sabotage their new relationships and remind them of what they’re missing. It’s a setup that can defeat all logic, but as well sets up a classic movie that is a lot funnier than the majority of its counterparts. But what makes it so perfect is everything that happens along the way and boy does a lot happen.

I WANT YOU BACK

Honestly, it’s the fun of watching moments like Emma telling Peter he’s more of a ‘slow-burn attraction’ highlights just one of the many moments of fun in this film that after it’s slightly bumpy beginning that had me wrapped up in it’s palm, in no time at all. Until now, I did not realize that what has been missing from my life is Slate’s character Emma, playing homage to “Little Shop of Horrors” as just one of many hilarious moments in a film packed wall-to-wall with laugh out loud comedy moments. One of complete delights of these moments is when seventh grader Trevor (Luke David Blumm), who is only working on the school’s play to cut some detention points off, becomes friends with Emma, but never in a creepy way, but in like a “I don’t know what platonic means, but you’re my girlfriend now” hysterically funny, but also sweet way.

But it’s truly the chemistry between Charlie Day and the wonderful Jenny Slate that does everything for this movie and when I say everything… I mean EVERYTHING. They are wonderful together and make every little twist believable, laughable or emotionable. The entirety of this supporting cast is so spot on, diverse and wonderful. And I would be remiss to not mention some keep-your-eye-out-for-them-cameos, that will just make you love this movie till it’s very end.

So honestly, take it from a rom-com cynic, this movie will de-ice your heart, make you laugh and maybe…just maybe, you and me both will find our ‘plane mask buddy’.

Grade: B

Follow me on twitter: @pegsatthemovies or Instagram: Peggyatthemovies

Review Screening ~ Courtesy of Ginsberg/Libby PR

“I WANT YOU BACK” premieres exclusively on Prime Video Friday, February 11, 2022