‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’ Movie Review

The Harry Potter film series is truly a world unto itself. Between being both a box office sensation and a franchise that has spawned toys, books and even a theme park. After the release of ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them‘ in 2016 and that film’s commercial and critical success, a new series of movies was a given. ‘The Crimes of Grindelwald‘ picks up where the first film left off with Gellert Grindelwald being transferred from New York to London. Obviously he escapes and from there… the plot gets complicated, to say the least. All of the familiar faces from the original are back: Eddie Redmayne reprises the role of lovable Hufflepuff alum and Magizoologist Newt Scamander. Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller & Johnny Depp also return for the sequel along with newcomers Jude Law as a young Albus Dumbledore, Callum Turner as Newt’s brother Theseus and Claudia Kim as Nagini. Sadly, despite the best efforts of a talented and illustrious cast, this is one sequel that falls woefully short of the mark.

The problems mainly lay in a convoluted plot that seems to be scattershot at best and downright jumbled at worst. It is devoid of the nostalgic charm & whimsy of the original film and it’s only in the passing references and nods made toward the Harry Potter world we all have come to love that make it sufficiently interesting for the viewer to slog through to the rather lackluster climax. As stated earlier, the actors are first rate and seem to not only embrace their respective roles, but also relish in them as the movie advances. In the end, I feel like I am getting a product that only serves as a step towards the next film, which in my opinion, is a waste of a film. Subplots are waved away with ham-handed carelessness and Harry Potter canon is changed in an eyebrow raising manner. Were I not such a fan of this universe in which I have been immersed now for nearly 20 years, this movie might have caused me to write it off and be done. My only hope is that the next film in the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ series provides some degree of payoff from this shambles. For the sake of the actors involved and for the fans who are invested in the happenings of the greater Potter world, the 3rd entry needs to do some major damage control right off the bat. Due to the reasons listed above, I am only able to “Accio” my way to give ‘The Crimes of Grindelwald’ a muggling score of 4 out of 10. There isn’t enough magic out there to get me to wade through a 2nd viewing of this one, Friends.

‘Overlord’ Movie Review

‘Overlord’ (2018)
Bad Robot & Paramount Pictures

Directed by: Julius Avery
Written by: Billy Ray & Mark L. Smith
Starring: Jovan Adepo, Wyatt Russell, Mathilde Ollivier, Pilou Asbaek, John Magaro, Iain De Caestecker & Bokeem Woodbine

Some movies are exactly what you expect based on the previews you see. ‘American Pie‘ always springs to mind for me because if you saw the previews, then you basically saw the movie. Then there are some movies that give you an idea of what you might be getting and then completely take you by surprise when you see the actual film. For me, ‘Overlord‘ definitely falls into this second category. Based upon the previews I kept seeing, I thought I’d be getting a “Wolfenstein” style, World War II era zombie flick. This movie had all that and then some. The story follows a group of American soldiers who drop behind enemy lines in Nazi occupied France in order to knock out a radio tower to give the D-Day forces a better chance of victory the next morning when they attack. Their mission is further complicated when they find that the Nazis are using the townspeople in some ghastly genetic experiments. Now they must not only complete their primary objective, but also save their new friends from becoming horrifyingly mutated agents of the Third Reich.

The only actors who I immediately recognized from the cast were Bokeem Woodbine & John Magaro & Iain De Caestecker but everyone in the film gave an outstanding performance. The setting and atmosphere of the film permeated the theater and I found myself on the edge of my seat throughout. There is violence aplenty (it’s a WWII film so hopefully that comes as no surprise), a healthy dose of sci-fi gore and some heart-pounding scares all given in equal parts. Unfortunately, there were a few times early on when it tried to become too drama oriented and took me slightly out of the moment as a result. It was almost as if some scenes had been extended to lengthen the run time of the film which, at 1hr and 49min, I think could have been trimmed to make for a sleeker final product. The ending was satisfying with the door left just slightly cracked open for a sequel should the need arise. The plot is very simple and straightforward making this a great popcorn flick for those who are looking for an adrenaline-filled alternative to the normal “holiday movie” fare currently in theaters. Perhaps due to my low expectations going in but mainly due to the outstanding cast who all brought their A-game to their performances, I’m forced to bestow upon ‘Overlord’ a rank of 7.5 out of 10. If a theater near you is offering it in 3-D or IMAX, I can only imagine it would enhance the enjoyment of this movie. Drag a friend out to see it this weekend!!!

‘Instant Family’ Movie Review

‘Instant Family’ (2018)
Paramount Pictures

Directed by: Sean Anders
Written by: Sean Anders & John Morris
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Rose Byrne, Isabela Moner, Gustavo Quiroz, Julianna Gamiz, Octavia Spencer & Tig Notaro.

Normally, I’d feel bad for any movie opening on the same weekend as a behemoth such as the sequel to ‘Fantastic Beasts‘, but for my money ‘Instant Family‘ may be a film that is an entity unto itself. It’s got a great story, exceptional cast, heart, humor and a great deal of fun. Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne star as Pete & Ellie, a couple who have a successful home flipping business and, at the peak of their career, decide that maybe they have something missing in their lives. Upon deciding to go through the adoption process, they are impressed by a 15 year old orphan named Lizzy (played by Isabela Moner). The catch is that she comes with a little brother and sister as well. So now, with a sudden influx of 3 children at once, their once normal routine gets turned completely upside down. Hilarity and heart-warming moments ensue from there in rapid succession.

The director and co-writer of this film, Sean Anders, is mostly known for his screwball comedies like the ‘Daddy’s Home‘ films and ‘Horrible Bosses 2‘. He outdoes himself on this movie with perfectly intermingling humor and heart in a substantial manner. The story is based partly on his own experience with adoption and the results are a truly wonderful film that finds its footing quickly and maintains a perfectly seamless balance between laughs and love. Had it been a PG rating instead of a PG-13 (and it’s a pretty hard PG-13), I’d say it’s great for the whole family, but the language and a few of the situations may not be suitable for small children. Use your best judgment when deciding. With that being the only minor issue I had with the movie, I’d say that ‘Instant Family’ adopts a solid 9 out of 10. If you don’t want to fight the crowds for the opening weekend of ‘The Crimes of Grindelwald‘, then ‘Instant Family’ is an excellent alternative that you will most definitely enjoy!!

‘The Nutcracker and the Four Realms’ Movie Review

‘The Nutcracker and the Four Realms’ (2018)
Walt Disney Pictures

Directed by: Lasse Hallström & Joe Johnston
Written by: Ashleigh Powell, E.T.A. Hoffmann & Marius Petipa
Starring: Mackenzie Foy, Morgan Freeman, Jayden Fowora-Knight, Keira Knightley, Helen Mirren, Eugenio Derbez, Richard E. Grant & Matthew Macfadyen

As the holiday season approaches, Walt Disney brings us a big screen adaptation of the beloved story of “The Nutcracker.” At a brisk 99 minute pace and amid a flurry of the classical music and glorious spectacle, ‘The Nutcracker and the Four Realms‘ makes itself an instant classic. Those familiar with the tale know that Clara is presented with a nutcracker soldier as a Christmas gift by her godfather Drosselmeyer. She falls asleep and finds that the Nutcracker has come to life! She is magically transported to the Land of the Sweets and fights against the Mouse King. This film contains many of those elements, but presents them in a completely different way so that even people who know the story will be pleasantly surprised.

In this story, Clara attends a party at her godfather Drosselmeyer’s home and, while searching for her Christmas gift, finds her way to a magical realm and is escorted to a large castle by The Nutcracker. There she meets Hawthorne, Shiver & Sugar Plum who are from 3 of the 4 realms. The fourth realm is controlled by Mother Ginger & The MOuse King who, according to the others, seeks to rule all of the realms now that Clara’s mother (who was the Queen) has died. Tchaikovsky‘s classic score resonates throughout the movie and the film itself is equal parts ‘Narnia‘ and ‘Wizard of Oz.’ The acting is solid from the entire cast with the standouts being, not surprisingly, Morgan Freeman as Drosselmeyer and Helen Mirren as Mother Ginger. Mackenzie Foy and Jayden Fowora-Knight as Clara and The Nutcracker, respectively, were also very good in their roles. What I enjoyed the most was the change-up of the story and giving us a fresh take on a well-known and beloved tale. I found the final battle to be slightly anti-climatic, but it didn’t ruin my enjoyment of this otherwise stunning film. This is a great movie for the whole family and one that will be a perfect fit for the holiday box office! On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d give ‘The Nutcracker and the Four Realms’ a royally solid 8. Get your tickets this weekend at a theater near you!