Last Witch Hunter

Actors: Vin Diesel, Rose Leslie, Elijah Wood, Michael Caine, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson,Julie Engelbrecht

Rating: 8 out of 10, I liked this a lot better on my second viewing. Vin Diesel smirks his way through as an immortal hunter of magically endowed broom riders and is the only redeeming aspect to the film, well he and the odd Wilding, red headed witch. Michael Caine is only around for a couple scenes before sleeping off the rest of the plot. There are some good action scenes but the director then slows the momentum to a virtual standstill, for no appreciable reason. They obviously toned this down to achieve the PG rating. I think it would have made a kick ass R rated action movie, but we’ll never know. Frodo’s around looking decidedly less dangerous than the 90 year old Caine and Walter Mitty’s drunk helicopter pilot is appropriately scary. They were definitely aiming at a series of movies with this character – I think that hope died with the release of this. It’s a shame because Diesel has screen presence to spare and totally inhabited the 800 year old hunter.

MVP: Vin Diesel as Kaulder the immortal hunter

Spectre

Actors: Daniel Craig, Christophe Waltz, Lea Sedoux, Ralph Fiennes, Monica Bellucci, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, Dave Bautista, Andrew Scott

Rating: 8 out of 10, I’d heard dire things about Spectre but I really enjoyed this latest 007 outing. When I heard Sam Mendes was directing Skyfall I was concerned he would go all artsy and abandon the time tested Bond formula for success. I was wrong as Skyfall was fantastic. He was apparently emboldened by his success there because there were several elements to Spectre which I found annoying. One of the signature aspects of a Bond film are the exotic locales but Mendes had the background out of focus. A lot of the movie was out of focus and blurry – I assumed intentionally. He also used one of the most irritating techniques in modern filmmaking (something I thought was abandoned in the 1980s) – using dust rising from most interior scenes. All this being said and the complete lack of chemistry between Bond and the leading lady I really liked the movie. A fantastic opening sequence in Mexico was followed with an engaging plot as Bond walked the clues back to head of a secret organization bent on world domination. Along the way there were constant odes to prior incarnations of 007 ranging as far back as Dr. No and From Russia with Love to more modern versions. I’m kind of a nut about James Bond so I relished this aspect. The more I thought of it though is seemed like a sendoff salute. I’ve heard rumors that Daniel Craig is giving up his Walther but I hope Bond will return.

MVP: Craig in maybe his last outing as Sir James

The Intern

Actors: Robert De Niro, Anne Hathaway, Rene Russo, Anders Holm, Andrew Rannells, Adam DeVine, Christina Scherer, Zack Pearlman

Rating: 9 out of 10, I really liked this precisely because it didn’t go for the big reveal or major plot twist. It stars Robert Deniro as a retired successful businessman who signs on as an intern for an internet based company run by a driven young women played by Anne Hathaway. New York City also stars as the location for the collision between baby boomer and millennial cultures. Of course, I log in on the Deniro side of the ledger, agewise, as this was reminiscent of the earlier times when crowds of friends of either my son or daughter descended on the house. Deniro and Hathaway are so good in this, both likable and chewing serious scenery. The middle of the film struggles a little, gets a bit episodic, but I liked the message of both generations contributing to growth on many levels. I may be a bit prejudiced about Hathaway as she looks so much like my daughter but this was an easy movie to like; a nice departure from my usual CGI explosions and blood splattering. The jokes were funny, the plot sincere, and it felt like hanging out with friends.

MVP: Deniro, who else, as the aging but wise intern

Vacation

Actors: Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Skyler Gisondo, Steele Stebbins, Leslie Mann, Chris Hemsworth, Beverly D'Angelo, Chevy Chase.

Rating: 7 out of 10, Every bit as gross and puerile as promised – and also very funny. My wife laughed almost continuously and as we were leaving said she didn’t like the movie. When I asked her why she was laughing so hard she said it was funny but “so stupid”. I said that’s the point. That’s an apt description of the entire series of Vacation movies – the humor is gross but undeniable. There were several nods to the earlier films – often with very funny sudden turns – such as the fate of the beautiful woman in the hot car. This movie has the next generation of the Griswold clan taking to the road. Clark’s son Rusty (Ed Helms) is now the accident prone but loving dad with kids unappreciative of the majesty of the family vacation. Helms is funnier than Chevy Chase was in the original but the movie plays more like a series of skits. We follow the Griswold family across country in their Albanian rental car where they encounter a cesspool swim, a well-endowed brother in law, a cannibalistic steer, and maniacal truck driver. Leslie Mann is completely underused as the now grown sister but there’s an endless parade of cameos that contribute to the fun. It doesn’t help that both of the kids are more insufferable than needed. An overblown zeppelin is called upon to reprise the role of Clark Griswold, the billing said it was Chevy Chase but I’m not so sure. So, not a film to revel in thespian excellence but pretty damned funny.

MVP: Helms as Rusty, the capable Griswold heir apparent

San Andreas

Actors: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario, Ioan Gruffudd, Archie Panjabi, Paul Giamatti, Hugo Johnstone-Burt, Art Parkinson, Will Yun Lee, Kylie Minogue.

Rating: 8 out of 10, It’s your typical summer popcorn disaster opus with the Rock rescuing everyone in sight as California is rocked by the mother of all earthquakes and tidal waves. Film technology has progressed to the point that the disaster scenes are all too realistic, especially when my daughter lives in L.A. You have to park your sensibility at the door for this type disaster flick which delivers on all expected fronts although the Rock shouldn’t waste so much time trying to put his marriage back together as skyscrapers are falling around him. One “message” from the film seemed to be that survival is predicated on ample cleavage, which Carla Gugino and Alexandra Daddario amply deliver. So a lot of scary escapist fun as long as you don't go in expecting Shakespeare.

MVP: Daddario and her gravity defying tank top

Trainwreck

Actors: Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Tilda Swinton, Ezra Miller, Brie Larson, Colin Quinn, Vanessa Bayer, John Cena, LeBron James

Rating: 8 out of 10, One of the funniest things I’ve seen in a very long time. It’s hard to imagine finding fertile ground in the well-trod subject of girl meets boy but this film takes the traditional rom-com and turns it inside out and sixteen ways from Sunday. Amy Schumer is so funny in the title role as a New York gal with serious “issues” when it comes to men. The movie is stock full of fantastic cameos and supporting roles including another magnificent turn by Tilda Swinton (does she ever do anything bad?). Bill Hader also finally gets to emerge from his usual background roles to play the guy who may finally be right for Amy. There are too many laugh out loud moments to chronicle and while the film does limp a little to the finish line, that’s almost a relief after laughing continuously for nearly two hours straight.

MVP: Swinton because she’s incomparable as the boss

Lost Boundaries

Actors: Beatrice Pearson, Mel Ferrer (in his first starring role), Susan Douglas Rubes

Rating: 7 out of 10,
Based on a true story of a light skinned black doctor who passed himself off as white in the 1930’s and 40’s. The coolest aspect was the story was based on an actual doctor who plied in trade in none other than Keene, New Hampshire (my hometown) although it’s called Keeneham in the movie. There were a lot of connections as a close friend grew up in a house directly cross the street from the doctor and my mother worked with him at the local hospital. I’d heard the story many times but this was the first time I ever saw the picture which was fascinating. It was a brave picture for the times it was made even though white actors were used in the critical roles. It exposed the idiocy of race based character judgements. Racism never fares well when exposed to the light of day and while this movie didn’t make any strident arguments, the story was eloquent. MVP: Mel Ferrer in his first starring role as the doctor