Kong: Skull Island

Directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts

Starring Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman, Brie Larson, Jason Mitchell, and John C. Reilly.

Backstory

When they first announced Kong: Skull Island, my interest was only mild.  I mean, with Peter Jackson’s version just 10 years old, did we really need another King Kong reboot so soon?  But then came word that the production company, Legendary Pictures, got permission to mash it up with another of their films, the 2014 reboot of Godzilla, and give us a giant monster cinematic universe, officially dubbed “the MonsterVerse.”  My interest was escalated.  And with enough Scene points to see a movie for free, why not check out Kong: Skull Island?

Plot

The year is 1973.  The Americans are beginning to pull out of Vietnam.  Thanks to new and experimental satellite photographs, they mythical “Skull Island” has been discovered, and an expedition put together to explore it.  On our expedition is James Conrad, an ace tracker, Mason Weaver, a photojournalist who suspects it might be a military operation, Colonel Preston Packard, commander of their military escort, and government official Bill Randa, who has his own motives.  When they arrive on the island and being their aerial survey, their helicopters are smashed out of the sky by Kong, a giant ape.  Now, trapped on this island populated by monsters of all kinds, our heroes must fight to survive.  Some believe Kong to be a threat, and that me must be destroyed.  But others, like castaway Hank Marlow who’s been trapped on the island since World War II, says Kong protects them from the real threat.  Soon, lines are drawn.  Is Kong friend or foe?  And what are these other threats?  Will our heroes ever make it home?

What I Liked

My problem with giant monster movies is they always seem to have trouble coming up with interesting things for the humans to do.  But here, we’ve got some pretty good characters.  The standouts to me were Samuel L. Jackson as Packard, who grows more and more obsessed with bringing down Kong to avenge his dead troops, and John C. Reilly as Marlow, our castaway who has gone just a little bit loopy from his time on the island.  Throw in some great special effects and some wonderful giant monster fights, and it all adds up to a pretty good time.

What I Didn’t Like

Meh.  It follows the same general “lost world” formula that’s been followed ever since the original King Kong in 1933.  So you kind of know where things are going.

Final Verdict

A thoroughly entertaining giant monster outing.  Bring on the MonsterVerse!

3 Nibs

Power Rangers

Directed by Dean Israelite

Starring Dacre Montgomery, Naomi Scott, RJ Cyler, Becky G, Ludi Lin, Bryan Cranston, Elizabeth Banks, and Bill Hader.

Backstory

Yay, childhood nostalgia!  Well, actually, Power Rangers came along in my awkward teen years so…yay, awkward teen years nostalgia!  With superheroes dominating the box office and 1990s nostalgia starting to gear up, I’m not surprised it didn’t take long for the gritty reboot of Power Rangers to hit the big screen.  And the trailers delighted me.  As I’ve been joking on social media, I haven’t seen Power Rangers taken this seriously since the fanfic I wrote in high school.  I was genuinely surprised at how excited I was getting for it as opening day came around.  So, there I was on opening day.  How does the gritty Power Rangers go?

Plot

Jason is the star player on the Angel Grove High School football team.  Until a senior prank goes horribly wrong, he’s in a traffic accident, placed under house arrest, and forced to go to Saturday detention.  There, he meets Billy, an autistic kid who accidentally built a bomb in his lunchbox, and Kimberly, a former star cheerleader who knocked the teeth out of the quarterback.  Sneaking out one night, they run into a couple of kids from the wrong side of the tracks:  Zack and Trini.  During their adventure, they discover some mysterious, glowing coins the imbue them with enhanced strength and stamina.  The coins soon lead them to a buried spaceship and Zordon.  Zordon explains that the coins have chosen them to become the next in a long line of Power Rangers — intergalactic warriors sworn to protect all life.  But they must master their powers quickly, for the ancient evil that is Rita Repulsa has also been awakened.  Will they master their powers in time and defeat Rita?  Will they be able to become the Power Rangers?

What I Liked

Elizabeth Banks as Rita is fantastic.  We don’t get a lot of…deliciously evil villains these days.  And Banks’s Rita is deliciously evil.  And I might have joked about my high school fanfic, but damn it, there is a scene that is straight out of my high school fanfic and it made me giddy to see it on the big screen.  There’s lots of great Power Rangers Easter eggs, but the best one has to be how the entire third act follows the formula of a typical episode.  Which leads me to….

What I Didn’t Like

We really don’t see our heroes suit up until the start of the third act, so a lot of the film is our heroes working through their teen angst so they can fully embrace their powers.  Eventually, you  start looking at your watch just waiting for the colorful suits to show up.  And as superhero films go, it really is a rather cliched and formulaic origin tale.

Final Verdict

All talk talk talk and franchise set-up until it turns into the biggest budgeted episode you’ve ever seen.  As nostalgia-fests go, it left me pretty happy.

3 Nibs

Logan

Directed by James Mangold

Starring Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Boyd Holbrook, Stephan Merchant, Richard E. Grant, and introducing Dafne Keen

Backstory

Well, here we are.  After 17 years and 9 films, Hugh Jackman has chosen to hang up the adamantium claws and retire from playing Wolverine.  And what better way to go out on than in a story loosely based on Wolverine’s last ride in the comics, Old Man Logan?  And with Deadpool opening the door for R-rated superhero films, finally we can get all the blood and gore associated with a hero who’s main power is knives coming out of his hands.  Is Jackman’s send-off a great finale?

Plot

It’s many years in the future.  No mutants have been born in years, and it looks like their kind is dying off.  Logan makes a meager living as a limo driver.  His healing factor isn’t what it used to be, as he now takes longer to heal and it can leave nasty scars.  He cares for an ailing Professor Charles Xavier, who is now prone to seizures.  And being the world’s most powerful telepath, his seizures can take out dozens.  And then a mysterious little girl named Laura is thrown into his life.  Laura seems to have powers just like Logan’s…complete with adamantium claws.  Before long, Logan, Laura, and Charles are off on one last road trip, to get Laura to safe haven, and protect her from the dark forces in pursuit.  Will Logan survive this final journey?

What I Liked

There are stellar performances all around.  Jackman gives it his all in his final show as Logan.  This is a Logan who’s very much near the end and is just trying to do right before it’s all over.  Stewart is also good as Xavier, again, as a man who has become very broken by life.  I also like the music and the overall look of the film.  It’s got a very 1970s vibe to it, which is cool.

What I Didn’t Like

We really don’t get to know who the villain is and his plot until the literal final moments of the film, so it would have been  nice if we got to know him better.  And as good as that R-rating is for pushing the violence, it does get somewhat gratuitous at times.

Final Verdict

May have felt my lower lip quiver a little bit as the end, as we said good-bye to Wolverine.  A fitting end for the character.

3.5 Nibs