Jurassic World Rebirth in IMAX

Jurassic World Rebirth in IMAX

The Dinosaurs are back once again! It’s been 3 years since the last installment “Jurassic World Dominion” which was supposed to be the Epic conclusion, but here we are 3 years later with “Rebirth”. 

A team of Scientists who are Dinosaur Enthusiasts decide they should travel to a forbidden island near the Equator and try to retrieve DNA samples. It is believed that the Dinosaur DNA may hold the key to a drug that will bring miraculous life-saving benefits to humankind. Their trip starts out perfectly fine, but once they get closer to the forbidden island near the Equator the reasons they should not go rise up literally.

From that point on its every person for him or herself. The Dinosaurs do not like humans and they have good reasons not to because 18 years prior there was a complete facility on the forbidden island that was performing experiments with DNA testing and incubating new “Designer Breeds” of Dinosaurs.

There are Dinosaurs that can swim, fly, walk, crawl, dive and they are highly intelligent making it extremely difficult for the humans who are invading their territory. The story unfolds from there…

There are a few interesting scenes and I found myself to be rooting for the Dinosaurs briefly as I wanted one of the Scientist to meet his demise. I was not disappointed in that regard…

There is great cinematography and lots of suspense, but beyond that, the movie is dry and a bit boring. I found myself checking my watch several times. That is not a good sign. The IMAX aspects are NON-Existent…

If you have seen any of the previous installments, you will notice that in this installment there is an attempt to get back to its roots, but it falls a bit short. The Jurassic World installments that have come after the 2018 installment Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom miss the mark that the 1993, 1997 and 2001 Jurassic Park installments bring to the table. I have seen all of the installments and beyond the 2015 Jurassic World my ratings have not been any higher than 2 1/2 stars.

The trailers for this movie are great and that’s the best part. 

If you are a fan of the Jurassic Franchise, then Jurassic World Rebirth is a must see, otherwise wait to stream it

This is a 2 ½ Star Movie!!

F1: The Movie in IMAX

F1: The Movie in IMAX

Wow! It’s been a while since I have seen a movie starring Brad Pitt.  

Brad Pitt comes to us as Sonny Hayes FORMULA 1’s most promising Phenom of the 1990’s. But an accident on the track nearly ended his career.

Fast forward 30 years and Sonny is a Nomad Race-for-Hire moving from event to event living out of a Van. Soon he is approached by his former teammate Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem) who is an owner of a struggling FORUMLA 1 team. Ruben convinces Sonny he should come join his team for one last shot at saving his career, helping the team and winning big. Sonny is informed that he would be driving alongside Joshua Pearce (Damon Idris) who is the team’s hotshot rookie, intent on setting his own pace. 

As the engines start to roar Sonny’s past catches up with him. He learns that in FORMULA 1 your teammate is your fiercest competition. The story unfolds from there…

If you are a fan of FORUMLA 1 Car Racing events, this is a must see. The movie is very authentic. The race cars are super cool and the sponsor names you see are real.

There is great cinematography and the IMAX aspects are awesome. You will feel like you are in the race cars on the track. 

The running time of the movie is a bit long. There were a few dead spots. All in all, the movie is worth the ticket. I really enjoyed seeing Javier Bardem. He was awesome in his role. Damson Idris as the hot shot Rookie Joshua Pearce is easy on the eyes.

This is a 4 Star Movie!!

Ballerina

Ballerina

From the World of John Wick comes a new installment that introduces and focuses on a new Assassin in training known as “Ballerina”.

After watching her father fight for his life, but ultimately is killed, Eve (Ballerina) is thrust into the world of a Ballerina or so she thought… 

Once Eve finds her footing figuratively and literally, she is sent out on a few “training” missions that ultimately prepare her for her ultimate challenge… Kill the Man who killed her father. The story unfolds from there…

Once out of training Eve (Ballerina) is a BAD ASS!!  

The action is brutal and bloody, but is non-stop. The stunts are spectacular. The suspense is “Edge of Your Seat”. 

The world of Assassins is a bit amazing as they carry on without Police interference. The story and plot are fresh and some parts are a bit familiar.

I am excited to see where this goes as the door is open. I expect another installment sometime in the future.

If you are a fan of the John Wick Franchise, “Ballerina” should not be missed.

This is a 4 Star Movie!!

Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning in IMAX

Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning in IMAX

We have waited 2 years for this mission to continue and it does not disappoint.

This installment not only picks up where its predecessor leaves off, but also incorporates parts of all previous missions starting with the 1st Mission Impossible from May 22, 1996. 

This installment is HUGE on Action, the Plot, Intrigue and Running Time. It’s “Edge of Your Seat, Nail-Biting, Heart-Racing Suspenseful.” The IMAX aspects are Awesome!! You will feel like you are involved in every action scene. The Cinematography is astounding. 

Also, great casting with Angela Bassett as Madam President. She does not disappoint.

This is definitely The Final Reckoning with a sentimental send off for Ethan Hunt with a dramatic flair for the Impossible. 

Tom Cruise says it best, “Our Lives are the Sum of Our Choices”.

If you did not see the very first installment, I would advise taking a look. There are many references / flashbacks to that 1st Mission (known as M:1), along with all of the other Missions.

Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning should not be missed.

This is a 4 Star Movie!!

Thunderbolts in AMC Dolby

Thunderbolts in AMC Dolby

The Marvel Universe goes back to its roots of true Adventure. “Thunderbolts” is an assembly of underdogs who constantly insist they are not Super-Heros.

The team find themselves in a death trap that was set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Dreyfus).

To free themselves they must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to each confront the darkest corners of their pasts. The team struggles with either tearing themselves apart or finding redemption and uniting for the better good. The story unfolds from there…

The story is very heavy. There is a lot of action, but not as much as I would have liked. There is some intrigue, but not a lot. The story at times is confusing because there are so many alternate paths that get dipped into briefly. You really have to pay attention or you will be more confused. 

There is a lot of uncertainty around whether you can consider this a comic book superhero story. You are somehow led to believe that “The Thunderbolts” are the team that came before The Avengers.

I am disappointed that there wasn’t more action, but that does not diminish the fact that the movie was executed very well. The Dolby / IMAX aspects are very good. The cinematography is excellent.

If you are a Marvel Universe Fan, You should check out “Thunderbolts”. 

This is a 4 Star Move!!

The Amateur

The Amateur

Charlie Heller (Rami Malek) is a brilliant, but deeply introverted decoder for the CIA. He works out of a Basement Office at headquarters in Langley. Charlie’s world is turned upside down when his wife is killed in a London Terrorist Attack. When his supervisors refuse to take action, Charlie decides to take matters into his own hands and go after his wife’s killers himself, embarking on a dangerous trek across the globe to track down those responsible, his intelligence serving as the ultimate weapon for eluding his pursuers and achieving his revenge. The story unfolds from there… 

Rami Malek portrayal of a “Nerdy CIA Operative” is very compelling. He comes across very well. 

The movie has tons of intrigue, suspense and lots of twists and turns. There is good action without a lot of blood. There are a few dead spots, but overall once it gets going, “The Amateur” provides edge of your seat entertainment.

“The Amateur” is a Good Spy Thriller that falls a bit short of greatness. It’s definitely worth a look.

This is a 3 ½ Star Movie!!

A Working Man in AMC Dolby

A Working Man in AMC Dolby

This is the fourth of 4 Movie Reviews that I promised would post before March 31st.

Levon Cade (Jason Statham) left behind a decorated military career in the black ops to live a simple life working construction. But when his boss’s daughter, who is like family to him, is taken by human traffickers, his search to bring her home uncovers a world of corruption far greater than he ever could have imagined. The story unfolds from there…

Plain and Simple… This is Vintage Jason Statham. He kicks Butt and takes Names later. There’s tons of Action, Butt-Kicking Violence and some intrigue. There are a few moments where the movie drags a bit, but other than that it’s Edge of Your Seat Action.

The Director David Ayer obviously knows what audiences want from a Jason Statham Action Thriller. He keeps it coming in Spades. BTW… The Screenwriter is none other than Sylvester Stallone. Bravo to Him!! 

For Die-hard Jason Statham Fans, “A Working Man” is definitely worth a look.

This is a 4 Star Movie!!

Disney’s Snow White in AMC Dolby

Disney’s Snow White in AMC Dolby

This is the third of potentially 4 Movie Reviews that I will post before March 31st.

Disney comes to us with another Live-Action/Musical Production of their classic film from 1937, Snow White.

This Live Action / Musical Version of the Classic is not as bad as the paid critics stated. The movie is a bit flat in some areas and some of the characters seem a bit flat and not as engaging or entertaining as you would expect in a movie like Snow White. The best character in the movie is Snow White who is played by Rachel Zegler, The Seven Dwarfs were cute and funny. I wanted to see the movie because Actress Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman) plays the Evil Queen. I really like her as an actress and was excited to learn she was in the movie. I felt she was a bit flat in her role. I was hoping for a bit more from her.

The cinematography and special effects were very nice. The Costumes were definitely on point.

For Die-Hard Disney Fans this Rendition of “Snow White” is worth a look. Otherwise, you can wait for it to come out in Pay-Per-View or Stream it.

This is a 3 Star Movie!!

Captain America: Brave New World in IMAX

Captain America: Brave New World in IMAX

Anthony Mackie returns as the high-flying hero Sam Wilson who officially takes the mantle of Captain America and runs with it.

It’s a new day and a new President of the United States has been elected.

Captain America meets with the newly elected President, Thaddeus Ross. After the meeting, Sam finds himself in the middle of an International Incident. He must find out what the reason behind this nefarious global plot is before substantial lives are lost and the mastermind behind the plot has everyone seeing RED. The story unfolds from there…

This installment starts off ok, but then somewhere in the middle it tanks badly. I feel this is because of the lack of backstory related to the supposed plot. The story pieces don’t come together until close to the end.

You will be dazzled by the action, special effects and the cinematography. This Captain America has more artillery at his disposal along with a handsome sidekick.

The door was left open and there will be more installments with this new Captain America. This installment is a catalyst for the Hulk. I feel that Anthony Mackie did an excellent job with what was given to him. He is as adept with words as he is with his fists.

The IMAX Aspects are very good as well.

If you are a Marvel Universe Fan, then by all means do see “Captain America: Brave New World”

This is a 3 ½ Star Movie!!

Mufasa: The Lion King in IMAX

Mufasa: The Lion King in IMAX

In this installment, “Mufasa: The Lion King” enlists Rafiki to relay the legend of Mufasa to a young lion cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala, with Timon and Pumbaa lending their signature commentary along the way. 

The story is told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka–the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny. Their bonds will be tested as they work together to evade a threatening and deadly foe of White Lions. The story unfolds from there…

This is a decent prequel and the younger set will be entertained, but this installment would have been better served if shown as a fully animated movie. The photorealistic animation style was ill-served. The IMAX aspects were very good.

A nice tribute to the late James Earl Jones who has loaned his voice to “The Lion King” Franchise.

This is a 3 Star Movie!!