A Reel Review: GODZILLA - KING OF THE MONSTERS

GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS may be the 35^thGodzilla movie we’ve seen since 1954, but in the current run it serves as the third film in a new series; a “monster-verse” that began in 2014 with GODZILLA and continued with KONG: SKULL ISLAND in 2017. The idea is to make movies setting up the existence of monsters and then more monsters…leading to a massive showdown where they all slug it out. 

One of the major complaints about the 2014 GODZILLA film is that the big guy barely showed up. Seemingly aware of this, director Michael Dougherty wastes no time as Godzilla appears in the first five seconds. KING OF THE MONSTERS begins just as the 2014 film is ending; with the climactic final battle in San Francisco which devastated the city and broke up a family or two. The film then jumps ahead a few years and an endless rollout of characters begins. We have Dr. Emma (Vera Farmiga), who is working on a device that can affect the rising pack of monsters (17 in all), her daughter Madison (Millie Bobby Brown), who is too smart for her own good, Dr. Mark Russell (Kyle Chandler), who is Emma’s estranged husband, Madison’s father, and an animal behavior expert. But wait, there’s more: Bradley Whitford shows up as an eccentric scientist, Sally Hawkins and Ken Watanabe reprise their roles from GODZILLA as more scientists who want to preserve Godzilla and his fellow monsters (or titans), David Strathairn as a Navy admiral who wants to nuke them all, Charles Dance as an environmental terrorist who wants to unleash all the sleeping titans on mankind to save the Earth (say what, now?), CCH Pounder as a Senator, and Joe Morton as (sigh), another scientist studying the titans. 

What does it all amount to? Many groups of humans running around the globe either trying to stop or aid the titans. One titan in particular is not like the others and is controlling them all for its own purposes, while Godzilla, who conveniently is un-affected by that control, is the only one who can put a stop to it. The humans in the meantime are busy betraying one another and shooting guns at themselves. It’s an overcomplicated plot with way too many characters that tend to slow down the story more than they help it along. 

As if the plot wasn’t clunky enough, the execution is worse. Mark is the only character that can figure out what’s going on or what to do, and the film just runs scene after scene of his group getting into trouble with him coming up with a brilliant idea to solve everything. It’s redundant, lazy, and un-inspired. An early twist that’s meant to surprise is more confusing than shocking, and the eco-terrorist’s plot to let the titans run loose on Earth makes no sense. 

If monsters are all that is wanted out of a Godzilla movie, then KING OF THE MONSTERS does deliver. There are plenty of titans to look at; plucked out of the long history of Godzilla films and their design is excellent. The fights are a CG headache, and too many of them take place in the goddamn dark so it’s frustrating to see what the hell is going on. Godzilla still vanishes from the movie way too often, and the attempt at building the mythology of the titans is meaningless. And any hopes of a monster-sized battle-royal are squashed as Godzilla only fights one stinking titan. 

On the technical side, the editing lacks any sort of pacing or urgency which adds to the dullness. The CG effects are great in some places, but obvious in others; definitely a case of quantity over quality. The scale of the film is huge as the story literally takes place all over the globe, and the many set-pieces work half the time. The score by Bear McCreary, which recycles old motifs from Godzilla’s history…is excellent. 

The cast gets shortchanged as all their characters are stock. The highlights belong to Millie Bobby Brown who is excellent in everything they make her do, and Bradley Whitford who seems to be channeling Dennis Hopper from the 1960’s. One talented actress is completely wasted as she’s in the film for 18 seconds before turning into a hot lunch. 

There is a fair amount of joy in seeing these classic monsters on the big screen again, and some of them are framed nicely, but the merits begin and end there. With lazy plotting, actions that make no sense, and fights that no can see…this lands with a monster-sized thud. And what’s even more annoying is that the film reminds us over and over that there’s one more titan out there for Godzilla to face, which makes all of this pointless. 

BOTTOM LINE: Fuck it 

A Reel Review: THE CHRISTMAS STORY House

Over this Memorial Day weekend 2019, this Blogger and his girlfriend had the opportunity to visit the epicenter of a cinematic cultural milestone; The Christmas Story House in Cleveland Ohio…the house which served as a filming location for the 1983 holiday classic, A CHRISTMAS STORY. The film, which was directed by Bob Clark and narrated by author Jean Shepherd, has become as elemental to the holiday season as much as Santa, and the house which served as a central location in the film has been refurbished and open year-round for tours. 

The modest house sits on a quiet street in the Tremont section of Cleveland’s west side, and if not for the signs around it, would blend right in the neighborhood. It was chosen by Clark and Shepherd for it’s look; this was in the early 80’s and they needed a home that looked like it belonged in the 1940’s…the year the film would be taking place. The story behind the discovery and acquisition of the house, as we would find out on the tour…is a story as good as any holiday yarn about a kid wanting a BB-gun. Clark and Shepherd actually found the house by accident after getting lost, and it was love at first sight. The owner was not at home, but they located him at the neighborhood bar and asked his permission to rent his home for 11 weeks for filming. The owner initially refused, but Clark and Shepherd bought the man many drinks…and the owner eventually agreed, took a nice paycheck, and a hotel room courtesy of the studio. 

Today, the house is one of four buildings dedicated to the film and the tour, a tour which actually starts across the street at the gift shop. Merchandising, merchandising is the name of the game here, as nearly every iconic item from the film; the leg lamp, decoder pin, pink bunny onesies, and even the famed Red Ryder BB gun…all up for sale. And this was just the tip of the iceberg as the shop was packed with beer glasses, scarves, neckties, and decorations all carrying the CHRISTMAS STORY spirit. 

The tour moves to the famed house, which was purchased and refurbished in 2004 to look exactly like the Parker family home in the film. Our tour guide was excellent; providing information that not even this Blogger was aware of. The whopper of info came early in the tour, when we learned that only 15% of the film was actually shot in the house due to space issues (the house is kinda small). Any shots in the film which the outside can be seen through a window or open door were filmed in the house, and anything else was on a sound stage in Toronto. Despite that myth-breaking fact, we still had a blast as were allowed to wander about the house freely; exploring the kitchen where Ralphie’s mom never had a hot meal, and even the bathroom where a boy can work in peace. The backyard has been restored to its original filming condition, and even the house of the Bumpus family, those sons-of-bitches with their endless smelly dogs…can be visited. 

The tour then moves back across the street to the museum, where props and costumes from the film now live. Everything from bully Scott Farkus’ cook-skin cap to the A+ blackboard…along with countless production photos. 

The last stop was a look at the fire engine from the parade, and the Old Man’s car that would freeze up on the equator. 

A CHRISTMAS STORY was not a financial or critical hit in 1983, but today it ranks as one of the best holiday films of all time. It has become a mainstay in our holidays and our culture, and seeing the house, props, costumes, and neighborhood street for real was a fun, and emotional experience that appeals to young and old. Dreams of pulling off spectacular hip-shots on a snowy Christmas morning never felt so real. 

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Find more information on the house HERE

Read Reel Speak’s blog on the 30^thanniversary of A CHRISTMAS STORY HERE 

A Reel 40: ALIEN

“It looks like a warning…”

This month marks the 40^thanniversary of Ridley Scott’s ALIEN. 

The 1970’s were a period of great change for cinema. In 1975, Steven Spielberg’s JAWS created the summer blockbuster as we know it today, and two years later, George Lucas unleashed STAR WARS on the world and altered the way movies were made forever. By the late 70’s, studios were screaming for more science fiction, and young filmmakers Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett jumped at the chance. They pitched an idea of “JAWS in space”, and ALIEN was on it way to theatres. 

The script by O’Bannon and Shushett drew inspiration from sci-fi classics such as THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD (1951), and FORBIDDEN PLANET (1956), and told the story of a crew of a commercial space tug who are re-routed to an unknown planet to discover a deadly alien life form. The early script was begun without a clear idea of what the alien look like or how it would operate, but O’Bannon drew inspiration from artist H.R. Giger, whom he had worked with on a previous attempt to bring the novel Dune to the big screen. Giger’s horrific artwork provided the basis for the creature which would get on board the ship by implanting an embryo into one of the crew.

The search for a director was on, and 20^thCentury Fox hired young director Ridley Scott to helm the project. Scott had impressed the studio with his debut feature THE DUELLISTS (1977), and believed that he would take the film seriously and not let it fall into B-movie territory. Scott created detailed storyboards for the film, and wanted to emphasize horror rather than fantasy; often describing it as “the TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE of science fiction”. 

With only seven human characters in the film, Scott looked to hire strong and seasoned performers. The crew was made up of older actors; Tom Skerritt (46), John Hurt (39), Ian Holm (48), Harry Dean Stanton (53), and Yaphet Kotto (42). Only Veronica Cartwright (30), and newcomer Sigourney Weaver (29), were in the typical age-range of the usual thriller cast. 

Filming began in July 1978 and lasted 14 weeks. Giger was maintained to provide designs for the derelict alien ship the crew discovers, and the alien itself. In filming the famous “chestburster” scene, in which the implanted alien embryo bursts out of the body of one of the crew, the actors on set had no idea that fake blood would be spurting everywhere…earning a genuine shocked reaction from the cast which made it into the final cut of the film. Another shock-twist comes late in the film in which one of the crew is revealed to be an android. Actor Bolaji Badejo would play the full-grown alien. Jerry Goldsmith provided the score. 

ALIEN was a hit with audiences, although critics were mixed as the industry was still not favorable towards science fiction…although years later it would be regarded as one of the best horror films of all time, and one of the best sci-fi movies ever made. It would win an Oscar for Best Visual Effects, and several other industry awards and nominations for Scott, Goldsmith, Weaver, and Cartwright. The film would have a cultural impact and would be referenced and parodied endlessly over the years, and would elevate sci-fi in the eyes of many as legit cinema. Sigourney Weaver would become an icon for female heroes in cinema; an influence that still can be seen today. 

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This Blogger was too young to see ALIEN in theatres in 1979, and didn’t discover it until years later when it ran on a brand-new thing for TV called HBO. The memories of the entire family jumping out of their seats when the chestburster arrives remain strong. Years later, the film can be appreciated for more than just its scares and twists. It really is JAWS in space, as humans battle an unknown monster who has the advantage. It’s classic in its telling, and the restrictions the crew has in their fight; nowhere to run to, and a creature that can’t be simply stabbed or shot…give the film a hopelessness for our heroes that makes for excellent drama and tension. Feminine power is a theme that hangs over the film, in both the design work and the characters, which was a mighty step forward in 1979. And it also worked as a thinking-man’s picture; the short scene in which the wrecked android expresses his admiration for the creature holds as one of the most thoughtful scenes in sci-fi. Today, ALIEN holds up very well, and looks like it could have been filmed today. It’s scary, beautiful, and serves as a mighty leap for two different genres of film. 

“Perfect organism…”

A Reel Opinion: The New Batman

There was a time when the most coveted lead role for a male actor was that of secret agent James Bond. Any news of a new 007 would instantly stop the presses and fire up a debate over the decision. Times have changed, and while a new Bond would certainly make headlines, these days the movies revolve around superheroes, and any casting news for caped crusaders, especially for one of the most popular ones of all time, is sure to stop those presses cold. 

Such news came just this week, when several media outlets reported that Robert Pattinson is in final talks to take over the role of Batman and Bruce Wayne, with his first appearance coming in the new Batman film, titled THE BATMAN. Pattinson would be the sixth actor to step under the cowl, and he takes over the role from Ben Affleck, who played the character in two feature films and one cameo from 2016-2017. Pattinson began his career as a teenage heartthrob when he appeared as the charming yet doomed Cedric Diggory in HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE in 2005. He then exploded into fame when he landed a lead role in the vampire series TWILIGHT which covered five films from 2008-2012. 

And it is because of his role in TWILIGHT that has Bat-fans in an uproar. Those sparkly vampire films have a great following, but they are also hated…and fans of the Bat want him nowhere near their beloved Batcave. TWILIGHT has been hung around Pattinson’s neck like an albatross, and it’s unfair as he has proven himself to be a very capable actor in recent years. He has made a new career on the indie and arthouse circuits, earning praise for his work in WATER FOR ELEPHANTS (2011), COSMOPOLIS (2012), THE ROVER (2014), THE LOST CITY OF Z (2016), and GOOD TIME (2017)…for which he was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. 

Pattinson’s acting is more-than up to the challenge. Besides the reactions coming from the un-educated and un-informed Bat-fans, another gripe against him is that he seems too young with a small stature. But the tale of the tape says different. Pattinson would actually be the second-youngest Batman at the time of his casting, and the second tallest: 

On paper Pattinson seems like he’d be fine. Most of us have an image of Bruce Wayne/Batman as older and rugged man; weary from the world and scarred from battle. It’s also fair to point out that casting is done on the basis of the vision for the character in a given movie, and Pattinson apparently fits the image they want. He’s capable, but this casting still feels just short of the home run that the troubled production of THE BATMAN really needed. This film was announced way back in 2015, with Affleck writing, directing, and starring. Affleck is now gone, having been replaced by Matt Reeves (DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES), in the directors chair. The films based on the DC Comics library of heroes have been all over the place in terms of quality, and they’ve had a fair share of casting disasters; Jessie Eisenberg as Lex Luthor and Jared Leto as Joker…to name a few. 

This is certainly not the first time a new Batman announcement was met with skepticism; Michael Keaton way back in 1989 heard the same thing, and today he is considered by many to be the definitive version. However, sometimes fans can be right; no one was thrilled about George Clooney taking over the role in 1997, and they were dead-right to be so. Reports say that Pattinson won the role over actors Armie Hammer (CALL ME BY YOUR NAME), and Nicholas Hoult (X-MEN, TOLKIEN). Fine actors, but this Blogger wishes that studios would take a chance on an unknown; like they did for Henry Cavill as Superman and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, with both of them reaching excellence in their roles. 

With THE BATMAN not slated for release until 2021, a lot can change between now and then. But for now, Robert Pattinson owns the most coveted role in Hollywood. 

A Reel 20: THE MUMMY

“This creature is the bringer of death…”

This month marks the 20^thanniversary of Stephen Sommers’ THE MUMMY. 

A loose remake of the 1932 version of the story of a cursed Egyptian priest who returns from the dead, Stephen Sommers’ THE MUMMY was a high-adventure inspired by the classic Hollywood films of old. Horror was traded in for fun and thrills, and while today remakes that try that approach often fail, for this version of the story it worked perfectly and makes the film one of the rare occasions where the remake surpasses the original. 

The journey to resurrect THE MUMMY goes back to 1992, when Universal Studios decided to update the original for modern audiences. Famed horror directors Clive Barker (HELLRAISER), and George A. Romero (NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD), worked on early versions, as did Joe Dante (THE HOWLING)…who wanted Daniel Day-Lewis as a brooding mummy. Wes Craven (A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET), was also considered to direct the project, which at this point was leaning towards a straight-up horror film with a low budget. 

The turning point came in 1997 when Stephen Sommers, who had directed Disney’s THE JUNGLE BOOK, came on board with a vision of THE MUMMY as a cross between Indiana Jones and JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS. Universal liked the idea and gave the go-ahead while increasing the budget. 

The inspired casting included Brandan Fraser as an American adventurer, Rachel Weisz as a clumsy but intelligent Egyptologist, Arnold Vosloo as Imhotep the resurrected mummy, and John Hannah as the bumbling brother to Weisz’s character. The rest of the cast included Kevin J. O’Connor, Oded Fehr, Erick Avari, Patricia Velasquez, Bernard Fox, and Jonathan Hyde. Filming took place in Morocco, the Sahara Desert, and the United Kingdom. The score was provided by famed composer Jerry Goldsmith of STAR TREK fame. Visual effects were accomplished by Industrial Light and Magic, which was experimenting with new technology called CGI to bring the mummy to life. 

Despite mixed reviews, THE MUMMY was a hit, and would finish as the 6^thhighest grossing film of 1999. It would be nominated for an Oscar for Best Sound, and Goldsmith would win a BMI Award for his score. 

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On a cool Spring day in 1999, this Blogger dropped his car off to get new tires installed, and with a wait time of 10,000 years…wandered over to the theatre to catch a flick. THE MUMMY was playing, and not expecting much, that was what I bought a ticket for. That ticket was bought with a shrug as I was not expecting much. Two hours later, I flew out of the theatre with a new favorite film. THE MUMMY delivered on all fronts; high energy, fun characters, gorgeous cinematography, a classic score, and a sense of whimsy and adventure on the highest level. It played out as a love letter to classic cinema and a bygone era of Hollywood; carrying its inspiration of the original MUMMY and perhaps LAWRENCE OF ARABIA heavy on it shoulders. Today, despite 20-year-old CGI, THE MUMMY hasn’t aged a day, and stands as one of those perfect films; perfect for dates, entertainment, or just taking in an adventure. 

“Rescue the damsel in distress, kill the bad guy, and save the world.” 

A Reel Review: TOLKIEN

JRR Tolkien is regarded as one of the greatest writers of all time and the father of modern fantasy. His epics works of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings were a dense and rich modern mythology, packed with heroes, elves, dwarves, wizards, dragons, goblins…and little people with big hairy feet. The books made use of their own languages and even further back-history, and the impressive amount of material is staggering. How did Tolkien come to create such a vast world? The answers try to come in the first biopic about his life, TOLKIEN. 

JRR Tolkien (Nicholas Hoult), has his imagination sparked through his love of language and mythology, his school days, friendships, and time on the battlefields of World War I. 

It’s no easy task making a biopic on a writer. It’s not like a film about a musician where there are entertaining performances to put into the film every 10 or 15 minutes. Audiences aren’t going to last long watching a character at his typewriter, so TOLKIEN avoids the matter altogether by focusing on the formative years of JRR Tolkien’s life. The film is about the many steps he takes to find inspiration for his eventual famous works, with the actual creation of those books coming much later on. TOLKIEN guides us through his days as an orphan, his schooling, and eventual strong friendships with three lads (played by Anthony Boyle, Tom Glynn-Carney, and Patrick Gibson), and his romance with his future wife Edith (Lily Collins)…all leading up to his time in the trenches of WWI. 

The pieces and parts of The Hobbit  and The Lord of the Rings are picked up here and there, as Tolkien sees “visions” of his future works. On the hellish battlefields he sees dragons and cloaked riders, and in the flame of a candle…a golden ring. From his friends he finds the art of poetry and the value of (ahem), fellowship…and in Edith he finds the difficulty of love. For the most part it works, but often it feels too convenient for him to be seeing all these images everywhere he goes. The images he sees look great and are right out of Tolkien lore…but they can easily be mistaken for divine intervention as opposed to a creative mind at work. 

Director Dome Karukoski films a great looking movie, and the battle scenes have a horrific glory to them. Pacing is an issue, as many scenes drag on way too long. Character development is fine as Tolkien’s past works to his advantage and disadvantage throughout the movie, although his romance with Edith feels like a happy circumstance and not something that develops naturally. 

Nicholas Hoult carries the film and goes through a lot, especially on the battle-fields, and his chemistry with Lilly Collins works well enough. Colm Meaney and Derek Jacobi are great as always. The highlights of the film belong to the scenes Tolkien spends with his three friends, discussing and debating poetry and literature; ground-zero for modern fandom and social media postings. 

There is very little time spent on the actual creative process of Tolkien’s two most famous works, and the film actually ends with him writing the opening line of The Hobbit. It feels like a cheat, as the movie wraps just as it’s becoming interesting. The message seems to be that it takes a lifetime to realize one’s journey, but the film doesn’t drive it home enough. On its own, TOLKIEN works, but it feels like it could have been so much more. 

BOTTOM LINE: Rent it 

A Reel 20: STAR WARS EPISODE I - THE PHANTOM MENACE

“Anakin Skywalker, meet Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

This month marks the 20^thanniversary of George Lucas’ STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE. 

During the run of the original STAR WARS trilogy (1977-1983), series creator George Lucas spoke often of the saga eventually becoming six to nine films. But in the early 1990’s, things were quiet. STAR WARS had been out of theatres for a decade, with light merchandising and Expanded Universe novels and comics exploring events after RETURN OF THE JEDI. But in 1997, Lucas re-released the Original Trilogy into theatres, with a few edits and enhancements, as a test-run to see if the public still remembered or cared about that far, far away galaxy. The results were outstanding, and Lucas set to begin a new trilogy of films; a trilogy that would explore the backstory of the Old Republic, the Clone Wars, the fall of the Jedi, and the rise of Darth Vader; events merely mentioned in the Original Trilogy. 

The writing of the script for EPISODE I actually began in 1994, and it was adapted from Lucas’ 15-page outline that he had written for STAR WARS in 1976. With a large budget and new special effects called CGI at his disposal, he was able to write and think grander; doing things that no STAR WARS movie had done before. These new ventures would include a massive pod-race, CGI characters, and large set-pieces ranging from underwater cities, grassy plains, and exotic cities. 

The film was taking place 30 years before the events of STAR WARS, but characters from the Original Trilogy were able to be brought back…and the film benefitted from the original actors being available to reprise their roles. Ian McDiarmid returned as Palpatine; the man destined to become Emperor. He was joined by Frank Oz (Yoda), Anthony Daniels (C-3P0), and Kenny Baker (R2-D2). Newcomers to the STAR WARS galaxy included Ewan McGregor as a young Obi-Wan Kenobi, veteran actor Liam Neeson as a Jedi Master, Natalie Portman as the Queen of Naboo and eventual mother to Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia, and eight-year-old Jake Lloyd would play Anakin Skywalker; the boy who would grow up to become Darth Vader. Other cast members included Pernilla August, Samuel L. Jackson, Ray Park, Terence Stamp, Keira Knightley, and Ahmed Best…who would play Jar Jar Binks…the first ever CGI character in history. 

Filming took place in Italy, Hertfordshire, and Tunisia; where the first STAR WARS was filmed. THE PHANTOM MENACE would break new ground in visual effects, with over 1,900 of the shots in the film requiring CGI. LucasFilm would use old and new techniques to bring it to life; using old-school models and brand-new CGI effects. John Williams returned to provide the score. 

THE PHANTOM MENACE would be met with mixed reviews from critics and fans, but was still a box office smash and broke many records at the time. It would finish as the third-highest grossing film of all time behind TITANIC (1997), and STAR WARS; a position it would hold until 2009. It was nominated for three Oscars; Best Sound Effects Editing, Visual Effects, and Best Sound. 

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Today, THE PHANTOM MENACE is looked at with vile by many STAR WARS fans; vile that probably only half is deserved. The film had issues in pacing, acting, and sections of dialogue that sounded like it came out of the first-draft of the script, and Jar Jar Binks with his over-the-top comedy was not received well. But the positives are many; the pod-race and other action set-pieces were fantastic and brought us something new, and the epic lightsaber battle near the end…fought by three combatants…was not only fresh but finally showed us fully-trained Jedi and Sith in their prime. The production design was sleek and gorgeous, and John Williams’ score ranks as one of his best. Jar Jar may be looked upon with hate today, but without him, the industry would never have moved forward with other CGI characters such as Rocket and Groot, Gollum, and the apes from the new PLANET OF THE APES films. 

THE PHANTOM MENACE had a task of setting the stage for a new STAR WARS trilogy, and it was also made to bring in new fans. The older fans may rebel against the decisions made, but the newer ones look at it as their gateway to STAR WARS. That, and the many seeds planted by Lucas, which spread into the rest of the saga, gives the film a lasting legacy.  

“Your apprentice, Skywalker will be.”

A Reel Preview: The Year in Film 2019 - Episode V

When JAWS was released in May of 1975, the modern blockbuster was born. A couple of years later STAR WARS topped Steven Spielberg’s fish story, and solidified the month of May as the official launch of the Summer Movie Season. But Hollywood loves to move the goalposts, and this year, with the April release of AVENGERS: ENDGAME, the season started early. That leaves this month of May hitting the summer-fun in full stride with a diverse slate of films. Here now is a preview for the notable releases for the month of May. 

THE INTRUDER – In this psychological horror film, a young couple moves in a new house into a country, only to be terrorized by the former owner who refuses to let it go. Dennis Quaid stars as that former owner. 

LONG SHOT – In this romantic comedy, Seth Rogen plays an embattled journalist who falls in with his childhood love interest, played by Charlize Theron, who is running for President. 

UGLYDOLLS – This CG animated musical-comedy is based on the toy line of the same name, and tells the story of one ugly doll who refuses to accept her deformity. It stars the voices of Kelly Clarkson, Nick Jonas, Blake Shelton, and Jane Lynch. 

THE HUSTLE – This is a female-centered remake of the DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS from 1998. It stars Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson as two women who plan revenge against two men who had tricked them. 

POKEMON: DETECTIVE PIKACHU – The first live-action film from the popular Pokemon franchise, which is also based on the video game of the same name. Ryan Reynolds (DEADPOOL), provides the voice of a taking Pikachu (whatever that is), who helps a young man to find his missing father. 

TOLKIEN – JRR Tolkien, the famed creator of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, finally gets his life story brought to the big screen. Nicholas Hoult (X-MEN: FIRST CLASS), plays Tolkien, and Lily Collins plays his lifelong love and wife. 

A DOG’S JOURNEY – Josh Gad (BEAUTY AND THE BEAST), provides the voice of a lost dog. 

JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 – PARABELLUM – This second sequel in the shoot-em-up franchise has legendary hitman John Wick (Keanu Reeves), fighting his way out of New York when a $14 million contract gets placed on his head. It co-stars Halle Berry and Laurence Fishburne. It is directed by Chad Stahelski, who helmed the previous two JOHN WICK films. 

ALADDIN – The highest profile film of this month is Disney’s second of its three live-action remakes for 2019. Will Smith (MEN IN BLACK) plays Genie, and he is joined by Mena Massoud (Aladdin), and Naomi Scott (Princess Jasmine). It is directed by Guy Ritchie, who brought us the two SHERLOCK HOLMES abominations in 2009 and 2011, and the massive flop KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD in 2017. 

BRIGHTBURN – James Gunn (GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY) produces this superhero-horror film in which a child, after crash-landing on Earth, uses his powers for evil. Elizabeth Banks stars. 

GODZILLA: KING OF MONSTERS – The 35^thfilm in the history of GODZILLA is also the third film in the new line of monster movies, which began with GODZILLA in 2014, and continued with KONG: SKULL ISLAND in 2017. This time, Godzilla takes on a pack of monsters that are threatening humanity’s existence. The top-heavy cast includes Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Bradley Whitford, David Strathairn, Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins (THE SHAPE OF WATER), and Millie Bobby Brown (TV’s STRANGER THINGS). 

ROCKETMAN – Taron Egerton (KINGSMAN), plays Elton John in this musical biopic. It co-stars Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, and Bryce Dallas Howard. It is directed by Dexter Fletcher, who may, or may not have replaced Bryan Singer as the director of the Oscar-winning BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY last year. 

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Next month, Reel Speak previews the month of June. 

A Reel Opinion: The Top 10 Best Scenes from STAR WARS

There are very few movies, or movie franchises, that has its very own day of the year. STAR WARS has had for years now a claim on May the 4^th; a date chosen for the pun on the catchphrase May the Force be with you…leading generations of fans to say May the Fourth be with you. May the 4^thhas become an un-official holiday for fans and serves as a kickoff for what many consider to be STAR WARS Month; a month that culminates in the anniversary of the first film, May 25^th.

When STAR WARS exploded onto screens and soared into our hearts in that glorious spring of 1977, it changed the film industry and literally the culture of the world. It was a movie, but a grand one. Movies are made of scenes, and with May 4^th now in our sights, Reel Speak has taken on the task of ranking the Best Scenes from all the STAR WARS films. The criteria are (1) the importance of the scene to its film and the entire saga, and (2), cultural impact. 

So let’s punch it. 

10. Battle of Yavin : A NEW HOPE 

The climactic battle to destroy the dreaded Death Star with 20 or so small Rebel fighters put the exclamation point on the first STAR WARS film. Modeled after WWII film of aerial dogfights, the battle was a spectacular scene which thrilled audiences, and after 40 years it still looks and works great. Despite the large spectacle, it never loses sight of its characters, and allows heroes Luke Skywalker and Han Solo to rise to the occasion. 

9. Her Resistance to the Mind Probe: THE FORCE AWAKENS

The new generation of STAR WARS movies found their hero in Rey, a young woman from a junkyard of a planet with a shrouded past. When she is captured, Vader-worshipper Kylo Ren attempts to extract information from her mind…but Rey resists, and the attempt literally awakens the Force in her. It is a pivotal moment for the film and for Rey, and the acting done by Daisy Ridley is tremendous. In a franchise with 10 films full of battles with blasters, spaceships, and lightsabers…a battle with no weapons other than the Force was something new. 

8. Battle of Hoth : THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK 

The first sequel to STAR WARS lived up to its title of the evil galactic Empire striking back, and it began with a phenomenal battle on the ice planet of Hoth…in which our Rebel heroes are pounded by giant metal walkers with armor too strong for their weapons. The walkers were brought to life by stop-motion models, but look massive and intimidating on screen, and John Williams’ score puts a stamp on the feeling of dread. Despite seeing our heroes get beat, this sequence is still a thrill and is iconic in every way. 

7. Help me take this Mask Off : RETURN OF THE JEDI 

As kids, we all wondered what Darth Vader looked like under that black mask, and in the capper to the Original Trilogy, we finally found out. Vader and Luke have defeated the Emperor, and before the mortally wounded Vader dies, he wants to look at his son with his own eyes. This quiet scene brings redemption to Vader, or Anakin Skywalker, and completes Luke’s life-long journey to finally meet his father. 

6. Jedi vs. Sith : THE PHANTOM MENACE 

The Prequel Trilogy gets more than its share of criticism, only half of which is deserved, but there is no denying the awesomeness of the triple-lightsaber fight in the first film of the saga which told the story of Anakin’s youth. This fantastic sequence, which was the first lightsaber fight we had seen in over 15 years, finally gave us fully trained Jedi Knights and Sith Lords, as opposed to the old men, young boys, and half-man/machines from the Original Trilogy. The speed was increased, the tension jacked to the moons, and thanks to the intense training of actors Ewan MacGregor, Liam Neeson, and Ray Park…it looked real because it was. And John Williams’ score, Duel of the Fates, is one of his all-time best. Lightsaber duels were never the same after this. 

5. Pursued by Sinister Agents : A NEW HOPE 

It was the scene that introduced us to the STAR WARS universe. Princess Leia, racing home aboard her starship, is chased and gunned down by Darth Vader in his even-bigger starship. The overhead passing of the ships, augmented by sound effects never before heard in cinema, and of course John Williams’ pulse-pounding score…all comes together in one of the greatest opening shots in history. 

4. I Know : THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK 

It was a line that gave STAR WARS even more heart than it already had, and it was an improvised take by Harrison Ford during a long and difficult day of filming. The emotional scene, in which Han Solo is lowered into carbon-freeze, has Princess Leia finally admitting her love for the scoundrel. But in Han Solo fashion, he doesn’t just say “I love you too”, and instead gives it his own stamp. A wonderful touch in a powerful scene that has lovers on this planet repeating the line to each other. 

3. Asteroids! : THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK 

It was one of the most complex visual-effects sequences ever put to film at the time. The famed Millennium Falcon, the fastest hunk-of-junk in the galaxy, running from the relentless Empire by diving into a dangerous field of asteroids. Pilot Han Solo doesn’t take it easy; he FLOORS it…and John Williams’ score again ramps up the tension, and most importantly…the fun.It was a breathtaking scene in 1980, and it still is today. For many people, this scene defines STAR WARS. 

2. Binary Sunset : A NEW HOPE

A young Luke Skywalker, not knowing his place in the galaxy, has just been told that he has to stay for another year on a planet he doesn’t want to be on, doing a job he doesn’t want to be doing. He looks away to the horizon, perhaps foolishly longing for adventure (heh), and excitement (heh). John Williams’ score swells to emotional heights, and for an instant we are all in Luke’s boots; seeking more from our lives. Iconic and a summation of the original spirit of STAR WARS; the journey of a boy who was half-a-man. 

1. I am your Father : THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK 

It was the one line of dialogue that turned the entire STAR WARS saga upside-down and elevated it to new levels. Darth Vader, evil Lord of Sith and killer of his own men, has beaten Luke. Luke confronts him with what his first mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi had told him; that he knew Vader had killed his father. Vader’s retort of I am your fathersent shockwaves through Luke and audiences, and even when watching today, despite knowing the backstory thanks to the Prequels, the scene still has a powerful punch. It was a movie twist that no one saw coming, and in the days long before the internet, fueled endless debates and speculations in classrooms and playgrounds as the first generation of STAR WARS fans tried to figure it all out. Was Vader telling the truth? We had to wait three long years to find out, and in those three years, I am your father hung over the world like a lurking Star Destroyer. Often quoted and parodied, this scene is easily the pivotal point for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, and for everything that has come after. The Saga was never the same after this scene. 

REEL SPEAK'S TOP 10 BEST SCENES FROM STAR WARS 

1. I am your Father
2. Binary Sunset
3. Asteroids!
4. I Know
5. Pursued by Sinister Agents
6. Jedi vs. Sith
7. Help me take this Mask Off
8. Battle of Hoth
9. Her Resistance to the Mind Probe
10. Battle of Yavin