A Reel 30: BATMAN

"Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moon light?"

This month marks the 30th anniversary of Tim Burton’s BATMAN.
 

Prior to 1989, people who lived outside of a comic book shop had very little exposure to the superhero known as the Dark Knight; a troubled, eccentric millionaire who dressed up as a bat every night and fought crime on his own. Most of the world’s exposure to the character had been the successful 1960’s TV show which was high on color, camp, and humor while aiming towards the kiddies. Tim Burton’s BATMAN changed all that. Drawing inspiration from the comic runs by Alan Moore and Frank Miller, Burton and his screenwriters went for a dark and gothic tone, while making the focus of the film two troubled individuals who served as an antithesis for each other; Batman and The Joker.
 

The early goings were not without controversy. The hiring of Tim Burton as director drew laughs from the cinema world, and the casting of Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman drew even more. After all, Burton was known for his quirky and colorful style from his prior works such as PEE-WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE (1985) and BEETLEJUICE (1988). In fact, Burton’s BATMAN would not receive the green light to proceed until after the financial success of BEETLEJUICE…which starred Michael Keaton. Keaton at the time had a reputation as a comedic actor from his work in MR. MOM (1983) and NIGHT SHIFT (1982). Keaton would win the role over Mel Gibson, Kevin Costner, Charlie Sheen, Pierce Brosnan, Tom Selleck, and Bill Murray. After the announcement, 50,000 protest letters were sent to the Warner Bros. offices.
 

But by the time the Bat Signal went up, it would be Keaton and Burton who would be laughing last. BATMAN would be the second-highest grossing film that year, second only to the third INDIANA JONES film. It was the first film to earn $100 million in its first ten days of release. The success didn’t just belong to Burton and Keaton. Jack Nicholson turned in an electricperformance as The Joker, and the supporting cast which included Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl, Billy Dee Williams, Michael Gough, and Jack Palance were all in top form. Nicholson would earn a Golden Globe nomination, and the Art Direction would win an Oscar. Danny Elfman contributed a memorable score. BATMAN would inspire the successful animated series, and paved the way for DC Comic’s long-running DC Animated Universe. The famed Bat-symbol, once stuck in dusty comic-shops, was suddenly seen on every other t-shirt and bumper-sticker.
 

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Long-time readers and friends of Reel Speak know that this Blogger has never been the biggest fan of Tim Burton’s BATMAN. Characters have little to do, the plot is paper-thin, and the Joker’s plan to rule Gotham was ridiculous and never made sense even then. The film has so many goddamn dance numbers it may as well be a musical, and the one-note, one-dimensional storytelling approach would get lambasted in a new film today. But…there is still a lot to admire in Tim Burton’s BATMAN. The film looks and sounds great, the cast is outstanding, and it certainly looks like it belongs in a comic book universe. But the long-lasting legacy of BATMAN is that to the wide-world, it put the colorful 1960’s TV version far away in the Batmobile’s rear-view mirror…and more importantly, it put the Dark back in the Knight. Thirty years on, Tim Burton’s BATMAN has a lot of devoted fans and consider it to be the definitive Bat on film.
 

“I’m Batman!”

 

A Reel Review: TOY STORY 4

The last time we saw our favorite Pixar toys was way back in 2010 in the outstanding TOY STORY 3. Woody and Buzz and their gang had been passed on from their beloved Andy to the play-nice toddler Bonnie, and it was a wholly emotional and satisfying assumed wrap to the series that launched Pixar’s animation dominance in 1995. Things felt finished, but with the gang still together there was an open door for more, which brings us to TOY STORY 4. 

On a road trip with her family, little Bonnie loses her newest and favorite toy; a spork that she made out of bits of trash named Forky (Tony Hale). Desperate to keep a heartbroken Bonnie happy, Woody (Tom Hanks), sets out on his own to find Forky, which leads him to an antique store which is secretly run by a sinister doll named Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks), who wants Woody for her own purposes. 

TOY STORY 4 has a lot going on. Woody is having his latest existential crisis; his place in play-time seems to have passed as Bonnie plays with him less and less…leading him to a life on the closet floor. His adventures in the antique store and a nearby amusement park lead him to a chance meeting with his old love Bo Peep (Annie Potts), which has him questioning his place in the world even more. Meanwhile, Buzz (Tim Allen), is desperate to help Woody and has to figure out his own place in the world, while Gabby, while sinister on the surface, is just another toy longing for a kid to play with. It’s a character-driven animated film like only Pixar can deliver. 

This story takes our toys through a whirlwind adventure that is one thrill after another. From the bowels and dusty shelves of the antique store to the tops and bottoms of the amusement park, they run into one fix after another and the sequences are wonderfully put together. The scenes in the antique store are downright horrifying as Gabby has her own gang of creepy puppets; they rival anything in any modern horror film and Woody goes through something horrific. It all works and it matters to us as the characters have their desires and needs that we care about, and having loved them all for over 20 years helps too. Similar to the first film, TOY STORY 4 is nearly all of Woody’s story in his quest to find himself and take care of his kid. With that, Buzz is relegated to sidekick, and our favorite toys such as Jessie, Dolly, Rex, Hamm, Slinky Dog, and the Potato Heads fade into the background. 

Director Josh Cooley keeps the pacing tight and energy high, the nail-biting sequences are excellent, and the jokes and laughs are some of the best we’ve seen in the series. As with every Pixar film, the animation takes another leap forward, with much of the film looking as photo-realistic as possible; details such as stitching and cat-fur are stunningly real. Randy Newman’s music is once again outstanding. 

The voice-cast once again delivers. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen sound as energetic and excited about their work as they did 20 years ago. Annie Potts does great work for Bo Peep and helps create a fun and solid new role model for young girls. Keanu Reeves pops in as Duke Caboom, a motorcycle-riding daredevil toy and is a blast. 

As great as everything is in TOY STORY 4, the ending may prove to be divisive and have many of us preferring the final shot of TOY STORY 3 as the final wrap to the series. Woody and Buzz wind up in places that closes the door on any more sequels (prepare to cry, again), but Woody winds up making a decision that seems to fly in the face of all that he has preached for the last 20 years…and it’s hard to believe that his beloved Andy would approve of where he wound up as well. Similar to the previous film, TOY STORY 4 is ultimately about moving on, and just like real-life, it offers changes that we may or may not be comfortable with. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it is another big bold move for Pixar. 

BOTTOM LINE: See it

A Reel Review: CHILD'S PLAY

In 1988, the slasher-genre of horror got a much-needed twist when Chucky the killer doll arrived in the first CHILD’S PLAY film. By the time Chucky made it to his sixth (!) sequel, the series had gone into the comedy routine, and here in 2019…he gets an update for the modern world. 

A disgruntled employee sabotages one of the millions of Buddi dolls; a high-tech home companion. It lands in the hands of Karen (Aubrey Plaza), a single-mom, and her 13-year-old son Andy (Gabriel Bateman). The doll, nicknamed Chucky (and voiced by Mark Hamill), takes advantage of his quickly-learning, artificial intelligence to right some wrongs in the family. 

Anytime a remake comes along, filmmakers are always faced with the choice of copying the original work or trying a fresh take. In this CHILD’S PLAY, director Lars Klevberg deserves points for giving Chucky a modern spin that feels familiar yet fresh. The Buddi doll is like an Alexa or Siri with legs and arms, with the ability to sync-up with and control nearly any electronic device in range. This gives Chucky a virtual arsenal to work, and kill with…and gives the long-ridiculous franchise some fresh angles to play. Unfortunately, this take on Chucky makes it easier for the grown-ups to figure out how to beat him. 

But playing these new angles don’t last very long. Although the setup of the new killer doll and the way he learns how to kill and how he chooses his victims is decently done, the film eventually falls into the same-old, same-old of the doll running around with a knife. That would be passable, as that’s what we certainly expect and want out of a Chucky movie, but what’s not passable is the complete lack of horror in this horror movie. It’s not very scary at all, and the lack of tension or dread or any sort of atmosphere is noticeable. Horror movies generally lean on having surprises, and CHILD’S PLAY has none as the plot points are plainly spelled out and everything can be seen coming from a mile away. 

Klevberg films a nice looking movie with some clever lighting effects here and there, but pacing is an issue as the film feels much longer than its 90-minute running time. Editing is a hack-job as many transitions from scene-to-scene don’t make sense, Chucky is brought to life through old-school animatronics and CGI, which really work…but it never seems like we see enough of what Chucky can do. There’s plenty of blood and gore, but overall the movie feels restrained. 

The cast does a nice job despite not having much to work with. Aubrey Plaza and Gabriel Bateman have great chemistry together, and Brian Tyree Henry pops in as a friendly-neighborhood detective. Mark Hamill sounds fine as the voice of the killer doll, but like the rest of the film, feels like he’s being held back. 

The finale takes place in a Wal-Mart stand-in on the night of the release of a new and improved Buddi doll, which leads to Chucky’s new Bluetooth and Wi-Fi abilities taking control of a lot of dolls and electronic gadgets for his bloodbath. It borders on silly, and it’s a relief when all the chaos finally comes to an end. CHILD’S PLAY never pretended to be high art, and it never took itself seriously, but at the very least it had to be scary. Any horror film that whiffs on that deserves to have its batteries pulled. 

BOTTOM LINE: Fuck it 

A Reel 25: THE LION KING

“Hakuna Matata!”

This month marks the 25^th anniversary of Disney’s THE LION KING. 

Development on THE LION KING began as far back as 1988, when Disney bosses Jeffrey Katzenberg, Roy E. Disney (son of Walt), and Peter Schneider began tossing around ideas of a story about a young lion born to succeed his father. Although THE LION KING was to be Disney’s first animated film based on an original idea, the storyline was heavily influenced by the biblical tales of Joseph and Moses, and William Shakespeare’s HAMLET. The film would attract Disney’s top animators, with many of them travelling to Kenya to research the animals and the place-setting. The script went through many authors and re-writes, with lyricist Tim Rice working closely with the writers…to ensure that his lyrics would work in the film’s narrative. 

The voice actors were chosen not for their big names, but for how they would fit into and add to the characters. James Earl Jones was cast because the directors (Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff) felt his voice was similar to a lion’s roar. The rest of the casting was stellar; Matthew Broderick, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Jeremy Irons, Moira Kelly, Nathan Lane, Robert Guillaume, Rowan Atkinson, Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, and Jim Cummings all contributed to the success of THE LION KING. 

And succeed, it did. THE LION KING was the highest grossing film of 1994, and its 3D release in 2011 would elevate it to the highest-grossing hand-drawn film in history. It would win an Oscar for Hans Zimmer’s original score, and Elton John and Tim Rice would also win for Best Original Song. THE LION KING would also win Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy and Best Original Score at the Golden Globes that year. The American Film Institute ranks it fourth all-time in the animation genre. THE LION KING would have an enduring legacy; it would go on to inspire a Broadway adaptation, two direct-to-video follow-ups, a prequel, and an animated TV series. In 2016 it was selected for preservation in the U.S. Film Registry. 

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Earlier this year, this Blogger and his girlfriend had a day-long Disney movie marathon, with THE LION KING serving as the grand finale. It was the first time I had watched it since my father passed away, and the impact the film had on me was immense. Tears were shed and shed in buckets, as THE LION KING’s themes of fathers and sons, and one’s journey to find one’s self to this day still run deep. It’s an animated film aimed at kids, but it is powerful enough to operate as true cinema; one that adults can find meaning in a quarter-century later. 

“You are more than what you have become.”

A Reel Opinion: The Top 10 Best Scenes from INDIANA JONES

This year marks significant anniversaries in the INDIANA JONES franchise. The second film in the series, THE TEMPLE OF DOOM, turns 35 years old, and the third film, THE LAST CRUSADE, turns 30. With THE LAST CRUSADE being the perfect film to watch on Father’s Day, that makes the month of June an un-official, official INDIANA JONES month, and a perfect time to look back at the best scenes the series has delivered. 

The character of Indiana Jones was created by STAR WARS mastermind George Lucas and brought to the screen by director Steven Spielberg, with the smash debut arriving in 1981 with RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. Actor Harrison Ford, fresh off his role of Han Solo in STAR WARS and THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, brought his charm and toughness to the character, who was a swashbuckling archeologist who carried a gun and a whip and a fedora…a character just as comfortable in a library as he was punching enemies or digging in the dirt. He was inspired by the serials of old with a touch of James Bond; trotting the globe to un-earth mysteries with a lover in every port. He has given us so many great moments in almost 40 years it is a challenge to pick just 10, but this Blogger has taken on the adventure. The criteria are entertainment value and importance to its film. 

So let’s go after that truck…

10. Government Men, RAIDERS 

Out of the four films we’ve had (so far), one of the most understated and overlooked is this beautifully crafted scene where Indy gets his mission. It is a classic “spaghetti supper” scene where characters sit around a table and offer information to the audience and establish what the film is all about. It firmly sets the importance of obtaining the Lost Ark before the Nazi’s do, and the vast knowledge of history Indy has. It is also a study in screenwriting, as the early versions of the script compared to the final draft is a fascinating look at how a script evolves. 

9. The Belly of the Steel Beast, CRUSADE 

 The stakes here are enormous for Indy. His father, Henry Jones Sr. (Sean Connery), and his friend and mentor Marcus (Denholm Elliot), have been taken prisoner by the Nazi’s and held in a tracked machine of war…and Indy has nothing but his revolver and a horse. Indy is knocked around, punched, dangled off the side of the tank and slammed into a rock wall…only to rise up in one of the most rousing scenes of the series. It is a lead-up to the most emotional moment of Indy’s life, but more on that later. 

8. This is my Place, RAIDERS 

 There is nothing better than a good old-fashioned bar-fight, and with RAIDERS embracing the Hollywood of old, it just had to do its own version. Indy travels to Nepal to find his old lover Marion (Karen Allen), who is a daughter to his former mentor Abner. The scene is a great fistfight, gunfight, and firefight, and establishes the toughness of Marion as she was far from the stock damsel-in-distress. At the end, Indy gets a goddamn partner…while the enemy walks away with a vital clue to the location of the Lost Ark. 

7. The Mine Car Chase, DOOM 

 All of Indy’s adventures have had a chase or two, and the mine car chase from TEMPLE OF DOOM is unique because in a mine car you can only go where the tracks lead you…leaving Sir Isaac Newton in the driver’s seat. As if the wicked speeds weren’t a thrill enough, Indy and his two sidekicks are chased by thugs from an evil cult which adds to the danger. This sequence was originally supposed to appear in RAIDERS, but was cut and saved for the next film…and is brought to the screen through some excellent editing of model work and live action. 

6. Plane Fight, RAIDERS  

Indy and Marion have escaped the snake-filled Well of the Souls, only to discover that the Nazi’s will be flying the Ark out of Cairo. What follows is another bare-knuckle fight to the death, with both characters showing their toughness and grit. The results are a blast (literally), and John Williams’ score keeps the action moving. 

5. No one has come out of there alive, RAIDERS 

 No one except Indy of course. The opening scene to RAIDERS establishes everything we needed to know about this new hero; he knew his territory, he was daring, clever, and had a never-say-die vibe. The temple he was raiding was packed with flying spikes, pitfalls, spiders, and a giant rolling stone that has become iconic; one threat after another in a perfectly crafted scene. 

4. The Three Challenges, CRUSADE 

 Once again, the stakes are enormous for Indy. His father has been shot by the Nazi stooge Donovan (Julian Glover), and only the power of the Holy Grail can save him. To obtain this antiquity, Indy must face three challenges with only clues discovered by this father to aid him. The metaphor here is excellent; Indy is walking in his father’s footsteps. 

3. All of Us, DOOM 

TEMPLE OF DOOM may have been released in theatres after RAIDERS, but its story takes place two years prior…making this a “prequel” long before the term became popular. Up until this scene, Indy was a treasure-hunter seeking diamonds for fortune and glory. After recovering from a dark spell, he has a chance to get away with the diamond-filled rocks…but instead turns back to rescue the enslaved children from the hellish mines. A turning point for the character that would be felt for all of his following adventures. 

2. I thought I lost you boy, CRUSADE 

The Holy Grail may have been the mystical object Indy was hunting for in THE LAST CRUSADE, but the real grail he was searching for was the father that he never knew; making CRUSADE the most emotional of the series. In this quiet scene, which takes place after the bombast and thunder of a fight on a tank (see above), Henry Jones Sr. thinks his son Indy has perished, only to be surprised moments later. The hug and dad’s cry of “I thought I lost you” is a tearjerker, and Connery’s performance is one of his best. It was a hug that provided closure for both characters. This is why CRUSADE is the perfect Father's Day movie. 

1. I’m going after that truck, RAIDERS 

 Indy may make things up as he goes, but maybe that’s what makes him so darn likeable. The Nazi’s have captured the Ark and loaded it on a truck for Cairo with plenty of protection, but Indy with his never-say-die attitude chases down the convoy on horseback and fist-fights his way onto the moving truck. What follows is a terrific sequence of Indy being thrown out the window, dragged underneath and behind the truck, and back in the cab for one more slugfest. The images are iconic, and with Harrison Ford performing most of his own stunts, it cemented him and Indiana Jones as one of the best pairings of actor and character in all of cinema. 

REEL SPEAK'S TOP 10 SCENES FROM INDIANA JONES

1. I'm going after that truck
2. I thought I lost you, boy
3. All of us
4. The Three Challenges
5. No one has come out of there alive
6. The Plane Fight
7. Mine Car Chase
8. This is my place
9. Belly of the Steel Beast
10. Government Men

Reel Facts & Opinions: X-MEN - Days of a Franchise Past

This past weekend, the 12^thfilm in the X-MEN franchise since 2000 arrived in theatres with a mutated thud; earning lousy reviews (read Reel Speak’s review HERE), no love from fans, and the weakest box office debut of all the X-films. As the last X-MEN film to be made by 20^thCentury Fox it served as a finale to the 19-year-old film franchise, which makes this the perfect time to look back and see how we got here. 

In the 1990’s, the superhero genre in film was a joke, thanks to several low-budget bombs and high-budget stinkers. No one took the genre seriously, but that all changed in 2000 when director Bryan Singer’s X-MEN arrived. X-MEN centered its universe around three main characters, played by Hugh Jackman (Wolverine), Patrick Stewart (Professor Xavier), and Ian McKellen (Magneto), and surprised everyone by inserting social issues into its narrative. By making super-powered people (called mutants) deal with civil rights issues, X-MEN vaulted itself and the genre into legit filmmaking. Today, there is a lot of focus on universe-building over several films, and Singer’s X-MEN established everything it needed to in a film that ran less than two hours. 

As good as X-MEN was, it was topped by the superior X-MEN: UNITED in 2003. Commonly referenced as X2, Singer’s second film kept the civil rights issues in the crosshairs while adding some great character-work with his large cast of mutants. There are strong family themes at work, and despite the bigger stakes, operates firmly as a character piece. This Blogger holds X2 as one of the top five best superhero films ever made. 

With such a high bar set by X2, it was difficult for the third entry, X-MEN: THE LAST STAND to come close. Trouble started early when Singer left the franchise and was replace by Brett Ratner, who shot the film in a de-saturated look which sucked the life out of it. The plotline involving a possible cure for mutant-powers was great on paper, but missed an obvious ethical grappling the characters should have had. X3 was met with critical drubbing, and long-time X-MEN fans revolted over some decisions made with the characters and the half-assed attempt at adapting the famed Dark Phoenix comic storyline. It had its moments, but not nearly enough of them. 

At this point, Hugh Jackman had elevated his character to household name status, and was the obvious choice to be the first character to get his first shot at a solo career. X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE arrived in 2009, and was to be the first in a series of origin films. Intending to tell Wolverine’s backstory before he received his famed metal-claws, the film suffered from some silly moments (even for a comic book film), and an overabundance of crappy CGI. 

Plans for further origin-telling solo-shots were scrapped, and Fox instead went with a broad-strokes origin-tale with X-MEN: FIRST CLASS in 2011. Telling the story of a young Professor Xavier (now played by James McAvoy), and Magneto (Michael Fassbender), FIRST CLASS was directed by Matthew Vaughn with Singer as a producer. Although this Blogger considers this movie to be a step sideways; neither moving things forward or back…the film was met with critical praise, and for many, righted the ship. 

Fox wasn’t done playing with the immense popularity of Jackman’s Wolverine, and in 2013 gave him another shot at a solo career with THE WOLVERINE in 2013. Directed by James Mangold, THE WOLVERINE explored more of the character’s backstory while taking him forward, and the film stands as the most visually stunning of them all. THE WOLVERINE kinda fell apart in its third act, but still earned praise. It was enjoyable, didn’t spark much outrage…and kept the mutant wheels turning. 

In 2014, the existence of X-MEN: FIRST CLASS was finally justified with the magnificent X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, which saw Bryan Singer return to the director’s chair. The film brought the old and new cast together though some clever time-travel, had some of the most stunning sequences to be seen in an action film, and once again put society back on trial for the way it reacts to people who are different. The time-travel fuckery in DAYS OF FUTURE PAST actually corrected many wrongs by completely erasing the events of the less-than-favored X-MEN movies, which made a lot of fans happy. 

DAYS OF FUTURE PAST reset the board for the original cast, and Fox had a golden opportunity to make an X4 to give them a proper sendoff and perhaps plant seeds for what was to come. But instead, the younger cast was made to stick around a big longer, which brought us to the somewhat abysmal APOCALYPSE in 2016. It was a CGI overloaded film that told us over and over how big and bad of a bad guy Apocalypse was…only to dispose of him in 90 minutes which made the film feel like a Saturday morning cartoon episode. That same year, the talk-at-the-audience superhero DEADPOOL got his first of two films, which kind-of, sort-of took place in the same universe as these cinematic X-MEN; depending on how serious we take the character. 

And then in 2017, the franchise got what is probably it’s finest hour in LOGAN, which saw Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart give their characters a proper sendoff. It was gritty and dark, and a far cry from the CGI cartoons of APOCALYPSE which made it feel like a true film. It was the first superhero film to earn an Oscar for Best Screenplay and it deserved it. 

And then we have DARK PHOENIX, which was the second attempt at an adaptation of the comic story of the same name. The film has been a flop with critics, audiences, and the box office…and as the last film done by Fox serves as a sad end to a once proud series. But things are looking up. With Fox now out of the driver’s seat, Marvel Studios will now rightfully takeover and bring the X-MEN home. Our favorite mutants will no doubt be recast (again, maybe, maybe not for DEADPOOL)…and we can expect them to inhabit the universe once held down by Iron Man, Hulk, and Captain America. When that will be, we don’t know yet, but there will likely be a long break for the X-MEN…and they probably need one. But these 12 X-MEN films should not be forgotten forever. They predated the new Marvel series by eight years, and the decision to not shy away from the X-MEN as a civil rights story gives it a timelessness and a lasting legacy. They were shown as humans first and heroes second; and that’s the true blueprint for great superhero films. 

A Reel Review - X-MEN: DARK PHOENIX

X-MEN: DARK PHOENIX, the 12^thinstallment in the superpowered-mutant series since 2000, has gained a lot of attention for its off-screen happenings. The production has been troubled; going through several reshoots and a complete reworking of the third act. It is also the final X-MEN film made by 20^thCentury Fox before the rights to make mutant movies rightfully go back to Marvel Studios. None of this really matters, as we should only be reacting to what we see on the screen…unless of course all these issues show up on the screen. 

It is 1992, and the X-Men, led by Charles Xavier (James McAvoy), are called upon to rescue the space shuttle from a mysterious energy surge in space. During the mission, Jean Grey (Sophie Turner), is infused with un-measurable amounts of power that tap into her dark side and unleash her painful memories, making her a threat to everyone. Meanwhile, a race of shape-shifting aliens, led by Vuk (Jessica Chastain), have arrived on Earth looking to harness Jean’s power. 

The first hour of DARK PHOENIX is as good as any X-MEN film that we have seen in the last 19 years. The plot is simple; save Jean from her own destructive power before she wipes everyone out, and prevent the mysterious, shape-shifting aliens from stealing said power. Entangled in this are several character stories within the X-Men: Xavier is getting too sure of himself with Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence), calling him out on it, Jean is troubled by her hidden past, Beast (Nicholas Hoult) is caught in the middle of it, while Cyclops (Tye Sheridan), just wants to be with his girl Jean. 

There are decent seeds planted for character drama, but each one of these stories don’t come naturally and are either resolved quickly or not at all. Other characters such as Magneto (Michael Fassbender), and Quicksilver (Evan Peters), have little or nothing to do and easily could have been omitted without any noticeable gaps. There’s a lot of forced drama, and none of it really works. 

But where DARK PHOENIX crash-lands is in the editing. Scenes cut back-and-forth between characters like a ping-pong ball and gives the feeling that actors were never on set together at the same time (perhaps because of reshoots), and characters act inconsistently from scene to scene. Hans Zimmer’s score (which is excellent), is played way too loud in all the wrong places; scenes that should be quiet with character dialogue has the score pounding away in the background and it’s an annoyance. 

But the most shocking thing of all the issues in DARK PHOENIX is just how goddamn boring it is. Despite many large-scale setpieces, there are no stand-up-and-cheer moments, nothing to take breaths away, and nothing to laugh or cry over; it’s as bland as paper. And with the character drama half-baked, DARK PHOENIX turns into one empty and blah movie. Visual effects are good in some places while others look like they were ripped out of a video game from 10 years ago. 

Acting is all over the place. Sophie Turner is the highlight as her character goes through a lot. The rest of them all look like they just want to get it over with. 

Director Simon Kinberg and Fox tried to adapt this DARK PHOENIX storyline for the big screen back in 2006 with the reviled THE LAST STAND, and this time they did not do any better. This curtain call for this version of the X-MEN is dull, boring, half-assed, and edited with metal claws. And for the second movie in a row, it tells us of a dangerous, world-ending threat that is taken care of in less than two hours. Pointless and forgettable.

BOTTOM LINE: Fuck it 

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

It’s June, which means we are nearly half-way through 2019. But before we start our list of New Year’s Resolutions, we still have a full slate of films in the Summer Movie Season. Here now is a preview for the notable releases for this month. 

It all gets dark with…

X-MEN: DARK PHOENIX – The 12^thinstallment in the X-MEN superhero franchise is also the last under the 20^thCentury Fox ownership, before the property finally goes back to Marvel Studios. In this adventure, the “first class” era of X-Men must save one of their very own from her own powers. It stars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Tye Sheridan, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Evan Peters, Jessica Chastain, and Sophie Turner (TV’S GAME OF THRONES). 

LATE NIGHT – In this comedy, Emma Thompson stars as a late-night TV host who only hires men in her writers’ room.

THE DEAD DON’T DIE – Jim Jarmusch, director of cult hits such as DOWN BY LAW (1986), BROKEN FLOWERS (2005), and ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE (2013), directs this zombie-comedy in a small town. The packed cast includes Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, Chloe Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, Danny Glover, Rosie Perez, Iggy Pop, and Tom Waits. 

THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2 – The sequel to the 2016 animated hit. This time Max the dog faces a crisis when his owner gets married. It stars the voices of Patton Oswalt, Kevin Hart, Jenny Slate, Tiffany Haddich, Lake Bell, Dana Carvey, and Harrison Ford (!). 

MEN IN BLACK: INTERNATIONAL – The fourth film in the MEN IN BLACK series that takes us to the secret, alien-battling bureau’s overseas headquarters. Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, who starred together in THOR: RAGNORAK, star along with Emma Thompson and Liam Neeson. It is directed by F. Gary Gary (STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON). 

SHAFT – The sequel to the 2000 film based on the 1970’s blaxploitation cop character. Samuel L. Jackson reprises his role as John Shaft II, with Richard Roundtree, the original Shaft. Jessie Usher plays John Shaft III. 

ANNA – Luc Besson (THE FIFTH ELEMENT), directs his action-thriller about a young girl who is one of the most feared assassins in the world. Sasha Luss stars, and she is joined by Cillian Murphy, Luke Evans, and Helen Mirren. 

CHILD’S PLAY – A reboot of the long-running horror series where a child’s doll comes to life and murders everyone. Mark Hamill (THE LAST JEDI), provides the voice of Chucky. 

TOY STORY 4 – Woody and Buzz are back in this adventure that takes the toys on the road to save their new owner’s new favorite toy. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen return, along with Annie Potts, Joan Cusack, John Ratzenberger, Bonnie Hunt, Timothy Dalton, Laurie Metcalf, Christina Hendricks, and Keanu Reeves. 

ANNABELLE COMES HOME – This horror film of another killer doll is the sequel to the 2014 ANNABELLE and the 2017 ANNABELLE: CREATION, and is the seventh film in the CONJURING franchise. This time the evil doll is locked up only to escape when the daughter of the ghost-hunting Warren’s gets nosy. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga reprise their characters. 

YESTERDAY – Danny Boyle (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE), directs this British comedy in which a musician wakes up and finds himself as the only person in the world who remembers The Beatles, and becomes famous for taking credit for their music. 

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Next month, Reel Speak previews the month of July.