"Spider-Man: Far from Home"

[From 06/27/19 Press Screening] 

Marvel's domination this year is not ending with "Avengers: Endgame."  "Spider-Man: Far from Home" is expected to have one of the highest opening weekends of the summer for any movie, not just MCU.  The best thing about it is that there couldn't have been a more perfect movie that would close out the gigantic Infinity Saga and begin anew the next phase of the superheroes universe.

'Endgame' marks the end of an era, one that begins with Iron Man/Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.).  His legacy continues to loom large.  Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland, "The Impossible") returns to a world forever-changed by the aftermath of 'Endgame,' which is dubbed humorously here as the five-year blip.  When the evaporated half of the universe snapped back into existence, 'Far from Home' deals with it from a ground level, yet in a surprisingly lighthearted way.

Spider-Man is showered with adoration from high school fans.  He might have tussled with fellow Earth's Mightiest Superheroes (“Captain America: Civil War”), gone into space (“Avengers: Infinity War”), and fought Thanos (“Avengers: Endgame”), but at the end of the day, Peter is just a nerdy high school kid.

While the people who were turned to dust by Thanos returned the same age, the world was moving on without them.  Imagine if your younger brother is now older than you. Or you may be 21 on paper and can legally drink, but in reality, you're still 16.  And that scrawny little kid you knew back then has grown into a handsome and buff fella, competing for the affection of the cool girl you like.

All Peter wants to do is a break from saving the world, take a vacation to Europe with his schoolmates, and find the right opportunity to tell MJ (Zendaya, “The Greatest Showman”) how he feels about her.

Alas, it doesn't work that way.  As a matter of fact, the stern Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson, "Kingsman: The Secret Service“) is hot on his trail and Peter should know better not to ghost him, as Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau, “Iron Man” series) cautions.  Happy and Aunt May (Marisa Tomei, “Spider-Man: Homecoming”) are more than happy to spend time together, which also adds a bit more complication into Peter's life.

From the start 'Far from Home' continuously pokes fun at itself and is charmingly self-aware.  The humor is nonstop and off the charts.  From the moment Peter and friends stepping on the plane, plans radically changing (read: the Fury Effect), arriving in Venice, detouring to Prague, and ending up in London; they are absolutely riotous.

The hilariously precarious situations they find themselves in and their wide-eyed interactions will have you in stitches.  There's also an adorably awkward teen romance, which is sweet and funny.  Peter's friends, Ned (Jacob Batalon) and Betty (Angourie Rice) dole out some of the goofiest scenes.

It doesn't mean 'Far from Home' is without serious superhero business though.  Nature monsters called the Elementals wrecked havoc cities.  Even as a mysterious caped figure, Mysterio/Quentin Beck (Jake Gyllenhaal, "Source Code"), swoops in and saves the day, he needs Spider-Man's aid.  From Peter's side, he finds comfort and guidance in their chats, like the dilemma of having great power and great responsibility, and also wanting an everyday life as a teenager.

There's more to Mysterio that meets the eye, however, and Gyllenhaal is killing it.  When the real villain emerges, it's a head-scratching twist.  The movie is abound with action and plenty of Spider-Man's aerial acrobatics.  Tony Stark didn't just gift Peter an upgraded suit.  An artificial intelligence glasses is front and center in the movie's high-tech plot.  In the end, Peter realizes that he must step up to the plate and be the kind of hero his mentor knew he would be.  Holland shows a range in those defining moments.

Be sure to stay through the end credits.  Game-changer is the word and it will be intriguing swinging forward.

There's so much joy to behold.  Refreshingly uproarious and smartly twisty, "Spider-Man: Far from Home" is exhilaratingly entertaining.

https://www.sdentertainer.com/movies/spider-man-far-from-home-movie-review/

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Upcoming Movies: March 2020

[Originally posted on 03/01/20]

March 6
"Onward" (https://movies.disney.com/onward) - Set in a suburban fantasy world, two teenage elf brothers embark on a quest to discover if there is still magic out there.

"The Way Back" (https://www.thewayback-movie.com/) - A former high school basketball phenom struggling with alcoholism is offered a coaching job at his alma mater. As the team starts to win, he may have a reason to confront his old demons.

March 13
"My Spy" (http://www.stxfilms.com/myspy/) - A hardened CIA operative finds himself at the mercy of a precocious 9-year-old girl, having been sent undercover to surveil her family.

"Bloodshot" (https://www.bloodshot.movie/) - A slain soldier is re-animated with superpowers.

"I Still Believe" -  The true-life story of Christian music star Jeremy Camp and his journey of love and loss that looks to prove there is always hope.

March 20
"A Quiet Place Part II" - Following the events at home, the Abbott family now face the terrors of the outside world. Forced to venture into the unknown, they realize the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats lurking beyond the path.

March 27
"Mulan" (https://movies.disney.com/mulan-2020) - A young Chinese maiden disguises herself as a male warrior in order to save her father.

Upcoming Movies: February 2020

[Originally published on 02/01/20]

February 7
"Birds of Prey" - After splitting with the Joker, Harley Quinn joins superheroes Black Canary, Huntress and Renee Montoya to save a young girl from an evil crime lord.

February 14
"Sonic the Hedgehog" (https://www.sonicthehedgehogmovie.com/) - After discovering a small, blue, fast hedgehog, a small-town police officer must help it defeat an evil genius who wants to do experiments on it.

"Fantasy Island" (https://www.fantasyisland.movie/) - The enigmatic Mr. Roarke, makes the secret dreams of his lucky guests come true at a luxurious but remote tropical resort. But when the fantasies turn into nightmares, the guests have to solve the island's mystery in order to escape with their lives.

February 21
"Emma" - Jane Austen's beloved comedy about finding your equal and earning your happy ending, is reimagined.  Emma is a restless queen bee without rivals in her sleepy little town. She must adventure through misguided matches and romantic missteps to find the love that has been there all along.

"The Invisible Man" - When Cecilia's abusive ex takes his own life and leaves her his fortune, she suspects his death was a hoax. As a series of coincidences turn lethal, Cecilia works to prove that she is being hunted by someone nobody can see.

February 28
"Wendy" (http://www.searchlightpictures.com/wendy/) - Lost on a mysterious island where aging and time have come unglued, Wendy must fight to save her family, her freedom, and the joyous spirit of youth from the deadly peril of growing up.

"Aladdin"

After “Cinderella” and “Beauty and the Beast,” another Disney princess is getting a live action makeover.  While the 2019 Guy Ritchie's directed "Aladdin” is about riff-raff Aladdin (Mena Massoud) and Genie (Will Smith), it's also a story about Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott).

In Agrabah, a society with a rigid class system, Aladdin gets by from stealing from street vendors.  A thief with a heart of gold, he takes what he needs and gives the rest to the hungry.  One day he and his thieving monkey, Abu, run into a disguised Princess Jasmine.

Jasmine is roaming outside the palace to better understand the lives of her people.  She aspires to follow in her father's footstep by becoming a Sultan herself, instead of simply being married to a foreign prince  After a couple of stolen breads and a sleight of hand exchange of bracelet, they end up on the run together.  It's a lively scene, showcasing creative parkour skills between tight walls, narrow alleys and open rooftops over bustling streets of Agrabah.

Jasmine parts way abruptly as she has to get back to the palace to greet one of her prince suitors.  Aladdin, who still has her bracelet, then attempts to return it to her at the palace.  He is spotted by Jafar's (Marwan Kenzari) smart-talking parrot, Iago, and caught by the guards.

Jafar, the Sultan's adviser and number two, has been plotting to take over the kingdom.  His path to power is a magical oil lamp inside the Cave of Wonders.  Only someone with the purest heart, a diamond in the rough, can enter the cave.  This is where Aladdin comes in.  He and Abu successfully walk into the cave and find all sorts of forbidden treasures.  Careful not to touch anything, Aladdin couldn't help but freeing a flying carpet weighed down under a rock.  A few mishaps later, Aladdin is trapped inside the cave with the Genie out of the lamp.

It may take getting used to seeing a human actor as Genie, and while it would never be the same as the animated version, Smith makes the role his own in smoothly hilarious ways.  Aladdin uses his first wish to escape from the cave and second to make him a prince, as only a prince can be with Princess Jasmine.

Prince Ali makes his entrance in an extravagant and explosion of colors.  A parade of fancifully costumed entourage singing and dancing their way into the palace, complete with exotic animals and lavish gifts.  The nighttime carpet ride with the classic tune “A Whole New World” is a highlight, taking Aladdin and Jasmine over the panoramic cityscape, countryside and coastline.

The princess finds herself strangely drawn to the unknown prince, who seems to share her values.  She's looking for a partner to wisely lead the kingdom, not a savior.  She's led to believe that the Aladdin she met earlier is actually a prince in disguise. 

Aladdin struggles with the truth.  It's not easy to give up a pretense when it gets you what you want.  A watchful Jafar seizes the opportunity and eventually gets his hand on the lamp.  The Genie, now serving him as the Master, has no choice but to grant him his wishes.  First as the Sultan and second as Sorcerer.

Amid this transformation, Jasmine finds courage to not be silenced.  This is a strong princess with her own mind and agency.  Scott has the charisma to demonstrate the princess coming into her own powers convincingly and she belts out “Speechless” with conviction.  Jasmine shows that she's worthy of being a ruler herself.

Still, Jafar becomes impossibly powerful.  His all-consuming avarice for being number one remains his weakness, however, which in the end is crucial as it's the key to beat him at his own ruthless game.

It's heartwarming to see Aladdin's third and final wish is to set his Genie free, even if it means giving up what he wants most in the world.  Massoud pulls off both the princely facade and humble commoner who finds his way back to being true to himself.

The movie's production bursts with candy colors and exquisite fabrics, moves fast with action, and delights with music. “Aladdin” maintains the energetic pace and vibrancy from start to finish.

Like a magical carpet ride, "Aladdin" will take you to a whole new world of fantasy adventures, with charm and heart fit for the whole family.

https://www.sdentertainer.com/movies/movie-review-aladdin/

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