"Captain Marvel"

“Captain Marvel,” one of the most anticipated movies of the year, bridges last year's “Avengers: Infinity War” with the ending of the Avengers founding members' stories, “Avengers: Endgame,” set to premiere on April 26, 2019.

Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, the first Marvel's female-led movie is curiously set in the 1990s, more than 10 years after “Iron Man” birthed the interconnected superheroes universe.  The main question is of course Captain Marvel's whereabouts.  Where has the most powerful superhero been in the last two decades, and especially when all could really use a lending superhand before Thanos decimated half of the universe's population?  MCU gives an explanation that makes sense in this origin story.

Speaking of origin story, in addition to traveling into the past, the movie adds a fresh spin by opening the story in the middle of a hero's journey.  Living in Planet Hala, Brie Larson is Vers, a noble warrior of a humanoid alien race Kree.  She's a part of an elite squad Starforce, led by Commander Yon-Rogg (Jude Law, “Sherlock Holmes”).  The Krees have been locked in battles against shape-shifting aliens, Skrulls, with Talos (Ben Mendelshon) as their leader.  The Skrulls appear to have been gallivanting across galaxies, taking the forms of native inhabitants and invading planets.

Vers has had recurring nightmares, flashes of images that she couldn't understand.  Yon-Rogg teaches her to control her emotions and impulses in order to be the best version of herself.  While escaping from a space battle with the Skrulls, Vers crash lands on Planet C-53, or Earth as we know it.  Los Angeles, 1995 is chock full of nostalgia.  Blockbuster videos, Radio Shack outlet, Pacific Bell pay phone, Alta Vista web browser, paper map, and all the retro style and music.

Vers runs into fresh-faced, two-eyed Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.S., Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson, "Kingsman: The Secret Service," "Oldboy") and Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg).  The digitized de-aging of the two are surprisingly believable.  Not the hardened agent we know, Fury here has more of a laid-back attitude and humor.  He's never seen a superpowered being prior to Vers.  The duo quickly and comfortably fall into buddy cop roles in their effort to thwart the Skrulls who follow Vers to Earth.

The Skrulls are after a light speed engine created by a Kree scientist, Mar-Vell, or also as known as Dr. Wendy Lawson (Annette Bening) of the United States Air Force.  The device is said to have a vital role in ending wars.  Dr. Lawson has a connection to Vers' past life as a USAF test pilot, Carol Danvers.

Vers and Fury trace Carol's life back to the last person who saw her alive six years ago, fellow pilot and best friend Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch).  Carol's close bond with Maria adds dimensions to Vers' character, reminding her of who she is, her humanity and indefatigable spirit as strength.  Carol discovers how fierily powerful she truly is when she sees the truth and frees herself from what's holding her back.  Having ties to the Air Force and the space inevitably take the action higher, further and faster into the skies. 

If the story seems straightforward, it's not.  A phenomenal twist flips everything on its head.  Larson's Carol is very low-key, defying a typical portrayal of a hotshot pilot.  She's more reserved than brash, placid than cool, wistful than cheerful.  Law's Yon-Rogg may be more than meets the eye.  Mendelshon's Talos is one-of-a-kind foe, utterly sympathetic and humorous.  The future is not black or white.  An adorable fury friend named Goose steals the scenes with her hilariously indescribable power.  The post-credits pick up where 'Infinity War' ends and a prequel to how a certain cosmic cube appears on Earth.

The movie has all the familiarity of a Marvel movie and is cleverly tied to the cohesive and expansive Marvel Universe.  Yet from a storytelling perspective, it's refreshingly different, which is quite a feat for being the 21st movie.  "Captain Marvel" is an entertaining blast from the past and marvelously empowering.

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"On the Basis of Sex"

“The word ‘woman’ does not appear even once in the U.S. Constitution,” a judge tells Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  “Nor does the word ‘freedom,’ Your Honor,” she replies.

Director Mimi Leder opens the film with a classic contrast of a scene, a lone woman marches and steps into the esteemed institution among a sea of men in suits.  In 1959, bright-eyed Ruth (Felicity Jones, “The Theory of Everything”) is one of the nine women admitted to Harvard Law School.  Her husband, cordial Marty (Armie Hammer, “The Man for U.N.C.L.E.”), is a second-year student.  When he is stricken with cancer, Ruth steps up by attending his classes in addition to hers, and caring for him and their toddler, Jane.

The film depicts the incomprehensible discrimination that women endured at that time.  From the moment of the dean's dinner where female students are asked why they think they're worthy in place of a worthier man, ignored in class or not taken seriously by their peers or superiors, rejected by law firms for sexist reasons even after graduating the top of the class from Harvard and Columbia, taking a backseat to men in career and social circles. Women are expected to stay home and men to go to work.  If women choose to work, they can only be secretaries, teachers or nurses.  It's just a natural order of things.

Ruth ends up teaching about sex discrimination at a university whereas Marty is on a fast track to become the youngest partner of a major firm specializing in tax laws.  The relationship between Ruth and Marty is illustrated wonderfully.  Marty is admirably supportive and progressive. Their marriage is a truly egalitarian in all aspects of life – education, career, household chores, childcare and parenting – serving as role models for their growing kids, Jane and James (Callum Shoniker).  It's no surprise that, Jane (Cailee Spaeny), now in her teens, grows up to be fearless and foward-looking.

Ruth and Marty jointly take a pro-bono case about a man, Charles Moritz (Chris Mulkey), who is denied by the tax courts caregiver deductions.  He is an unmarried man paying for a nurse to care for her ailing mother at home. Caregiver deductions are handily given to women, widowers or men whose wives are incapacitated because women are presumed to be caretakers.  In an era where discrimination on the basis of sex is legal, this case has a transformational potential to topple the systemically discriminatory legal system and open the doors to gender equality.

Ruth makes an alliance with the head of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Mel Wulf  (Justin Theroux), convincing him to add ACLU's name to the legal brief, essentially backing it.  While being undermined at every turn by various parties, Ruth is undaunted.  Constant challenges and setbacks do not deter her from moving forward with conviction, even as she's not without doubt.  Armed with a brilliant legal mind and passion for doing what's right, she is an epitome of resilience, persistence and determination.  Jones turns in a formidable performance.

When the government responds with a brief that lists all the federal laws that discriminate against women, the plan is to focus on winning this one case, and then tackle these laws one by one.  Far easier than done when the law is not on your side.  Asking judges to enforce or uphold the law is not the same as making or changing it.  This case could set a legal precedent and result in a far-reaching impact that would touch generations to come.

The courtroom showdown is one of the best aspects of the film.  Dramatic oral arguments against ticking timers.  Plan to deflect probing questions and redirect into the tax deduction aspect for one man derails, Ruth doesn't yield.  When backed into a silent corner, she stands up and turns it into an impassioned speech about radical social change that resonates.  Times are changing.  In order for the country's culture and lives to change for the better, the laws have to change first.  With her utterly compelling closing argument, soft-spoken Ruth sets the future on a different course and leaves a lasting legacy towards equal rights.

Glass-shaterring figure Associate Supreme Court of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg didn't get nicknamed 'Notorious RBG' overnight.  “On the Basis of Sex” is one poignant, remarkable story on how it all began.  Full of fascinating insights, it is trailblazingly engaging and inspiring.

https://www.sdentertainer.com/movies/movie-review-on-the-basis-of-sex/

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"Escape Room"

It's no surprise that Hollywood would turn a popular interactive game, escape room, into a movie.  In real life, you pay to be locked in a room with several people and spend an hour to discover and decipher riddles and puzzles that would ultimately let you out.  If you aren't able to solve them, well, you still get out safely when the time is up.

In "Escape Room," six strangers receives a sleek black box, each containing an intriguing invitation to participate in an escape room activity with a prize of $10,000 for the winner.  They are timid physics college student Zoey (Taylor Russell), nerdy gamer Danny (Nik Dodani), hotshot businessman Jason (Jay Ellis), former miner-turned-trucker Mike (Tyler Labine), scarred war veteran Amanda (Deborah Ann Woll) and stuck-in-a-rut warehouse worker Ben (Logan Miller).

While these people seemingly have nothing in common, eventually they find that they are chosen because of something in their past that makes them who they are.  The mysterious game master seems to know the smallest details of their lives and tailor the game specifically for them.

The game begins before any of the participants realizes as they sit in the waiting room.  After the initial denial that this is real and that they are trapped, they realize they have no choice but banding together and figuring out the hidden signs and personal clues in order to survive the death traps – from being baked alive in an oven-heated waiting area, submerged in a frozen forested lake, falling down an elevator shaft in an upside down bar, poisoned to death in a hospital triage, hallucinating in a trippy room, to crushed into pieces in a study room.  Then there's also a suspicion whether the game master is one of them.

The interconnected sets are creatively designed and challenges tricky, packed with paranoia and terror.  The participants come up fatally short in each room since the game is rigged to ensure zero survival.  Every passing moment, every death rattles the survivors more and more.  The question is who would do this and why. The ending makes it clear that there's a larger entity at work and sets up for an even more preposterous sequel.

If you could believe in the total impossibility of the execution, you'll enjoy this tension-filled ride.  There is no escaping in "Escape Room."  This psychological horror thriller will keep you thrilled and at the edge-of-your seat.

https://www.sdentertainer.com/movies/movie-review-escape-room/

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Upcoming Movies: September 2019

[Originally posted on 08/25/19]

September 6
"It Chapter Two" - 27 years after their first encounter with the terrifying Pennywise, the Losers Club have grown up and moved away, until a devastating phone call brings them back.

"A Night Hunter" - A weathered Lieutenant, his police force, and a local vigilante are all caught up in a dangerous scheme involving a recently arrested, troubled man who's linked to years of female abductions and murders.

September 13
"The Goldfinch" (https://www.warnerbros.com/movies/goldfinch/) - A boy in New York is taken in by a wealthy Upper East Side family after his mother is killed in a bombing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

"Hustlers" - Inspired by the viral New York Magazine article, Hustlers follows a crew of savvy former strip club employees who band together to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients.

September 20
"Ad Astra" (https://www.foxmovies.com/movies/ad-astra) - An astronaut travels to the outer edges of the solar system to find his father and unravel a mystery that threatens the survival of our planet. He uncovers secrets which challenge the nature of human existence and our place in the cosmos.

"Rambo: Last Blood" (https://www.lionsgate.com/movies/rambo-last-blood) - Rambo must confront his past and unearth his ruthless combat skills to exact revenge in a final mission.

September 27
"21 Bridges" - A disgraced detective in the NYPD is given a shot at redemption.

"The Hunt" - Twelve strangers wake up in a clearing. They don't know where they are, or how they got there. They don't know they've been chosen - for a very specific purpose.

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2019 Movies Preview: 50 Most Anticipated

50 most anticipated movies of 2019:
https://tinyurl.com/2019movies

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Upcoming Movies: August 2019

[Originally posted on 12/31/18]

August 2
"Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw" (https://www.hobbsandshaw.com) - Lawman Luke Hobbs and outcast Deckard Shaw form an unlikely alliance when a cyber-genetically enhanced villain threatens the future of humanity.

"Luce" - A married couple is forced to reckon with their idealized image of their son, adopted from war-torn Eritrea, after an alarming discovery by a devoted high school teacher threatens his status as an all-star student.

August 9
"Dora and the Lost City of Gold" - Dora, a teenage explorer, leads her friends on an adventure to save her parents and solve the mystery behind a lost city of gold.

"After the Wedding" - A manager of an orphanage in Kolkata travels to New York to meet a benefactor.

August 16
"The Informer" - An ex-convict working undercover intentionally gets himself incarcerated again in order to infiltrate the mob at a maximum security prison.

"47 Meters Down: Uncaged" - Four teen girls diving in a ruined underwater city quickly learn they've entered the territory of the deadliest shark species in the claustrophobic labyrinth of submerged caves.

August 23
"Angel Has Fallen" - Secret Service Agent Mike Banning is framed for the attempted assassination of the President and must evade his own agency and the FBI as he tries to uncover the real threat.

"Ready or Not" (http://www.foxsearchlight.com/readyornot/) - A bride's wedding night takes a sinister turn when her eccentric new in-laws force her to take part in a terrifying game.

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Upcoming Movies: July 2019

[Originally posted on 06/30/19]

July 5
"Spider-Man: Far from Home" (https://www.spidermanfarfromhome.movie) - Following the events of "Avengers: Endgame," Spider-Man must step up to take on new threats in a world that has changed forever.

"Midsommar" - A couple travels to Sweden to visit a rural hometown's fabled mid-summer festival. What begins as an idyllic retreat quickly devolves into an increasingly violent and bizarre competition at the hands of a pagan cult.

July 12
"Stuber" - A detective recruits his Uber driver into an unexpected night of adventure.

"Crawl" - A young woman, while attempting to save her father during a Category 5 hurricane, finds herself trapped in a flooding house and must fight for her life against alligators.

July 19
"Lion King" (https://movies.disney.com/the-lion-king-2019) - After the murder of his father, a young lion prince flees his kingdom only to learn the true meaning of responsibility and bravery.

"Into the Ashes" (  ) - With an honest job and a loving wife, a man believes he has safely escaped his criminal history. But his old crew hasn't forgotten about him or the money he stole, and when they take what he now values the most, he has nothing left to lose.

July 26
"Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood" (https://www.onceuponatimeinhollywood.movie) - A faded television actor and his stunt double strive to achieve fame and success in the film industry during the final years of Hollywood's Golden Age in Los Angeles.

"Brahms: The Boy II" - After a family moves into a mansion, their young son soon makes friends with a life-like doll.

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"Mary Poppins Returns"

"Mary Poppins Returns" begins with the now grown-up Banks siblings in the Great Depression era, Michael (Ben Wishaw; "The Danish Girl," "Skyfall," "Cloud Atlas") and Jane (Emily Mortimer).  Ben is a widower with three small children; John (Nathanael Saleh), Georgie (Joel Dawson) and Annabel (Pixie Davies).

A painter at heart, Ben has another job as a bank teller to make ends meet.  Jane is a labor organizer.  Ben has fallen into hard times, having to take care for his kids and their family home is going to be foreclosed.  The only way to save his home is to find his father's share certificate of the bank that he works at.  Meanwhile, the ruthless bank's chairman Wilkins (Colin Firth, "Kingsman" series, "The King's Speech") is doing everything he can to repossess the  house.

To the surprise of the Banks siblings, their former nanny Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt; "The Girl on the Train," "Edge of Tomorrow," "The Adjustment Bureau") arrives just in time to sprinkle some magic back into their lives.

Blunt brings blunt attitude and polish patina into the role.  She gracefully ascends, glides or descends using a kite, umbrella or balloon and sing and dance with nary a hair out of place.  Another standout is Lin-Manuel Miranda as Jack, the energetic lamplighter and partner-in-adventure.

None of the tunes is memorable except the closing song 'Nowhere To Go But Up.'  A couple of musical sequences are overextended to the level of tedium.  At times it feels like a musical number is just there for the sake of it, which prolongs the pacing and doesn't move the story along as it should be.  These lessen the time that could have been used to build more warmth into the characters' connections.  And of course, there's always an inherent hole with magic; the racing-against-the clock dilemma towards the end could have been easily solved by Mary Poppins.

The production is a lavish affair as scenes after scenes are filled with elaborate musical numbers, gorgeous compositions and colors, including a blend of live action and hand-drawn animation.  Bubble bath-plunging, bowl-spinning, lamp-lighting, bike-riding, tower clock-climbing and time-turning, balloon-floating.  Seasonal change from the cold cloudy winter into sunny spring blooms caps the story on a joyous hope for a better future.

There is something merry about watching musicals around the holidays ("The Greatest Showman," "La La Land," "Into the Woods," "Les Miserables").  "The Greatest Showman" was so successful that it leads to live show tours around the world next year.  "La La Land" won the Golden Globes.  "Mary Poppins Returns" is this year's end-of-year mirth that will put a bright smile on your face.

Book: https://tinyurl.com/marypoppinsreturnsbook

Soundtrack: https://tinyurl.com/marypoppinsreturnscd

Video: https://tinyurl.com/marypoppinsreturnsvideo

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Upcoming Movies: June 2019

[Originally posted on 06/02/19]

June 7
"Dark Phoenix" (https://www.foxmovies.com/movies/dark-phoenix) - Jean Grey begins to develop incredible powers that corrupt and turn her into a Dark Phoenix.  Now the X-Men will have to decide if the life of a team member is worth more than all the people living in the world.

"The Secret Life of Pets" (https://www.thesecretlifeofpets.com) - Continuing the story of Max and his pet friends, following their secret lives after their owners leave them for work or school each day.

June 14 
"Men in Black" (https://www.meninblack.com) - The Men in Black have always protected the Earth from the scum of the universe.  Now they tackle their biggest threat to date: a mole in the MIB organization.

"Shaft" (https://www.warnerbros.com/movies/shaft-2019/) - John Shaft Jr., a cyber security expert with a degree from MIT, enlists his family's help to uncover the truth behind his best friend's untimely death.

June 21 
"Toy Story 4" (https://movies.disney.com/toy-story-4 ) - When a new toy named Forky joins Woody and the gang, a road trip alongside old and new friends reveals how big the world can be for a toy.

"Child's Play" - A mother gives her son a toy doll for his birthday, unaware of its more sinister nature.

June 28
"Anabelle Comes Home" (https://www.annabellemovie.com) - The demonologists bring the possessed doll to the locked artifacts room, placing her behind sacred glass and enlisting a priest's holy blessing. But a night of horror awaits as Annabelle awakens the evil spirits, who set their sights on a new target, their young daughter and her friends.

"Yesterday" - A struggling musician realizes he's the only person on Earth who can remember The Beatles after waking up in an alternate timeline where they never existed.

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"Aquaman"

After the critical acclaim and popularity of "Wonder Woman," a lot was riding on "Aquaman."   Aquaman (Jason Momoa) was first seen in "Justice League."  DC, playing catch-up with Marvel, has had its rushed shared universe misfired or resulted in mixed reviews.  It needed another strong, standalone superhero movie.

One stormy night a lighthouse keeper (Tom Curry, Temeura Morrison) spotted a wounded woman ashore, which turns out to be Atlanna (Nicole Kidman), an ocean queen who fled an arranged marriage.  A cute, fish-out-of-water scene follows.  They soon fell in love and had a son, Arthur (Jason Momoa).  An incursion into their peaceful life made Atlanna realize that she would have to return to Atlantis in order to keep her family safe.

Arthur is raised among humans but secretly trained on land by Vulko (Willem Dafoe), a royal adviser.  As a boy, Arthur learns that he can breathe underwater and communicate with fish.  A grown-up Arthur uses his abilities to do impressive rescue at sea.  The beer-chugging chap prefers to work alone, although fame finds him after his submarine-saving act makes news.  Momoa has the imposing physicality and laidback dude persona that makes the lighthearted character work.

Beneath the sea, battles are brewing. King Orm (Patrick Wilson), Arthur's ambitious half-brother seeks power over the other realms and intends to wage war against humans, in return for their polluting the ocean.  If he succeeds with his alliances, war would rage on and mankind would be in peril.

Mera (Amber Heard), a hydrokinetic-powered princess betrothed to Orm, seeks out Arthur and asks him to return to Atlantis to take his rightful place on the throne.  He's the firstborn son of Queen Atlanna and the only one who could unite the seven seas and prevent the war between the ocean denizens and surface dwellers.  Orm doesn't take kindly to Arthur's intention and challenge him into a duel.  When it appears clear that Arthur is out of his element, Mera takes matters into her own hand and shows that she's every bit a heroine.

An averse hero, Arthur doubts that he would be able to do what's required.  For one, his identity as a half-breed would not allow Atlanteans to accept him as their king.  Moreover, he admits that he doesn't typically lead or work well with others.  Mera believes otherwise; he's precisely the connection between land and ocean.

A key for Arthur to show Atlanteans that he's the rightful ruler is to obtain the hidden Trident of Neptune, thought to be held by the first king of Atlantis and lost when the society submerged ages ago.  Arthur and Mera team up to find the mythical weapon and save both worlds.

Atlantis' ancient architecture, futuristic tech, and ocean occupants such as armored shark, warrior sea horses and war drum-playing octopus are richly rendered and luminously lit.  Its citizens are regally dressed befitting the colorful underwater environment and movements are fluid as liquid.

The nearly 2.5 hours of running time does feel long and the all-CGI epic battle scenes could be cut back a bit.  Also, for those who don't read the comics, a second villain feels unnecessary, although it seems that this subplot would carry on in a sequel.

All in all, director James Wan has created an over-the-top world-building that is distinctly different from other superhero movies.  "Aquaman" is a superhero origin story with an aquatic Avatar, Star Wars war and Indiana Jones treasure-hunt adventure rolled into one.  It's got a surprisingly touching love story, family-bonding and kingdom unity.

"Aquaman" makes a seaworthy splash amidst all the superhero fares.  It's a swimmingly rollicking, action-packed fantasy adventure.

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

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Blu-ray: https://tinyurl.com/aquamanbluray

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Upcoming Movies: May 2019

[Originally posted on 04/28/19]

May 3
"The Intruder" - A young married couple buy a beautiful house on several acres of land only to find out that the man they bought it from refuses to let go of the property.

"Clara" - An obsessive astronomer and a curious artist form an unlikely bond which leads them to a profound, scientific discovery.

May 10
"Pokemon Detective Pikachu" (https://www.detectivepikachumovie.com) - In a world where people collect Pokémon to do battle, a boy comes across an intelligent talking Pikachu who seeks to be a detective.

"The Hustle" - Female scam artists, one low rent and the other high class, team up to take down the rotten men who have wronged them.

May 17
"John Wick 3" (https://www.johnwick.movie) - Super-assassin John Wick is on the run after killing a member of the international assassin's guild, and with a $14 million price tag on his head.

"The Souvenir" - A young film student becomes romantically involved with a complicated and untrustworthy man.

May 24
"Aladdin" (https://movies.disney.com/aladdin-2019) - A kindhearted street urchin and a power-hungry Grand Vizier vie for a magic lamp that has the power to make their deepest wishes come true.

"Ad Astra" - An astronaut travels to the outer edges of the solar system to find his missing father and unravel a mystery that threatens the survival of our planet.

May 31
"Godzilla: King of Monsters" (https://www.godzillamovie.com) - A crypto-zoological agency faces off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah.

"Ma" - A lonely woman befriends a group of teenagers and decides to let them party at her house. Just when the kids think their luck couldn't get any better, things start happening that make them question the intention of their host.

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Upcoming Movies: April 2019

[Originally posted on 03/31/19]

April 5
"Shazam" (https://www.shazammovie.com) - By shouting out one word - SHAZAM!, a streetwise 14-year old foster kid can turn into the adult superhero Shazam.

"High Life" - A father and his daughter struggle to survive in deep space where they live in isolation.

April 12
"Hellboy" (https://www.hellboy.movie) - Hellboy is caught between the worlds of the supernatural and human, battling an ancient sorceress bent on revenge.

"Missing Link" (https://www.missinglink.movie) - Mr. Link recruits an explorer to help find his long-lost relatives in a fabled valley. Along with an adventurer, the trio of explorers travel the world to help their new friend.

April 19
"Under the Silver Lake" (https://a24films.com/films/under-the-silver-lake) - An intelligent man without purpose finds a mysterious woman swimming in his apartment's pool one night.  The next morning, she disappears.  He sets off across town to find her, and along the way, he uncovers a conspiracy far more bizarre.

"Fast Color" - A woman is forced to go on the run when her superhuman abilities are discovered. Years after having abandoned her family, the only place she has left to hide is home.

April 26
"Avengers: Endgame" (https://movies.disney.com/avengers-endgame) - After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War, the universe is in ruins.  With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers assemble once more in order to undo Thanos' actions and restore order to the universe.

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Upcoming Movies: March 2019

[Originally posted on 02/24/19]

March 1
"Styx" - Depicts the transformation of a strong woman torn from her contented world during a sailing trip.  She becomes the only person to come to the aid of a group of refugees shipwrecked on the high seas.  She is left slipping impotently from one nightmare to the next.

"Saint Judy"  - The true story of immigration attorney Judy Wood, and how she single-handedly changed the U.S. law of asylum to save women's lives.

March 8
"Captain Marvel" (https://www.marvel.com/movies/captain-marvel) - Carol Danvers becomes one of the universe's most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races.

"The Sex Trip" - After a shallow womanizer refuses a mysterious homeless woman's request for a kiss, he wakes up the next morning to discover he's been changed into a woman.

March 15
"Wonder Park" (http://www.paramount.com/movies/wonder-park) - A story of a magnificent amusement park where the imagination of a wildly creative girl named June comes alive.

"Captive State"(http://focusfeatures.com/captivestate)  - Set in a Chicago neighborhood nearly a decade after an occupation by an extra-terrestrial force, the movie explores the lives on both sides of the conflict - the collaborators and dissidents.

March 22
"Us"  - A family's serenity turns to chaos when a group of doppelgängers begin to terrorize them.

"The Ramen Shop" - A young man who is curious about his deceased parents' past takes a food journey to Singapore where he uncovers more than just delicious meals.

March 29
"Dumbo" (https://movies.disney.com/dumbo-2019) - A young elephant, whose oversized ears enable him to fly, helps save a struggling circus, but when the circus plans a new venture, Dumbo and his friends discover dark secrets beneath its shiny veneer.

"The Beach Bum" - A rebellious stoner named Moondog lives life by his own rules.

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"First Man"

"That's one step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

"First Man" film takes place during the age of the space race, chronicling Neil Armstrong's (Ryan Gosling; "Blade Runner 2049," "La La Land," "The Big Short" "The Ides of March," "Drive") life from being a civilian test pilot to a NASA astronaut and the first man landing on the moon on July 20, 1969.

It is more of a character study and the story is seen from the lens of one man, Neil.  It also zooms into his family life.  When Neil loses his daughter, a mere two year old, to brain tumor, a part of him dies too.  It steely steers him towards NASA and put him on a sole path towards space.

The film gives a realistic look into the gruelingly dizzying training of astronauts.  It's truly a feat of physical endurance, as well as intellectual and mental capacity.  The training introduces Neil to his superiors, Deke Slayton (Kyle Chandler, "The Wolf of Wall Street," "Zero Dark Thirty," "Argo,"  "Super 8") and Robert Gilruth (Ciaran Hinds, "The Debt"), and colleagues such as Buzz Aldrin (Corey Stoll, "Ant-Man"), Ed White (Jason Clarke, "Everest"), David Scott (Christopher Abbott), Pete Conrad (Ethan Embry) and Elliott See (Patrick Fugit).

While not all the astronauts survive the test missions and Neil personally feels the impact of the losses, it doesn't deter him from dedicating himself to his hazardous work and eventual goal of going to the moon.  It does take a toll on his relationships with his wife, Janet (Claire Foy), and their young children - from cohesive and supportive to apprehensive and cold.

At one point, his wife puts her foot down and insists on Neil explaining to their boys that he may never return alive from his moon mission.  Stoically, Neil explains the highly risky situation to them matter-of-factly, like speaking at a press conference.  Meanwhile, outside of NASA and his family, there are press and politics to deal with.  Not everyone is onboard with space explorations; they cost lives and money and the outcome is unknown.

All these elements provide a human perspective into space travel.  But nothing compares to the way "First Man" is filmed when it comes to traveling to and being in space.  Space travel has typically been portrayed in movies as an alluring adventure, almost with a mystique to it.  Filmed from a distance, astronauts coolly stroll in, then a rocket soaring into the skies and gliding gracefully in space.  While "First Man" has these depictions, it shatters the over the moon image.

Director Damien Chazelle ("La La Land") takes a decidedly different approach.  "First Man" is the closest you can feel to being strapped inside a spacecraft.  Many closeups of Neil's face in a helmet show his internal emotions of severe disorientation, fear, relief, calm and awe.  Gosling excels in portraying a wide range of expressions with minimalism.

There's nothing glamorous about being inside a rocket cockpit; it's cramped chamber and a potential death trap.  And wait until it's airborne - it shakes, rattles, rolls and spins so turbulently.  You'll feel the terrorizing intensity, velocity, vibration and sound.  It's a wonder how the human body could survive such perilous voyage.

In space,  the sight of a sliver of light and earth surface provide needed respite and tranquility.  When the spacecraft finally hovers over the lunar landscape and Neil steps foot on the powdery surface, it's a hard-earned triumph.  The lone human figure and silver moonscape mesmerizingly stand out against the backdrop of the black vastness of the space.  The awe-inspiring music that accompanies the journey stops in stark contrast to the soundless of the deep space.

"First Man" is an immersive experience, a technical marvel with a poignant payoff.

https://www.sdentertainer.com/movies/movie-review-first-man/

Video: https://tinyurl.com/firstmanvideo
Book: https://tinyurl.com/firstmanbook

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Upcoming Movies: February 2019

[Originally posted on 02/01/19]

February 1
"Miss Bala" - One woman finds a power she never knew she had when she is drawn into a dangerous world of cross-border crime. Surviving will require all of her cunning, inventiveness, and strength.

"Artic" (https://bleeckerstreetmedia.com/arctic) - A man stranded in the Arctic after an airplane crash must decide whether to remain in the relative safety of his makeshift camp or to embark on a deadly trek through the unknown in hopes of making it out alive.

February 8
"The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part" (http://www.thelegomovie.com) - It's been five years since everything was awesome and the citizens are facing a new threat, invaders from outer space, wrecking everything faster than they can rebuild.

"Cold Pursuit" (https://www.coldpursuit.movie) - A snowplow driver seeks revenge against the drug dealers he thinks killed his son.

February 15
Happy Death Day 2U (https://www.happydeathday.com) - A young woman discovers that dying over and over was surprisingly easier than the dangers that lie ahead.

"Alita: Battle Angel" (https://www.foxmovies.com/movies/alita-battle-angel) - A young woman's journey to discover the truth of who she is and her fight to change the world.

February 22
"How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World" (https://www.dragonshiddenworld.com) - When Hiccup discovers Toothless isn't the only Night Fury, he must seek 'The Hidden World,' a secret Dragon Utopia before a hired tyrant named finds it first.

"The Rhytm Section" - A woman seeks revenge against those who orchestrated a plane crash that killed her family.

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"A Star is Born"

In “A Star Is Born,” an Academy Award-nominated actor (Bradley Cooper, “American Sniper,” “American Hustle,” “Limitless”) and a singer superstar (Lady Gaga) come together to make music.

Grizzled country rock star Jack (Cooper) stumbles drunk into a bar and discovers an aspiring artist, Ally (Gaga), belting out a classic tune.  The two connect on the spot and at one point end up in a parking lot of a grocery store, learning a bit about each other and start singing in the quiet of the night.

For all his success, Jack is a drug addict and alcoholic, growing up with a damaged childhood.  Ally is a waitress and singer-songwriter, hiding herself behind self-doubt on the music front, insecure about her looks and abilities.  Beyond talent, showbiz is also about persona and what people want to see.  The glitzy dress, daring hair and bold makeup, blaring lights and choreographed dancers.

Smitten by Ally, Jack rolls out the red carpet by flying her to his concert and providing her with a backstage pass.  When Jack sees Ally, he compels her to join him for a duet.  Mousey Ally surprises herself and everyone when she sings her heart out on stage.  In this age of social media, her performance goes viral.  Soon she's scooped up by a producer, gets jazzed up and becomes a sensation.

While Ally's star is soaring, Jack's spiraling downward.  Even so, their emotional, co-dependent relationship keeps them together through the highest and lowest times.  Ally makes excuses for him, cares for but desperately wants him to clean up his messes, and eventually realizes even her love can't save him from himself.

Gaga and Cooper have authentic screen presence.  Gaga for appearing in such a non-Gaga like image and acting so wholeheartedly.  She's totally unassuming with her natural look and vulnerability.  Cooper for singing with his own voice in a rock star facade.  Also, as the film director, he directs the movie with taut frames, creating closeup portraits of Jack and Ally's relationship.  A quibble is Ally's transformation from good ol' Ally to worldly performer goes in a flash, but it doesn't lessen the heartfelt performance.  Both Gaga and Cooper are a revelation.

In “A Star Is Born," two stars and love songs shine. 

Soundtrack: https://tinyurl.com/astarisbornsoundtrack

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