Posted in: The Reel World by Jeremy Butler on September 14th, 2019
Whistleblowing is a difficult decision. You are part of an organization, and you believe in that organization. Speaking out against that organization (yes, I know I’m overusing the word) at times can seem like ratting out family. Not to mention the downside. We all say that there will not be reprisal for whistleblowing, but more often than not, there is. However, that doesn’t mean that if you see wrongdoing that you should sit idly by and do nothing. Most believe that inaction is as bad as committing the act yourself. But when the organization you are speaking out against is the United States government, that is another animal entirely. Official Secrets portrays the real-life actions of Katherine Gun, a translator who back in 2003 leaked classified information exposing a conspiracy to facilitate the war against Iraq. Keira Knightly portrays our whistleblower with an all-star cast that includes Matthew Smith, Matthew Goode, Rhys Ifans, and Ralph Fiennes.
A key factor with this biographical adaptation is historical accuracy. There are always some aspect that are sensationalized to make the story more interesting and engaging. I did some research, and as near as I can tell this portrayal is pretty accurate of the events that transpired; even the names are accurate. Katherine Gun worked worked for the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), a British intelligence agency. During her employment, she received an email from a high-ranking U.S. intelligence official requesting aid in a secret and illegal operation to bug the United Nations offices of six nations: Angola, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Chile, Guinea, and Pakistan. The purpose of the clandestine operation was to gain leverage over these countries to force their support to prompt the United Nations Security Council to approve the invasion of Iraq.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Jeremy Butler on August 30th, 2019
The first season without Peter Quinn. I’m not sure how I feel about that. I had planned to give the show up after Rupert Friend left, similar to how I gave up NCIS after DiNozzo’s exit. The Peter Quinn character has been an essentially part of the cast since the second season and filled the huge hole left behind by Damian Lewis’ exit. Not to mention the dynamic between Carrie and Peter was a driving force for the show, as well as realistic example of the division of love and duty. I just expected to find this season lacking, and though his presence is noted, Homeland continues to be one of the top shows of the spy genre. Homeland Season 7 delivers another thrilling experience .
This season picks up where the last season left off. Carrie has resigned her post at the White House. Now on the outside and without the vast resources she once possessed, she faces issues as she actively works to secure the release of the 200 intelligence community members under the orders of President Keane, while simultaneously trying to prove misconduct on the part of the President and her staff. Meanwhile Kean is calling for General McClendon (Robert Knepper)’s execution for his role in last season’s events and is disappointed when he receives life in prison instead.
Posted in: The Reel World by Jeremy Butler on August 24th, 2019
Anyone married understands that in-laws are not the easiest thing in the world to deal with. The next time you are struggling with your in-laws, I invite you to ponder this question: Have they ever tried to sacrifice you to the devil? If they have, I recommend divorce immediately, and if they haven’t, that puts you one step ahead of new bride Grace Le Domas (Samara Weaving, The Babysitter) That is the predicament that Samara Weaving’s character finds herself in. Here she thought she was marrying into one of the predominant families in the world; little did she know that wealth comes at a cost, and she would be that cost. Ready or Not is an entertaining tale of a woman’s attempt to escape her family, on her wedding night no less, as they use old-fashioned weaponry to hunt her and eventually sacrifice her. Think of it as a parody of The Most Dangerous Game in the format of an old-style horror film.
We meet Grace on what should be the happiest day of her life. She is about to marry the love of her life, Alex Le Domas (Mark O’Brien, City On A Hill), who also happens to be part of a vast and profitable gaming empire (however, they prefer you refer to it as a dominion). However, before she can sail off into the sunset, she must win over his family, which consists of a brother who keeps hitting on her, a father who suspects her of being a gold digger, and an aunt who is just downright creepy. All normal problems to have, right? That is until you reach her most critical problem; when a new member joins the family, that member is obligated to draw a card that is transcribed with a game that the person is compelled to play. Not too farfetched that a gaming dominion family would have a special thing for games. That is until it is revealed that the game she drew was “Hide and Seek”, which has significance to the family.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Jeremy Butler on August 24th, 2019
When you guys try to destroy the world, it’s just an error in judgement. But when it’s one of us, it’s lock them up and throw away the key.”
For years now, the only thing my daughter has had to talk about is Descendants. I’ve had to endure the movies; I’ve had to buy the memorabilia. She has even had a Descendants-themed birthday party. So, we can go into this review knowing that good or bad, this film was going to have the Nalyce stamp of approval. Bias, I know, but fortunately we can depend on me to go into the film with my eyes open. Of the three films, this is quite possibly my favorite of the franchise, as it speaks real truth, especially the quote above. That line was spoken by one of the film’s newest addition, the King of the Underworld himself, Hades, who is also a significant character for one of the original cast. I also believe that this addition was the franchise’s most successful film, though that success is marred by the tragic demise of a member of the original cast, Cameron Boyce, who plays Carlos. With his passing, this may also mean the end of the franchise that has become a staple of the modern-day Disney Channel.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Jeremy Butler on August 16th, 2019
“That’s a great fifth option; let’s work on the other four.”
This line is one of the signature witty clips that Ryan Reynolds brings to the character of Pikachu in this movie adaptation of the popular Nintendo DS video game, Pokemon: Detective Pikachu. It is clear that Pokemon is standing the test of time, as I remember collecting and playing the cards in my youth. Though the card game appears to have fallen out of favor, the franchise received a resurgence a few years ago with the emergence of popular mobile phone app, Pokemon GO! In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised of the popularity of app led to the decision for this live action film starring Ryan Reynolds, Justice Smith, and Bill Nighy. This was a solid opening in my opinion, though I am skeptical of its film franchise potential, given that those without a basic understanding of the video game or card game (there does not appear to be any connection to the original animated series or subsequent animated films besides inclusion of the Pikachu character) are unlikely to get by the questions of “What are Pokemon?” or “Where do they come from?”
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Jeremy Butler on August 13th, 2019
Plus One takes a completely predictable premise and injects some much needed chemistry and comedic timing into it. I mean, come on; based off the synopsis alone we can tell that it is inevitable that our leads’ interactions will eventually turn romantic. I mean, we’ve got Ben, played by Jack Quaid (Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid’s son, also the star of Amazon Prime’s latest series, The Boys), the last of his single friends who has romanticized the idea of the perfect companion. Then there is Alice, played by Maya Erskine (PEN15), a jaded woman following a breakup. These two single friends decided to team together and act as each other’s plus ones to all their friends’ weddings. Come on, it doesn’t take a seasoned critic to see the romance coming. This ideal is pretty much standard operating procedure in romantic comedies with hit-or-miss potential. Well, if it hadn’t been for the chemistry between Quaid and Erskine, the comedic timing of the supporting cast, and Erskine’s individual performance, this movie wouldn’t have been a hit.
As I mentioned earlier, the premise of the film was very predictable. We all knew where the story was heading, so instead of focusing on where we were heading, we need to focus on the journey. This is where Quaid and Erskine’s chemistry was of the most importance. When we meet them, Alice is just Ben’s annoying friend looking to drown her sorrows in the open bar, which she then proceeds to do. Naturally she is the one to suggest the arrangement, and of course Ben is hesitant to the idea, but we all know that he is going to go along with it eventually. The two even act as each other’s wingmen to varying success early on. I must admit that I prefer Alice’s method of throwing Ben into the deep end to Ben’s subtlety. All that pretext aside, we all know that it is only a matter of time. What I couldn’t believe is where their relationship began. I laughed so hard at the idea of getting it on in this insane locale. I literally couldn’t imagine a less romantic setting if I tried. I give the film major points for the out-of-box thinking in this regard.
Posted in: The Reel World by Jeremy Butler on August 10th, 2019
When Dwayne Johnson joined the Fast and Furious franchise, I thought the series couldn’t get any bigger, especially when he and Vin Diesel faced off in one of the best scenes ever in an action movie. Then Jason Statham appeared in the end credits of Fast and the Furious 6 shattering that glass ceiling, and he didn’t disappoint, proving to be one of the group’s biggest adversaries. Then there was the fact that the Statham-Johnson showdown trumped the Diesel-Johnson battle, thereby showing the former’s electric chemistry. It was only a matter of time until a spin-off film came about. Lo and behold, Fast and the Furious presents Hobbs and Shaw. Now, the film has been a source of controversy for the franchise, with both Diesel and Tyrese Gibson voicing their discontent about the delaying of their next installment in favor of this film. Needless to say, Johnson will not be taking part of the ninth installment of the series, but I doubt he is losing much sleep about that, especially when he has the makings of his own franchise with this film.
In the opening credits, we get to meet the third child of the Shaw Family, Hattie, played by Vanessa Kirby, who went from playing royalty in The Queen to a certified harass in the latest Mission Impossible. With this film she solidified her standing as an action star as she holds her own alongside Statham and Johnson. While acquiring a new bio weapon, Hattie’s team is dismantled by a genetically enhanced super soldier (Idris Elba) who seeks to take the weapon. Though she manages to escape with the weapon, Hattie finds herself framed for the killing of the team and theft of the bioweapon.
Posted in: The Reel World by Jeremy Butler on August 10th, 2019
Live action remakes are Hollywood’s latest trend, and they are usually a hit or a miss. That was a universal truth that I went into this movie knowing. To that end, I fully expected that Dora and the Lost City of Gold to be on the side of the latter rather than the former, and yet I was unexpectedly wrong. The film even managed to captivate my daughter, and if you guys have been reading my reviews, you know that she has the potential to be a harsher critic than I do. (If you need proof, look no further than her opinion of Missing Link). I wasn’t even sure that my daughter was that a big a Dora the Explorer fan. Well, if she wasn’t before, she most certainly is now after this movie. Isabela Moner (Instant Family) brings the titular character to life in this live action film that has her facing the biggest challenge of her life.
Dora has grown up in the rainforest, the child of two professors (Eva Longeria and Michael Pena) studying an ancient Incan city that legend tells houses an immense treasure. Dora has grown up with the legend, as well as her family creed that they are explorers, not treasure hunters. Eager to prove herself to her parents, she sets out on an adventure that results in her nearly becoming injured, but fortunately, her parents are able to rescue her, which proves to them that she is not quite ready to take part in their latest expedition to discover the lost city of Parraputa.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Jeremy Butler on August 10th, 2019
I am a Power Rangers fan. I grew up during the first incarnation of the series and had every one of the action figures with the flipping head to show them masked and unmasked. Hell, I am even a fan of the film that premiered in 2017 so much that I would welcome a sequel, though that prospect seems unlikely with the rising profiles of Naomi Scott, RJ Cyler, and Dacre Montgomery. All that said, Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie is where I get off the bandwagon. Despite featuring some of the original cast members, the story is too convoluted and over-the-top to find enjoyable. Taking place after the events of Powers Rangers’ fourth season, also known as Power Rangers Zeo, Turbo sees Tommy Oliver still in command (i.e. the red ranger) of the last crop of Rangers. While competing in a local charity fight to save the Youth Shelter, Rocky DeSantos takes a fall and is seriously injured, which leads to the discovery of their identities by Justin, a friend of Rocky and frequenter of the Youth Shelter. Meanwhile, a new enemy emerges in the form of Divatox, an intergalactic space pirate who is searching for a key that will allow him to traverse an inter-dimensional gateway in order to marry a Maligore, who has promised riches and immense power in exchange for their union.
This movie served as the segue into the Power Rangers Turbo TV show, as well as Kimberly Ann Hart’s exit from the universe with the exception of her cameo in the 2017 incarnation. Perhaps this is bias on my end, but this film would not have been how I wanted to leave the franchise. The story was too convoluted and ridiculous for me. Now this is obviously the opinions of me as an adult; I’m sure when I was a kid and the movie first premiered back in 1997, I thought it was the greatest thing to come into my young life. Fast forward to my adult self; I can’t digest the silly storyline.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Jeremy Butler on July 30th, 2019
"The fall of the worlds, it was the war to end all wars. There was no one left to fight, no war memorials, no wall with the names of the dead, no statues of heroes. Only empty cities and the ruins of great civilizations on two planets. Tumbleweeds, skulls, crows. Only in Zolem did the lights stay on."
I was unfamiliar with the original source material. I found myself treated to a unique action-packed experience. Alita is unquestionably one of the top action films of 2019. I know it’s early, but I have no reason to doubt that my claim will be just as true as the year continues. I would have liked it a bit more if they expanded on the universe slightly more, but it was still a solid opening for the inevitable franchise. By the year 2563, the world has been ravaged by a catastrophic war known as “The Fall,” dividing the population. High-born members of society reside in a sky city known as Zalem, while low-born people live underneath in the junkyard metropolis known as Iron City. Many low-born people have cybernetic limbs and enhancements. One day cyborg surgeon Dr. Dyson Ido discovers a disembodied female cyborg with a fully intact human brain. Providing it with a body, the cyborg returns to life but does not remember her former life or her own name. Naming it Alita, Ido takes the cyborg and raises it like a daughter.
