DESPICABLE ME 3: BROTHERLY LOVE

Has it really been 7 years since we were introduced to master criminal Gru and his merry band of misfit yellow henchmen the Minions? Apparently so. But that hasn’t stopped them from invading the pop culture world and taking it be storm as well as leading to a spin off with the banana singing creatures as well as now two sequels the latest of which has just been released on DVD.

Gru (Steve Carell) has been working for the AVL (Anti-Villainy League) with his now wife Lucy (Kristin Wiig) for a while now when the call goes out about a new bad guy on the loose. Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker) was once a popular child star appearing as a pre-teen criminal with world conquering aspirations. Then puberty hit and his career ended. Now he’s decided to take on the persona of master criminal for real and seek revenge on Hollywood.

With a penchant for 80s pop songs and a fierce mullet complete with spiked hair atop, Balthazar tries to steal the world’s biggest jewel. Gru and Lucy foil him but with some embarrassment along the way, enough that they are fired from the AVL.

Fortunately at the same time Gru learns that he had a twin brother, Dru, who wants to connect with him. Gru, Lucy and their girls Margo, Edith and Agnes, are whisked off to Freedonia where they find Dru runs a successful pig operation. Or so it seems. In truth he longs to be a master criminal like both he and Gru’s father was.

As Gru learns more about his past and his brother he concocts a plot to please both his brother and get his job back. The major theft he plans is that of the jewel Balthazar stole when it was successfully returned to its home. With the help of Dru he just might do it.

But there are others involved in these stories right? The girls are paid less attention this time around and it is Lucy who deals more with them than Gru this time. Lucy is still trying to get the hang of this being a mother thing and it’s not as easy a task as she thought but she’s learning.

And the Minions, what about them? When Gru gets fired they abandon him because he won’t return to a life of crime. On their own they are eventually arrested and sent to prison but not before winning a singing competition.

Eventually all the storylines come together and make for a satisfying movie that entertains and delights both children and adults. There are the usual slightly gross jokes for the snickering kids, some jokes placed that adults will get and kids won’t and a lot of love between the characters which has actually been the trademark of the series. It’s never been all about being evil or good but about caring for others that has made this movie series as successful as it is.

The animation here is superb and has been from the start. While I’m still a huge fan of the old style Disney animation it’s movies like this one that are winning me over. The visual gags that they pull off in the film would not be achieved in a reality based film and the computer animation lends itself to those sort of jokes. The old two dimensional style would have seemed more realistic and thus not worked as well.

While the combination of story, animation and voice acting skills combine to make this a great movie those who are fans know that the DVD release means there will be extras worth looking at. There are two music videos to be found as well as a mini-movie THE SECRET LIFE OF KYLE. There is no such thing as too much Minions and this proves true here.

DESPICABLE ME 3 is a movie worth renting but my own suggestion is buying and owning it. As a matter of fact pick them all up. I know in my case having done so I’ll pop one in every now and then and get a laugh and my heart tugged and enjoy every minute of it. And since we’re this close to Christmas this movie would make a fantastic stocking stuffer. Consider this one a must have.

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AMERICAN ASSASSIN: MOVE OVER JACK BAUER

When transitioning a movie from book series to film you have an issue to contend with. Millions of readers have read the books and have created the image of the characters, especially the lead character, in their mind. There is no way possible that the perfect actor to portray that role is possible. But most of us can be forgiving and accept the choice if the movie is good. JACK REACHER was a great example where the 6 foot 5 inch tall Reacher was portrayed by the 5 foot 7 inch tall Tom Cruise. He made you forget and gave it his all. Such will be the case for Vince Flynn’s character Mitch Rapp. Does this film do him justice? In a word yes.

Mitch (Dylan O’Brien) is on a sunny vacation beach with his girlfriend who he’s just proposed to. Going for drinks his world is turned upside down when terrorists hit the beach killing tourist, his fiancé among them, shooting Mitch and leaving him for dead. Their mistake as 18 months later we find Mitch constantly training, learning martial arts, weaponry and turning himself into a killing machine.

Mitch has also gone underground and located the men responsible for the terrorists attack. He’s placed himself in their area and convinced them he wants to join. Taken to their hidden headquarters he is about to either be accepted or killed when several are shot through the windows, the door is breached and the rest are killed while Mitch is handcuffed and taken away.

The CIA was responsible for taking Mitch away and killing the terrorist cell. Led by Deputy Director Irene Kennedy (Sanaa Lathan) they’d been following Mitch’s progress all along. She sees potential in turning Mitch into an agent and approaches him with the offer. Thinking this will help him in his quest to eliminate all terrorists, he takes her up on the offer.

Taken to a secluded training facility in Virginia Mitch is introduced to Stan Hurley (Michael Keaton), an ex-Navy SEAL, cold war operative and tough old school spymaster and top trainer for the CIA. Stan has close ties to Irene having known her since she was a child but doesn’t agree with her assessment of Mitch. He can tell that Mitch still clings to that concept of revenge making things personal, something he goes out of his way to tell Mitch to abandon before it controls him.

As training progresses Hurley begins to see the potential in Mitch as well. At the same time while bucking the standard playbook presented to him with training, Mitch begins to feel this might be a group that he can become a part of. They continue to clash when a world shattering event happens and calls them into action.

A free agent known only as The Ghost (Taylor Kitsch) has stolen raw plutonium that can be used for a dirty bomb. Working for a group of Iranian hardliners intent of using the bomb it attracts the attention of the CIA. Even more so the attention of Hurley who knows something about The Ghost. With his latest recruits in tow the team heads out to find the plutonium and take down this terrorist sympathizer. But is Mitch ready? Is there something personal about The Ghost that Hurley is taking to heart? And can the terrorists be stopped in time?

The book series is one of the best written in some time. Fortunately before he passed away from cancer author Flynn was involved in this film project. That they were able to capture what was on the written page and put it on the screen is an achievement worth noting. So much so that fans, like myself, can only hope that the film was successful enough that more are in the works.

In the books the character of Rapp was like a steroid injected version of 24’s Jack Bauer, a man who believes in his mission and is willing to do anything to get the job accomplished, that job being to take on terrorists and protect his country. O’Brien’s version here fits the mold perfectly. His determination and change from innocent to angel of vengeance to full on hero is a journey on display that adds depth to a character that could have come off as an un-costumed Batman clone. Mitch as seen here has emotions while at the same time being focused on the mission.

Keaton shows why he can take on nearly any role sent his way. He bursts out of comedic roles in 1989 when he stunned non-believers in to proving he WAS Batman. Now he displays the world weary killing machine Stan Hurley so well that there is no doubt he IS this character. While book fans know his fate the door is left open for more training and more terrorists to be taken down. And while the character may be angry at times for Mitch not following orders he also recognizes that by taking initiative Mitch moves the game forward with his natural sense of events. In essence he sees himself in Mitch.

The movie is action packed from the first moments on the beach till the potential cataclysmic ending, one that offers the special effects team the chance to create something never seen before. The movie offers a more realistic version of the spy world than the Bond movies we’ve grown up with, a gritty no holds barred world where innocents are slaughtered for simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But the heroes it offers are just as realistic, men willing to step outside the lines to insure the safety of the world. One hopes that men like Mitch Rapp and Stan Hurley are actually out there. While we may never actually know at least we can find comfort in the stories of these characters both in written and filmed versions. When the credits roll you’ll find yourself wondering when the next one will be made.

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THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS: SAVING THE WORLD

The Fast and Furious franchise is not one that people saw coming. The initial tale of street racers running afoul of the law has morphed over the years to become an action series where those same street level thieves are now the hottest super team saving the world from destruction. And while some (my mother included) would use the phrase "you expect me to believe that?" while watching the film, it really doesn't matter. The movies aren't about realism, they're about escapism. Fueled by fast cars, numerous explosions, incredible hand to hand combat and bad guys galore at their center they are all about family. Such is the case with this latest chapter.

The film opens in Cuba where Dom (Vin Diesel) and Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) are vacationing. Of course the movie opens with a high octane (sorry I had to go there) street race between Dom and a local street racer ending with Dom earning the man's respect with a win. Out getting coffee the next day Dom is hijacked by a woman known as Cipher (Charlize Theron) with a secret she uses to force him to work for her.

When the team is called out on a new mission, where should they get caught they will be disavowed, recovering a stolen EMP device in Berlin. Things go according to plan (with plenty of car chases and damage) but then Dom runs team leader Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) off the road, leaving him to be caught and taking the EMP.

Hobbs is sent to prison where Mr. Nobody (Kurt Russell) and his protg nicknamed by the group Little Nobody (Scott Eastwood) offer him a chance to work for them if he signs a confession. He refuses and enters the prison, unaware that this is the same location where Deckard (Jason Statham), the villain of the last film is imprisoned. The pair threaten each other constantly when they suddenly find a prison break presented to them. The duo fight their way separately through the throng but exit at the same time into the waiting hands of Mr. Nobody.

Now, along with the team, they must work together to find Dom and discover what happened, why he changed sides. As they do so their base of operations is breached by Cipher and Dom and the God's Eye, the top secret computer program that allows them to view any and all around the world, is taken. Left bruised both physically and emotionally the team goes back to trying to locate them using old school techniques.

It pays off in the end and the next target they find Cipher stealing is nuclear codes held by a Russian diplomat in New York. The team sets out to make sure it doesn't happen and of course more car chases and action ensues. All of this takes place on the crowded streets of Manhattan and the thrills are on display with plenty of edge of your seat moments. But the codes are stolen and the team almost captures Dom but he escapes. He has a moment where he could take Letty out but lets her live.

This leads to a moment that will cement Dom's future plans for Cipher. The secret she has over him involves family, something that she constantly belittles him for and tries to break down with each assignment she gives him. What she doesn't realize is just how important that is to him, how it reaches down into his core being. It is a startling moment in the series but must happen to get to the next level. And it is family that will pursue Cipher and attempt to rescue Dom with the fate of the world now at play.

Come on, these movies aren't about Shakespearean drama, these are popcorn movies. They're meant to entertain and thrill us like a roller coaster ride. And the fact remains that this franchise is one that consistently does just that, outdoing the previous film each and every time.

That being said the actors involved consistently provide their best offerings. They don't treat it like this is a comic book world of unbelievable stunts, they make their characters seem real and their concerns seem genuine. That's not an easy task when surrounded by 150 mph cars and giant wrecking balls while tracking down rogue nukes. And yet they accomplish it each and every film.

Rumors abound that various cast members are unhappy with others, that some are jealous of the roles increased/decreased in the series. That's sad to hear. Perhaps they could take a note of the concept that strikes at the heart of this film, that of family. They've become family to the fans of the series who continue to make this one of the most financially successful film franchises out there. Perhaps they need to set aside the self-importance they seem to feel about themselves and realize that the series helped to make them bigger stars than they were when it started, that the fans long to see them carry on and that in so doing they continue to make enormous amounts of money. When that happens we'll see them once again in the next chapter of the series.


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BLOOD MONEY: GREED

In the mid-80s John Cusak was making it big. By his fourth listed film on imdb he was in a lead role and on his way to stardom. Ten years later he was at the top with some of the biggest hits of his career. Then after the new millennia began his career dropped. The movies he was making were still good and his acting abilities were still great. But the movies he was making weren’t doing well.

For some reason of late Cusak has taken on roles in movies far beneath his abilities. Most have gone straight to DVD. But in each he never stops offering a solid performance in whatever role he’s given. This has happened with several stars and I’ve never understood why. I’m left believing that a lot of it has to do with ageism, a prejudice against stars who are no longer their young selves. Rather than, as in the past, allow stars to age gracefully and continue making movies with roles for them to be featured in, Hollywood seems intent on featuring nothing but young new actors.

Had that been the case in the past imagine all that we would have lost. No Bogart in THE AFRICAN QUEEN. No Cary Grant in NORTH BY NORTHWEST. So many great performances would have not existed. Rather than a middle aged James Bond we’d have had the latest teen heartthrob in the role. The thing is this. When you see John Cusak’s name on the cover of a DVD the odds are these days it won’t be as good a film as he’s done in the past. But his performance will be.

Which brings us to BLOOD MONEY. The movie is actually better than you would think. Three college age friends set out for a river trip, reuniting after time spent away at school. Victor (Ellar Coltrane) has remained behind in their hometown working minimum wage jobs. Jeff (Jacob Artist) comes from a wealthy family and is doing well. And Lynn (Willa Fitzgerald) is still running, her athletic scholarship keeping her in college. Having had a leg injury she’s still not on top but she’s mending and working out.

With memories of their past in hand they three best friends head to the forest and river to spend the weekend, reliving their shared time together. Victor still pines for Lynn, the girl he knew growing up with and who he fell in love for. But unbeknownst to Victor, Jeff and Lynn have become an item, something he will learn along the way.

At the same time their journey begins we witness someone parachute from a small plane, dropping a package at the same time. The plane, unattended, crashes and the individual and package are separated, the package falling into the river. This is Miller (Cusak), a man trying to leave the world behind whose path will cross with the three friends.

It is Lynn who discovers the package dropped by Miller, bags containing $80 million dollars. Victor believes they should contact the police. Jeff is willing to go along with whatever Lynn says. But it is Lynn who becomes the most changed person when presented with the opportunity for all of this money. Her greed takes control and like the figure of Gollum from the RINGS trilogy she covets the money more than anything in the world. The contest for who gets the money, whether Miller is able to get his money back and what each is willing to do for what they want forms the basis for this movie.

The film isn’t just about greed though that plays a major role in the proceedings. As much on that topic it’s also about desperation. Each of the characters has some form of that moving them forward. For Victor it is his hope of reuniting with Lynn, something that happened before she left for college. For Jeff it is winning the affections of Lynn for himself. For Miller it is the chance to take his ill-gotten gains and remove himself from society. But it is Lynn who is revealed to be the most desperate of the four characters. It is Lynn who is changed by the money more than any other. Just how far and if she is willing to lose herself completely to it, moves this movie to its conclusion.

Cusak, the heavy this time, does a solid job here while not really being the central character. His part here feels more like a role he took on to pay back someone of to get a paycheck. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t perform well, just that this is not like past leading roles he would have taken on. Both Artist and Coltrane do a good job here as well, making their characters believable. But it is Fitzgerald who shines here. With each passing moment this young woman who would normally play out as a victim in most films becomes more frightening than that of what we assume to be a criminal and killer. That she accomplishes this slowly displaying pieces of her character one at a time is a credit to her skills.

The movie is definitely not a major blockbuster styled film but it does offer a nice showcase for all involved. It’s also not a bad movie on the whole and will entertain from start to finish. So if you’re looking for something to rent this week then this one might not be a bad choice.

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