"Spies In Disguise" Review: Great Message In A Fun Ride
There’s only one spy that we really focus on in Spies In Disguise. While the name may be misleading, you don’t really need more people in a film when you have the charismatic charm of Will Smith. It’s a fun, comedic, espionage animation that manages to pack a great message without hammering it home.
Lance Sterling (Will Smith) is the world’s number one spy. He’s so good, bad guys know him by name and shutter when he’s in their presence. His fellow secret agents and colleagues at work do as well in that rockstar kind of way. This includes a nerdy tech officer named Walter (Tom Holland). Walter’s latest gadget, kitty glitter, gets Lance out of a sticky situation in the field, but not in the particular loud style that Lance is accustomed to and demands. So the two meet under circumstances in which Lance attempts to give Walter a stern talking to with walking papers. Simultaneously, Lance is moved on the agency’s wanted list after a doppelgänger steals a top secret killer drone.
Forced on the run to clear his name, Lance enlists the help of Walter, who just happens to have made an elixir that can change a person into a pigeon for spy purposes. With a new identity, Lance goes after the villain who stole his identity. Along the way, he learns the value of teamwork while Walter learns to believe in himself.
There’s a message at the heart of Spies In Disguise that needs to be heard by everyone. You have to look past Will Smith’s animated charm, DJ Khaled’s interesting voice acting debut, and the humor. Be yourself and it’s ok to be weird are a couple of the messages, but the deeper message we can gain from the movie is that we should try our best to solve conflict without destroying the person or entity we’re in conflict with. All of Walter’s gadgets are non-lethal but are still effective. After Joyless (Reba McEntire) tells Walter that he’s the future of the organization, I couldn’t help but think she was talking to the young kids in the audience. They have the ability to change the world, but it may be too late for the generations currently in power.
Spies In Disguise is an enjoyable time at the movies for families. You’ve definitely seen the character archetypes before, but its messages are worth hearing. If there is a better way to resolve conflict, choose it! At the very least you’ll learn that pigeons fly as fast as ninety miles an hour!
Rating: B
"Aladdin" Review: It's Got Faults But Disney Charm Too!
To have seen Aladdin in theaters in 1992 as a child means that you will go into Aladdin 2019 with ice in your veins! At least I did. How many times did I rewatch the VHS with my brother? How do I still know all the words to the songs? It was the Disney magic and the incredible voice acting of Robin Williams that made the film so special. Don’t worry ice kings and queens, Disney hasn’t lost its magic and Will Smith knows how to create a new genie instead of trying to fill those unmatchable genie shoes! It will take a while for the ice to melt, but this film is charming enough to do it.
Aladdin (Mena Massoud) is a street thief with dreams of being somebody. He’s got a good heart but no money in his pocket. After a chance encounter with Jasmine (Naomi Scott), the Princess of Agrabah, Aladdin is smitten but knows he doesn’t stand a chance with her as a lowly street rat. So when the nefarious Jafar (Marwan Kenzari) forces him to retrieve a lamp from the Cave of Wonders that happens to hold a powerful genie, Aladdin’s windfall is significant. Genie (Will Smith) can make all his wishes come true, or at least three of them.
That previous paragraph was for anyone who was born in the last seven years. The beloved classic tale hasn’t changed much, but co-writers John August and Guy Ritchie are wise enough to know that making a live action version of a classic means that you need to deviate a little. The minor changes that they make to the film are the right shift in a new direction. Disney princesses are a lot stronger than they used to be. Princess Jasmine is more defined as a person than she was in the past. She’s crafted into a tangible character who shows real leadership, a zest for life and courage. Genie and Aladdin’s relationship is a little more intertwined as Genie has the ability to take on a human form outside of his usual blue, legless shape.
The film must lean on the nostalgia of the classic film and songs though. It asks you to forgive the fact that Will Smith can’t sing and that the musical arrangements of many of the songs are a bit of a step down from the originals. Perhaps because three new lyricists worked on this with one of the original songwriter, Alan Menken. Mena Massoud feels like he was casted for the smile and energy that Aladdin has in the animated version, but it not for his musical talent. In fact, much of the film’s musical numbers sound like they should be on Broadway and director Guy Ritchie shoots them like he’s covering a stage play.
While the film has its eyebrow raising, cringeworthy moments, when songs aren’t being sung, the drama is universally touching. The life lessons of being yourself, speaking up for yourself, and doing right by other people is clear. The budding romance between Princess Jasmine and Aladdin has all the right Disney feels. So while it has its faults, the bold step to recreate Aladdin may prove to be worth it this weekend. It will certainly be a good time for families, and at least we’ll get to hear DJ Khaled the next time we’re in a Disney theme park!
Rating: B-
"Bright" Review: The Rumors Are True
By this time, you’ve unwrapped your gifts, dealt with a little family love and drama, and might be getting in a little work before the New Year break. So why not escape from reality for a couple hours with director David Ayer’s Bright? Let’s just say that’s not a bright idea. Yeah, because the film is about as corny as that last pun.
Will Smith is Daryl Ward, a veteran cop who is getting back out on the street with his orc partner, Nick Jakoby (Joel Edgerton), after being shot by a criminal. It’s bad enough that orcs are considered scum in this world of humans, elves, and fairies, but diversity hire Jakoby is a part of the reason Ward was shot. So Jakoby is hated by virtually everyone in his life and his own kind. When a routine response uncovers a magic wand at the residence, the two partners are the most sought after cops in...can we call it Middle-earth for kicks? Everyone wants the wand because whoever wields it can be granted whatever they wish for. The problem is, only a Bright can hold it and live.
Thus, a survive the night film of sorts kicks off. Not the kind that Ayers is good for, but the kind of buddy-cop drama that just doesn’t work, reminiscent of the films that came out post Lethal Weapon. While the world building in the film is decent, you constantly feel like something isn’t quite right. You’re waiting for a punch line that’s never revealed. Maybe that’s the problem; the film takes itself seriously. With elves that do acrobatic martial arts moves and don’t miss when it comes to taking a shot, in the midst of a barrage of bullets that miss, it’s hard to believe. It’s also hard to believe there’s no racist themes underlying the film. With the orcs as baggy clothe wearing gangsters living in the slums, the elite elves wearing the latest high-fashion clothes and living in a gentrified area, and humans fitting somewhere in between, the “races” lean into stereotypes. It’s certainly not the District 9 environment it strives to be.
When news hit that superstar Will Smith would be starring in a Netflix film, a sense of excitement hit blogs and media outlets. Seeing Smith in Bright is the equivalent of the time that you beat your dad in a race for the third time. You knew he hadn’t been winning for a while, and you thought maybe it was a fluke. This film cements Will’s range and the fact that his delivery is still stuck in the Bad Boys 2 era. Edgerton is wasted, but it’s probably a good thing that you can’t recognize him in all his orc make-up. Genius decision! Noomi Rapace adds a small spark of excitement as Leilah, the big baddy hunting down her wand.
At the end of the day, in order to bake a good cake, you take different ingredients and bring them together. Generally, they’re brought together with one or two key ingredients that can gel them all and poof! Deliciousness! Bright has all the right ingredients, but it’s lacking the jell to bring them together. Ayer is known for his signature style in the cop genre. He wrote Training Day! He wrote/directed End of Watch (a film I enjoyed)! He has skills. Ayer teamed with his longtime cinematographer, Roman Vasyanov, so the film’s look is definitely there. The cast on paper is a solid ensemble. Taking Ayer’s style and infusing it into a fantasy world could work had Max Landis’ script not been so disjointed.
There’s a reason Bright is getting a lot of buzz for being bad. It’s bad! Yet, the word of mouth that has drawn in 11 million viewers in the first three days maybe the kind of thing that years from now makes it a cult classic. Perhaps that’s why you checked out this review. Perhaps that’s while you’ll check it out yourself. Just don’t say you weren’t warned.
Rating: D
"Suicide Squad" Review
It’s no secret that DC is trying to get its footing with every film it puts out. Suicide Squad is not able to escape this dilemma, but I get the sense that they are learning and re-working with each installment in its world. The film starts strong, and ends flat, but in a film that didn’t take itself so serious :), it’s the summer movie popcorn fun that it’s supposed to be.
Picking up after Superman has died from Batman V Superman, a secret government agency decides to comprise a group of meta-humans and bad guys as a contingency against anyone who may rise up and wish to destroy the world. Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) leads the charge and seeks out some incredibly talented but villainous individuals. There’s the assassin Deadshot (Will Smith) who never misses a shot, Joker’s (Jared Leto) crazy girlfriend Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), a fire powered Diablo (Jay Hernandez), an Australian thief named Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), and a witch who goes by Enchantress (Cara Delevingne). Right off the bat we’re introduced to each character in an efficient, fun, albeit we’ve seen it before way.
After a mystery villain begins to destroy Midtown, the squad is called into action. The rules are simple, go extract a high powered official and defeat the villain at risk of death, or be killed by the nanite implants in their necks. There you have the motivation for each villain and story in a nutshell.
Writer/director David Ayer had his work cut out for him in having to introduce us to each character having not seen a solo story for them prior. The first hour of the film starts out pretty strong, introducing us to the characters, seeing them play with others, and getting them into the mission. Ayer’s tactical know how and ability to visualize action as seen in prior films like Sabotage and End Of Watch is displayed throughout the film. Yet character development gets the short end of the stick.
Smith’s Deadshot, and Robbie’s Harley Quinn are the obvious stars of the film. With the rest of the group being tag alongs almost as dispensable as the group is to the government. Smith brings the charisma we love in a character that isn’t just Will Smith being Will Smith. Robbie loses herself in her character, but unfortunately the Hollywood male gaze pins her as an object more than anything else. Viola Davis brings the ruthless, pragmaticism that we’d expect from Waller. There is a glimmer of shine that comes from Hernandez’s Diablo that I would have liked to see more of. Of course, the character most of us have been waiting to see, the Joker, weaves in and out of the film a lot more than I thought we'd see, but not quite enough to judge how good he is.
The villain in the film gets the least development of the bunch, but is probably way too powerful for the group minus one. All that said; I still enjoyed watching the film. There were moments in the film that gave me goosebumps (Deadshot leaping on the car), character flashbacks that helped you identify with the villain and see where things may have gone wrong, and the team building of the group works for this rag tag team of bad guys.
While we’re constantly reminded that the group is comprised of bad guys, it’s a one off that works to bring new characters into the DC movie universe. These characters will never have their own film, but they’re not supposed to. DC has introduced us to some of their villains, and when we see them in future films we have an idea of what they’re capable of. So while the film has a simple plot, plenty of style and character charm, it’s not supposed to cure diseases. Let’s be real, if Ayer was able to give us a rated R version of this like he’s accustomed to it would have been a better film. Given the parameters, I think it came out alright. Let the trolling begin!
Rating: B-
"Focus" Review
Will Smith proves “After Earth” was a bump in his career with “Focus”. Written and directed by Gleen Ficarra and John Requa, the film is a well executed caper comedy. It's sure to keep you entertained this weekend!
Nicky (Will Smith) is a veteran con man. He meets Jess (Margot Robbie) after she tries to play him in a “bring you back to the hotel room so my husband can bust in and take your wallet” con in New York. Knowing he’s being played, he turns the tables on them and gives Jess a quick tutorial in the art of lifting before leaving. The key for the film to work is the chemistry between its main characters, and there’s enough to teach a high school class! (That was a little lame, but there is!) Their brief lesson in the snow is light hearted and playfully flirtatious, but continues throughout the rest of the film.
We then find ourselves in New Orleans for a Super Bowl. It’s the greatest place for a heist according to Nicky. With a team of thirty people in on the action, Jess joins the group after tracking Nicky down from New York. She fits in nicely with the crew in a beautifully choreographed sequence in the bustling French Quarters in which they lifts wallets, purses, rings, and more. A romance blossoms between Nicky and Jess, but the best part about it is as a viewer you constantly question what’s real. Is their “love” real? Is Jess playing Nicky or Nicky playing Jess?
The entire crew disperses to ensure nothing is traced. A few years after New Orleans, the two meet again as Jess descends down the stairs straight out of a classic film, into the middle of Nicky’s in progress con and back into his life. From there the film gets thick with distrust. You never know who is playing who, but not in such a way that it’s confusing or distracting. It keeps you on your toes in an entertaining way.
The camera work is great in the film. Occasionally the frame is in and out of focus, but more specifically the directors lead our eyes to what they want us to see. For instance, in one scene Jess walks into a designer store. We see her walking straight toward the camera, the camera dollies left, and we realize we’ve been watching her through a mirror as she walks past the camera on the left. It’s tricks like this that make it hard to trust our eyes as well as the story unfolding on the screen.
“Focus” is a sexy, fun ride that will keep you guessing. Will Smith still has it, and it proves that Margot Robbie is more than just the objectified, pretty woman that “The Wolf of Wall Street” made her out to be. If you want something to keep your attention off of your busy work week this weekend, “Focus” is the movie to do it!
Rating: B