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‘Paddington in Peru’ is a Wonderful Adventure Not Just for Kids, But the Whole Family

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

I initially avoided the “Paddington” movies upon their initial release. Watching the trailer for the first one had me under the belief that the filmmakers were determined to dumb down the classic works of Michael Bond as I watched the beloved bear clean out his ears with toothbrushes and almost eating what was on them. Yuck! Plus, Colin Firth, who was originally supposed to voice Paddington, dropped out of the original film during post production, and this did not give me a lot of hope for the final version which was eventually going to be unveiled before a worldwide audience.

Alas, I was proven wrong with not only “Paddington,” but also with “Paddington 2” which proved to be an even better film than the original. “Paddington 2” also earned a rare 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes for a time before some bastard critic made the blasphemous decision to give it that one negative review. I would shudder to call them kid movies as that would simply mean they were meant for a certain age group and only that one group. Truth is, these are movies for the whole family, just like the best Pixar films are, and they have something for every age group to enjoy. Hollywood does not make enough movies like them these days, and they threaten to become a rarity now more than ever before.

The same goes with “Paddington in Peru,” the third movie in this beloved franchise which arrives to us seven years after “Paddington 2.” After watching this marmalade loving bear and the only creature, animal or human, who can make a red hat look cool these days, brave the adventures London has thrust upon him, he now returns to Darkest Peru where he once grew up. This time, it’s personal! Granted, that last sentence was the tagline for “Jaws: The Revenge,” one of the worst films, let alone sequels, ever made, but it seems inescapably appropriate to use here.

His sudden exodus from London comes when he is told that his Aunt Lucy (voiced by Imelda Staunton) has gone missing from the Home for Retired Bears, and no one can find her. Joining him on this expedition is the Brown family: Henry (Hugh Bonneville), Mary (Emily Mortimer), Judy (Madeleine Harris), Jonathan (Samuel Joslin), and Mrs. Bird (Julie Walters). Through thick and thin, the Browns have had Paddington’s back even as this bear’s adventures have proven to be as exasperating as they have been thrilling.

What I really love about the “Paddington” movies is how wonderfully realized the human characters are. Just when I expected they would be rendered as one-dimensional doofuses, they prove to be more complex than the average family movie would allow them to be. I also love how the kids have evolved from then to now as this is not always the case in movies, let alone sequels.

And like any good sequel, “Paddington in Peru” does take the time to introduce new characters into the mix. Among them is Hunter Cabot, a tour guide and treasure hunter played by Antonio Banderas, who is clearly having the time of his life in this role. In addition, he gets to play many members of Hunter’s family from generations before him, and it results in one memorably hilarious moment after another.

But even better is the ever so brilliant Olivia Colman who steals every scene she has here as the Reverend Mother who oversees the Home for Retired Bears. She makes a grand entrance singing a song which almost turns “Paddington in Peru” a musical along the lines of “The Sound of Music,” and when she finished, the need to applaud her efforts was quite justified. Also, I love how her voice says one thing, but her eyes are quick to say something else. Seriously, watching Colman’s eyes dart back and forth is a wonderful delight throughout.

Hugh Bonneville remains an entertaining presence as Henry Brown who always goes from being an uptight dad to a loving and risk taking individual even when a tarantula presents an unwelcome presence in his life. I also love how Madeleine Harris and Samuel Joslin continue to grow into their roles as Judy and Jonathan, and watching them traverse the perils of adolescence into adulthood is a welcome sight for me. As for then lovely Emily Mortimer, she does a lovely job of stepping into the role once inhabited by Sally Hawkins of Mary Brown to where calling her a replacement would be insulting and unfair to both her and Hawkins.

And at the center of it all is Ben Whishaw who once again voices Paddington to where it would be unthinkable to consider anyone else in this role. Right from the start, Whishaw has given this bear we all want to look after a solid dignity and politeness which might seem far too easily manipulative in the hands of any other actor. Some will be quick to say that the computer did all the work for Whishaw here, but he adds to the visual effects in an immeasurably way to where when Paddington gives an adversary that hard stare, he makes that stare even harder than it already is, and we should all be expecting that at some point here.

Of all the “Paddington” movies to date, “Paddington in Peru” is the least of the three. I don’t say this to degrade it in any way as saying the least does it more justice than calling it the worst as doing so would be a grave insult. Granted, this one threatens to be a more formulaic adventure movie as we watch Paddington go from unfamiliar surroundings to more familiar ones, but this sequel still proves to be a wonderful adventure for all ages, and that is saying quite a bit in this day and age.

And, as always, I leave you with the immortal words of Michael Bond which continue to speak volumes:

“Please look after this bear. Thank you.”

Also, when it comes to the online attacks Tony Farinella and I continue to get, I feel the need to add this:

“Please look after this film critic. Thank you.”

* * * ½ out of * * * *

‘Heart Eyes’ – A Romantic Comedy Slasher Film Worth a Look

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

“Heart Eyes” comes to us packaged as a horror comedy filled with blood, gore, creative kills, mystery and a pair of sexy leads, one of whom looks like he just stepped off the set of “Bridgerton.” Perhaps the filmmakers wanted to give February 14th another horror classic as “My Bloody Valentine” may not have the same staying power these days have (assuming it ever did). As for “The St, Valentine’s Day Massacre,” that’s a gangster film not many have watched in a long time (and they probably should). Whatever the case, it is here and, judging from its gloriously bloody trailer, looks to be Valentine’s Day’s answer to Eli Roth’s “Thanksgiving.”

The masked serial killer of this film is called the Heart Eyes Killer, and he, his gender assumed, wreaks havoc on Valentine’s Day by killing couples who are madly in love. Clearly, the filmmakers have brought all the tools to the table as this killer has everything a growing serial killer needs; a machete, a simple knife, night vision, martial arts training, and if he doesn’t have any weapons on him at any given moment, he will be quick to make use of whatever automotive parts or kitchen tools available at his (again, I assume) disposal. The first kills come to represent how good this psycho is with their aim and viciously cold he is ending the existence of those unlucky to be in their way.

From there we head over to Seattle, Washington, home of the Space Needle. Ally (Olivia Holt) has a chance meeting with a “Bridgerton” looking dude named Jay (Mason Gooding) at a coffee shop where it turns out they like the same drink and the same amount of sugar and honey put in it. The chemistry is very palpable to where there is no denying this is love at first sight, but Ally is still recovering from a breakup from an ex who has quickly moved on to another love, and Jay is only in town for a day.

Well, it turns out they are to be co-workers on an advertising project which needs to be salvaged as Ally’s take on love is not the least bit appealing to her condescending boss who is given an inspired portrayal by Michaela Watkins. This leads to dinner, drinks, and an arrival at someone’s apartment. Unfortunately for them, the Heart Eyes Killer is waiting for them there, and they become the killer’s favorite target even though they are not exactly a couple.

In a lot of ways, “Heart Eyes” plays a but like a “Scream” movie as we spend our time trying to figure out who the killer is, and if there is more than one. All the while, we are treated to a film score by Jay Wadley which sounds like Marco Beltrami leftovers. But while I have been down this road many times before, I still enjoyed what this romantic comedy slasher flick had to offer as it held my attention throughout, and it never lost my attention throughout.

The beginning which features a couple getting engaged, and the man proposes in a rather gross way to put it mildly (watch it for yourself), and it quickly reminds us of how difficult it is to get a proposal just right. Those who are lucky enough to do so strive for perfection, and they should just be happy they didn’t get an arrow through the eye or get smashed in a compactor to where one of their eyes shoots out of its socket. This sets this film off to an inspired start to where I was curious to see where things would go from there.

As for the kills, they are as creative as one might expect for a slasher flick. A tire iron will never look the same, a machete cannot help but be a welcome sight even if it isn’t being wielded by Danny Trejo, and an arrow which ends up in the most painful, let alone fatal, spots of the human body. Just when you think you have everything, there is another which cuts much too close, and I don’t just mean to one’s private parts.

Oh yeah, there are also a pair of police detectives out to investigate and solve the crime, and they go by the last names of Hobbs and Shaw. The fact that one of them is played Jordana Brewster should help to clue the average viewer as to what franchise this is all referring to. For the more naïve ones, it might just refer to a drift, particularly from Tokyo.

What really holds “Heart Eyes” together the most is the irresistible chemistry between Holt and Gooding. Together, they power a film which might have easily come across as an average slasher flick, but instead works as a subversive answer to the regular romantic comedy.

As you may expect, the identity of the killer is eventually revealed, or is it really? I imagine there are some who will say, “I knew who it was all along,” but even those schmucks will be wondering if there is a second shooter on the grassy knoll. This all results in a number of inconsistences which tend to make for the worst plot holes of all, but I was having enough fun to where I lost any interest in examining just how big those holes were.

Director Josh Ruben and screenwriters Phillip Murphy, Christopher Landon and Michael Kennedy were intent on taking the kind of slasher flick we all grew up watching and mashing them together into something which is recognizable but still its own thing. When it comes to romantic comedies, I usually find myself running in the opposite direction from them like everyone else, but the scene in which Ally and Jay share their vulnerabilities with one another while hiding in a van at a drive in showing a film starring Cary Grant while the couple who own the van have loud and passionate sex in the rear proved to be moving enough to where if Elton John’s song “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” started playing in the background, I would have been totally cool with that.

It will be some time before critics, film buffs and horror movie addicts can proclaim “Heart Eyes” a horror classic for the ages. Some works age like a fine wine, and while this one is no classic, I like to believe people will come to appreciate it more in the future than upon its release. It is not a great movie by any stretch of the imagination, but I found it to be a fun ride which is worth the price of admission.

And looking at the pattern of this serial killer’s victims, it makes me wonder what this film’s tagline could have been. I am thinking it could have been something like “it’s better to be single” or “just when you thought it was safe to get into a romantic relationship,” this one reminds you of the advantages of going into Valentine’s Day solo. Then again, mistaken identity, as it is shown to be here, is a real bitch.

* * * out of * * * *

‘One of Them Days’ Takes a Familiar Store and Infuses it with Stong Characters

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

I have been around some of the neighborhoods featured in “One of Them Days” as they are not too far from where I live. They all seem to have a nice family vibe going on and are filled with all kinds of blue-collar workers who, like everyone else I know, are living paycheck to paycheck. I keep thinking a lot of people will look at these neighborhoods and apartment buildings as being very “ghetto,” but that is far too easy an assumption to make. Either that, or I am doing everything I can to not sound too white while writing this movie review.

Seeing the way the apartment buildings and inner-city areas are portrayed in “One of Them Days” helps to make this film stand out a bit. The story is old as they come, and we have seen it being done in so many movies of all kinds, but the way certain environments are shown here makes it feel a lot fresher than I ever could have expected. It also helps that the film has a strong cast who portray characters you want to follow from start to finish.

We meet best friends Dreux (Keke Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA) who share an apartment in a building off of Obama Boulevard, the kind that needs a serious visit from the Los Angeles Housing Authority. The ceiling is falling apart, the air conditioning units don’t work, and everyone has one roommate too many because, as we often hear, the rent is too damn high. And into this “jungle,” as the characters like to call it, is a young white woman named Bethany (Maude Apatow) who is all smiles and comes with a dog who clearly needs a lot more training.

To top things off, Dreux gets a visit from her landlord, Uche (Rizi Timane) who informs her if he doesn’t get the rent by six o’clock, she and Alyssa will be drop-kicked out onto the street. Dreux says Alyssa has already given him the rent money, but it turns out Alyssa’s good for nothing, live in boyfriend Keshawn (Joshua David Neal) has run off with it and into the arms of another girlfriend of his, Berniece (Aziza Scott). This leads Dreux and Alyssa to go on a desperate mission to get the rent money before it is too late, and the clock starts clicking like it does on the average episode of “24.”

In a lot of ways, “One of Them Days” is a version of the book “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” and so many other stories dealing with missions needing to be completed before the clock strikes midnight. Dreux and Alyssa’s adventures involve parking in the wrong spot at the wrong time in Los Angeles (seriously, those parking enforcement officials are like ninjas), donating blood for money, and attempting to get a loan at one of those quick credit offices who are just waiting to overcharge their customers on interest payments.

Like many cinematic comedies, the jokes are hit and miss as I have seen some of them done better. The donating blood scene goes a bit over the top, and I remember a better example being done with Al Bundy on “Married With Children,” but the credit office scene is a hoot as it shows an employee laughing her butt off at a low credit score, something I have not seen before. But what keeps the movie together are Keke Palmer and SZA. Even as the comedy gets a bit too broad, they both nail their character’s individual strengths and vulnerabilities perfectly as they show how Dreux and Alyssa clearly want better futures for themselves, but life too often gets in the way.

In addition to making the rent, Dreux also has an interview with a corporate company for a job which will allow her to ditch her waitressing job and move up in the world. As for Alyssa, she is one of the many struggling artists out here in Los Angeles whose self-confidence is so low to where they hook up with people who can never truly value who they are.

Palmer is wonderfully energetic here as Dreux, a person eager to rise above her meager place in life, and I especially enjoyed SZA who takes Alyssa from someone lacking in confidence in herself and her work to one who has more than earned their newfound confidence in life. Even as their characters go through the usual routines of loving and hating one another to where they never want to talk to each other again, and we know they will quickly realize how much they need one another long before the story ends, both these actresses kept me wanting to follow their plight throughout.

Palmer and SZA are also supported by a strong cast which includes Katt Williams as a man named Lucky, and this is even though this character is not having any luck at life in the present. You also have Vanessa Bell Calloway whose character of Mama Ruth doesn’t get much screen time, but who remains a very strong presence nonetheless. And there is no forgetting Patrick Cage who plays the interestingly named Maniac, and he is a human being who almost dares you to judge a book by its cover. While his outward appearance might have one thinking he is that kind of a person, the reactions others have to him, let alone to a certain object of hardware he has in his car, are quite telling of those around him. In the end, Cage makes Maniac into a resilient character who gas been through a lot and has evolved a lot in the process.

I also got to say that I love how strong the women are as presented here. I say this because this relates to all the women I have worked with in life, and they often prove to be much stronger than us men for many reasons. “One of Them Days” proved to be a reminder of this for me, and this is not just because many of the male characters are such babies here. Heck, Keshawn is such a man child that you just want to smack him silly. Some out there might say that the female characters are made to look strong to help satisfy certain demographics, but I prefer to believe they simply reflect a reality we should not be the least bit surprised by.

“One of Them Days” is not going to go down as a classic motion picture, but that’s okay because I enjoyed it for what it was. If you are looking for a nice diversion from your problems for an hour or two, I think this one will do the trick.

* * * out of * * * *

Danny Boyle’s ’28 Years Later’ Finally Unleashes Its First Trailer

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

And so, it has finally arrived: the first trailer for the long-awaited sequel, “28 Years Later.” Like another sequel, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” it was stuck in the deep, dark and despairing pit known as development hell. But like said sequel, this one finally emerged from its depressing depths and looks to promise us another round of infected zombies running way too fast and devouring everything in their path, and it looks to be a creative reinvigoration for Danny Boyle, the Oscar winning director of “Slumdog Millionaire.”

The story so far indicates that almost thirty years have passed since the Rage Virus was unleashed upon the world after a group of animal rights activists naively released an infected chimpanzee from its cage (the road to hell is always paved with good intentions). After what looks like a prologue in which a harried parent locks a group of children into a room where they watch the Teletubbies before blood starts flying everywhere, we are taken to an island where humans can find peace as they are surrounded by water which acts as a much-needed border between them and the infected. Like those characters from the “Dawn of the Dead” remake, they think this island will offer them a safe haven, but we all know this will not last very long.

This first “28 Years Later” trailer promises an especially visceral and bleak time at the movies as humanity still struggles in a post-Rage Virus world. But then again, remembering how “28 Weeks Later” ended with dozens of infected running towards the Eiffel Tower, we could not have expected things to get much better. And keep in mind, the tagline for this sequel states, “Time didn’t change anything.” With Boyle returning to this franchise as a director for the first time since “28 Days Later,” and Alex Garland returning as screenwriter, it will be interesting to see how life has evolved (or perhaps devolved) for the characters we see here and the virus.

Movie trailers for the longest time have been using special remixes of popular songs to get the audience’s adrenaline pumping as excitement is always promised for eager film buffs, and the hopes of a huge first weekend opening at the box office is always in the air. With “28 Years Later,” we instead get an old recording of Rudyard Kipling’s war poem “Boots” read by Taylor Holmes. Holmes’ increasing the intensity of Kipling’s words makes the images thrust at us here all the more horrifying, and it makes this one of the best and most memorable movie trailers I have seen in some time.

The big question I have, however, is this; where is Cillian Murphy? After winning the Best Actor Oscar for his role in “Oppenheimer,” it was said he would be reprising his role of Jim and also be serving as an executive producer on this sequel. While actors such as James Bond front-runner Aaron Taylor Johnson, Jodie Comer and an especially beat up Ralph Fiennes dominate this trailer to where no infected person could easily upstage them, I kept waiting to see Murphy somewhere in here. Rumor is, there is a corpse which rises up from the grass that looks a lot like him, and it makes me wonder what will become of Jim this time around.

“28 Years Later” is said to be the first of a trilogy, and the next film, “28 Years Later II: The Bone Temple” is currently being shot with “Candyman” director Nia DaCosta at the helm. Boyle’s sequel, which said to have been shot mostly on an iPhone 15 Pro Max, will be released on June 20, 2025.

Please check out the trailer below.

‘Bad Teacher’ – A Wannabe ‘Bad Santa’

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

“Bad Teacher” so desperately wants to be a devious black comedy like “Bad Santa” but for teachers. Depressingly, it doesn’t even come close to reaching such devilishly hilarious heights. Despite some good laughs sprinkled throughout, this movie is a surprising bore with few surprises up its sleeve. You can see things coming long in advance, and the punch line deflates very quickly. Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel, Justin Timberlake and a talented cast do their best with a severely underwritten script, but the movie wears out its welcome within the first ten minutes.

Cameron Diaz stars as the teacher of the movie’s title, Elizabeth Halsey. She is dumped by her rich fiancé at the start as he figures out that she is only with him for his money, and this forces Elizabeth to go back to her teaching job which she claims is “the only thing I’m good at.” Her teaching style, however, consists of showing her students movies like “Stand and Deliver” and “Lean on Me” before moving on to the R-rated stuff. While they watch, she’s either nursing a hangover or working towards one with tiny little bottles of Jim Beam whiskey stashed in her desk. But while Jack Black played a somewhat similar character nursing a hangover in “School of Rock,” Diaz comes up short here.

The thing with movies like “Bad Santa” is that, as deplorable as the lead characters were in their actions and demeanor, there was something which made me want to keep watching what they went through, and in the hopes that they would reach some sort of evolution or catharsis. Whether they were likable or not, they were interesting. Billy Bob Thornton succeeded in “Bad Santa” in painting a complex portrait of a man who was as pitiful as he was cruel to others.

This brings us to a really big problem with “Bad Teacher;” Elizabeth Halsey is not an interesting character. She is essentially a shallow human being looking to manipulate those around her to get what she wants. Through schemes like school car washes and, as it is described, “extra tutoring,” Elizabeth works towards raising money to get breast implants as they seem more important than anything else. Aside from that, there’s not much to the character here. She comes across as one-dimensional without much to work with in terms of complexity or a back story, and this just sinks the film even further down into the muck.

Regardless of what has been said, I believe Diaz is a very good actress. She is endowed with great comedic talents which were put to good use in movies like “There’s Something About Mary,” and she has proven to be a strong dramatic actress in “Any Given Sunday” and “Being John Malkovich.” While she is game in making Elizabeth a despicable teacher, she never becomes like the ones everyone hated during school years, and the lack if any interesting and redeeming qualities makes this a waste of her talents. With a better screenplay, she would have been fantastic here.

“Bad Teacher” does pick up a little as it goes on, and it scores some great laughs when Elizabeth discovers that the teacher whose class gets the highest scores on the state exam gets a bonus of around $5,000. Seeing her switch her class from movie watching to reading the first 100 pages of “To Kill a Mockingbird” in one night for a quiz the next day is comedic gold. It gets even better when she uses unorthodox methods to make the students learn like standing them in a line and hurling balls at them when they give the wrong answers. Unfortunately, these are some of the highlights, and they all happen at the movie’s midpoint.

Other scenes like Elizabeth getting revenge on faculty members becomes anticlimactic as I could see long in advance how her vengeance would end. When she is running the school car wash and dresses scantily, it’s funny for a minute. I have seen so many movies over the years which have utilized this sight gag, sexy women at a car wash barely dressed, and it’s so old now. We have been there and done that, and nothing is done to make this particular gag look the least bit fresh.

One actor who fares better in this movie is Jason Segel who plays gym teacher, Russell Gettis. His humor is unforced, and he never strives too hard in making us laugh and succeeds in sneaking jokes when least expected. If only “Bad Teacher” had more of this humorous magic… I mean, I can dream, can’t I?

After all these years, I’m glad Justin Timberlake has singing career to fall back on as he has not had the greatest luck in movies despite his inspired turn in “The Social Network.” Watching him opposite Diaz is interesting in part because we all know they were once a couple, but the chemistry they had in life doesn’t quite translate to the silver screen. His character of substitute teacher Scott Delacorte is a rich guy who Elizabeth courts as she selfishly wants someone wealthy to pamper her for life. But it becomes far too obvious how this relationship will turn out, and while Timberlake does what he can with the material given to him, he can only do so much.

Other actors who have their moments include Phyllis Smith who steals scenes as the shy Lynn Davies. Her muted ways make for amusing moments as she argues about certain things bothering her at a very subdued level. Stealing even more scenes though is Lucy Punch who plays Elizabeth’s arch nemesis, Amy Squirrell. Punch fills her character with a certain joy brought on by an innocence which masks a deep resentment that eventually gets the best of her.

The director of “Bad Teacher” is Jake Kasdan who is of course the son of famed filmmaker Lawrence Kasdan, Jake’s a good director, and his movie “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” remains one of the most vastly underrated comedies of all time. But here, he is unable to find the balance between comedy and character. If the characters in this here movie were a little more down to earth and nowhere as contrived, he could have made this film truly work and give it a spark few comedies could have.

Many may watch “Bad Teacher” with high hopes that it will be a deliciously nasty comedy along the lines of “Observe and Report” or “World’s Greatest Dad,” let alone “Bad Santa.” The problem is this one is nastier than it is funny. Doing comedy is hard work, but making a black comedy is even more difficult. Hopefully, Jake will have more luck in the future with this kind of film, as he has done good work in the past. And I also say this because the recently released “Red One,” which he directed, is, like this one, far from ever being a critical darling.

* * out of * * * *

‘Fly Me To The Moon’ – A Pleasant Surprise

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

I came into “Fly Me To The Moon” with a bit of trepidation. On the surface, it looks like a fluffy and light hearted romantic comedy, the kind of film I typically avoid like the plague. Also, a portion of its story seemed determined to prove that the Apollo 11 mission and landing on the moon could have been faked, and I take major exception at anyone attempting trying to prove how that “one small step for man” was all a farce. Seriously, if you think Neil Armstrong and company making it to the moon was all a big fat lie, I invite you to watch the 2019 documentary “Apollo 11” which makes clear the mission did in fact happen, and to believe otherwise would be blasphemous.

Well, I was pleasantly surprised by “Fly Me To The Moon” as it proves to be a warm-hearted any very involving film which has laughs, genuine emotions, and some truly wonderful performances throughout. It also serves as a reminder of how, even back in the 1960’s, people were more interested in getting control of the narrative than they were about facts or what was seen as truth. This is even more the case today for reasons I’m sure I do not need to point out.

Based on a story by Bill Kirstein and Keenan Flynn, we are introduced to Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson), an advertising and publicity genius who is, shall we say, recruited by a shady government agent named Moe Berkus (Woody Harrelson) to fix up NASA’s image in preparation for the big Apollo 11 mission to the moon. Upon arriving in Florida along with her assistant (played by Anna Garcia), she comes into direct conflict with NASA director Cole Davis (Channing Tatum) who is determined to see this mission through to completion without any complications. But with these two characters being played by Johansson and Tatum, you know sparks will be eventually fly between them because, you know, why not?

First off, I have to point out what a dynamo Scarlett Johansson is here as Kelly. In her first scene in which she confidently manipulates a trio of automobile executives to include seatbelts in their upcoming models, Johansson is ever so sublime as she commands the screen to an infinitely enjoyable extent. Watching her make her way into places no civilian is allowed and getting the participations of companies willing to hawk their products (Tang, in particular, is an unforgettable standout) is infinitely enjoyable to witness. And when the time is right, she shows a vulnerable side to Kelly which hits right at our hearts.

As for Channing Tatum, I’m a little torn on his performance as Cole Davis. Part of me wishes he didn’t appear so stiff at times, but maybe this was by design. Cole is a NASA official who is as strait-laced as they come, and Tatum plays this to perfection even as I wanted him loosen up a bit. But as the movie goes on, his performance improves as he comes to like Kelly more than he thought he would, and he does have a bit of chemistry with Johansson which certainly helps. And in the end, like him, we want to see this particular Apollo mission succeed.

“Fly Me To The Moon” reaches an especially interesting point when Moe orders Kelly to set up a fake moon landing on a nearby stage in the NASA compound. It is meant to serve as a backup in case the Apollo 11 mission fails, but Moe eventually admits that this fake setup will be the only moon landing anyone will ever see on television as America is determined to win the Space Race no matter what. It is an interesting conundrum as government forces ensuring that there will be footage of astronauts landing on the moon makes sense, and makes even more sense that there would be a serious need for a backup plan to be utilized to ensure some kind of moon landing would take place for the public to see. Still, some things in this world can’t be even better than the real thing regardless of what U2 says.

Director Greg Berlanti (“Love, Simon”) and screenwriter Rose Gilroy do not reinvent the romantic comedy drama, let alone the period romantic comedy drama, but they do give us a lot of inspired dialogue and situations as Kelly and company work to deceive government officials into believing they are watching a staged landing when they are actually, and desperately, trying to broadcast the real deal. With the inclusion of the average black cat, things become more exciting than you might expect them to be.

In addition to Johansson and Tatum, a number of other actors give memorable performances here. Woody Harrelson is a hoot as he made me believe without much doubt how Moe Berkus can hear and see everything from a mile away. His work here is a reminder of how he can play any role given to him, and this has been the case for many years now.

Watching Ray Romano as Cole’s NASA friend, Henry Smalls, is a reminder of what a truly terrific actor he can be. Granted, this was made clear to me years ago with his work in “Rob the Mob” and “The Irishman,” but I’m not sure people know him enough outside of his “Everybody Loves Raymond” and stand-up comedy success. Romano gives Henry a lot of genuine emotion, and he fully humanizes this character in ways any great actor could and should. He is that good here.

If there’s a scene stealer to be found in this film, it is Jim Rash who portrays the obsessive director of the fake moon landing, Lance Vespertine. There’s no forgetting him after this as he makes us understand why Lance is such an exacting filmmaker to where he treats government agents and actual astronauts as if they are the worst actors ever. He is such a flamboyant presence throughout, and yet he also manages to avoid turning Lance into a mere caricature. Others may disagree with this assessment, but there you go.

I really wasn’t sure what to expect from “Fly Me To The Moon” when I walked into the theater as it was not a summer movie I was eagerly waiting for, but I came out of it pleasantly surprised as I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. It takes familiar elements from the average romantic movie and makes them feel fresh in my eyes, and it once again reminds me of what a tremendous talent Johansson can be. Also, it is further indisputable proof of how Apollo 11 did in fact land on the moon. For some stupid ass reason, there are still many committed to believing the whole thing was faked and that Stanley Kubrick was somehow involved. Seriously, get a life already!

* * * out of * * * *

‘The Garfield Movie’ – This is Not the Cat I Was Looking For

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

I grew up on Jim Davis’ “Garfield.” I loved this lazy cat whose affection for lasagna and reveling in his own laziness and selfishness often had me laughing quite uncontrollably. I even got my first-grade teacher to initiate a celebration which I proudly called “National Number One Garfield Day” which my classmates were eager to participate in. And yes, I reveled in those animated classic television episodes in which the orange tabby cat was voiced by the late great Lorenzo Music who perfectly captured Garfield’s sarcasm, gluttony and eventual self-awareness without missing a beat.

Years later, Hollywood brought Garfield to the silver screen, but with limited, if any, critical success. While the 2004 live action “Garfield” movie had the brilliant Bill Murray voicing the infamous cat, the story felt more like a “Toy Story” clone instead of representing the feline we all grew to love in our youth. And seriously, when we see Jon Arbuckle get lucky with someone of the opposite sex, I have to believe something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

Now we have “The Garfield Movie” which brings the infamous cat back to the animation realm with Chris Pratt voicing him. It starts off introducing Garfield into the age of the internet and apps as he proceeds to order an obscene amount of Italian food which he scarfs down in record time. Following this, we jump back in time to when he seemingly gets abandoned by his father and ends up wandering into an Italian restaurant across the street where he meets Jon Arbuckle who is all by his lonesome eating a pepperoni pizza. They quickly form an unbreakable bond as Jon, like us, cannot resist this cat’s infinite cuteness in the slightest.

At the start, it looks like “Garfield The Movie” is going to respect the comic strip’s history perfectly as it acknowledges this feline’s love of lasagna among other things, and it was a kick to see him land flat on Jon’s face while he is in bed as if to tell this human, “Get up asshole, make me breakfast!” But from there, Garfield and everyone else is thrown into a story which is generic at best.

While doing a raid on the refrigerator for midnight snacks, Garfield and Odie get kidnapped by a Shar Pei and a Whippet who take them to an abandoned mall where they meet Jinx, a Persian cat who is bent on revenge against Garfield’s father, Vic, who abandoned Jinx at a very inopportune moment. While Garfield wants nothing to Vic after all they have been through, the both of them quickly realize they need one another in order to secure their freedoms and obtain an obscene volume of milk for just one cat.

From there, this movie goes into the usual tug and pull of a father trying to make amends to a child he wasn’t there for, and a child who wants nothing to do with a parent they feel abandoned by. I think you have a good idea of where the story goes from there as it goes through the usual tropes and cliches father-son motion pictures have to offer, and it quickly became apparent to me that this was no “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.”

On top of that, there is a lot of retconning going on here. Those who kept up with the comic strip know Garfield reunited with his mother at one point, and this gave the orange cat more dimension than he had previously. Here, he reunites with his father, and it doesn’t have the same dramatic heft. Also, Odie is made to look like some super genius whom Garfield can only dream of being as smart as. But one of the delights of the comic strip is how Odie is as dumb as a post, so this dog’s genius behavior feels completely out of place.

And when it comes to Garfield’s relationship with Jon Arbuckle, it is much too loving to where there is no drama between owner and cat found here. Garfield revels in his selfish endeavors to where Jon is constantly infuriated beyond repair, and none of this animosity is found here. I kept waiting for Jon to admonish Garfield for playing with the power seat in his car or for eating a fern plant he just bought. But no, they just get along all too well here. Even a trip to the vet feels routine, and I remember just how terrified Garfield was about going to the vet.

As much as I wanted to appreciate what director Mark Dindal and company did here, and there’s no doubt kids will enjoy this movie, I really came out of this cinematic endeavor feeling like this wasn’t the Garfield I grew up on in the slightest. Moreover, as we watch Garfield traverse a critical portion of Lactose Farms where every conceivable form of security was put in place, it only reminded of infinitely superior scenes in Pixar films like “Monsters Inc.” That the “Mission Impossible” theme plays at one point is no surprise, and it made my eyes roll as this addition feels much too obvious.

The voice cast is clearly having a lot fun here. Chris Pratt clearly revels in voicing Garfield, and he does a good job even though he still can’t hold a candle to Lorenzo Music. Samuel L. Jackson is an inspired choice to play Garfield’s father, Vic, and I say this even though I kept waiting for the bad ass motherfucker within Jackson to erupt. Yes, this is a family movie, but still…

If there is one cast member to single out above all others, it is Ving Rhames who voices Otto, a bull and former mascot for Lactose Farms who is pining to be reunited with his long-lost love. While he could have played this lovelorn bull as if he was in on the joke, Rhames instead plays this animated character ever so straight to where his dramatic pauses provide the biggest laughs this film has to offer.

For what it’s worth, “Garfield The Movie” is bound to delight the kids, and their parents are bound to watch it with them hundreds of times once it arrives on physical and digital media. Still, I came out of it frustrated as this really didn’t feel like the Garfield I know and love. Instead, you have an orange tabby cat stuck in a movie with a story unbefitting to his legacy and easily pales in comparison to the average animated classic.

Perhaps Garfield as a character has long since outlived his usefulness in popular culture. Jim Davis’ creation is nowhere as popular today as it was back in the 1980’s, and perhaps studio executives are afraid of making this orange tabby cat look as lazy in this age of Me Too, Times Up and an intense desire for true representation in Hollywood.

All of this reminds me of a scene in “Here Comes Garfield” in which Garfield attempts to explain to Jon, without words, why Odie didn’t come home with him after they both went outside to play. Jon, of course, doesn’t understand what Garfield is describing to him in the slightest, and Garfield ends up telling him ever so dryly:

“What we have here is a failure to communicate.”

When it comes to Garfield and Hollywood, this still remains the case.

* * out of * * * *

‘Moneyball’ – One of the Best Baseball Movies Ever

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

WRITER’S NOTE: This movie review was written in 2012. I present it now as the latest baseball season has now begun.

“Moneyball” is, for my money, the best baseball movie since “Bull Durham” as, like Ron Shelton’s 1988 classic, it takes a very unique look at this American pastime and the players who inhabit it. Whereas most baseball movies are about rising to the occasion and winning the big game, this one is more interested in the mechanics and statistics as the characters, all based on real life people, work to see if the current state of this sport can be improved. This is not about winning mind you, but of recapturing a love for the game which has long since passed so many people by.

Brad Pitt stars as Billy Beane, general manager of the Oakland Athletics (a.k.a. the Oakland A’s) who has just witnessed his team’s tough postseason lost to the New York Yankees. In its aftermath, he watches as the team’s key players of Johnny Damon, Jason Giambi and Jason Isringhausen leave for more lucrative deals with other more desirable franchises. From there, the team’s management becomes obsessed about finding the best players to fill their spots. What stands in their way, however, is they have a budget of $40 million to work with which, in any other case, would sound like a lot, but it’s pitiful compared to the Yankees’ overall budget of $100 million.

While visiting a coach from a rival team, Beane comes across Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), a Yale economics graduate who has new and radical ideas of how to assess a baseball player’s value. After hearing Brand’s theories, Beane hires him to join the Oakland A’s, and they both put his unusual theories to the test. This quickly upsets the team’s scouts who cannot, and do not, want to see the validity of these chances being taken. Regardless of the objections, Beane is insistent everyone go in this new direction. But as “Moneyball” goes on, it becomes clear that Beane is not just doing this because of a lack of money, but to find a new way to fall in love with baseball as it ended up betrayed him years before he became a manager.

There are a number of things at work in this film; the need to change the game, the disadvantage some teams have compared to others, and the demons that keep fighting certain baseball players who continue playing this game even when they are long past their prime. In flashbacks, we discover how Beane was an exceptional baseball player in high school, and that scouts for the big teams were serious about signing him up for the major leagues before he could even consider college. His baseball playing career, however, turned out to be a stunning disappointment, and it is this failure which haunts him to this day.

Brad Pitt gives one of his best performances ever as Billy Beane, and he finds a balance to where he inhabits the character more than acts. He draws us emotionally into this movie even more than some might expect, and he brings a realism to Beane which makes his acting never less than compelling.

Jonah Hill, best known for “Superbad,” “Funny People” and “Get Him to The Greek” among other films, gets to go against type here with this dramatic role. He does an excellent job of playing Brand as so fresh-faced to this job and becomes our eyes to the realities of baseball which many people may not be aware of. Seeing Hill imbue Brand with a strong intelligence and a big heart proves he has a lot more to offer than just hilarious performances in comedy movies, and it marks an important change of pace for him as a result.

Another great performance comes from Philip Seymour Hoffman as Art Howe. You never catch Hoffman acting as he portrays Howe as an individual being worn down by endless contract negotiations and is constantly questioning the control he has over his own team. Howe is adamant that he is the one to manage the players above everyone else, but he eventually finds he does not have the energy for a prolonged argument with Beane or Brand as they have their own plans. It is the weariness of Howe which Hoffman so perfectly captures, and he remains one of the best actors working today.

“Moneyball” is based on Michael Lewis’ non-fiction novel of the same name, and it has been adapted by two of Hollywood’s best screenwriters: Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin. Neither of them ever tries to spell out everything for the audience because they are smart enough to give them enough information to where we can all come to very understandable conclusions. And on top of everything, their dialogue remains as brilliant as ever.

In a year which has seen more remakes or recycled ideas as opposed to anything resembling originality, “Moneyball” succeeds in giving us a story which feels so fresh and highly innovative. In dramatizing real-life events, the movie makes you want to see people go against the grain because it does not help to keep things the same as they have always been. It also makes us remember what is so great about the game of baseball in a time where headlines about steroids and other performance enhancing drugs and the constant abuse of them make it all seem like a sick joke. Surely there is plenty of innocence left to this American pastime, right?

* * * * out of * * * *

An Ultimate Rabbit Video Review: ‘Napoleon’ (2023)

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

Hello people. My apologies, I have not been writing much recently. I kind of hit a brick wall and have been a bit depressed about my current living situation. As a result, I am trying something a little different; I will be doing a movie review on camera. Sooner or later, it had to happen.

This review will be of Ridley Scott’s historical epic “Napoleon” which stars Academy Award winner Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon Bonaparte, the French military commander and leader who came to prominence during the French Revolution, and his brutal military campaigns during the Revolutionary War are the tales of history which are impossible to forget, especially considering how it resulted in millions of lives lost. The movie focuses on Napoleon’s rise to power, and of his all-consuming relationship with Joséphine de Beauharnais, played in a fantastic performance by Vanessa Kirby (the White Widow in the “Mission: Impossible” franchise).

Scott’s “Napoleon” works best when it focuses on the tortured relationship between Napoleon and Josephine as Phoenix and Kirby make quite the acting pair whenever they are together onscreen. Watching them face off with one another is endlessly enthralling, and it helps to make up for Scott and company do not dig enough into Napoleon’s psychology. My problem is the film tends to keep him at an arm’s length distance, and I came out of it feeling like I could have learned more about the man. Nevertheless, Scott has crafted a four-hour cut of the film which will debut on Apple TV in the near future. That’s right, it will be streaming before we all know it.

Please check out the review below and subscribe to The Ultimate Rabbit You Tube channel if you have not already. It is not too long, and I did my best to make sure it only lasts a fraction of “Napoleon’s” running time which is 157 minutes.

‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ – Our Friendly Neighborhood Web Slinger Thrills Us Yet Again

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

Just when I find myself getting increasingly weary of superhero/comic book movies, along comes another “Spider-Man’ installment. This friendly neighborhood web-slinger has succeeded in maintaining a high batting average on the silver screen, and this continues to be the case with “Spider-Man: Across the Spider Verse” which has as much heart, soul and endless creativity as do the best entries in this franchise. I figured this would be the case as the opening credits proved to be a kaleidoscope of crazy colors and images much like the ones Gaspar Noe used in the opening credits of “Enter the Void.” And when a certain character says, “Let’s do things differently this time,” you better believe many will.

We catch up with Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) who is ever so busy with his crime-fighting as his universe’s Spider-Man to where his parents keep wondering where he is most of the time. Never on time for his school counseling appointment or for the party celebrating his father’s promotion to police captain, he is still unable to tell mom and dad he really is Spider-Man as the truth of his alter-ego may put them in grave danger.

In addition, we meet up with Gwen Stacy/Spider-Woman (Hailee Steinfeld) who is going through some serious issues in her own universe. A tragedy has devastated her, leaving her antisocial among her peers and her dad believing Spider-Woman committed murder to where J. Jonah Jameson is calling for her head on a stick. Even if Gwen does have the time to give her dad a big hug, there is still a distance between them which needs to be dealt with.

Eventually, Gwen reunites with Miles in his world, and it proves to be one of the most heartfelt moments as these two can relate to one another in ways they cannot with anyone and everyone else. But their reunion coincides with the arrival of Dr. Jonathan Ohnn, a former scientist who has since been transformed into the supervillain known as The Spot. Voiced by Jonathan Schwartzman, he starts off as a comedic character who pursues a life of crime as his transformation cannot allow to pursue a regular job. Granted, putting down on your resume that your body is covered with interdimensional portals which allow you travel through space and time may not get you that first interview. But as this film goes on, we come to see The Spot will prove to be one of Spider-Man’s most dangerous foes as his power grows and grows and grows.

Like any “Spider-Man” motion picture, “Across the Spider-Verse” deals with those heavy themes of tragedy and responsibility. As with its predecessor, this installment reminds of the loses Spider-Man and the other Spider-Men in the multiverse have suffered and of responsibilities they are forced to live up to where it is inevitable that any and every web-slinger is destined to suffer an unavoidable tragedy. But when the possibility of this is explained to Miles Morales, he won’t accept any such fate for himself or those he loves, and this leads him on a spectacular mission which will have the audience wondering if free will can prevail over predestination, an argument which never gets old.

“Across the Spider-Verse” plays on our knowledge of Peter Parker and of what he has experienced in the live action films, and we know of the sacrifices and challenges Peter has had to endure while fighting crime through his secret identity. While this animated film could have simply trodden over familiar ground, it instead deals with variations on this character both literally and figuratively speaking. As you can expect, there will be an endless number of Spider-Man incarnations on display, and it all gets to where you have to wonder not who could be Spider-Man, but who couldn’t be him (or her, or they, or them, or it).

The animation here is incredible, and I swear there were moments where, if you look in the background, it seemed like live-action elements were added in to where it seems seamless. The visuals are also given a depth which shows in scenes with Miles and Gwen as they stand on top of tall buildings and structures overlooking the crazy city they live in. Seriously, I almost got a case of vertigo looking at these heights, and I never an animated movie to make me feel this way.

As for the action sequences, they are nothing short of spectacular and exciting as Miles is forced to fight off hundreds, maybe even thousands of Spider-Men while determined to make certain changes the multiverse will not easily allow. All of this is aided by the terrific and propulsive music score by Daniel Pemberton.

The entire voice cast is fantastic. Shameik Moore continues to do great work as Miles Morales, but the real standout for me was Hailee Steinfeld who continues to remind us what a wonderful talent she has proven to be following her star-making performance in “True Grit.” As Gwen Stacy, she gives the character’s animated form a true emotional depth which makes her actions and decisions all the more enthralling to take in. Schwartzman succeeds in taking The Spot from being a joke of a burglar to a infinitely dangerous villain who is determined to make Spider-Man suffer to his last breath. It is great fun to have Jake Johnson back as Peter B. Parker as his Spider-Man is now a dad and still a gas to be around. Issa Rae makes her Spider-Woman of Jessica Drew a rough and tough version of the web-slinger whose dedication to her job leaves no room for doubt or uncertainty. And when it comes to Brian Tyree Henry and Luna Lauren Velez, they have wonderful chemistry and many warm and funny scenes together as Miles’ parents, Jefferson and Rio.

Are there any problems with “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse?” Well, I didn’t catch all the dialogue being uttered to where I cannot wait for the 4K/Blu-ray release so I can rewatch the film with closed captions. Even with a running time of 140 minutes, I would have liked for things to slow down a bit so that I could take in more of the action and story. While movies these days tend to be longer than they should be, this one could have been even longer if it wanted to.

Also, there are scenes where we see Miles and Gwen standing upside down on very tall buildings. Now I know Spider-Man has special webs on their hands and feet which allows them to climb buildings, but these two are wearing shoes which makes their ability to hang out upside down rather impossible. I mean, can their webbings penetrate the soles of their designer shoes? Besides, Miles has a pair of Air Jordans, and those shoes are never cheaply made.

There is a lot more I would love to tell you about “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” but I am not about to spoil any of its surprises. Besides, there are so many easter eggs to take in to where a second viewing is completely mandatory. Spider-Man has always been one of my very favorite comic book characters this side of Batman, and I am happy to say his adventures are still thrilling even as comic-book movies are starting suffer a bit. When it comes to Miles Morales and his alter-ego, however, there is no stopping him. It makes me very excited for what will come next, and there is still more to look forward to in the next year.

* * * ½ out of * * * *