streaming movies comedy free

Directed by : Beth Sepko, Mary Vernieu, Ronald R. Reiss, Theodore Shapiro, William Ladd Skinner, Tim Suhrstedt, Mike Judge, Mike Judge, Mike Judge, Mike Judge

Produced by : Beth Sepko, Mary Vernieu, Ronald R. Reiss, Theodore Shapiro, William Ladd Skinner, Tim Suhrstedt, Mike Judge, Mike Judge, Mike Judge, Mike Judge

Starring : Luke Wilson, Maya Rudolph, Dax Shepard, Terry Crews, Anthony 'Citric' Campos, David Herman, Sonny Castillo, Kevin McAfee, Robert Musgrave, Michael McCafferty

Company : 20th Century Fox, Ternion Pictures

Release date(s) : 2006-09-01

Running time :84 Minutes

Country  : United States

Language :English

Budget :  $30,000,000

Storyline :

Directed by : John Lasseter, Peter DeSève, Michael Giacchino, Stephen M. Davis, Daniel Laurie, Lynn Sable, Joel Iwataki, Tim Simonec, Fabienne Rawley, Scott Curtis

Produced by : John Lasseter, Peter DeSève, Michael Giacchino, Stephen M. Davis, Daniel Laurie, Lynn Sable, Joel Iwataki, Tim Simonec, Fabienne Rawley, Scott Curtis

Starring : Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, Jenny Slate, Nate Torrence, Bonnie Hunt, Don Lake, Tommy Chong, J.K. Simmons, Octavia Spencer

Company : Walt Disney Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures

Release date(s) : 2016-02-11

Running time :109 Minutes

Country  : United States

Language :English

Budget :  $150,000,000

Storyline : One of the best movies Disney has created in the last years. Smart plot with a great background topic talking about the differences, stereotypes, prejudices and joining the tendency of giving women more important roles.

It has still several gaps to fill and enhance on the latest point but it is, IMHO, a milestone in the right direction.

The characters work pretty well and it is funny when needed and not too full of cheesy songs.
> Try everything (but differently). So Disney has done it again.

This beautiful animation came to exist because of coming together of the directors of 'Tangled' and 'Wreck-it-Ralp'. It is Disney who had once again done it, since their rival Pixer is going down in a rapid speed. As a Disney fan since my childhood, I'm very happy for their success in live-shot films and animations, especially for this one.

Okay, since the revolution of 3D animation over 20 years ago after overthrowing the 2D animation, most of the big productions like Disney, Pixer and Dreamworks with few others never failed to deliver. Believe me, I was not interested in this film when I first saw the teaser and trailer. But they have done great promotions and so the film did awesomely at screens worldwide. I was totally blown away after seeing it, Disney's another unique universal charactered story. From the little children to the grown ups, everybody definitely going to enjoy it.

All kinds of animals coming together happens only in cinemas, and that too mostly in animations. But todays kids are very sharp who ask lots of questions, so they had a fine explanation for the doubts regarding putting animals in a same society. It was like the United States, where everyone came from different continents and represents different race. And so in this film every animal came from different land to live together peacefully in a city called Zootopia.

So the story begins when Judy the rabbit follows her dream to become a police officer in Zootopia. There she meets Nick the fox, who are actually arch-rival species in the wild, but it was thousands of years ago before adapting the civilisation. So trust is what not promised between them, but they're forced to work together after a small missing person case becomes their prime agenda. Solving the mystery is what brings the end to this wonderful tale.

These days animations are not just concentrated on comedies, trying to get us emotionally as well. Maybe that's how they're grabbing the adult audience, especially the families. Shakira's cameo was the highlight, and her song 'Try Everything' helped the get attention from all the corners.

The Oscars was concluded just a couple of months ago, but it already feels like the fever is gripping again for the next edition and looks like this film is leading the way for the animation category. I know it's too early, but I hope it wins it. And finally a request for the Disney, bring it on a sequel as soon as possible.

8/10
Zootopia is the latest family animation movie from Disney about a young bunny determined to be a cop at all costs – in a land where only 'predators' are cops, she would be the first ‘prey’ cop. Seriously? Anyway, she puts on the hard work and makes it to the land where anything is possible.

Zootopia makes some good real life comparisons: Zootopia itself seems to look like New York, even including a hustle by a sly fox. Racism seems to be ever present in both color and speech. But the best thing about Zootopia is Judy’s positive attitude and relentless determination to succeed.

The animation is as good as a Pixar animation – perfectly made – and the story is well told, full of action scenes and funny moments. Kids will definitely love this one and grown up kids will enjoy the deep thought provoking tones set in this movie.

The best performance in this movie arguably comes from Police Chief Bogo whose voice is played by Idris Elba. His performance should earn him an Oscar this year! No wonder it has grossed 1 Billion dollars worldwide despite little marketing.

Rated 9 out of 10 only because we cannot give it a 10.
A great movie with a great message. Read my full review here.

http://www.hweird1reviews.com/allreviews/zootopia-review
_Zootopia_ leans pretty hard on a few tropes that I absolutely detest, but even I can't deny that this animated family movie succeeds spectacularly at what it set out to do: Entertain all audiences, young & old, and deliver an important moral centre without detracting from its engaging plot. Something rarely achieved by the medium outside of Pixar. And even Pixar has had a few missteps the past years.

_Final rating:★★★½ - I strongly recommend you make the time._
This is a really, really good animated family movie. It is a perfect blend of funny characters, decent story and little jokes spread around in the animation.

Almost all characters are very likable and funny, each in a different way. The actual story has quite a bit of suspense (for an animated family film) while still being sufficiently light and funny. Actually it is kind of two stories. One is the story of Judy Hopps fighting to prove herself as a police officer and the other is the more sinister evil plot that she attempts to unravel.

The movie moves at a good enough speed leaving enough room to both tell the story itself and inserting jokes and comical situations. The two bureaucratic sloths were quite fun already in their first scenes but the last scene with them at the very end of the movie was absolutely hilarious.

The animation itself was certainly adequate although I sometimes miss the old hand drawn animations from Walt Disney.

Overall, one of the better, if not the best, animated movie I have watched in quite a while.
This film is named 'Zootopia' in the US but the title was changed when it was shown in the UK. I thought it is a very good children's film. Very well animated. Colourful. Really cute animals.

It is a great parable about tolerance and racism which could be seen as a mirror to the xenophobia in society today. The story is of a rabbit called Judy Hopps who overcomes diversity to become a police officer in the city of Zootropolis (Zootopia). This is a very tough city full of crime and only strong predators take charge. Judy must help to solve the case of predators disappearing around the city but needs to fight her colleagues' prejudices at the same time.

The jokes are funny and the story is intriguing. The film contains lots of references to other films which will keep viewers of all ages happy (including a very funny Breaking Bad spoof).
The voice acting is very good and each actor perfectly adds to their character.

★★★★
Zootopia is an allegorical tale which subtly takes on vast topics like racism, politics and society. It explores these underlying philosophical themes in a rather humorous manner! Everything, right from the characters to the storyline, is just top notch!

It’s similar to George Orwell’s Animal Farm, just the underlying issues are different in this one. It’s definitely worth watching!

Overall, Zootopia is a brilliant movie! I would give it a rating of** 4/5**
Why I find Zootopia revolutionary
==============================

1. The creative design of the titular city, and the astonishing world building.

2. Using colors and deliberately simple animation not just to make the movie appeal to children, but also to indicate the so-called ideal city of Zootopia where every animal is pure and innocent.

3. Blending more than one genre into a single animated film while keeping the plot spotless and not messy.

4. Delivering many contemporary messages and tackling some quite touchy timely themes that have never been explored in an animated film before. And by giving the priority to the center message, that of prejudice, nothing felt muddled and all over the place, since no message overshadowed the other.

5. Using the on-the-surface message (achieve one's ambition) as a characteristic of the main character (Judy Hopps), not as the actual main message. That makes this message works as a motive not as a major theme in the movie as in, for instance, Wreck-It Ralph (I LOVE it, though ♥).

6. Avoiding being over-sentimental, although Nick's character could have been easily used to manipulate our feelings.

This movie is an absolute masterpiece. Not only because its wonderful way that gives its many messages in, but also because the importance of its messages in themselves, and how smart and relevant they are. Today, children really need to be taught these morals.

The talented cast's voices fit their characters perfectly. It has a plenty of funny scenes littered with extremely hilarious jokes which we haven't heard before in any animated movie, or even in a live-action movie. This movie blends so many genres: Comedy, Adventure, Action, Crime, and Mystery. That said, you will never feel confused while watching it.

The characters are definitely some of the most complicated characters I've ever seen in an animated movie. Each character has its own point of view due to the experiences they had, and thus makes each character has different motives and feelings.

(10/10)

Directed by : Ronna Kress, Sala Baker, Lauren Shuler Donner, Stan Lee, Rhett Reese, Rhett Reese, Sean Haworth, Simon Kinberg, Angus Strathie, Bill Corso

Produced by : Ronna Kress, Sala Baker, Lauren Shuler Donner, Stan Lee, Rhett Reese, Rhett Reese, Sean Haworth, Simon Kinberg, Angus Strathie, Bill Corso

Starring : Stan Lee, Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, T. J. Miller, Brianna Hildebrand, Gina Carano, Ed Skrein, Stefan Kapičić, Karan Soni, Michael Benyaer

Company : Marvel Entertainment, TSG Entertainment, 20th Century Fox, Genre Films, The Donners' Company

Release date(s) : 2016-02-09

Running time :108 Minutes

Country  : United States

Language :English

Budget :  $58,000,000

Storyline : A funny movie with a romantic love story.

Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) is a former Special Forces operative who now works as a mercenary. His world comes crashing down when evil scientist Ajax (Ed Skrein) tortures, disfigures and transforms him into Deadpool.

The rogue experiment leaves Deadpool with accelerated healing powers and a twisted sense of humor. With help from mutant allies Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand), Deadpool uses his new skills to hunt down the man who nearly destroyed his life.
I actually enjoyed the movie so much that i'll recommend it to all my friends, at first i didn't really want to watch it because i'm not into super hero movies at all, but i did anyway, i mean people were talking so much about it i had to see it myself and what an awesome choice i made. The good thing about this movie is that Deadpool is a hero but in a very comedic way, you don't usually expect comedy from a superhero film but this one was full of comedy and the way they treated the plot was amazing, it was there, humor was there in every scene, even when there was fighting or romance or any other scene, the writers managed to add comedy everywhere in a very good way that'll surprisingly make you want to watch it again, and again. Thank you for taking the time read my review and if you're asking yourself if you should watch this movie, it's a definite Yes.
> So this guy in the red suit came and broke some records...

I was not a Deadpool fan and I'm still not, but like any superhero films I'd pleasure watching it. The other reason was, we had other superheroes in our time, so this guy is kind of new to me. It was a stunning launch to the big screen for the Deadpool as well as for this new director. This film was merely an introduction tale than a fully stretched story. Like how a human becomes a mutant and later who seeks a revenge for ruining his natural life. But it yet to explain a couple of things and I hope it all will be revealed in its sequel.

I am happy for Ryan Reynolds to get another chance, because his previous comic book character did not received well. I certainly liked the film, but nowadays there are plenty of superheroes to choose, in that, Deadpool's not in my top 5. So I am happy he joined the 'X-Men', because I never liked the boring 'X-Men' films or its characters, but I do love its spinoff 'Wolverine'. I'll definitely look forward for his solo films like 'Wolverine'.

This film broke a few records like the best box office so far for an 'X-Men' installment. A short film with the present and flashback narration shared the screen piece by piece alternatively. This was a strong R rated film so far I have seen in a superhero theme and there were plenty of other films referred. No offense to the people who liked it (and those who are going watch will do the same), but in my personal opinion it was a bit over-celebrated.

6½/10
Though I have always been a DC enthusiast, I was intrigued by the idea of the Deadpool movie, and knew I'd end up watching it (I probably see 70% of DC films that are released and maybe 20% of Marvel ones). I enjoyed its definitely postmodern approach--and wish Reynolds' Green Lantern movie had one-tenth the humour and charm that THIS film had.

It'll be very interesting to see how comic-book movies are affected, both short- and long-term by its massive success.
This film was very funny. Ryan Reynolds was made for this role. The innuendos did get a bit much though.

It was well written and the direction was very good but it did go into a territory that it was trying to make fun of. I got bored of all the action hero conventions after a while.

★★★½
As a comic book fan, I was fairly dubious about Deadpool’s cinematic outing. I wasn't altogether sure that a film that would obviously have to be fun, self-referential and self-aware could also be able to talk about a character who not only becomes seriously ill, but also struggles to keep a grip on his sanity well enough to do the character justice.

When I watched the film, it was clear that I had been over-thinking. Perhaps the makers of the film had thought the same as me. Perhaps they thought that trying to be lighthearted and slightly dark at the same time would be like trying to keep too many balls in the air. I say that because the issue of Deadpool’s sanity, or lack thereof, is only touched upon. If that is the case, I think it is quite a clever decision in a ‘let's not try to run before we can walk’ kind of a way. If not, Tim Miller has still given us a very enjoyable film, in which, Ryan Reynolds shines as an extremely good comedic actor.
After what I honestly think is the best promotional & viral marketing campaign a film has had, probably ever, the Deadpool feature film is finally here! And it's... Alright.

I always try to manage expectations with these things, but after the aforementioned advertisements as well as multiple critics I highly regard the opinions of raving about it (John Campea of Collider for example gave the film his seventh 5-out-of-5 in his entire career) and my well-documented appreciation for the character of Deadpool, not to mention it's higher MPAA rating, there's only so neutral you can be going in. Still, I don't think my own personal biases had me too overhyped for Deadpool, I think I can fairly lay the lion's share of my underwhelming experience at the film itself.

I should start out by saying that I didn't dislike Deadpool, I'm giving it a positive rating, and I recommend that people go watch it. Three stars for me is not a low score at all, I am glad I watched the movie and would happily watch it again, this is not a scathing review; Ryan Reynolds has tried his hand at the comic book film no less than five times, and of those five movies, Deadpool is inarguably the best.

Also worth noting that among those other four films, Ryan Reynolds was not the problem in them, but they were all truly bad movies.

The way in which Deadpool is done is pretty impressive, we get all the gore-laden action, R-rated comedy, quip-havery and fourth-wall-breaking you could want from a feature of his own. There are lots of meta-references to previous work to the past failings of both Reynolds as well as the Fox Studio itself. It's non-linear. It's 100% non-serious, almost a comedy before an action film. It's like the 22 Jump Street of the superhero genre. Stylistically, it's a completely fresh comic book movie.

Which is why the complete juxtaposition of how unbelievably generic the actual plot is, is so jarring. It's not only completely unoriginal, it's sometimes downright bland. The "how" is great, but the core of the "what" feels completely uninspired, and these two aspects clash up against each other very unpleasantly.

Points go out to the work done between Ryan Reynolds and Morena Baccarin, although the majority of their characters' relationship is montaged through, the actors themselves had a great on-screen chemistry. I'm also totally on board for a Deadpool sequel (which has been greenlit) or seeing Deadpool show up in other X-franchise properties. But that doesn't mean I can give Deadpool a pass on the things that didn't gel for me.

63%

-Gimly

Directed by : Alan Silvestri, Robert Zemeckis, Robert Zemeckis, Robert Zemeckis, Steve Starkey, Arthur Schmidt, Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, Rick Carter, Joanna Johnston

Produced by : Alan Silvestri, Robert Zemeckis, Robert Zemeckis, Robert Zemeckis, Steve Starkey, Arthur Schmidt, Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, Rick Carter, Joanna Johnston

Starring : Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Mary Steenburgen, Thomas F. Wilson, Lea Thompson, Elisabeth Shue, Matt Clark, Richard Dysart, Pat Buttram, Harry Carey, Jr.

Company : Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment, U-Drive Productions

Release date(s) : 1990-05-25

Running time :119 Minutes

Country  : United States

Language :English

Budget :  $40,000,000

Storyline : Oh, I know you did send me back to the future. But I'm back! I'm back from the future.

Doc Brown is back in 1885 in the Old West, soon to be joined by Marty who has found that Doc is in mortal danger from Burford "Mad-Dog" Tannen.

Rounding out what turned out to be a hugely popular trilogy, Back to the Future Part III restored the core essence heart of Part 1, whilst simultaneously tying up all the threads with a fully formed story. More sedate in its telling (not hard following on from the manic pacing of part 2) part 3 fuses science fiction malarkey with, well, Western malarkey. All played out with the usual array of clever jokes and series reprises - only in a Wild Wild West setting. An interesting point to note is how the roles of Doc & Marty have been reversed from the first film, here Marty is the maniacal plot axis, whizzing around getting into scrapes as Doc ambles around in love, courtesy of the delightfully classic looking Mary Steenburgen as Clara Clayton. Thomas F. Wilson returns for villain duties as Tannen, a Western bully villain pulled straight out of many a classic Oater from way back in the day, and Lea Thompson & Elisabeth Shue ensure the "past" is not forgotten.

When Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale started making Back To The Future in 1985, could they have envisaged that they would make three films and end up with a steam engine time machine in the Wild West? Possibly not, but as part 3 hurtles (literally) towards the suspense laden finale, two things are for certain. One is that they wisely closed the series down with a surefire coda winner. Two is that between them they crafted one of the most entertaining family trilogies to have ever graced the screen. No doubt about the fact that part one is the uniformly class act of the three, but parts two & three themselves reward groups of all ages. Great Scot indeed. 8.5/10

Directed by : Jeanne McCarthy, Scott Rosenberg, Scott Rosenberg, Stella Vaccaro, Ted Field, Louise Mingenbach, Dwayne Johnson, Steve Edwards, Gyula Pados, Andrew Max Cahn

Produced by : Jeanne McCarthy, Scott Rosenberg, Scott Rosenberg, Stella Vaccaro, Ted Field, Louise Mingenbach, Dwayne Johnson, Steve Edwards, Gyula Pados, Andrew Max Cahn

Starring : Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, Awkwafina, Nick Jonas, Alex Wolff, Morgan Turner, Madison Iseman, Ser'Darius Blain

Company : Columbia Pictures, Seven Bucks Productions, HartBeat Productions, Matt Tolmach Productions, Teitler Film, Sony Pictures

Release date(s) : 2019-12-04

Running time :123 Minutes

Country  : United States

Language :English

Budget :  $125,000,000

Storyline : The film is punchy, landing some great jokes that will make you laugh out loud, with an entertaining, slightly predictable story. It wasn’t as good as the first 'Jumanji', but it is a great quality sequel and is full of family fun!
- Lily Meek

Read Lily's full article...
https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-jumanji-the-next-level-adventure-sequel-is-serious-family-fun
The Movie Was So Cool! I Want To Watch The Again And Again!
Fun and exciting. Highly recommended!
When it comes to constructing a successful sequel, sometimes it’s best not to mess with a proven formula. Such is the case with “Jumanji: The Next Level,” an energetic, rollicking, ridiculously amusing part two to the much-loved 2017 reboot (and surprise hit), “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.” The storyline is nearly identical, but with a few twists thrown in for added amusement.

Now in college, buddies Spencer (Alex Wolff), Martha (Morgan Turner), Fridge (Ser’Darius Blain), and Bethany (Madison Iseman) are home for the holidays and can’t wait to see each other again. Spencer has been feeling a little depressed lately and, longing to feel that unbridled bravery again, decides to jump back into the game. It quickly becomes a rescue mission and the others must follow to get him out. But this time, the game has changed. Not only are the levels more challenging, the gang has unexpectedly picked up a couple of extra players — Spencer’s Grandpa Eddie (Danny DeVito) and his longtime friend Milo (Danny Glover).

The film was made for fans of the reboot, and it’s nearly impossible to be disappointed this second time around. It’s a fun reunion with likeable characters that you love spending time with. There are appropriate and enjoyable callback references to previous movie and, something that is rarely true of sequels, the quality stands up to it as well.

When the story adds a fun twist that mixes things up a bit, it allows the actors to really chew the scenery. All of the characters are out of whack, with only Martha going back into the game as her original character, the dance-fighting man-killer known as Ruby Roundhouse (Karen Gillan). Fridge is now the overweight cartographer Professor Shelly Oberon (Jack Black), and Grandpa Eddie has taken over as the hunky and fearless Dr. Smolder Bravestone (Dwayne Johnson). Zoologist Mouse Finbar (Kevin Hart) is now Milo, while Spencer re-enters the story as a brand new character (and one of the film’s best surprises).

It’s a given that Black will bring guaranteed laughs, but Hart and Johnson have very funny comedic timing and they play off each other so well. Their banter is consistently hilarious, especially when they are channeling their elderly avatar inhabitants. DeVito and his cantankerous shtick is a huge upgrade, as he delivers some of the biggest chortles in his all-too-brief supporting role.

There are plenty of exciting action sequences that complement the fast-paced fantasy adventure. The sense of real peril serves the film well, because it ramps up the emotional factor. So does the idea that friendship can foster a family, and by the end, this one will tug on your heartstrings.

The film gets right to the good stuff without a long or boring setup, and the story is roughly the same as its predecessor. There’s not much new plot-wise, but who cares when a movie is this much of a wild, entertaining ride?

Directed by : Tim Burton, Danny Elfman, Chris Lebenzon, Bruce Berman, Richard D. Zanuck, Brad Grey, Roald Dahl, Roald Dahl, John August, Philippe Rousselot

Produced by : Tim Burton, Danny Elfman, Chris Lebenzon, Bruce Berman, Richard D. Zanuck, Brad Grey, Roald Dahl, Roald Dahl, John August, Philippe Rousselot

Starring : Freddie Highmore, Johnny Depp, David Kelly, Helena Bonham Carter, Noah Taylor, Missi Pyle, James Fox, AnnaSophia Robb, Julia Winter, Jordan Fry

Company : Village Roadshow Pictures, The Zanuck Company, Tim Burton Productions, Theobald Film Productions, Warner Bros. Pictures, Plan B Entertainment

Release date(s) : 2005-07-13

Running time :115 Minutes

Country  : United States

Language :English

Budget :  $150,000,000

Storyline :

Directed by : David Lazan, Jackie Burch, Sala Baker, Sala Baker, David Farmer, Tom Johnson, Sarah Halley Finn, Shepherd Frankel, Paul Rudd, Stan Lee

Produced by : David Lazan, Jackie Burch, Sala Baker, Sala Baker, David Farmer, Tom Johnson, Sarah Halley Finn, Shepherd Frankel, Paul Rudd, Stan Lee

Starring : Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Bobby Cannavale, Corey Stoll, Anthony Mackie, Judy Greer, Abby Ryder Fortson, Michael Peña, David Dastmalchian

Company : Marvel Studios, Walt Disney Pictures

Release date(s) : 2015-07-14

Running time :117 Minutes

Country  : United States

Language :English

Budget :  $130,000,000

Storyline : I loved it it was so much fun and very funny, another marvel masterpiece
When one thinks of a typical super-hero actioner, they imagine the boisterous boundaries that are associated with such an explosive genre: eye-popping special effects, outlandish and grand-standing villains, world domination escapades, complex yet flashy super-heroes that seem unreal and unapologetic and a big scale of unbelievable escapism that is tellingly becoming of a comic book epic on the big screen for the hungry eyes of the giddy moviegoer. Remember, all these described elements are not a bad thing when it comes to larger than life comic book/superhero fantasies. In fact, we almost insist that our volt-minded vehicles have some kinetic kick to its pulsating, pithy adventures. After all, there is certainly nothing wrong with that approach to the cinematic sensationalism of summertime popcorn pleasers and the costumed heroes that take us on that daring, rollicking ride of magical mayhem.

However, director Peyton Reed’s ‘Ant-Man’ symbolizes a different texture and tone to the familiar action-packed world of Marvel Comics’ outrageous universe both on the printed pages and in the dark movie theaters. It does not necessarily use the overwrought or ultra-stimulating tactics to sell its percolating product as a super-charged heroic fable of mighty manipulators out to save the planet in the tradition of frantic favorites such as ‘The Avengers’ film franchise for instance. Instead, ‘Ant-Man’ relies on its small and intimate take of quirkiness, introspection, a gentle doomsday message of despair and a measurement of an awkward man that wears his bugged-out wardrobe with a sense of curiosity and conviction. In essence, ‘Ant-Man’ is a costumed caper that is high-spirited in its low-key excitement…something quite refreshing and revered in the wild and wacky world of Marvel Comics’ representation of the super-studs and sasses that invade our cinematic sensibilities in the hazy days of summer.

‘Ant-Man’ lead Paul Rudd, an affable actor that has shown various levels of competence in both comedies and dramas over the years, is the unlikely source to don an ant-oriented attire and let his charm and cheekiness take over as the tiny bugged-eyed avenger of right and might. Rudd plays Scott Lang, a former troubled lawbreaker and gifted engineer whose demons come back to haunt him when he gets involved in the burglary shenanigans with his bad news buddies (T.I. and Michael Pena). The reason for Lang’s lure back to crime: a cockeyed but convenient way to win over the affections of his estranged young daughter.

Interestingly, another great analytical mind of mechanics and science in stand-offish Hank Pym (Oscar-winner Michael Douglas) is spotlighted as he too struggles to relate to his daughter as well in the pretty Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly). Anyhow, Pym has a colorful backstory as it is revealed that he used to save the world from harm as the underrated crime-fighter Ant-Man. There was no glory or special recognition for Pym’s heroics as the buggy super-hero but his devotion to his crime-stopping craft was realized nevertheless.

As ANT-MAN Paul Rudd's Scott Lang has plans to stop the criminnal foolishness besides raiding a giant-sized picnic basket in Peyton Reed's modest costume caper.
As ANT-MAN Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang has plans to stop the criminal foolishness besides raiding a giant-sized picnic basket in Peyton Reed’s modest costume caper.
The conflicted father-daughter tandem of Pym and Hope eventually recruit the beleaguered Lang to climb into the exo-skeletal red-and-black suit and become the current Ant-Man to continue the mission of promoting goodness over evil. In this specific case, Lang’s Ant-Man is asked to foil the nefarious agenda of Pym’s former protege and associate Darren Cross (Corey Stoll) who threatens to expose the revolutionary shrinking technology to anyone sinister that offers him an insane and immediate price for such secretive scientific information that could jeopardize mankind in the long run. Of course, it goes without saying, that Cross has an ominous alter-ego in the vile Yellowjacket whose back-and-forth clashing with Lang’s Ant-Man leads to the calculating and corrosive chess game of one skillful insidious insect trying to outwit and outmaneuver a conscientious one.

Some may dismiss ‘Ant-Man’ as being too low-grade, cheesy and incidental in its confrontational canvas of saints versus sinners. Still, Reed’s handling of his Marvel-inspired ‘battle of the bugs’ is a winning formula in simplicity because it does not have to be rooted in a spectacular and showy landscape as the other successful bombastic blockbusters that come out of the frivolous factory of Hollywood. Essentially, ‘Ant-Man’ demonstrates the right kind of personality and prestige for its presentation as a scaled-down comic book actioner steeped in the personalized disillusionment of the characterizations and their assorted psyches. Sure, ‘Ant-Man’ will not let anyone forget its popular competitor in the much glorified and iconic standing of another insect-fighting Marvel mastermind in ‘Spider-Ma’n anytime soon. Yet Scott Lang’s Ant-Man is just as angst-ridden, impish, awkward and devoted as Peter Parker’s resilient web-headed wonder Spidey.

The drama unfolds so convincingly in ‘Ant-Man’ not so much because of the dire dilemma of comicbook goodness and badness but because of the examination of deteriorating relations between broken men and their families or more specifically between fathers and daughters. Both Rudd and Douglas are committed to their roles as the Ant-Men that saved the world with ease past and present but could not say the same thing about rescuing the domestic responsibilities that eluded them under their own roofs. As Lang tries to find an opening for forgiveness toward his little girl and remarried ex-wife (Judy Greer), his current adviser Pym struggles to put the pieces together with a disgruntled Hope that blames her father for the neglect of her well-being as well as the death of her beloved late mother known as the Wasp, a super-heroine that shined in her own shadow of accomplishment.

‘Ant-Man’ is a soulfully weird, witty sliced-down spectacle of a comicbook film that is rare in its skin to deliver the message of a connection not just to stamping out the cartoonish crime and chaos that is routinely found in the playful playground of Marvel’s movie machine of high-powered personalities armed with skillful brute and brilliance. It also has something called heart and hope as it tackles the alienation and isolation of fathers and their vulnerable daughters. It will take more than a gigantic can of Raid to destroy the indomitable presence of ‘Ant-Man’ and what his hedonistic heroics, both physical and psychological, bring to the prized picnic table.

Ant-Man (2015)

Walt Disney Studios

1 hr. 57 mins.

Starring: Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Crey Stall, Michael Pena, Tip “T.I.” Harris, Judy Greer, Bobby Cannavale, Wood Harris and Abby Ryder Fortson

Directed by: Peyton Reed

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Genre: Comic Book Fantasy, Super-heroes, Action and Adventure

Critic’s Rating: *** stars (out of 4 stars)
The Pocket Rocket.

Given the production problems and its long gestation period, Ant-Man is arguably far better than it had right to be. Unsurprisingly with a Marvel Super Hero film, the critical reactions have been mixed, but given it's not as gargantuan as most Marvel pics it proves to have a big entertaining heart. A pic cunningly viewing the Marvel Universe from a different angle, whilst also not over egging the pudding.

The effects work is impressive, the origin story narrative engrossing and with it carrying a lightness of touch, and there's a very enjoyable cast enthusiastically buying into the comic book frivolity. Sure, some of it's just plain daft, our hero's powers are hardly blunderbuss stuff, while the family melodramas bubbling away feel tired, but come the glorious finale, pandering to the child in us all, it's another Marvel winner readying itself for further adventures of Ant-Man. 7.5/10
> Size doesn't matter if he's a superhero who committed to save the world.

My confession is I never read 'Ant-man' comics and I never knew such kind of superhero even exist in Marvel till this movie was announced. (But I know Danish film 'Antboy'.) So I'm glad they brought cinematic version of 'Ant-man' and I'm sure he'll return to the next 'Avengers' as they promoted strongly in this film itself to know what would be the audience response. I don't know others, but I definitely welcome the idea.

Another CGI magic, another Marvel's wonder. As long as they pick the right cast and crew with a good story, the sci-fi like this continues to rule the cinema world. It was a great team work, that must be appreciated. As usual the top notch visuals as well the performances, even the sidekicks. But I was surprised to see when Paul Rudd was attached to this project. I believed it would be a comedy sci-fi packed with full of action, and I was wrong. It was a simple tale, a heist theme and of course it was fun to watch, but never was a comedy movie.

A wonderful beginning, especially for the first film in the series. You know strong foundation is the key to raise a building above. I know the sequels would only get better by progressing and it should be. Because in all the Marvel's superhero flicks, this one was the most family and young kids friendly. That does not mean there were no violence, but from the title to the characters and presentation, all were so casual and can be understood by all.

It was so great to see a legend like Michael Douglas to be a part in the modern movie. Now I am eager to see Evangeline Lily as Wasp-girl in the follow-up. It would be like Peter Pan and Tinker Bell, but in a sci-fi version. The extras were very interesting, I enjoyed them as well. If you're are yet to see the film, don't expect anything like Disney's 'Honey' trilogy, after all, if you enjoy the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) then you would do same for it which is the twelfth to follow.

7.5/10
I like Paul Rudd and was hoping this would be as funny as 'The Guardians of the Galaxy' but it wasn't. It looked good and the direction was solid but I think it suffered from the constant screenplay rewrites that the film underwent by changing the screenwriters (Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish).

I also felt it was a bit too long-winded and it was unbalanced. However, the main good feature in this film was the special effects.

★★★
I have to say that I did not have great hopes for this movie. However, I found it surprisingly enjoyable. As can be expected from a Marvel super hero movie it is not the most intelligent plot around but instead rather heavy on special effects.

Having said that the plot is not bad given the context. I have never read any of the Ant-Man comics so I had no idea what to expect. The little expectation I had was of some guy turning into some ant like creature smashing things left right and center. So it was somewhat of a surprise to me when I found out that the guy was actually shrinking himself to ant size. Actually I went a bit “what the f…” when I first realized this and felt that this was going to be boring.

However, in the end, I felt it worked out quite well. If it would have just been about some guy shrinking himself then it would indeed have been somewhat boring but the added coolness of this guy being able to command armies of bad-ass ants really helped stave of the boredom.

As I wrote above it is a Marvel super hero movie so it is heavy on special effects and, personally, I felt they where quite okay. There is of course quite a bit of action in the movie as well as a bit of humour. I quite liked the parts where the Ant-Man and his nemesis slugged it out in a children’s room and a giant size Thomas the Tank Engine was thrown through the roof and into the garden. Maybe I liked it because Thomas the Tank Engine is a TV show that my kids liked to watch when they were smaller. There where of course a few of the usual Hollywood silly, brain-dead stunts like the tank scene. It could have been so cool but it was really ruined by the total lack of intelligence in the stunt following the cool revelation.

I really liked Michael Douglas as Dr. Hank Pym as well as Evangeline Lilly as Hope Van Dyne. I was not too impressed by Paul Rudd but on the while I guess he was not too bad. It is a bit of a shame though that when Hollywood feels they need to throw in a bit of family drama they always have to throw in a divorce. It is rather depressing for us that have lived through such a tragedy after all.

Bottom line, this was a surprisingly enjoyable movie. Far better than quite a few of the super hero movies that Marvel/Hollywood have produced like for instance the abysmal Spiderman movies although that is of course a personal opinion.
Less spectacle than most MCU films have been serving up, particularly in phase two, but the story and characterisation is actually a little stronger than the past couple of tales Marvel has served up.

Villain Darren Cross, AKA “Yellowjacket” (originally a hero in the comics) lacks the onscreen presence of top tier Marvel-evil Loki, but is certainly one of the stronger offerings the MCU has given us. His twisted relationship with his former mentor gives another level to this Marvel film not seen since _Winter Soldier_.

Not so much a super hero film as a super heist film, _Ant-Man_ was a welcome refreshment to the comic book movie party, and though I always like to give myself some time to find exactly where MCU films fit in my overall experience, at the moment I would say _Ant-Man_ sits somewhere comfortably in the middle, maybe even a bit below, but is still well worth a watch, even for those who aren’t deeply involved with the film series as a whole.

_Final rating:★★★ - I liked it. Would personally recommend you give it a go._
***Ant-Man?***

Released in 2015, "Ant-Man" stars Paul Rudd as Scott Lang, a cat burglar who is offered redemption and the opportunity to be a hero. Michael Douglas plays his mentor, Hank Pym, and Evangeline Lilly Pym's daughter; meanwhile Corey Stoll co-stars as the heavy.

In my vast arsenal of old comics I have only one issue where Ant-Man is the main star: Marvel Feature #10, which featured Hank Pym as the hero, not to mention his wife, the Wasp, AKA Janet van Dyne. The character's run in that comic ceased with that very issue. By the 80s Scott Lang, a good-intentioned thief, became Ant-Man after stealing Pym's Ant-Man suit to save his daughter. With the encouragement of Pym, Lang became Ant-Man full-time.

The movie is based on these events and I was surprised at how entertaining it is considering how relatively minor the hero is. The movie even makes a joke about this when Ant-Man comes face-to-face with the Falcon (Anthony Mackie). Speaking of which, it's great to see the Falcon in action. It's also great to see Yellowjacket who, in the comics, was Hank Pym after Lang took over as Ant-Man. In the movie Yellowjacket is the villain (Stoll), which is okay since Pym's Yellowjacket in the comics sort of became a villain when he had a mental breakdown and was eventually divorced by Janet, the Wasp. The filmmakers incidentally did an excellent job with the Yellowjacket suit.

"Ant-Man" was a surprise hit at the box office and understandably so. It's a quality superhero flick done with style and brimming with confidence. It's nothing more than this, but that's all it needs to be. It's nice to see Michael Douglas who was, believe-it-or-not, 70 years-old during shooting. He shines in the movie as Pym and could easily pass for ten years younger. I also really liked the Quantum Realm sequence when Lang is reduced to microscopic size.

The film runs 117 minutes and was shot in Georgia and San Francisco, CA. ADDITIONAL CAST: Judy Greer, Bobby Cannavale and Michael Peña.

GRADE: B+/A-
Ant-Man is a much needed breath of fresh air from all the city-breaking, galaxy saving epicness of the past five Marvel movies. It's a nice, light, fun heist movie with some pretty cool effects and a great cast of characters.

Michael Pena, T.I. and David Dastmalchian make this movie so much more enjoyable. Not that Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, and Corey Still aren't great, but those three as a sidekick trio crack me up.

Edgar Wright's stamp is all over this movie and it's a shame his directorial touch is missing, because he would have known what to remove to make it even better.

But all in all, Ant-Man is great entertainment with a feel good story about a man trying to be the hero his kid thinks he is.

Directed by : Celestia Fox, Roald Dahl, Harvey Harrison, Tony Lawson, Nicolas Roeg, Stanley Myers, Jim Henson, Mark Shivas, Dusty Symonds, Allan Scott

Produced by : Celestia Fox, Roald Dahl, Harvey Harrison, Tony Lawson, Nicolas Roeg, Stanley Myers, Jim Henson, Mark Shivas, Dusty Symonds, Allan Scott

Starring : Anjelica Huston, Mai Zetterling, Jasen Fisher, Rowan Atkinson, Bill Paterson, Jane Horrocks, Brenda Blethyn, Charlie Potter, Anne Lambton, Sukie Smith

Company : Lorimar Film Entertainment, The Jim Henson Company, Warner Bros. Pictures

Release date(s) : 1990-05-25

Running time :91 Minutes

Country  : United States

Language :English

Budget : 

Storyline :

Directed by : Zoë Bell, Zoë Bell, Javier Aguirresarobe, Dan Hennah, David Farmer, Sarah Halley Finn, Mark Mothersbaugh, Stan Lee, Stan Lee, Kevin Feige

Produced by : Zoë Bell, Zoë Bell, Javier Aguirresarobe, Dan Hennah, David Farmer, Sarah Halley Finn, Mark Mothersbaugh, Stan Lee, Stan Lee, Kevin Feige

Starring : Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Tessa Thompson, Jeff Goldblum, Idris Elba, Karl Urban, Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Hopkins, Benedict Cumberbatch

Company : Marvel Studios, Walt Disney Pictures

Release date(s) : 2017-10-25

Running time :131 Minutes

Country  : United States

Language :English

Budget :  $180,000,000

Storyline : _Ragnarok_ is a tough one to review completely without spoiler, so I'll keep this brief:

* I was bothered by a small number of things that happened in this movie.
* I was in love with a large number of things that happened in this movie.
* _Thor: Ragnarok_ is not the MCU's best movie.
* _Thor: Ragnarok_ is the MCU's most fun movie.
* Can we **please** have a worldwide ban on putting anything that happens in the third act of your movie, in said movie's trailers?
Thank you for your time. 4 stars.


_Final rating:★★★★ - Very strong appeal. A personal favourite._
The Best CBM movie of 2017

The film is one of the most entertaining of the MCU films so far and a HUGE improvement over Thor: The Dark World. Cate Blanchett as the villainess Hela, the Goddess of Death, is a far better villain that TDW's lame Malekith. Kat Dennings' annoying Darcy and Natalie Portman's bland Jane are not missed at all. Instead, we get Tessa Thompson's badass Valkyrie, who can hold her own in a fight and isn't just there just as a love interest for Thor (Chris Hemsworth). Jeff Goldblum is hilarious as Grandmaster, who runs the gladiator fights on the planet Sakaar. But the real pleasure of the movie is watching the love-hate brother relationship between Thor and his adoptive brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston). The relationship between the two men was the only redeeming feature of TDW, and it's great to see it expanded in this movie. Also great is seeing Thor buddy up with Bruce Banner/ Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). The only thing I didn't like about the movie was the fate of The Warriors Three. They deserved better than that. But otherwise, it's a great comic book movie.
From minute one, Thor Ragnarok bursts onto the screen with a new found energy, style, Jeff Goldblum, beautiful use of colours and shot compositions, an amazing 80s inspired music score, and comedy that's actually funny. Somehow, Thor Ragnarok is both the darkest film in the entire MCU given that it deals with the destruction of an entire world, and the most lighthearted.

Thor Ragnarok is very much a Taika Waititi film that uses Marvel lore and characters. It has many shocking twists, turns, witty comedy, and pleasant re-introductions (and introductions) to some of the MCU's best characters that I can't wait to see more of. Oh, and did I mention this movie has Jeff Goldblum?!
This movie sets a new bar for the MCU. It's funny, entertaining and VERY fun. It takes a completely different yet good turn from the past 2 movies and is a colourful blast.
Too bad. I loved the first two Thor movies and was expecting that the third one will hold up to the quality of the first two. But I guess today it's really hard to pull off a trilogy that'll ring throughout the years like how the Wachowskis did with the Matrix.
Marvel films are known for sneaking humor in between action sequences, but I don't know what they did with this one. The choreography was lame and I don't understand why Thor felt like he was trying too hard to be funny.
Despite all the hate surrounding this movie, I actually enjoyed it. If you're as big of a fan of "Thor" like me, then you pretty much just like everything that comes out with him on it.
Thor's character is great with the other Avengers, but he just doesn't do that well as a stand-alone character with his own storyline. It's sad because he had so much potential too.
Story could've been great but it seemed to me that the writers got lazy with the script and just opted to feed Thor some cheesy humor that made him seem like this kid who was trying too hard to be funny instead of the GOD of Thunder the first two films built him up to be.
I'm a big fan of Thor but I just couldn't bring myself to like what they did to him in this film. I get that he's going through tough times but turning him from being a thundering, huge god to a man-child who shoots lightning is such an insult to Thor.
I know not a lot of people found the humor to be funny but my family and I actually loved it!
As a big fan of stand-up comedy, I can say this one really delivered. Most of the jokes had perfect timing and executed in perfect deadpan. Would want another movie like this!
I really don't understand why everyone's hating this movie. I remember myself and everyone else in the cinema, laughing our asses off all throughout the movie.
Childish humor, the same fight scenes and although I gotta say that the plot was creative, it still didn't do it for me.
This wasn't the Thor movie I expected. Seeing as Marvel did so well with the first two Thor films, I'm surprised this turned out to be a big joke.
If you enjoy 8 year old humor and cheesy one-liners, then go ahead and watch this movie. Otherwise, go pick another film.
Meh it passed the time. I honestly didn't hate the film but didn't find it to be as entertaining as the other films Marvel has already put out.
This does it for me. I expected more from Thor as he is the God of Thunder and you could do so much with him but they weren't able to do that in this film.
Thor's soundtrack was always cool, but not on this film.
The two earlier Thor films had a more "godlike" tone to them. Why not keep that and use it with the third one? This is a huge downgrade for Thor.

Directed by : Steven Soderbergh, Mark Isham, Shelly Johnson, Keanu Reeves, Ed Solomon, Ed Solomon, Scott Kroopf, Dean Parisot, Don Zimmerman, Alex Winter

Produced by : Steven Soderbergh, Mark Isham, Shelly Johnson, Keanu Reeves, Ed Solomon, Ed Solomon, Scott Kroopf, Dean Parisot, Don Zimmerman, Alex Winter

Starring : Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, William Sadler, Samara Weaving, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Anthony Carrigan, Kid Cudi, Jayma Mays, Erinn Hayes, Hal Landon Jr.

Company : FGM Entertainment, Bloom, Endeavor Content, Hammerstone Studios, Lakeview Entertainment, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, TinRes Entertainment, Orion Pictures, Many Rivers Productions

Release date(s) : 2020-08-27

Running time :78 Minutes

Country  : United States

Language :English

Budget :  $25,000,000

Storyline :

Directed by : Theodore Shapiro, Justin Timberlake, Wallace Wolodarsky, Nick Fletcher, Glenn Berger, Glenn Berger, Jonathan Aibel, Jonathan Aibel, Maya Forbes, Gina Shay

Produced by : Theodore Shapiro, Justin Timberlake, Wallace Wolodarsky, Nick Fletcher, Glenn Berger, Glenn Berger, Jonathan Aibel, Jonathan Aibel, Maya Forbes, Gina Shay

Starring : Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Ron Funches, Rachel Bloom, James Corden, Kelly Clarkson, Anderson .Paak, Sam Rockwell, George Clinton, Mary J. Blige

Company : DreamWorks Animation, Universal Pictures

Release date(s) : 2020-03-12

Running time :91 Minutes

Country  : United States

Language :English

Budget : 

Storyline : The 'Trolls' franchise could have been another cheap brand name recognition film, like 'The Grinch' or the upcoming 'Scoob!', but when you have a team that cares about the project at every level, you end up with not only a fun kid's film, but one with a powerful message.
- Chris dos Santos

Read Chris' full article...
https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-trolls-world-tour-poppy-and-the-gang-are-back-and-rocking-harder-than-ever

Directed by : John Mathieson, Guy Ritchie, Guy Ritchie, Guy Ritchie, Guy Ritchie, John Davis, Danilo Bollettini, Oliver Scholl, Enzo Sisti, James Boyle

Produced by : John Mathieson, Guy Ritchie, Guy Ritchie, Guy Ritchie, Guy Ritchie, John Davis, Danilo Bollettini, Oliver Scholl, Enzo Sisti, James Boyle

Starring : Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki, Luca Calvani, Sylvester Groth, Hugh Grant, Jared Harris, Christian Berkel, Misha Kuznetsov

Company : Wigram Productions, Davis Entertainment, RatPac-Dune Entertainment, Warner Bros. Pictures

Release date(s) : 2015-08-13

Running time :116 Minutes

Country  : United States

Language :Italiano, English, Pусский, Deutsch

Budget :  $75,000,000

Storyline : The high-powered and hyper-kinetic ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.’ is a pulsating production that one would expect from the off-kilter imagination of writer-director Guy Ritchie whose flashy and furious actioners such as ‘Snatch’ and ‘Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels’ are indicative of the filmmaker’s excess frivolity. So it is not much of a shock that Ritchie’s big screen adaptation of the iconic 60s television series that featured the retro-suave Robert Vaughn and golden-haired heart-breaker David McCallum takes on a sleek, stylish and impishly erratic mix of intrigue and frolic.

The consensus is that ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.’ continues the wave of nifty and naughty-minded colourful espionage spectacles that seem to have invaded the summer of 2015. Perhaps when one cries ‘U.N.C.L.E.’ it will not be as challenging or convincingly crafty as the more cerebral and stimulating ‘Mission: Impossible-Rogue Nation’. Still, Ritchie’s off-beat serving of ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.’ is mindless fun and roguishly cheeky.

Sure, at times the boisterous bounce in ‘U.N.C.L.E/’ feels rather strained as Ritchie’s foray into the James Bond-esque territory featuring the off-balance smoothness of twitchy twosome Brit Henry Cavill (the ‘Man of Steel’ star portraying American CIA Agent Napoleon Solo) and Armie Hammer (incidentally sporting a catchy and clever moniker) as Russian KGB Agent Illya Kuryakin spirals into a cliched cavalcade of mischievousness drowned out by surging surf music, crazy-minded and bright-coloured landscapes, perfect-looking protagonists and wildly penetrating predicaments in its manufactured action sequences. Nevertheless, ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.’ still generates a sense of rousing charm and insane impishness to carry out its agenda for off-the-cuff espionage escapist frolicking.

Some may not mind the make-up of ‘U.N.C.L.E.’ as a saucy buddy action flick in disguise as Cavill and Hammer drolly inhabit the kooky coolness of TV’s dynamic duo spies from yesteryear. Nobody will ever claim that Cavill and Hammer are trying to ape the small screen spying antics of original U.N.C.L.E. bad boys in the aforementioned Vaughn and McCallum any time soon. The exaggerated juiced-up chase scenes, the inclusion of high-volume spunk and wit, devious femme fatales that parade around as hormonal trophies…all add to the high-wire hedonism of Ritchie’s off-centered international gun-toting caper.

Ritchie’s co-written screenplay, along with Lionel Wigham of ‘Sherlock Holmes’ fame with ‘Harry Potter’ producer credits, does not provide much of a deep-seeded story other than its need to indulge the audience in its shifty shenanigans as an over-the-top ode to a classic couple of televised operatives that baby-boomers will fondly recall from their childhood reminiscences. The premise is somewhat painfully familiar as two clashing spy guys with different approaches to the espionage game join at the hip to stop a madman planning to engineer nuclear destruction for a vulnerable world. Of course, in attempting to stop such unthinkable madness we are overcome with the philosophical tactics and mannerisms of the targeted tandem looking to spread some spice along the way in saving the world from certain cartoonish devastation.

Solo is the capable cad whose free-spirit and ease on handling a sticky situation is met with instinctive, cavalier American ingenuity. Kuryakin, on the other hand, seems to be disciplined in his uptight ‘play-it-by-the-book’ demeanor as the cold Russian enforcer without a sense of straying from his boundaries. Together, this debonair ‘ying-and-yang’ pair of free-wheeling agents form as one in their mission to foil the demented deed of others. Isn’t that special?

In essence, ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.’ believes in its wheeling-and-dealing hype and that is not necessarily a bad thing. It does not pretend to be anything other than what it is at large, a spry, jet-setting caper where playful doom and gloom is played out against a backdrop of elegant locales not to mention a spruced-up soundtrack to accompany the animated proceedings. As usual Ritchie punctuates his theatrical releases with loose-minded lunacy happening at a fast pace. The outlandishness of ‘U.N.C.L.E.’ is truly true to form in the tradition of the funky and frenetic fables that Ritchie loves to spin at will.

Both Cavill and Hammer seem to get inspiration out of their dressy roles as the inventive spies with a knack for carousing and chaos. The wily women that are at the center of attention for Solo’s/Kuryakin’s romancing interests in Elizabeth Debicki’s vivacious Victoria and Alicia Vikander’s toxic Gaby is refreshingly stimulating and reinforces the suspenseful jolt. As the commanding Waverly that oversees Solo and Kuryakin, Hugh Grant does not hold a candle to the late great character actor Leo G. Carroll, that was so memorable as the head honcho that pushed the buttons in the background for both Solo’s ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.’ and later April Dancer’s (Stephanie Powers) ‘The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.’

So here is to the jousting ‘U.N.C.L.E.’ enjoying its considerable A.U.N.T (‘A Unique Nifty Time’) at the busy summertime box office.

The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015)

Warner Bros. Pictures

1 hr 43 mins.

Starring: Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki, Sylvester Groth, Christian Berkel, Luca Calvani, Misha Kuznetsov and Hugh Grant

Directed and Co-Written by: Guy Ritchie

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Genre: Spy/Espionage/Action & Adventure/Spy Thriller

Critic’s rating: ** 1/2 stars (out of 4 stars)
I know Ritchie gets a lot of flak for being a Tarantino copyist, but I really enjoy the films of the Brit that I've seen so far. They're great fun and more enjoyable than the grim-a-thons that the James Bond, Mission: Impossible and Jason Bourne franchises have churned out, though I love those as well. I thought the casting was a nice in-joke, pairing DC Comics' Superman with Marvel's Captain America, and I have loved Alicia Vikander's work since seeing her years ago in 'A Royal Affair'. I thought at the time she exuded both acting chops and sensuality out of every pore and would be a real monster if she ever went international--which she definitely has, both here and in 'Ex Machina'. Though I have never seen the TV series, I felt the camaraderie between the stars was refreshing, the car chases and other stunts were excellent, and, in a year most saturated with spy films (thankfully, for enthusiasts such as I), although it tanked at the box office, I for one hope it becomes a franchise. Why put the brakes on a good thing?...
> A very pleasing action-comedy with the balanced sensitive contents.

Another brilliant action-comedy from Guy Ritchie. I never saw the 60s television series of the same name, but this was very convenient for his style of portraying the tough men showing off their strength. The actors were simply wonderful, two year commitment by the two lead guys for this project definitely payed off well and Alicia Vikander filled the feminine void perfectly. I think it was one of the best trio in the movies I ever seen, very powerful and I hope it lasts for a trilogy.

The story sets in the 60s during the cold war tension between the world's two superpowers. But the film's specialty was, it does not render clash between them, instead they come together to fight the rogue forces who plan blitz against them. Very humourous, highly entertaining with a swift pace and amazing action sequences.

I don't think the narration had any unique twist and turn, instead I call it a smartly written screenplay. So the overall movie was so good, but not a top-notch. My disappointment came from the technical side in some of parts, especially the bike and car chase in the last quarter that you can clearly tell a fake (greenscreen/bluescreen shot). Other than the main plot and its clever scenes, the movie did not offer distinctive features. Just taking away a ½ point is what places it on a line between good and average, but I definitely consider it a good.

6½/10
_The Man from UNCLE_ 2015 #Action #Comedy Origin story of UNCLE 8/10 tinyurl.com/hvakyx4 🎬 🃏 👍 ⏰ 🔫 🎼

In the early 1960s, CIA agent Napoleon Solo competes with KGB agent Illya Kuryakin to find Gaby Teller's nuclear scientist father. They need to get her out of East Germany first, then follow leads to the father, who seems to be building a bomb for a rich family in Italy. Will they stop the use of the nuclear device? Will Napoleon survive torture by Gaby's Nazi uncle? Be ready to laugh; this is not a dark humourless POS like the superhero films; rather, it's a light hearted romp.

*Image courtesy of The Movie Database*

Directed by : Craig Wood, David Farmer, Tom Johnson, Louise Frogley, Sarah Halley Finn, Shepherd Frankel, Gene Serdena, Paul Rudd, Stan Lee, Stan Lee

Produced by : Craig Wood, David Farmer, Tom Johnson, Louise Frogley, Sarah Halley Finn, Shepherd Frankel, Gene Serdena, Paul Rudd, Stan Lee, Stan Lee

Starring : Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Peña, Walton Goggins, Bobby Cannavale, Judy Greer, T.I., David Dastmalchian, Hannah John-Kamen, Abby Ryder Fortson

Company : Marvel Studios

Release date(s) : 2018-07-04

Running time :119 Minutes

Country  : United States

Language :English

Budget :  $140,000,000

Storyline : It's fun to see big stuff get real little and little stuff get real big, but _Ant-Man and the Wasp_ suffers the same problems of its predecessor, except this time with an added issue, one that effects many movies (and even more TV shows), the problem of "The entire movie didn't have to happen if people would just have had normal human conversations with one another".

_Final rating:★★★ - I liked it. Would personally recommend you give it a go._
Actually quite good! It's like a less-weird, but more fun version of a Deadpool - in the sense that it is both filled with action but also with fun acting.

I recommend it for a Saturday evening. It is quite wholesome.
I did indeed enjoy this movie…somewhat. However I cannot say that I was overly impressed.

The story was okay. I would not expect a deep and thought provoking story from a super hero movie nor would I want it. It served as a decent enough vehicle for moving things forward.

Most of the actors did a good enough job of the role they were given which in some cases was pretty much mission impossible given some of the overly silly characters in the movie. In particular I got tired of Luis almost before the first scenes he was in had finished. He was just so silly that you started to wonder what age the target audience was. Jimmy Woo was not far behind.

I think this leads to my main gripe with the movie. I expected a super hero movie but what I got was a fairly lame comedy with super heroes in it. It was just too much comic elements in it for me. I could probably have liked it if the jokes were somewhat intelligent but, for me, they were not. They alternated between overly silly and stupid characters, slap-stick and simple fall-on-your ass jokes.

What about the bad guy? Well, first off, there was not really a distinct bad guy but a hole bunch of them. Unfortunately none of them had any real bad guy charisma. I assume that Sonny was supposed to be the main bad guy and he certainly had enough evil lunatic air about him to fit that but again…too silly. Then we have the lame Jimmy Woo who was just annoying. The Ghost was probably the best one but then she was not really a bad guy was she?

I did like most of the action and the special effects though. The playing around with shrinking and returning to normal size, or greater, was both cool and funny. This shrinking business is of course a difficult theme to work with from a science and logic point of view. For instance, if you shrink a car to the size of a toy car it still weighs like a full size one and you cannot just pick it up. And what about the lab popping up and down all the time? Why weren’t everything shaken to bits inside when they started to run around with it? And don’t get me started about electricity and plumbing. But then, in this kind of movie I would say just just have to turn off that part of your brain. It made for some cool scenes after all.

I also did like that the story was more of a down to Earth story. No overall galactic plot, no snapping of fingers to make…well you know what. Okay, there was the post credit scenes which was a bit of an annoying tie in. Perhaps best of all though, I could not really feel much SJW or other form of politically correct preaching being showed down my throat. Today that is a great plus for any movie.

So, to sum up, I did enjoy it but it was not great and I was indeed a little bit disappointed at the end.
For fans of the first one, which includes me, Ant-Man and the Wasp is more of what you like. More heisting. More car chases. More Giant Man. More of the three wombats. More humour. More mediocre villains. More romance between Scott and Hope. More family bonding. And of course, more quantum realm. It's fun. It's light hearted. It works.

That post credit scene though .... 😲
“Ant-Man and the Wasp” is a really weird Marvel movie.

Like its pint-sized superhero, the film doesn’t quite fit in with the typical MCU big screen canon and is a laid back yet thoroughly forgettable entry into the fatigued superhero genre. The story doesn’t try to tie too much together (save for a mid-credits scene), there’s not an over-dependence on rambunctious CGI effects, and the attempts at humor feel oddly forced (I’d estimate only 30% of the jokes land successfully). Despite the lame title characters and the ever-likeable Paul Rudd‘s offhand charisma, this film gives the impression that it’s an average C student trying desperately to overcome underdog status and achieve a place on the honor roll.

The best part of the film besides Rudd (he makes this one, just like every movie he’s cast in, impossible not to enjoy at least a little), are the special effects. Sure, they’re all computer generated, but they’re some of the most creative since 2016’s “Doctor Strange.” The worst part of the film is its contrived humor. It’s stiff, often cringe-worthy, and sticks out like a sore thumb as it grows increasingly desperate. The film’s multiple writers couldn’t have helped things, and the barrage of thoughtless, lazy jokes quickly wore me down.

Also lacking is suspense and a viable antagonist. There’s the oddly disturbing Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), a woman who is living in unbearable pain and appears to be a formidable foe for Ant-Man (Rudd), The Wasp (Evangeline Lilly), and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas). But then she suddenly finds her heart and the evil disappears. The same goes for Dr. Foster (Laurence Fishburne), a professor who also has a near immediate change of heart. The thin rescue mission premise of extracting Hank’s wife Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer) from the Quantum Realm after being trapped there for the last 30 years also means there’s not too much else to root for.

The quantum rules change on a whim to fit the action sequences, with a sometimes shrinking and sometimes growing super suit. And cars. And buildings. The exposition dialogue is long-winded and repetitive, and the ill-advised “comic” relief from Michael Peña is not snarky enough to feel fresh or new (see “Thor: Ragnarok“).

This is a shallow, pointless film that becomes an exhausting bore.

Directed by : Dean Lorey, Tony Bancroft, Jaime Maestro, Scott Christian Sava, Scott Christian Sava

Produced by : Dean Lorey, Tony Bancroft, Jaime Maestro, Scott Christian Sava, Scott Christian Sava

Starring : Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Lydia Rose Taylor, Ian McKellen, Sylvester Stallone, Danny DeVito, Patrick Warburton, Wallace Shawn, Raven-Symoné, Gilbert Gottfried

Company : China Film Co., Blue Dream Studios, Beijing Wen Hua Dong Run Investment Co.

Release date(s) : 2017-06-12

Running time :105 Minutes

Country  : United States

Language :普通话, English

Budget : 

Storyline : Really good watch, would watch again, and can recommend: probably better for younger audiences.

This is a very good example of a family movie that tries to be for the entire family without being too obvious about it. It takes the serious bits and makes them palatable for a younger audience, and takes the magical bits and makes them more complex for older audiences.

The voice casting was excellent, they managed to stack the cast with celebrity voice actors (normally a death sentence as they don't all play well together) without me noticing, which is a sign of a good voice actor: that they feel natural in the character.

The writing actually seemed to be pretty decent, if formulaic, but I would have preferred a different antagonist scenario. The movie is all about family, born or chosen, and how great it is to be together, but both Mr. Woodley and Horatio embody the opposite of that so while it makes sense from a literary standpoint, it didn't feel intuitive for this movie. A scenario where it is all about working together to overcome someone / something (like a chief investor in the circus or a rival circus) would have been preferable, but both story lines were resolved in the expected manner.

This isn't going to be a deep movie, but it was certainly fun to (mostly) turn my brain of for a bit and enjoy it.

Directed by : Sarah Bradshaw, Danny Elfman, Guillermo Navarro, Stephen Gaghan, Stephen Gaghan, Stephen Gaghan, Nick Moore, Craig Alpert, William M. Connor, Gary Tomkins

Produced by : Sarah Bradshaw, Danny Elfman, Guillermo Navarro, Stephen Gaghan, Stephen Gaghan, Stephen Gaghan, Nick Moore, Craig Alpert, William M. Connor, Gary Tomkins

Starring : Robert Downey Jr., Antonio Banderas, Michael Sheen, Jim Broadbent, Jessie Buckley, Harry Collett, Emma Thompson, Rami Malek, John Cena, Kumail Nanjiani

Company : Universal Pictures, Team Downey, Perfect World Pictures, RK films

Release date(s) : 2020-01-01

Running time :101 Minutes

Country  : United States

Language :English, Français

Budget :  $175,000,000

Storyline : If you enjoy reading my Spoiler-Free reviews, please follow my blog @
https://www.msbreviews.com

We have all watched the Dolittle movies starring Eddie Murphy. I'm not going to lie, I was never a fan of these films. Yes, they're purposefully dumb, innocent, and feature that basic level of comedy. They never annoyed me, but they also never did anything remarkably surprising. 2020's version of the known tale is the first post-MCU role of Robert Downey Jr., it boasts an A-list cast, and… it's one of the worst movies of the year, without a single doubt. A complete disaster in every area of filmmaking.

I don't even know where to start. Maybe with RDJ since he's the most significant negative surprise. I can't believe such a charismatic and now iconic actor like him could deliver a performance this awful. His Welsh (?) accent is not only a terrible choice character-wise, but I doubt that any children can understand what he's saying. RDJ acts like a baffling caricature of himself, not helping an already flawed film. The voice work from the remaining cast might be the only positive of the whole movie, but the CGI animals are way too unconvincing.

However, as always, the most impactful issues belong to the actual story. Instead of being an entertaining and fun adventure, it's an incredibly boring, nonsensical, structure-less journey into one of the most ridiculous third acts of cinema. Even placing myself in a child's mind, I don't think I would be able to enjoy this mess of a screenplay. Like I wrote above, not even the animals look great…

Certain characters possess these unknown relationships that the audience is supposed to care about, but no background is given to any of them. Tons of plot points lack a logical explanation. The entire narrative is void of any creativity or uniqueness whatsoever, looking simply like a lazy, unimaginative piece of work. The "young queen who falls gravely ill" is just a woman sleeping in bed, not looking ill at all, which proves that not even the makeup department was interested in making an effort.

But all of the issues above are nothing compared to the film's climax. I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll just write that I still can't believe what I witnessed. Around ninety minutes of build-up lead to the most shocking, hilarious, utterly absurd moment. The humor is a level below childish. Dozens of fart jokes (including one during the climax), over-the-top reactions, and I don't even know what else. Between Bloodshot, Fantasy Island, and The Grudge… Let the devil come and choose!

All in all, Dolittle is a massive fail at all levels. It was meant to be one of the worst movies of the year, and it undoubtedly accomplished this goal. From the surprisingly awful performance from Robert Downey Jr. to one of the most shockingly terrible climaxes in the history of cinema, Stephen Gaghan delivers a structure-less screenplay, filled with nonsensical narrative decisions, and featuring an extremely dull adventure. The CGI animals are far from being remotely impressive, the characters lack personality (bringing an A-list actor doesn't guarantee anything), and the comedy is so astonishingly basic that I doubt kids will laugh at some of the jokes, and they laugh at everything. With a budget of 175M (!!!), it's not understandable how and why a studio would waste this much money on such an obvious flop. The voice work from the cast is good… and it genuinely could have been worse. This is the closest I can get to a positive.

Rating: D-