The Good Natured Soul Passes Away

Jim Nabors passed away at 87 and with him go fond memories of his show Gomer Pyle USMC which ran for five glorious seasons and always in the top ratings even to the last show! Amazing. As a family we would watch Sgt. Carter (Frank Sutton) berate Gomer (Nabors) on a weekly basis only to find Gomer would win the day through his sheer good natured soul. Who can forget his sayings, "Shazam", "Gollly", "Thank you thank you thank you"? Obviously influenced by the film hit No Time for Sergeants with Andy Griffith, It was Griffith's own hit show on CBS show that spawned the character of Gomer. A variety show followed briefly and Nabors was able to display his remarkable singing power which belied his mild southern voice. Good memories.

The Heart of WONDER

Stephen Chbosky directed and co-adapted the novel, Wonder, and, abetted by a strong cast, has fashioned a simple tale of love and acceptance that displays an abundance of heart and optimism.  It is a feel good movie that never betrays its emotions for manipulative sentiment but rather from well-drawn characters and situations.

A young boy, Auggie (Jacob Tremblay is wonderful in a challenging role), with a facial deformity, has been home schooled until he attends middle school amid fears of being treated differently and shunned.  Supported by his loving parents and older sister, Via (Izabela Vidovic), he frequently wears an astronaut’s helmet to avoid being seen in public.  At times, he fantasizes a safe place where friends like Star Wars’ Chewbacca welcome him with open arms. When he is befriended by a fellow classmate, his world begins to change.

What’s special is how the film isn’t just about Auggie but also those around him especially Via (who feels neglected and at a crossroads in her life) and explores their back stories, and this makes these characters richer and more believable as you feel their empathy and guilt. Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson make ideal parents; Julia is the core of this family and Owen complements her with some well-placed humor. The rest of the cast is quite good with special mention to Mandy Patinkin as a caring principal.

 

Wonder is about fragile individuals and how they support each other in hope of finding a ‘family’.  Although it’s no secret how the storyline will go, the film earns its emotional stripes, and no doubt tears will flow freely by the end and justifiably so. This is the kind of film that engenders enormous goodwill much like The Blind Side and Hidden Figures, and it’s just the sort of film that Oscar likes to nominate.

***1/2 of **** stars

JUSTICE LEAGUE Sets the Table

DC Comics’ Justice League, a direct sequel to Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, reverse engineers what Marvel has successfully done in its methodical building of a superhero film universe. The result is a generally satisfying adventure while serving as three mini-origin stories wrapped into one film with a lean running time of two hours.   

As the world mourns the death of Superman (Henry Cavill) amid an emboldened criminal threat, a powerful demonic being, Steppenwolf, reemerges vowing revenge on humanity. As Batman (Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) find themselves overmatched by the evil warrior’s army, they must recruit a team of superhumans which includes a youthful Flash, a hip Aquaman, and a cynical Cyborg. But can the team win without Superman?

There are some exciting scenes when the team is assembled with each hero well represented, and they have some nice interplay and contrast, and work together in battle.  Gadot continues to impress; Wonder Woman fans will be satisfied by her prominent role.  Ezra Miller makes an endearing Flash here (even when compared to TV’s The Flash). The rest of the cast lends good support including Amy Adams, J. K. Simmons, and Jeremy Irons. 

Director Zack Snyder (who did not complete filming) continues to show an eye for action and visuals, but he still desperately needs to balance his serious tone with more humor particularly with a team of heroes as Marvel has mastered in The Avengers. That film’s writer/director, Joss Whedon, contributes his touch here in a couple of scenes, and a few more such moments would have helped.  Another issue is the villain is nothing unique with CGI that seems to overwhelm the action.

Better than Dawn of Justice but not as good as Wonder Woman, hopefully it’s the start of something special for DC Comics, and one can hope for additional members to the Justice League in the future. Green Lantern, anyone?

*** of **** stars

THOR: RAGNAROK – The End and Beginning

With a wink to the audience and a hearty laugh, Thor: Ragnarok is a welcome departure from the serious, dark tones of the first two films. Director Taika Waititi was given a chance to bring something different to the Marvel superhero; he has delivered big time.

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) returns to Asgard and finds his half-brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), masquerading as Odin (Anthony Hopkins), which triggers the emergence of powerful Hela (Cate Blanchett), the Goddess of Death.  Both brothers are sent far away to another world, where Thor is imprisoned by a female Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson excels) for the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum hams it up) and his arena battles, where he bumps into an old friend, The Hulk aka Dr. Banner (Mark Ruffalo). Realizing he must assemble a team to defeat Hela, Thor has his work cut out for him as Ragnarok, the end of Asgard, looms.

This is essentially a mega family squabble, and there are game changing events that affect virtually every major character since the first installment.  The film is better when it focuses on individual relationships and less so on grand spectacle.  There are elements of The Hunger Games and even The Lord of the Rings, and the visual effects, while good, are occasionally over the top. 

The cast is uniformly solid with Blanchett having a ball as the baddie and Hemsworth, Hiddleston, and Ruffalo trading quips effortlessly while Idris Elba returns in a more significant role as Heimdall. There are Easter eggs, a couple amusing cameos including a certain mystical master, and two end credit scenes that point to bigger conflicts in the future.

The film does have its serious moments of action, but the key is its lighthearted tone (not unlike Guardians of the Galaxy) and some very funny moments. It’s definitely more tongue in cheek than Marvel normally allows, and that’s a welcome thing.

***1/2 of **** (for Marvel fans)