INSIDE OUT 2 and Its Tangle of Youthful Emotions

Inside Out was a shining adventure of a young girl’s early emotions, whereas Inside Out 2 takes this further with an older girl, and the results are just as compelling and funny as before. 

Riley is growing up yearning to fit in at school, and wanting to join the girls’ hockey team.  The original group of emotions, Joy (wonderful Amy Poehler), Anger (Lewis Black), Fear, Disgust, and Sadness are finding her puberty a huge challenge which means calling on new, sophisticated emotions to help including Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui (boredom).  Desperate to join the hockey team, Riley is willing to sacrifice her values and maybe her closest friends.  In the meantime, the original emotions, imprisoned by their newer counterparts, know that the key is to find and retrieve Riley’s true self so she can be who she is meant to be.  In the end, teamwork and staying true to oneself might save the day despite overwhelming obstacles. 

What is fascinating is that each person including Riley’s parents have their own set of emotions with some variations, and, in fact, there are so many emotions and sidebars going on, it does become a bit confusing.  What all the emotions learn is that you have to take the good memories and the bad ones together; you cannot try to delete the negative thoughts. Each emotion has an important role to play. 

Imaginative characters and colorful animation enhance an already engrossing storyline, and yes, this builds to a tear inducing moment that is well earned.  This heartwarming tale is a winner from start to finish and leaves open the possibility of more emotions to be explored as Riley grows older.  Fans won’t be disappointed.  (There is one post credit scene.)

***** of ***** stars 

 

Powell’s Breakout Role in HIT MAN

 

Director Richard Linklater (Boyhood, School of Rock) and his co-writer/star Glen Powell have taken a real person’s life and spun it into an amusing, black comedy that signals Powell as a rising, talented star.

Gary Johnson (Powell) is a nerdy teacher who works part time for the police as a techie, but a sudden need for an undercover operative thrusts him into the role of a phony hit man who responds to those individuals needing to kill someone.  What Gary comes to realize is that he has a knack for this police work and is quite convincing in his masquerade which results in multiple arrests, but when he meets an unhappy woman, Madison (Adria Arjona), contemplating murder, he becomes smitten.  The more he becomes involved with her, things become increasingly complicated and potentially dangerous. 

The film depicts a gallery of potential criminals drawn from all walks of life, and it affords Gary the opportunity to take on a wide array of characters and disguises.  The contrast is stark between his plain persona and tough guy, and Powell excels in this chameleon-like transformation morphing his appearance for a multitude of roles.  Significantly, the sexual chemistry between Powell and Arjona is palpable and becomes the centerpiece of the narrative while raising the stakes. The questions become, “How far will Gary go?” and “Will he cross the line?”

There are film noir elements that recall Body Heat and Hitchcock themes of amorality in putting the audience in the questionable position of rooting for two potential criminals who risk discovery.  This is essentially a small, independent film with an interesting, yet simple premise (and a sense of humor) that allows an up and coming star a role to run with.  Powell not only runs but flies. 

****1/2 of ***** stars   on Netflix

The Guys Have Still Got It in BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence star in their fourth film (that began with Bad Boys in 1995) about a pair of rebellious, undisciplined police detectives who break the rules, and the result is an entertaining mix of comedy and action in Bad Boys: Ride or Die.

Still bickering and arguing, Detectives Mike Lowrey (Smith) and Marcus Miles Burnett (Lawrence) are dealing with middle age and life changing events. When evidence emerges to taint their former captain (Joe Pantoliano) with corruption, they find themselves in the midst of a dangerous conspiracy that threatens not only their lives but their loved ones.  Not knowing who to trust and becoming hunted themselves, they enlist unlikely allies and race to clear their reputations and expose a ruthless, deadly enemy.  As the principals all converge in an impossible scenario, it builds to an explosive finish that forces ‘the boys’ to risk everything.  

The film sticks to a winning formula including acrobatic camerawork and frenetic editing highlighting over-the-top action sequences including one involving a soft spoken Marine (a family boyfriend) that is a show stopper.  Directors Adil El Arbi and Bilail Fallah return with their graphic gunplay not unlike the template of original Bad Boys director Michael Bay (making a cameo here and) who helped usher this series with its tone and filmmaking style.

The chemistry and humor still works between Smith and Lawrence, and their rapport is part of the appeal of this series.  It is by no means a perfect film, but there’s enough action, humor, and, yes, heart to please fans (while referencing past films) and show that there is still life in this franchise with the prospects of another sequel virtually assured.

**** of ***** stars (for Bad Boys fans)

 

A New Beginning in KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

 

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes resets the franchise further on the timeline and opens up new possibilities as the apes continue their dominance over humans. This adventure is also entertaining and an impressive technical achievement.

In the generations after the ape leader Caesar led ape dominance over humans, there are separate ape camps and warring gangs.  When Noa’s village is attacked and his family devastated, he goes on a search for survivors and comes across others including another ape and even a human girl.  The group is confronted by a warrior ape who rules a kingdom of apes, and Noa’s family and humanity are at a crossroads of survival or extinction.

Among the themes are a strong emphasis on family and the importance of tradition and legacy.  It also brings up the choice between good versus evil and apes versus humans.  You don’t have to have seen the previous films to understand the plot though enough of a brief background sufficiently brings the overall narrative to its present. The film has a few subtle references to the original franchise that began with Planet of the Apes (1968).

This installment continues the recent, remarkable state-of-the-art special effects and luscious set designs that are so convincing, that audiences can easily be immersed in the story and appreciate the performances.  It’s a totally engaging film that should satisfy most fans and strongly hints at a future faceoff between apes and humans. With an emotional, touching conclusion that ends one narrative, it opens a myriad of possibilities for the future.  It’s clear this series still has a lot of life, which, if as interesting and technically proficient as this, should result in some intriguing sequels for years to come. 

**** of ***** stars

Versatile Actor in Genre Roles

 

Actor Donald Sutherland has passed at 88. Father to actor Kiefer Sutherland, his career ranged over theater, television (and an Emmy Award for Citizen X) to film from the 1960s to 2023.  Among his early films were well known war films such as The Dirty Dozen, M*A*S*H, and Kelly's Heroes. He also did other genres successfully like comedy with Start the Revolution Without Me and National Lampoon's Animal House, scifi with Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), horror with Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the classic Don't Look Now, and suspense with Klute and the great Eye of the Needle. He was the main villain in the blockbuster Hunger Games films and excelled in dramas like Outbreak, The Day of the Locust,  JFK, and his greatest role in the Oscar winning Ordinary People.  He is probably the best actor never to have received an Oscar nomination although he was awarded an Academy Honorary Award in 2017.

"The Say Hey Kid"

All time baseball great Willie Mays has passed at 93. Nicknamed 'the Say Hey Kid', he was the last great player to bridge the Negro Leagues with Major League Baseball (that Jackie Robinson was pioneering.) Despite military service causing him to miss most of two seasons, he was on 24 All Star teams, and remains on all time lists for RBIs, runs scored, games played, homeruns, and scores of other records including single season leader for homeruns and stolen bases. He won 12 consecutive Gold Gloves for fielding highlighted by a famous over-the-shoulder catch in the outfield. He won two Most Valuable Player Awards and one World Series championship. For nearly his entire career, he was a Giants player from New York through their move to San Francisco. A first ballot Hall of Famer, he was synonymous with baseball at its very best.