New Releases For Home Viewing This Week

We have three releases to note for home viewing this week. Two of the best of the year and one of the worst.


ZOOTOPIA
Directed by Byron Howard; Rich Moore; and Jared Bush
Screenplay by Jared Bush and Phil Johnston
Starring Ginnifer Goodwin; Jason Bateman; Idris Elba; and JK Simmons



In a society of animals, a fugitive con artist fox (Jason Bateman) and a rookie and first of its kind police bunny (Ginnifer Goodwin) try to solve a conspiracy.

Like Inside Out from last year, this film takes real life issues and puts them into an animated film so all can understand the point. So timely. Zootopia touches on racism. Bullying. Keeping an open mind. Chasing dreams no matter what is said to try to hold you down. The key is it does not preach, it does a nice job of giving gentle pieces of the problems and then showing how to deal with the issues. In a society run by big strong animals, a little bunny with a lot of determination can make a difference. With all that is mentioned about the film touching on timely subjects somehow the screenwriters make the film fun!!
Zootopia does a lot right:
Well I just covered a real good script. Yes it has lessons, but there is an interesting criminal investigation in this story also which keeps you interested. At that point it becomes a prettygood buddy cop film.
Ginnifer Goodwin as Judy Hopps and Jason Bateman as Nick Wilde are awesome.
Humor...Most notable the slugs, who are going to be stars like Sadness in Inside Out, and Yax played by Tommy Chong!! The naturalist had me laughing out loud. So did the mob/Godfather reference.

I will stop there because no spoilers, but I do have a couple of negatives:
It seemed a bit long at 108 minutes, it seemed to have too many endings.
The PG is a hard PG. I wish it was not but it is. It can be a bit scary in some parts for little ones.

4 1/2 stars out of 5 for this gem.



HAIL CAESAR
Screenplay by Coen Brothers
Directed by Coen Brothers
Starring Josh Brolin; George Clooney; Alden Ehrenreich; Ralph Fiennes; Scarlett Johansson; Tilda Swinton; Channing Tatum



The good:
Fiennes is funny in his small part. Ehrenreich is very funny. Josh Brolin coming off Sicario now here gives back to back very good performances.

That is all. This was my first big disappointment of the year. Critics are sheep here and see Coen and just put a stamp of approval. This film is a mess.
Where do I start:
The script is a mess, unfocused and not as zany and funny as one would think from the trailer.
Johansson is in this film. She looks pretty but has no reason to be there.
There were communist that were suppose to be funny but not so much.
Yes Communist. This film is a mess. I want to tell you more but I promise no spoilers.
The film has no cohesion or rhythm.
What a disappointment. I actually heard someone say on the way out of my screening we should have watched Fifty Shades Of Black. I wanted to say "No that would not have been a good idea either, go watch Star Wars again"! But they were right..they could have spent their time elsewhere.

2 stars out of 5 (and that is just for Brolin and Tatum's dancing) for Hail Caesar.....Hail NO!!!

13 HOURS THE SECRET SOLDIERS OF BENGHAZI
Directed by Michael Bay
Screenplay by Chuck Hogan
Based On The Book By Mitchell Zuckoff
Starring John Krasinski; Pablo Schreiber; James Badge Dale; and Dave Denman



An American Ambassador is killed during an attack at a U.S. compound in Libya as a security team struggles to make sense out of the chaos.

I went in to this film very hesitant. No it was not the subject. It was that Michael Bay was involved.
I am not a fan. In fact I honestly cannot tell you one film he made that I liked.
So 13 hours. Michael Bay. Finally, something good!!. Sure he still cannot help himself. He has to throw in his corny lines "I am just proud that you are an American". Or his slow motion walk to the fight in a lined up group shot. Or the American flag at the end floating in water with debris. The same mortar shell shot following it straight down toward its target used in all his other films. The moments of "I love you kids" He has to do it.
However, except for those typical Michael Bay moments this film is really good.
Michael Bay made many smart choices starting with Krasinski as the lead. An odd choice using someone mostly known for his work in The Office, a comedy (Note David Denman is in this also from The Office). It was a very good decision because he looks like the every man. He does not have those Hollywood good looks and you can believe him as just an average guy doing a job.
He also used darkness as the biggest fear. You can really see what these brave men went through in the pitch black and the confusion of not only the darkness, but that darkness and the confusion of who is on their side. I was holding my breath often watching this. I knew what happened, but I could not remember who came out of this mess alive.
The film wisely does not go to heavy on WHY ISN'T ANYONE COMING TO HELP!! They mention it about every 15-20 minutes by showing phone calls and maps mainly because ...THEY NEED HELP!
You feel as frustrated as all the people stuck there. I cannot imagine what all those people were going through while leaning on these four/five people to help fight off 100's. It must of been out and out crazy.
Now why? After watching this film I think the question should be why? Why and how? Note why!
I think sometimes people get caught up in who. Who is to blame. Instead of why. Why did this happen. Why was there such a communication breakdown where it seemed like everywhere they looked for help the person on the other line did not want to take responsibility?! Now, did it go all the way up to the Hillary? By watching the film, I get a feeling it never went there, but we will never know. Which goes back to the why. People have to ask why was there a communication breakdown?! Why was communication so slow?! Why was security so soft at the compounds which could have saved Ambassador Chris Stevens life?! People should own the why and then make sure that it does not happen again so others who are living or fighting over seas are safe. Clearly there was a communication breakdown that I hope was/or will be fixed. Bay puts us in the middle of this and you can sense their frustration. But, like noted before, he does not overkill the communication problem, he tends to focus on the heroes.

4 stars out of 5 for this surprisingly well done film

From the shadows as always thanks for your time.