New Releases For Home Viewing

A good week for home viewing including a film in my top three so far this year.


WONDER WOMAN
Directed Patty Jenkins
Screenplay by Allan Heinberg
Based on comic books by William Moulton Marston
Starring Gal Gadot and Chris Pine







I get it ...a female lead as a super hero!!!! Yes I was excited for this also. However the reviews were fantastic which had me question, was the movie good or was the excitement of having a female superhero lead blurring the reviews. Well..............I was disappointed.


Let me be positive first.........


- Gadot is fantastic and looks the part. You cannot help but love her. She delivers her lines in such a monotone voice...it is hard to tell if she is just being funny or her reactions to our world is just funny.
I would go as far as saying she is perfect.


-Chemistry between Steve Trevor (Pine) and Diana (Gadot) Is wonderful. Again perfect.


-Humor. This film is filled with dry humor. Diana showing up in a "man's world" is really funny. Her reaction to these men in this world is laugh out line funny. Then throw in Lucy Davis as Steve Trevors Secretary or slave (so funny)...they made a huuuuuge mistake by not having her through out the film playing off Diana. She sadly was only in the film for 10 minutes.


-Development. The screenplay did a fantastic time developing Diana's backstory with help from Connie Nielsen as Hippolyta and Robin Wright as Antiope . Then when she arrived in England we got a good feel of how out of place she is and how mentally tough she is.....but then..........


Negatives.....................
-A big negative the last hour was  a mess. A story line that seemed made up as the film went on. At the end I thought how did she know to do this during the battle?????!!!! Then...
-To make this work you need a really good bad guy. Danny Huston as Lundendorff was a failure. He felt irrelevant to me. They had a really good bad person in Elena Anaya as Dr Maru. Sadly they kind of pushed her aside...another mistake.
-Last negative.............2 hours and 20 minutes. Really?


Well 3 out of 5 for Wonder Woman. For the first half and Gadot herself. I really look forward to seeing her character in the second film in this series. I hope they tighten It up a bit.
Who would have thought Wonder Woman helped Europe win the war. I have to go back and check my history books.







THE BIG SICK
Directed by Michael Showalter
Screenplay by Emily Gordan and Kumail Nanjiani
Starring Kumail Nanjiani; Zoe Kazan; Holly Hunter; and Ray Ramono





Well..........Sometimes you find a gem......and this is one!!!


This movie is close to perfect.


The screenplay: The film follows a the relationship between Pakistanian Kumail and white girlfriend Emily. As they battle the culture differences. Then as the film moves on we deal with her illness. Then we follow Kumail's relationship with Emily's parent's Beth and Terry played by Hunter and Romano.
The script does an amazing job of being cute; yet being sad; throwing in plenty of humor. The amazing thing is it is a true story!! It just walks a tightrope seamlessly.


The Cast:
Kazan: Has a small part, but like the other movie she was in that I really liked Ruby Sparks, she again is soooo damn cute. Also, you can tell by just the trailer, she has wonderful chemistry the lead Nanjiani.
Hunter: Just a fantastic performance. She has to rollercoaster between humor and tears and just real/relevant conversations with Nanjiani. Those small conversations with Nanjiani is where she just shines.
Romano: Okay...you can tell by the trailer...it is the perfect part for him. Stumbling and bumbling on. while pleasing people and being kind and being tough. It is Ray Romano!
Nanjiani: I think he understands he is in the big leagues here with many very good actors. He plays his part very funny and dry. Almost soft. Even up against his parents (Veteran actors Anupam Kher and Zenobia Shroff). It must be odd for him...kind of acting out his own life, he pulls it off quietly.


Problems?
Only one fault. Editing was needed during the sick part. It seemed long (The film is 2 hours). I think they could have cut out the relationships Kumail's family set him up with during the hospital time period. Trust me that is a small problem.


4 1/2 out of 5 stars for The Big Sick. Find it and see it. Thoughtful.....funny...and romantic.


From the shadows as always thanks for your time.