New Releases For Home Viewing

Only two releases for home viewing for me to note.
Not a strong week for sure.

HOME AGAIN
Directed by Haley Myers-Shyer
Screenplay by Haley Myers-Shyer
Starring Reese Witherspoon; Pico Alexander; Nat Wolff; Michael Sheen; Candice Bergen; Jon Rudnitsky




Well Reece Witherspoon is Alice Kinney, a mom separated from her hubby, who lets three young filmmakers stay in her guest house while they try to get their feet planted in the movie business.
I read some key words in the advertisements...often using hilarious. Well not so much. I would call it sweet. Maybe cute with a few funny moments. Let me get started............

Positives:
- Witherspoon, as always is so damn good. She is believable as a sort of single mom, looking to start her new life. Perfect casting. It is funny how she is juggling love for these handsome men...and love for these same ...well boys. Her facial reactions often are priceless.
-Jon Rudnitsky who plays George, the screenwriter of the three young men, is the scene stealer. He is perfect. He kind of likes Alice. But is more of a fatherly figure to her children. He is kind of intense, but yet soft. He is really good at playing this divide.
-Candice Bergen as Lillian, Alice's mom. Okay it is Candice Bergen, Nuff said!!!!!!!

Negative and the negatives are big:
-Haley Myers-Shyer's script. Trying to follow in her mom's Nancy Myers footsteps, she stepped wrong. There is a lot going on here and it all seems oddly cold or with no layers. Storyline after storyline never really seems fully ...put together, almost like there is a beginning and end but really no meat in the middle that makes you care. Maybe just too much was going on.
-Pico Alexander as Harry, he is kind of the leader of the boys. SOOOO MANY PROBLEMS HERE!!! As you can tell by the trailer he is the one hitting on Alice. I cannot tell if we are suppose to like him or not...but I do know I could not stand him. Every time he was on the screen I was annoyed by his character. Then throw this in. Pico can not act. He is stiff as a board. He reads his lines like he is reading a book in front of a class. Then he is acting up against Witherspoon and Bergen...which makes it worse. Obviously he was hired for his looks, but casting has to be better.
-Michael Sheen as Alice's estranged hubby. Yes he has some funny moments but there was not one moment that I believed he was Alice's husband. No chemistry. Yes I know they are estranged, they may not need chemistry. I just never believed they were married. Again......casting.

2 out of 5 stars for the cute Home Again. I wish it was better. It will make a nice film to watch at home. I really wanted to like it more.




KINGSMAN AND THE GOLDEN CIRCLE
Directed by Matthew Vaughn
Screenplay by Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn
Based on the books by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons
Starring Taron Egerton; Mark Strong; Julianna Moore; Colin Firth; Channing Tatum; Elton John; and Jeff Bridges



So.........................The Kingsman return. The first one surprised me. I was pleasantly surprised.
Here again......the whole idea is just works, in a James Bond...Tarantino...Austin Powers kind of way.
This loose plot revolves around a poisonous drug and an antidote.

Positives:
-Julianna Moore as Poppy is fantastic. Just plain evil and goofy. This film does not work without a good bad guy/woman. You love her and hate her all at the same time.
-From the lead Egerton, who is back as Eggsy, too Firth back as Arthur; too new additions like Berry and Tatum, everybody is all in on this strange goofy action film. That is what makes it work and their comic timing is spot on.
-And then there is Elton John...no spoilers here.....but he is sooooo in to this film he steals it away form the other actor.

Negatives? Yes there is...
-The tone is a bit goofy which makes the film seem choppy. One minute you see Poppy being funny yet evil and then she is turning a former henchman into hamburger. Yes you read that right.
You are all into the action and then odd things like that break it up and makes it seem like a comedy when you are watching an action thriller.  I guess it would not be that bad if it was not 2 hours and 15 minutes long. I love the fun, the goofiness, but at some point you have to cut the crap and get down to business. Tarantino is the master...his films add humor but the story does not stop for it...it strays on track masterfully. Here Vaughn's film struggles a bit. Editing is needed.
-Politics. I worry. I hate politics bleeding into my tv...my shows I watch... my sports. I hope they do not bleed too much into my films. I look as entertainment like it did in wartime....as an escape....an escape from problems...in life or in the world. I hope this is not a spoiler but when the president becomes the bad person unnecessarily written into the script it bothers me. Or a film highlighting heroes in Britain and then makes fun of the american heartland and our government...makes me...nervous for the future of entertainment in film. And before I get off my soapbox...I would stand with my government no matter what side of the aisle you sit...rather a government who has a foe leader in king and queen. Just saying.

Well.....judge for yourself...this fun goofy film get 3 1/2 out of 5 stars. It is fun action.

From the shadows as always thanks for your time.