Dog’s Movie House: What To See, What To Avoid!

Howdy Folks! It’s The Kendog with some capsule reviews to make up for my unfortunate absences lately.  You can always check out my in-depth reviews on my radio show, also known as Dog’s Movie House, at America Matters Media by clicking on this link here!

Recent Movies To See:

 

Check out “Red Sparrow,” a twisty adult thriller featuring Jennifer Lawrence as a former ballet dancer forced to work as a covert seductress, or “Sparrow” by her conniving uncle who just happens to be a highly placed member of Russian Intelligence.  Lawrence tries to get out by allying herself with an American agent (Joel Edgerton) in a game of double crosses and triple crosses.  The cast is uniformly excellent and director Francis Lawrence (“I Am Legend”) does a terrific job of wringing the tension out of a film that’s over two hours but feels more like an hour and a half.   A tense film worth seeing at the theater.  4 Out Of 5 On Kendog’s Barkometer! 

Also check out “Gringo” a crime thriller that’s messy but also a lot of fun.  David Oyelowo plays a middle manager at a pharmaceutical company who finds out his boss and would-be best friend (Joel Edgerton) is planning to sell the company and fire everyone.  While on a trip to Mexico to perform a quality check on their pharmacy which specializes in making a special “weed” pill that will revolutionize the market, Oyelowo decides to get back at his former friend by faking a kidnapping.  Unfortunately Edgerton and his ice queen partner (Charlize Theron) are unable and somewhat unwilling to get him back through conventional means, so they hire Edgerton’s crazy mercenary brother (“District 9’s” Sharlto Copley) to bring him back.  In the meantime, the Cartel wants Oyelowo for their own purposes and soon the fake kidnapping becomes a real one.

“Gringo” was directed by Edgerton’s brother Nash and the director does a better job with the comedy than the action.  It wants to be like “Pulp Fiction” can’t quite get there.  The comedy works because of the efforts of a great cast, particularly Theron and Oyelowo.   Those two sell it like nobody’s business and they are the real reasons to see “Gringo” 3 Out Of 5 One Kendog’s Barkometer!

Movies To Avoid:

 

“Death Wish” is one of the most unnecessary remakes in recent memory.  Directed with a tone deaf lack of sensitivity and grace my horror auteur Eli Roth, “Death Wish” plays like a teenager’s revenge fantasy rather than an examination of violence.  Bruce Willis plays Paul Kersey, a Chicago doctor who’s perfect life is ruined when a trio of criminals kill his wife and put his teenage daughter into a coma.  When the police can’t help he quickly takes matters into is own hands and changes from milquetoast to Rambo in the space of a couple of poorly executed training scenes.  Willis looks like he’s sleepwalking through the role and solid actors like Elisabeth Shue and Vincent D’onofrio are wasted in shallowly written parts.  Eli Roth lets his horror roots show with some truly gruesome deaths more fitting for a movie about serial killers than vigilantes.  What’s most disappointing is that the tone-deaf script is from talented writer/director Joe Carnahan (“The Grey”)  Avoid this one at all costs!  1 Out Of 5 On Kendog’s Barkometer!

Finally we have “A Wrinkle In Time” a much anticipated film adaptation of Madeline L’Engle’s classic science fiction novel.  Directed by Ava DuVernay from a script by Jennifer Lee and David Stockwell, this film tells the story of two siblings (Storm Reid and Deric McCabe) who use their extraordinary intelligence to search for their missing father (Chris Pine) who has discovered the ability to travel through time and space without using a spacecraft.  With the help of three witches, the two siblings along with a friend (Levi Miller) must travel across time and space to rescue their father from a powerful evil called The It.

Fans of the book may find themselves a bit disappointed in the somewhat truncated cinematic adaptation.  It’s beautiful to look at but dramatically inert, keeping the audience at a distance.  DuVernay is a talented director, but the script does her no favors and the editing choices and special effects feel a bit amateurish at times.  The performances range from very good (Reid and McCabe are terrific, as is Reese Witherspoon as the feisty Mrs. Whatsit) to simply serviceable (Mindy Kaling and Oprah Winfrey as the other two witches and Chris Pine as the underwritten Mr. Murry).   Winfrey in particular is disappointing as her casting feels more like a publicity stunt than an actual character.  Winfrey is a more than capable actress, but her persona overwhelms the character here.  Disappointing and distant, “A Wrinkle In Time” is a sometimes beautiful misfire!  2 1/2 Out Of 5 On Kendog’s Barkometer!

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