Dog’s Movie House: “Emoji” lifeless, “Atomic Blonde” awesome showcase for Charlize Theron!
Howdy Folks! It’s The Kendog!
Charlize Theron as Lorraine Broughton in “Atomic Blonde”
This week we’ve got two theatrical releases from opposite sides of the quality spectrum. On one side we’ve got “The Emoji Movie” which, besides being an enormous mistake from a conceptual perspective, is in the early running for worst film of the year. You folks know me as a fellow normally gives most movies something of a pass, but as a public service announcement I’m telling all of you to avoid this animated film like a cinematic plague. On the other end of things, “Atomic Blonde” gives Charlize Theron a chance to flex her action heroine muscles and boy does she do an incredible job. It helps that she’s directed by action impresario David Leitch (“John Wick”). Continue reading
The Kenblog: Good-Bye To A Legend – June Foray!
Howdy Folks! It’s The Kendog!
Those of you who know me well know one of my entertainment heroes is the legendary Mel Blanc. His kind heart combined with his incredible vocal skills made him one of the men outside of my family I admired most. But for all of his skill in creating voices for all of those Looney Tunes characters, he did not do it alone. Most of his help in the area of female characters came from an equally talented woman whose dedication to the art of animation not only made her a legendary voice actress, but also helped to bring animation in a short form to the attention of none other than the Academy Awards. I am of course speaking of the late, great June Foray who died earlier this week at the age of 99. Continue reading
Dog’s Movie House: “Dunkirk” Dynamic, “Valerian” Pretty But Inert!
Howdy Folks! It’s The Kendog!
As an unabashed fan of both Luc Besson and Christopher Nolan, I have to admit I was excited when both filmmakers are releasing new movies on the same day. Besson has “Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets’ adapted from a famous French comic book, while Nolan is releasing the war drama “Dunkirk” detailing the harrowing evacuation of three hundred thousand British soldiers from the beaches of German-occupied France. Unfortunately only one of these films is up to each of the director’s lofty standards. “Valerian” is a beautiful film to look at, but a somewhat standard story keeps it from being anything but serviceable. “Dunkirk” on the other hand is a terrific, immersive piece of entertainment that will stick with you long after you leave the theater. Continue reading
Dog’s Movie House: July Has Been A Killer Month For Movies!
Howdy Folks! It’s The Kendog!
Ansel Elgort as Baby in “Baby Driver”
After a ho-hum month of June in which the phrase that pays was “franchise fatigue” with such duds as “Transformers 5” and “Pirates Of The Caribbean 5” and that misguided Mummy film, I’m here to say that the Hollywood machine is not truly devoid of creativity. It just took them a little while to get going. Yes, there are a couple of franchise pictures in July, but guess what: they’re actually great films and entertaining as hell. So strap in and prepare yourself for a whirlwind tour of recommendations for the films you should see in July! Continue reading
Dog’s Movie House: Latest Transformers Film Excercise In Souless Filmmaking!
Howdy Folks! It’s The Kendog!
Hound unleashes in “Transformers: The Last Knight”
They needed a writer’s room for this?! The fifth film in the highly profitable yet artistically dubious series about transforming robots, “Transformers: The Last Knight” is an absolute mess. A well-constructed, occasionally entertaining mess, but a mess nonetheless. For all the money put onscreen, for all the wonderful special effects work by ILM, there is a mechanical nature to Michael Bay’s latest that literally gives us nothing to care about. I enjoy a robot throw-down as much as anyone, but five films in and I find myself officially exhausted. Continue reading
