Arts MOVIES from page 41 Orleans for the annual Essence Festival, sisterhoods are rekindled, wild sides are rediscovered, and there’s enough dancing, drinking, brawling, and romancing to make the Big Easy blush. (102 min.) —Universal Pictures
THE HERO What’s it rated? R Where’s it showing? The Palm Lee Hayden (Sam Elliott) is an aging Western icon with a golden voice, but his best performances are decades behind him. He spends his days reliving old glories and smoking too much weed with his former-co-star-turned-dealer, Jeremy (Nick Offerman), until a surprise cancer diagnosis brings his priorities into sharp focus. He soon strikes up an exciting, contentious relationship with stand-up comic Charlotte (Laura Prepon), and he attempts to reconnect with his estranged daughter, Lucy (Krysten Ritter), all while searching for one final role to cement his legacy. (93 min.) —The Orchard
THE HOUSE What’s it rated? R What’s it worth? Rental Where’s it showing? Stadium 10 Written and directed by Andrew Jay Cohen along with co-writer Brendan O’Brien (both worked together on Neighbors, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates) comes the slapstick comedy The House, starring Amy Poehler and Will Ferrell. Is this the funniest movie these two comedy heavy weights have ever starred in? Nope. That being said, is this movie a better use of your time than the other dumb summer blockbusters? Yup! Here’s the breakdown: Suburban parents Kate (Poehler) and Scott (Ferrell) are jazzed when their daughter Alex (Ryan Simpkins)
At the Movies wins a scholarship from the town to attend the ultra-fancy and expensive Bucknell University. But at the last minute, the town, headed by City Councilman Bob (Nick Kroll) reneges on the promise, opting to build a pool instead. The couple is also dealing with their friend Frank’s (Jason Mantzoukas) life crisis as he spirals after his wife leaves him because of his gambling and porn addictions. Naturally, Kate and Scott decide to go into business with Frank to run an illegal underground casino in his house to pay for Alex’s college tuition. Hijinks ensue as the neighbors, bored with dreary suburban life start to stop by to gamble away their money, get crazy drunk, and, you know, engage in some MMA style throw-downs. I mean this movie is from the guys who brought you Neighbors. The logic of the real world doesn’t apply here and they lean heavy on the physical comedy. Oh, and there’s like zero consequences to anyone’s crazy’s antics in the long term, but that’s par for the course with this kind of zany comedy. The predictable hiccups arise, but if you’ve seen one crazy comedy then you can likely guess how things pan out for Kate, Scott, and Alex. Poehler and Ferrell are an interesting combo, but she’s realistic as a parent/normal human in a way that her co-star isn’t so it kind of works out. Mantzoukas—as a man on the edge with nothing left to lose as he tries to win back his wife and keep the bank from foreclosing on the house—is a wonderfully complex character in a town filled with flatter personalities. Cal State Long Beach (go Beach!) alumni like myself will enjoy spotting the campus in the film, in spite of the one Bucknell banner someone from set design bothered to throw up. If you’re looking for a light diversion best enjoyed with a cocktail (or some kind of booze) in hand, then this is it. Just wait till it hits Red Box. (88 min.) —Ryah Cooley
MAUDIE
What’s it rated? PG-13 What’s it worth? Full Price Where’s it showing? The Palm Aisling Walsh (Joyriders, Song for Raggy Boy, The Daisy Chain) directs this screenplay by Sherry White (The Breadmaker, Down to the Dirt, Crackie) about arthritic Nova Scotia painter Maud Dowley (Sally Hawkins), who after having her family home sold out from under her by her brother takes up housekeeping work for Everett Lewis (Ethan Hawke). Eventually the two find romance as Maudie hones her naïve but charming folk painting style, eventually becoming a community icon. First and foremost, this is a love story, albeit a very unconventional one. Because of Maudie’s affliction, her family— brother Charles (Zachary Bennett) and her aunt Ida (Gabrielle Rose)—believes she’s incapable of taking care of herself, but Maudie has an indomitable spirit, and rather than live under her aunt’s thumb, she answers an ad for a housekeeper. Everett is a 40-year-old bachelor, taciturn, illiterate, and proud. He’s a hard worker who sells fish door-to-door, cuts and sells wood, removes trash, and works in the orphanage where he was raised. He’s pretty hard to like at first, and though he reluctantly hires Maudie, he treats her poorly. “It’s me, these dogs, those chickens, and then you,” he informs her of the pecking order. They live in a one-room shack, sharing a bed in a sleeping loft. As a form of escape and a way of celebrating the beauty she sees around her, she paints on any surface she can find, including old card stock, painting little postcard scenes that she sells for a few pennies. These are beautifully rendered characters by screenwriter Sherry White, and while autobiographical, from what I’ve read about Maud and Everett, she
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THE MICK
suddenly finds herself the caregiver of her rich sister’s three spoiled kids after her sister and brother-in-law are forced When: 2017 to “flee the country” to avoid a federal What’s it rated? NR indictment for tax evasion. Where? Fox and streaming on Mickey moves from her shitty apartment to her sister’s Greenwich, Hulu and Amazon Conn., mansion, where she allies was at a dive bar when someone, I can’t herself with Alba (Carla Jimenez), the remember who, suggested I watch The Mick, a new Fox series about Mackenzie family’s put upon housekeeper, to try to corral Mickey’s niece, the incorrigible “Mickey” Murphy (Kaitlin Olson), a hard17-year-old Sabrina (Sofia Black-D’Elia), living, foul-mouthed ne’er-do-well who and her two nephews, Chip PHOTO COURTESY OF 20TH CENTURY FOX TELEVISION (Thomas Barbusca) and Ben (Jack Stanton). Dark, irreverent comedy ensues. I zipped through nine of the first 17 episodes in one sitting and found the show to be a riot of physical comedy, ribald humor, and groan-inducing fishout-of-water situations. Mickey is a hot mess, surpassed in her hot messiness only by her loser pseudo-boyfriend Jimmy (Scott MacArthur). The eldest child Sabrina takes an immediate dislike to Mickey, FRIENDS IN NEED setting up a battle of wills. Mackenzie (Kaitlin Olson, Meanwhile, middle kid Chip, a left) becomes fast friends pompous preppie who wants with her sister’s housekeeper to get the girls, foolishly takes Alba (Carla Jimenez), when his aunt’s terrible advice and they suffer through one compounds his poor standing at school, and the youngest, misadventure after another as Ben, basically goes through they look after Mackenzie’s one mishap after another since spoiled nieces and nephews. Mickey is wholly unsuited to her
new responsibilities. I especially like the chemistry between Mickey and Alba. Unpretentious Mickey thinks the way Alba is treated as a second-class member of the family has been terrible and wants her to have equality … as long as she keeps doing all the work. Jimenez as Alba is hilarious, with amazing comic timing and a lot of the show’s best deadpan lines. Olson, who’s also the show’s co-executive producer, is terrific as Mickey, striking just the right note between selfish and caring—she fluctuates between doing what she wants and doing what she thinks is right for the kids. With 13 writers over 17 episodes, you can imagine the series is at times uneven, but it’s still a lot of fun, and the characters are well defined. It’s gotten mixed reviews from the critics, so it clearly won’t appeal to all viewers, but I’ve laughed out loud in every episode I’ve seen so far. If you have sensitive sensibilities or are easily offended, this isn’t the series for you, but if you’re a fan of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Arrested Development, Parks and Recreation, or The Office, this ought to be right up your naughty little alley. (17, 30-minute episodes). Δ —Glen Starkey
Released on Tuesday, July 18
THE BOSS BABY
I
BEACHES What’s it rated? Not rated Should I rent it? Don’t bother
RERELEASED RESIDENT EVIL: VENDETTA
What’s it rated? Not rated Should I rent it? Probably
What’s it rated? R Should I rent it? Don’t bother
What’s it rated? R Should I rent it? Probably
KONG: SKULL ISLAND
may have taken some liberties. Everett is written as being very dismissive of Maud’s work, when in fact, in real life he encouraged her to paint. If you’re looking for historical accuracy, this probably isn’t quite right, but as a story of two people coming to realize they love and need each other, it’s exceedingly beautiful. Tissues recommended! The acting is uniformly excellent, with Hawkins twisting her body and face into a knotted mess. She does a very fine job of embodying Maudie, depicting her strong spirit and resilience. Hawke, too, is excellent, playing Everett as a stiff and angry brute who softens to Maud. His Everett longs to be close to someone, but as an orphan and bachelor, he has no experience. Vacationing New Yorker Sandra (Kari Matchett) takes an interest in Maudie’s work, and helps build her confidence, and the entire story takes place over several decades, from the late ’30s to 1970 when Maud dies. The small fishing village becomes a character as well, and its seasonal changes move from a fly-infested summer to an unforgiving winter. The people who live there are tough and sometimes gossipy and cruel, and it all feels like real life—the highest compliment I can pay a film. (115 min.) —Glen Starkey
SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING
What’s it rated? PG-13 What’s it worth? Full Price Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Sunset Drive In, Bay, Stadium 10, Park, Galaxy This new Spider-Man film picks up a few months after the events of Captain America: Civil War, which chronicled the rift between Captain America (Chris Evans) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.). This time around, Tony Stark
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(aka Iron Man) and the federal government create the Department of Damage Control (D.O.D.C.), which inadvertently drives Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton) out of business, leading him to become the villain Vulture. Meanwhile Peter Parker (Tom Holland) returns to his studies after Stark tells him he’s not ready to be an Avenger, but that doesn’t stop Peter from pursuing his crime fighting endeavors. This sixth installment in the Spider-Man franchise is directed by Jon Watts (Clown, Cop Car) with a screenplay by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley (Horrible Bosses, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs). They’ve hit the sweet spot in this Spider-Man reboot, mixing great action sequences with a funny high school coming-of-age story that humanizes Peter Parker, delivers a multilayered villain (Keaton), and keeps the laughs coming mostly at Peter’s expense. Peter and his bestie Ned (Jacob Batalon) are the nerdiest nerds in a tech-centric magnet school filled with nerds. Their idea of a fun time is putting together Ned’s new 3,000-plus-piece Lego Death Star. They eat lunch alone except for outsider Michelle (Zendaya), a brooding member of the academic decathlon team. Peter pines for Liz (Laura Harrier), the leggy captain of the team, but she seems vastly out of his league. Meanwhile, everyone thinks Peter is a bit of a flake, since he’s always disappearing due to the demands of his Stark Enterprises internship—his cover for low-level crime fighting. He wants nothing more than to be accepted as an Avenger, but Stark thinks he’s too green. Even so, Stark’s supplied Peter with a high-tech Spider-Man suit, which has enhanced his abilities, but he’s hindered from doing much other than stopping bike snatchers by Happy Hogan (John Fanreau), Stark’s right-hand man PHOTO COURTESY OF EUROPACORP
What’s it rated? PG Should I rent it? Maybe
GIFTED What’s it rated? PG-13 Should I rent it? Definitely
What’s it rated? PG Should I rent it? Probably
UNFORGETTABLE
Due for release on Tuesday, July 25
THE PROMISE
BLACK BUTTERFLY What’s it rated? R Should I rent it? Maybe
What’s it rated? R Should I rent it? Don’t bother
XXX: RETURN OF XANDER CAGE What’s it rated? PG-13 Should I rent it? Don’t bother
42 • New Times • July 20 - July 27, 2017 • www.newtimesslo.com
who’s been tasked with keeping Peter safe from real harm. Happy is clearly annoyed by Peter’s earnestness, so there’s some fun chemistry in the way Peter and Happy grate on one another. The real excitement begins when Peter catches wind of a criminal gang led by Vulture, who is selling weapons made of alien technology to street criminals. Stark wants to leave Vulture and his henchmen for the FBI, but Peter can’t take no for an answer, which sets-up the estrangement between Stark and him, as well as the Staten Island ferry set-piece seen in the film’s trailer. It’s a very engaging story with a wholly likeable protagonist. In contrast to the charm of Peter and Ned is Adrian Toomes, who we initially sympathize with since his salvage company is destroyed when Stark and the feds team up to create the D.O.D.C., which strips the government cleanup contract out from under Toomes’ company, putting his and all his employees’ livelihoods at risk. He decides since the government changed the rules on him, the rules no longer apply. He and his men begin stealing alien technology, creating weapons out of it, and selling it on the black market. Keaton is fantastic, and we see Toomes change from indignant victim to ruthless killer, yet he still retains humanity because his goal is to provide for his family. As villains go, Vulture is a complex and interesting one, and Keaton plays him with irreverent menace—he’s crossed the line and there’s no going back. As comic book hero films go, this is a great one! (133 min.) —Glen Starkey
VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS
What’s it rated? PG-13 Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Sunset Drive In, Stadium 10, Park, Galaxy Luc Besson (La Femme Nikita, The Fifth Element, Lucy) directs this comic book-based sci-fi adventure about special operatives Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Laureline (Cara Delevingne) who must safeguard Alpha, a sprawling city that’s home to species from a thousand planets. (137 min.) —Glen Starkey
New
WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES
What’s it rated? PG-13 Should I rent it? Maybe
TOMMY’S HONOUR
What’s it rated? PG-13 Should I rent it? Probably
What’s it rated? PG-13 Should I rent it? Maybe
TRAPPED Dunkirk tells the harrowing true World War II tale of an evacuation of trapped Allied forces by civilians in fishing, merchant marine, and pleasure boats.
GHOST IN THE SHELL
BUSTER’S MAL HEART FREE FIRE
PHOTO COURTESY OF WARNER BROS. PICTURES
What’s it rated? PG-13 What’s it worth? Matinee Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Stadium 10, Fair Oaks, Park, Galaxy Matt Reeves (The Pallbearer, Cloverfield, Let Me In) directs and co-writes with Mark Bomback (Live Free or Die Hard, The Wolverine) this third film in the rebooted series that is preceded by Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014). Commencing about two years after the events of Dawn, Caesar’s (Andy Serkis) clan of apes is at war with a human
Pick HEROES Valerian (Dane DeHaan left) and Laureline (Cara Delevingne) must safeguard Alpha, a sprawling city that’s home to species from a thousand planets, in Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.
MOVIES continued page 43