KING KONG (Theatrical Release USA 2005)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.7|5.0 Starsìììì

King Kong—second live action remake of the story since 1976 with a third upcoming 2017 remake: Kong: Skull Island—this 2005 film has Director Peter Jackson interpreting Kong through the efforts of Jack Black, Adrien Brody, and Naomi Watts. Combining terrific footage of natives dressed in outstandingly realistic costuming and makeup artistry with very good background scenery set this movie up to far surpass audience expectations for a King Kong movie. The only small criticism that can be made concerns the special effects of the brontosauruses and their pileup scene. There needs to be a tad more work put into the special effects to push those scenes over the top, but the creativity of the dinosaur pileup pushes that concern to the sidelines. Kudos to Peter Jackson for producing a good Kong movie.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

King Kong (Andy Serkis) falls in love with the girl, Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts), and makes his journey to the United States to terrorize an entire city.

Additional Thanks

Thank You to Director Peter Jackson for directing efforts. Thank you to Producers Jan Blenkin, Carolynne Cunningham, Peter Jackson, and Fran Walsh for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Carl Denham (Jack Black), Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody), Captain Englehorn (Thomas Kretschmann), Preston (Colin Hanks), Lumpy (Andy Serkis), Hayes (Evan Parke), Jimmy (Jamie Bell), Choy (Lobo Chan), Herb (John Sumner), and Mike (Craig Hall).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

  

Yes. The story’s well done and makes one highly anticipate what Peter Jackson has in store for audiences with his 2006 production of Lovely Bones. Special thanks to Peter Jackson for all his effort and hard work in productions like Lord of the Rings and the vast improvement on the Kong stories.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

NACHO LIBRE (Theatrical Release USA 2006)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.6|5.0 Stars ìììì

Nacho Libre—the best of Jack Black since School of Rock—is funny, unique, offbeat, and worth a viewing. Director Jared Hess’ work deserves study.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Ignacio (Jack Black), an orphan, has grown up in one of Mexico’s Catholic monasteries where he eventually becomes the cook for other orphans who live there. He wants to provide better food for the orphans and realizes, even though wrestling is forbidden by the church, that he can earn money and serve better food to the orphans through wrestling because, win or lose, every wrestler shares a part of the prize money. He names himself Nacho Libre and works secretly as a wrestler in the evenings. A homeless man, Esqueleto (Héctor Jiménez), helps him.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Executive Producer Steve Nicolaides for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Sister Encarnación (Ana de la Reguera), Chancho (Darius Rose), Juan Pablo (Moises Arias), Chuy (Diego Eduardo Gomez), Segundo Nuñez (Carlos Maycotte), Guillermo (Richard Montoya), Ramses (Cesar Gonzales), Elderly Monk (Rafael Montalvo), Snaggle Tooth Monk (Julio Sandoval), Arena Referee #1 (Ventura ‘Tigre Hispano’ Lahoz), Snaggle Tooth Monk (Julio Sandoval), Arena Referee #1 (Ventura ‘Tigre Hispano’ Lahoz), and Arena Referee #2 (Felipe Jesus ‘Terror Chino’ Hernandez).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. This simple story has an offbeat charm that makes it worth every dollar.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

KUNG FU PANDA 4 (Released to Theaters USA 2024)

 

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.9|5.0 Starsììì Kung Fu Panda 4—fourth film in this DreamWorks' series—tries to keep the quality of the third film in place, but this movie lacks the spirit of the third series' film. While it is much more fun than DreamWorks 2023 release of Ruby Gillman, the Teenage Kracken, it still borders on the edge of its final acid test. Voice actors reprise their roles and the animation maintains its quality. Overall, the movie earns its money and time for viewing.  Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images Storyline   Po fights a shape shifting, villainous chameleon who wants all power. Additional Thanks Thank you to Director and Executive Producer Mike Mitchell and Co-Director Stephanie Stine for directing effort. Thank you to Producer Rebecca Huntley for making the film possible. Cast includes Jack Black, Awkwafina, Viola Davis, Dustin Hoffman, Bryan Cranston, James Hong, Ian McShane, Ke Huy Quan, Ronny Chieng, and Seth Rogen. Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?  Yes. Overall, this is a good child/adult share movie. Video Critique Available Here: Ben Meyers

JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE (Theatrical Release USA 2017)

 Ben Meyers’ Rating: 4.3|5.0 Starsìììì 

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle—fresh, fun, and comical—more than works for its watch and money investment. The dialogue is great and provides a non-stop patter to elicit laughter from its audience. It’s a welcome diversion from the over-the-top action movies that have been designed to keep their audience at the edge of their seats. The cast works so fluidly that one can only say thank you to Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Karen Gillan, Bobby Cannavale, and Nick Jonas for good entertainment.  This is great work for all involved in production. The movie just works—all the way around.

 Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images

Storyline 

Teens discover an old gaming console while cleaning out a school basement room as a detention exercise. When they decide to play it, they find themselves sucked into the game with a set of lives assigned to them and an adventure they will never forget. 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Director Jake Kasdan for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Matt Tolmach and William Teotler for making the film possible. Cast includes: Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas, and Bobby Cannavale. 

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Yes. This movie is just fun to watch. It varies from the first presentation of Jumanji as it goes into comedy fairly quickly after establishing the basic personality of the cast members. There are a few suggestive scenes, but those scenes are made for laughs, and are clean and palatable. The movie makes a good teen/adult share and leaves a good feeling that one has been served a quite good comedy.

Video Critique Available Here: 

Ben Meyers 

KUNG FU PANDA 2 (Theatrical Release USA 2011)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.7|5.0 Stars ììì

Kung Fu Panda 2—a story one has heard so many times before—tells it again via the Kung Fu Panda. The movie has its emotional moments, works on about the same level as the first movie, and establishes the Kung Fu Panda stories as a series. Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images Storyline Po (voice of Jack Black) discovers his Panda origins through a series of flashbacks, his teacher Shifu (voice of Dustin Hoffman), and a Court Soothsayer (Michelle Yeoh). Po is urged to find his inner peace through embracing his past. Additional Thanks Thank you to Director Jennifer Yuh Nelson for the directing efforts. Thank you to Producer Melissa Cobb for making the film possible. Voice cast include: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Gary Oldman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogan, Lucy Liu, David Cross, James Hong, Michelle Yeoh, Danny McBride, Dennis Haysbert, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Victor Garber, Mike Bell,

Additional Thanks

Good work for Director Jennifer Yuh Nelson. Thank you to Producer Melissa Cobb for making the film possible. Voice cast include: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Gary Oldman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogan, Lucy Liu, David Cross, James Hong, Michelle Yeoh, Danny McBride, Dennis Haysbert, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Victor Garber, and Mike Bell.

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. The movie follows a message about being peaceful and has a link to the movies that follow.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers