FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE SECRETS OF DUMBLEDORE (Released to Theaters USA 2022)

 

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.8|5.0 Starsììì  Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore—has an interesting storyline that has good to suitable presentation, portrayal, and acting. Beware of trying to fit this film into the Harry Potter stories despite Dumbledore's presence in the storyline. It could almost be a stand-alone movie with the previous movies  from the Fantastic Beast series as points of reference rather than actual prequels. Jude Law reprises his role as Dumbledore, Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander. Johnny Depp did not reprise his role as Gellert Grindelwald. That role went to Mads Mikkelsen who fits the character better. This movie is a bit odd, quite dark, and unclear. Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images  Storyline  Albus Dumbledore and Newt Scamander try to stop Gellert Grindelwald from ruling the world of wizards.  Additional Thanks Thank you to Director David Yates for directing effort. Thank you to Executive Producers Josh Berger, Niel Blair, Danny Cohen, Michael Sharp, Courtenay Valenti, for making the film possible. Cast includes  Jude Law, Cara Mahoney, Mads Mikkelsen, Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Poppy Corby-Tuech Maja Bloom, Ezra Miller, Paul Low-Hang, Alison Sudol,.  Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?  Maybe. As always, these stories are interesting in storyline, present good to suitable watching for acting and portrayal, and show highly imaginative stage settings. Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY (Theatrical Release USA 2016)

 Ben Meyers’ Rating: 4.3|5.0 Starsìììì 

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story—much better than Star Wars VII though IX—has heart, a better written storyline, and better structuring than the last three Star Wars productions. It has the feel of the original George Lucas films although it does not, unfortunately, quite capture the George Lucas spirit. Disney deserves a thank you and congratulations for finally making the Star Wars story their own without putting the Disney stamp on it. The acting is great to good. This film is more than worth watching and gives the series that much needed breath of fresh air to continue the Star Wars saga.  The film is a great watch and can be watched as a stand-alone movie. 

Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images

Storyline 

A scientist is forced to complete the Death Star. 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Director Gareth Edwards for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur, and Simon Emanuel for making the film possible. Casting includes: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Jiang Wen, and Forest Whitaker. 

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Yes. This small addendum to the Star Wars series is both welcome and highly entertaining. The movie more than earns audience time and monetary expenditure. It stays true to the Star Wars story and incorporates a stronger human element into its plotline that is much higher than Stars Wars VII through IX. 

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

CLASH OF THE TITANS (Theatrical Release USA 2010)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.5|5.0 Starsììì

Clash of the Titans starts with a female voice narrating the history of the gods. Then, the story focuses on a fishing boat out to sea. The fisherman finds a casket floating close by his fishing boat and opens it to find a living baby boy lying on its dead mother’s chest. The fisherman raises the baby as his own son. At this point, the audience is engaged and interested. Clash of the Titans graphics are great; the story is great—a classic storyline with an overall great concept. However, the movie was not able to pull the greatness of the story onto the screen. When leaving the theater, one of my colleagues said, “Not many people can take such a large scale concept and successfully cram it into an hour and forty-six minutes.” This is a case where more playing time is needed to elevate a terrific story to the maximum. The movie rates as 3.5 stars only because of the large scale graphics and the intriguing monster fights. The presentation is okay. The movie is somewhat watchable but not a movie worth watching again.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

The fisherman, Spyros (Pete Postlethwaite), finds an infant who grows up to become the demigod, Perseus (Sam Worthington).

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Louis Leterrier for directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producers Brenda Berrisford, William Fay, Jon Jashni, Thomas Tull, and Richard D. Zanuck for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Zeus (Liam Neeson), Hades (Ralph Fiennes), Calibos/Acrisius (Jason Flemyng), Io (Gemma Arterton), Andromeda (Alexa Davalos), Danae (Tine Stapelfeldt), and Draco (Mads Mikkelsen).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. It has a ways to go to work at the higher level but this movie has its own interest level and serves as a light afternoon watch that does not require a huge energy expenditure to follow.

Video Critique available at:

Ben Meyers