THE WILD ROBOT (Released to Theaters USA 2024)

 

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 4.1|5.0 Starsìììì The Wild Robot—unique and colorful—flows with heart and sentiment. This movie is great for family share entertainment night. It has good portrayal and presentation. Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images Storyline A shipping crate with a new robot inside washes up on a seashore. Forest animals  accidentally activate the robot after the crate breaks open.    Additional Thanks Thank you to Director Chris Sanders for directing effort. Thank you to Producer Jeff Hermann for making the film possible. Cast includes Lupita Nyong'o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Catherine O'Hara, Matt Berry, and Ving Rhames. Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?  Yes. The film could be interpreted as an environmental film but if that was the intent, know that it is not preachy and has a sweet story to tell. The multiple animal interactions increase the interest factor. It is a good child/adult share. Video Critique Available Here: Ben Meyers

THE GARFIELD MOVIE (Released to Theaters USA 2024)

 

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 4.2|5.0 Starsìììì  The Garfield Movie—comical and worth watching—has great animation, portrayal and presentation. It is a different kind of origin story, than what one would expect, but the story plays well and tells a really good story.  Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images Storyline  A cat is left in an open, wooden crate. The cat runs to an Italian restaurant and the man waiting there for service is Jon.  Additional Thanks  Thank you to Director Mark Dindal for directing effort. Thank you to Producers John Cohen, Broderick Johnson, Andrew A. Kosove, Steven P. Wagner, Craig Sost, and Namit Malhotra for making the film possible. Cast includes Chris Pratt, Samuel L. Jackson, Hannah Waddingham, and Ving Rhames.    Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?  Yes. This is a really good film and more than worth watching. Video Critique Available Here: Ben Meyers

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE-FALLOUT (Theatrical Release USA 2018)

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 4.2|5.0 Starsìììì 

Mission: Impossible-Fallout—basic, good story—is about as good as the last Mission Impossible movie. Casting relies on Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Alec Baldwin, Henry Cavill, Angela Bassett, Rebecca Ferguson, and Sean Harris to present this espionage movie. There are some suggestive themes, but overall, it serves the espionage audience with its light approach to its subject and storyline.

 Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images

Storyline 

Ethan Hunt and his crew lose 3 plutonium cores to a terrorist group. Now they have to get them back. 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Director Christopher McQuarrie for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Tom Cruise, J. J. Abrams, Christopher McQuarrie, and Jake Myers for making the film possible. Cast includes: Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris, Angela Bassett, Michelle Monaghan, and Alec Baldwin. 

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. Mission Impossible fans will not be disappointed. It is a good, simple espionage entertainment piece that features Tom Cruise. It’s worth a watch.

 Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

  

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE-ROGUE NATION (Theatrical Release USA 2015)

 Ben Meyers’ Rating: 4.3|5.0 Starsìììì 

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation—completely entertaining—shows its audience why Tom Cruise is a great actor. He has a terrific supporting cast: Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Ving Rhames, Alec Baldwin, and Sean Harris. This is the fifth installment of the Mission: Impossible series and is the best in the series. Part 6 rolls out in 2018 as Mission Impossible: Fallout. This film, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, easily earns its right to be added to the home video collection. It earns its watch and its investment of money. 

Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images 

Storyline 

This action spy thriller film is about an Impossible Missions’ Force (IMF) agent working between the Syndicate and the IMF to prevent threatening events from becoming active. 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Director Christopher McQuarrie for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Tom Cruise, J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Don Granger for making the film possible. Cast members include: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris, and Alec Baldwin. 

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Yes. This is a much better watch than the other films in this series with a higher entertainment value. 

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

ENTRAPMENT (Theatrical Release USA 1999)

 Ben Meyers’ Rating: 4.3|5.0 Starsìììì 

Entrapment—Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta Jones team to make a movie as interesting and entertaining as any James Bond 007. Sean Connery unleashes his royal charm to its full effect. 

Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images 

Storyline 

Two professional thieves team to steal a fortune. 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Director Jon Amiel for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Sean Connery, Michael Hertzberg, and Rhonda Tollefson for making the film possible. Cast includes: Sean Connery, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Will Patton, Maury Chaykin, Ving Rhames, and Maya Karin. 

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Yes. This is good writing supported by good acting. Great Sean Connery story. 

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE (Theatrical Release USA 1996)

 Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.1|5.0 Starsìììì 

Mission: Impossible—simple, cookie cutter story starring Tom Cruise—generates 6 films from 1996 to 2018 and schedules 2 more films for 2022 and 2023. Not much happens in these movies, but they continue to capture the same mystique of the original television series and with their generally all-star casts accomplish the task of entertaining the audience well.

Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images 

Storyline 

Ethan takes on a mission impossible. 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Director Brian De Palma for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner for directing effort. Characters/cast include: Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), Jim Phelps (Jon Voight), Claire Phelps (Emmanuelle Beart), Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames), Max (Vanessa Redgrave), Eugene Kittridge (Henry Czerny), Franz Krieger (Jean Reno), and Sarah Davies (Kristin Thomas). 

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Yes. This is very well done and is a good start for watching a series that becomes one of the longest running movie series along with Star Wars, Sharknado, and Indiana Jones, to name a few. The film works overall. 

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers