Movie Review Barbie

Barbie (2023)

Directed by Greta Gerwig 

Written by Noah Baumbach, Greta Gerwig 

Starring Margot Robbie, Helen Mirren, Ryan Gosling, Rhea Perlman, Simu Liu, Will Ferrell, America Ferrara 

Release Date July 21st, 2023 

Published July 23rd 2023 

Barbie is some of the most fun that I have had at the movies in 2023. The comedy is rich and thorny and the attitude is all sparkles and pink. It's lively, energetic and innovatively presented by one of our best working storytellers today, Greta Gerwig. I was highly skeptical and a bit perturbed that one of the best directors working today had turned their attention to directing a movie about Barbie. I should not have been. I should have just trusted that Greta Gerwig knew exactly what she was doing. The product of this highly commercial move into blockbuster product placement is a wildly funny meta-comedy about existence, purpose, and the desire to understand oneself. 

If any actress was going to be the right choice to deconstruct and uphold the legend of Barbie, it was Margot Robbie. She's ideal Barbie, an uber-talented, multi-hyphenate, who happens to look like a Barbie doll come to life. She's also among our most talented and versatile actors today so, of course, her take on Barbie is way more complex than anything you are anticipating. And it's that very complexity that brings the biggest laughs as invasive thoughts begin to consume Robbie's 'Stereotypical Barbie,' the version of Barbie you imagine when you think of Barbie Dolls. 

Of course, there have been dozens of different Barbies over the years. Barbies of different ethnicities, body types, and professions as vast and wide as Astronaut, Supreme Court Justice, and President Barbie. Each Barbie is played by a murderer's row of the best supporting players working today including Issa Rae, Hari Neff, Alexandra Shipp, Emma Mackey and Sharon Rooney. All of the Barbie's of this unique movie universe live in Barbieland, a magical place adjacent to the real world where Mattel, headed up by Will Ferrell, keeps pumping out market tested new versions of Barbie, as well as several Ken's. 

Oh, yeah, almost forgot about Ken. Ken is played by Ryan Gosling in a scene-stealing performance. He's stereotypical Ken and thus fated to love Barbie. But what happens if she doesn't love him? Meanwhile, several dozen other Ken's follow the lead of either stereotypical Ken or his nemesis, Ken 2 (Simu Liu). Both appear to be vying for Barbie's attention, much to Ken's dismay. Oh, and Alan (Michael Cera), is kicking around somewhere in the background. Alan is a long-discontinued pal of Ken and Barbie, a real Barbie character variation. The jokes about Alan are all hits throughout Barbie, even as Michael Cera portrays him quite sympathetically. 

Click here for my full length review at Geeks.Media 

Movie Review How to Train Your Dragon

How to Train Your Dragon (2010) 

Directed by Dean Deblois, Chris Sanders

Written by Will Davies, Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders

Starring Jay Baruchel, America Ferrara, Gerard Butler, Jonah Hill 

Release Date March 26th, 2010

Published March 26th, 2010

In any other year “How to Train Your Dragon” would be seen as the best animated film of the year. It has terrific characters, big laughs, a great big heart, fabulous animation and a killer behind the scenes story. In any other year that didn't feature a masterpiece the magnitude of “Toy Story 3,” “How to Train Your Dragon” would be an Animated Oscar shoo-in this is not, however, any other year.

“Toy Story 3” lifts the bar far higher than most animated films, indeed the folks at Pixar no matter what feature they release, original or sequel, just tend to do that. Let's not let that take away from the fabulous achievement that is How to Train Your Dragon, we will just have to find another way to honor it.

Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) is an inventive young man, thoughtful and ingenious. These however, are not the traits of a Viking. In the shadow of his mighty father, Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler), Hiccup is a pipsqueak who needs to be protected from a fight rather than in the battle. This does not prevent Hiccup from dreaming of being a brave Viking, even developing clever devices that might help him overcome his slight stature with technology.

Hiccup's plan actually works, sort of. When the evil dragons fly to the village on one of their regular sheep raids, Hiccup rushes to a hilltop with one of his devices and uses it to bring down a mighty Night Fury dragon. Unfortunately, no one believes him. Ducking into the woods the following day, hoping to find evidence of his kill, Hiccup finds only an injured young dragon as harmless as a house pet.

After a few days of observing and working to get closer, Hiccup manages to develop communication with the dragon. This rapport develops into friendship and soon, a grand friendship that even includes dragon rides. Hiccup names the dragon Toothless for his lack of fiery breath and gentle soul.

Naturally, everyone in the village finds out about Toothless and most are skeptical, dragons are the enemy and have been for decades. Can Hiccup convince them that Toothless is really friendly? How will Hiccup’s dad take the news that his son is playing with a dragon? Will Hiccup be able to convince the gorgeous Astrid (America Ferrara) that Toothless is not just a pet but an ally?

These are the plot questions and each gets a succinct and satisfying answer. What is great about “How to Train Your Dragon” are the character touches that liven up scene after scene. The humor and heart of “How to Train Your Dragon” comes from these wonderfully vivid characters whose winning personalities make each scene a delight.

Jay Baruchel is perfectly cast as the voice of Hiccup. His real physical presence is a match for the animated Hiccup and likely lends to the way his voice seems just right for Hiccup. The same can be said of Gerard Butler whose brogue has always sounded Viking-esque, even in non-Viking roles. The guy sounds tough in romantic comedies.

The backstory of “How to Train Your Dragon” is downright mind-blowing.

From script to screen production on “How to Train Your Dragon” is said to have taken just over a year. The average computer animated feature, even from the pros at Pixar, takes twice that long. The gang behind “How to Train Your Dragon” did it in half the time and didn't sacrifice quality or character in the process.

Directors Dean DeBois and Chris Sanders moved heaven and earth to make this film under budget and on an extraordinary time crunch and never compromised. Working with writer Cressida Powell, on whose kids book the film is based and screenwriter William Davies, they found heart, soul and humor in their characters and brought it to the screen in record time.

With the help of Oscar winning Cinematographer Roger Deakins and a mind-blazingly talented animation team, DeBois and Sanders craft awesome visuals for both 2D and 3D presentation. This is even more staggering than the exceptional character work as this is the part that should have slowed the production. Instead, they found Deakins and with him the vision for whirling, twirling, fiery dragon battles that are the centerpiece of the final act.

In ..1973 a.. horse named Sham shattered the records at each of the three Triple Crown horse races. Why don't we know this? Sham finished second each time to Secretariat. In the race for best animated feature “How to Train Your Dragon” is Sham and “Toy Story 3” is Secretariat. Both are unbelievably great but only one will win. As I said before, we need some other way to honor “How to Train Your Dragon.” I suggest financial reward. Buy, don't rent, “How to Train Your Dragon” on DVD.

Movie Review Our Family Wedding

Our Family Wedding (2010) 

Directed by Rick Famuyiwa 

Written by Malcolm Spellman 

Starring Forest Whitaker, America Ferrara, Carlos Mencia, Regina King, Lance Gross 

Release Date March 12th, 2010 

Published March 14th, 2010 

Oscar winner Forest Whitaker is not known for his sense of humor. It's not that the actor best known as the embodiment of the evil dictator Idi Amin in Last King of Scotland cannot be funny but rather that he is better known for self serious drama and outright frightening evil. The comedy Our Family Wedding is an absolute out of the box move for Whitaker and a testament to his talent that he melts right into a comedic role despite how truly lame all around him is.

Our Family Wedding is a comedy of interracial manners starring Forrest Whitaker as the single dad to Lance Gross as Marcus a kid about to graduate from college and become a doctor. Marcus has a surprise for his dad though, he's getting married to Lucia who he has been living with for two years and plans on taking her with him on a Doctors without Borders mission in Southeast Asia for the next two years.

Whitaker's Brad is not the only one who will be shocked by these revelations, Lucia's Father Miguel (Carlos Mencia) is certain to be surprised by his daughter choosing to marry an African American, non-Catholic who wants to take her to Asia for two years. Oh, and Lucia is dropping out of law school to be with Marcus and her mother (Diana Maria Riva) knew about this but did not tell her husband.

The set up is not bad actually, it has a lot of built in conflict to build on. Unfortunately, director Rick Famuyiwa (Brown Sugar, The Wood) doesn't believe in his material and prefers relying on lame coincidence and goofball slapstick moments to pad the film out to feature length.

Because he couldn't think of anything less original or interesting, Famuyiwa has Whitaker and Mencia meet cute in a most convenient and unfunny fashion. The two push the racist stereotype button repeatedly until the joke becomes unfunny and by the time of the reveal that they are going to be family the joke is worn out.

Race issues are addressed only briefly and with no honest insight. The script by director Famuyiwa, Wayne Conley and Malcolm Spellman injects racial stereotypes as a punchline but fails on all accounts to take race seriously as an obstacle to Lucia and Marcus's romance.

The only really good part of Our Family Wedding is Forest Whitaker who slips comfortably into this comedic role and is the only actor who brings anything of depth to his character. Whitaker indulges the whims of his director, he does chase a goat in the movie (Ugh) but in the non goat chasing scenes he crafts a real character from the minor pieces given to him.

Our Family Wedding is dopey and second rate with a dearth of comedic interest. Forest Whitaker is solid but the film built around him is a rickety mess of lame stereotypes and dopey slapstick. Rick Famuyiwa is a much better director than this film demonstrates. Check out his smooth, smart romance Brown Sugar and skip Our Family Wedding.

Movie Review Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2

The Sisterhood od the Traveling Pants 2 (2008) 

Directed by Sanaa Hamri 

Written by Elizabeth Chander

Starring America Ferrara, Blake Lively, Amber Tamblyn, Alexis Bledel 

Release Date August 6th, 2008 

Published August 5th, 2008 

Society dictates that a 32 year old man is not supposed to enjoy a movie called The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. And yet, there I was in 2005 watching four exceptional young actresses navigate the adolescent angst that only a teenage girl can truly understand and I was moved. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants was sweet and funny with a great big heart and I loved that about it.

For all of its melodramatic faults, it was a film of great understanding and warmth. The sequel, unimaginatively titled Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, directed by Sanaa Hamri, is like the original filled with warmth, heart and humor and once again I was moved.

Picking up three years after where the original left off, the sisterhood is now split up at different colleges, in different cities. This hasn't stopped them from frequently returning home to visit and bond over the magic pair of jeans that fits all four of them and brings them good luck just when they need it. Leading the pants parade is Carmen (America Ferrara) who clings to the pants and the sisterhood as her chaotic family moves into a new home with her mom expecting a new baby with her new husband.

Pulling away ever so slightly from her sisters is Tibby (Amber Tamblyn). Off to New York for film school, Tibby is growing tired of the rituals of the pants, though has no less love for her sisters. Also adrift in her own angst is Bridget (Blake Lively) who passes on summer at home with her friends and single dad, for a trip to Turkey and an archaeological dig. There she meets a professor (Shohreh Aghdashloo) who reminds her of the mother she never had.

As for Lena, freshly returned from another trip to Greece, she has broken up with her long distance boyfriend Kostos (Michael Rady) and moved on to a fellow art student named Leo (Jesse Williams). Their meet cute provides Bledel with her funniest scenes. Of course if you think Kostos goes away quietly, clearly you haven't seen the trailer which shows all four girls in Greece.

Though divided, the sisterhood is strong and you are never under the impression that they will be apart for long. Director Sanaa Hamri, taking over for Ken Kwapis who directed the charming first film, does a tremendous job of balancing a number of new characters, like Tibby's boyfriend Brian played by Leonardo Nam, and still finds plenty of time to tell each girl's individual stories.

Sometimes it is the simplest pleasures that are the greatest of pleasures. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is very simple. This is formula melodrama at its most obvious yet entertaining and engaging. Sure, there is nothing here you haven't seen before but it's done better here, with more care and skill and with a great deal more heart than similar formula movies.

Arguably the most engaging and moving scenes involve Blake Lively the young star of the new TV hit Gossip Girl. Lively was less of a presence in the original where her character was defined by being whiny and sexually precocious. A few years on and Lively has flowered into a strong beautiful, talented young woman and the character of Bridget reflects that.

As the closed minded dismiss The Sisterhood of the Traveling pants 2, I appeal to you to see the movie for the scenes between Lively and the formidable Blythe Danner alone. These scenes are some of the most moving moments in any movie this year. I kid you not, the circumstances involved combined with the skills of these two wonderful actresses will move many audiences to unexpected degrees.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 will not be mistaken for great cinema but as fun, entertaining, even moving, melodrama it's pretty terrific. Four exceptional young actresses, the future of Hollywood, and a rising star director craft a movie that hits its marks perfectly and nails every formulaic scene necessary to propel the audience where it wants to go.

Nakedly manipulative? Maybe, but what modest melodrama isn't. If the manipulation is this pleasant and heart warming, who cares? 

Movie Review How to Train Your Dragon The Hidden World

How to Train Your Dragon The Hidden World (2019) 

Directed by Dean Deblois

Written by Dean Deblois 

Starring Jay Baruchel, America Ferrara, F. Murray Abraham, Gerard Butler, Cate Blanchett, Jonah Hill 

Release Date February 22nd, 2019

Published February 21st, 2019 

How to Train Your Dragon 3 is perhaps the best of the three How to Train Your Dragon movies. None of the How to Train Your Dragon movies have been bad but the first two, for me, have only been passably entertaining. How to Train Your Dragon 3: The Hidden World rounds the series into something with a good deal more depth. Indeed, depth is what the first two movies lacked as they put forward perfunctory stories about learning to believe in yourself. 

How to Train Your Dragon 3: The Hidden World is the first of the franchise to carry the confidence of a movie where characters have tamed and rode dragons into battle. The hero's journey has finally stopped being a slightly bland, mostly amusing coming of age story and has become the story of a fully fledged character finally becoming who he should be. Again, there is nothing wrong with the first two, but I prefer seeing a new story with these characters as opposed to familiar tropes dressed up with dragons. 

How to Train Your Dragon 3: The Hidden World opens with our heroes, Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) and his dragon pal, Toothless, now in the role of dragon defenders. When dragons are kidnapped to be killed or made to serve the forces of evil, Hiccup, Toothless and their friends from the Viking village of Berk, swoop in with fiery swords and free the peaceful dragons and take them home to safety. 

Unfortunately, Berk has become quite overcrowded since our last visit. The place is teeming with dragons and the sheer volume of dragons on hand has not gone unnoticed. A group of bad guys now know where Berk is and they want to steal the dragons in order to create a dragon army. The baddies can’t do it on their own however, so they seek the help of the legendary dragon hunter Grimmel the Grisly (F Murray Abraham). In exchange for capturing the dragons of Berk, Grimmel asks only that he be able to kill Toothless. Grimmel has made his reputation on killing Night Furies.

But how will he ever get close to Berk with all of those Vikings and Dragons? Grimmel has a plan. He’s captured a Light Fury, a white, female counterpart to Toothless and also seemingly the last of her kind. Grimmel will use the Light Fury to lead Toothless into a trap. His plan is solid as Toothless falls in love at first sight with the Light Fury and in a delightful scene, attempts to romance her on the beach with a mating dance. The wordless pantomime of the dragons in this scene is genuine, sweet and funny. 

Director Dean Deblois in his third time as a director, he directed the previous How to Train Your Dragon and Lilo and Stitch prior to this movie, continues to demonstrate his light and deft touch. Deblois is smart about not letting his stories get cluttered with too many bits of business. He may have a lot of colorful characters and voice actors to make use of but he’s very economical about it and never allows a bit to overstay its welcome or bog down the central story. 

The voice cast of How to Train Your Dragon remains top notch with Jay Baruchel as a sturdy lead voice, America Ferrera as the charming romantic idea, Cate Blanchett as the voice of gravitas and seriousness and Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz Plasse and Kristen Wiig providing solid comic relief. Add to this group, the sonorous tones of Academy Award winner F Murray Abraham as Grimmel and you have an exceptionally talented and charismatic group of voices. 

How to Train Your Dragon 3: The Hidden World is exceptionally well animated with some legitimately breathtaking sights that really stand out in IMAX 3D. The visuals are equalled brilliantly by the Scottish inflected music score by John Powell to create a more vital and mature palette for what is the last of this film trilogy. Much credit to Dean Deblois and Dreamworks in recognizing that there is no need to beat this premise into the ground. This is the final film in a trilogy and they allow it to go out on a note of satisfying and moving finality.