Ed's Review Dot Com

Matt Tolmach Productions, Radar Pictures, Seven Bucks Productions,

Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas, Bobby Cannavale, Alex Wolff, Ser’Darius Blain, Madison Iseman, Morgan Turner, Missi Pyle, Rhys Darby, Tim Matheson, Maribeth Monroe, Marc Evan Jackson

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is a sequel to the original Jumanji of over 20 years ago. Technology has changed since the original board game that was played by the kids in the original bringing Alan Parrish back from the jungle. In those days it was a board game, but apparently it had been updated at some point over the last 20 years to a video game console. A group of high school kids decided to give the game a try, and all four of them are pulled into the jungle where Alan lived during the time that he was trapped in the game. When they are sucked into the game, hence into the jungle itself, they become their characters that they chose in the original game. Here they are trapped unless they are able to complete the challenge and end the game.

This review was started over a year ago, and never completed. I wanted to say some things about this film, and now that it’s been out for a year or two, I still feel my observations might be of some value, so I decided to finish it. First of all, many folks did not like this film, for one reason or another, but I found it rather interesting for a number of reasons. First of all, the humor was here 100%. It was really funny from time to time. Secondly, some of the action seemed corny or contrived, but this is supposed to be a video game and as such is filled with different levels and scenarios. I felt this was appropriate for the situation. There are also some fun references to the original movie. Many people do not remember, but in the original movie, though Alan was stuck in the jungle for years until someone rolled a “six” or “eight” to free him, we never saw anything of what the jungle was like. The animals and characters from the jungle crossed over to our world, but we never went the other way. This time we get to see the jungle world, and even the place where Alan lived while he was stuck here. During the time Alan lived there he made friends and became somewhat of a hero over there. All in all, I found this to be really fun, and at this late date, if you haven’t seen these movies, I would suggest watching both of them back to back so that you can remember the important parts of the original. If you have seen the first one, but not this one, then I still recommend going back and watching the original again, so it’s all fresh when you watch this sequel. I think both movies are classics and ought to be enjoyed.

Hartbeat Productions, Universal Pictures,

Kevin Hart

This film is a recorded stand-up performance by Kevin Hart in front of 50,000 screaming fans at Philideplhia’s Lincoln Financial Field, an outdoor arena. Kevin is from Philly and so it’s a homecoming for him. This film broke records as the first time a stand-up comedian filled an NFL stadium to capacity. It was an amazing night!

There is a little wrap-around story of Kevin as a James Bond style super spy that features a lot of cameo appearances. But essentially this film is really just a stand up show, but certainly a very funny one. Kevin is very funny, and his tales of current events and human nature really rock the house. Everyone appeared to have a really good time, and I don’t think this performance was any less than the classics by Richard Pryor or Eddie Murphy. If you enjoy stand-up comedy and Kevin Hart, then I’m sure you’ll enjoy this film. It was an incredible show.

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Dentsu, Fuji Television Network, Illumination Entertainment,

Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Ellie Kemper, Lake Bell, Jenny Slate, Bobby Moynihan, Hannibal Buress, Albert Brooks

Max (Louis C.K.) has a great life. He’s been with his owner since he was a puppy, but when she brings home Duke (Eric Stonestreet) Max is really annoyed. He wants to setup Max to get rid of him, but things get real when Max and Duke both are kidnapped. The rest of the pets in the building ban together to rescue them. They want to rescue them and get get back home before the owners get home in this rollicking animated film full of talking animals! Well, they can talk to each other, but not to the people. But these are some clever pets.

I got to take my Grandson and his Dad and Mom to see this at Downtown Disney while taking a break from catching Pokemon in Pokemon Go. (Yeah, we caught a lot). I really enjoyed this film, although there are a couple little problems with it perhaps. I didn’t see those, and it was only after talking to other people that I realized what they were saying. This is a PG film, not a G rated kids film, and there is a good deal of fighting and angry yelling and stuff. There is a band of gang members who are lead by killer rabbit Snowball (Kevin Hart) and the voices of the gangstas could make you think it’s a bit racist and stereotypical. But aside from that, everything ends nicely and everyone gets along in the end. The best part of this is the intense action sequences which are really fun to watch, the one liners that these characters are always spitting out that made me laugh out loud numerous times. Really! This keeps the grown-ups interested throughout, and the kids will be blown away with the really funny and cute animals representing a plethora of species. All in all, I really enjoyed the story, and was easily about to look past the obvious racial and gang stereotypes and I really enjoyed the movie. I recommend it for all but the youngest children, but I think you ought to watch it with them and be available im case there are questions.

Two final comments: There are some really, really funny animated cameos that are really delightful, and the cartoon at the beginning was worth the price of the movie by itself!

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Cube Vision, Universal Pictures, Will Packer Productions,

Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, Olivia Munn, Ken Jeong, Benjamin Bratt, Tika Sumpter, Sherri Shepherd

Ben Barber (Kevin Hart) is about to get married to detective James Payton (Ice Cube)’s sister making them future Brother’s-in-law. But after Ben’s success in the last film, he is chomping at the bit to become a full fledged detective like his brother in law. But he’s just out of the police academy and not ready yet. When James has to take a road trip down to Miami to interview the technical nerd who has broken into the phone of a drug lord, he decides somewhat reluctantly to take Ben along simply to prove to him that he’s not detective material. Naturally things go awry, and the pair end up in a dangerous cat and mouse game with some real bad dudes.

With this sequel that starts immediately after the first film, you get exactly what you would expect. This is no pearl, but it is what it is. Kevin Hart is a pretty funny guy, and he knows how to make you laugh when he’s not annoying the crap out of you. Ice Cube is a really good, dry and serious, all business straight man, and then the story is just a vehicle to allow these guys to do what they do, and they do it very well. Trouble is we’ve seen this already, and it’s very similar to every other buddy cop movie where one is a bumbling but good-hearted Jerry Lewis guy who fouls everything up, and the other is a sometimes borderline mean, but always serious Dean Martin straight man. Like Abbott and Costello of the old days took half hour vaudeville routines and turned them into feature films, this vaudeville “standup act” is made into a movie as well. That’s not to say that it’s not a good story or even a good movie. But what you expect is what you get, and I can see how this would irritate the heck out of a lot of people. So I’m not giving it a glowing rush out and rent it rating, but I am saying if you find Cube and Hart a funny standup act, you’re bound to enjoy this film. So use wisdom in deciding whether to invest the hour and a half or not on this film, but if you like slap stick funny movies, by all means go for it.

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Gary Sanchez Productions, Warner Bros.,

Will Ferrell, Craig T. Nelson, Kevin Hart, Alison Brie, T.I.

James (Will Ferrell) is the luckiest guy in the world. Engaged to the daughter of the boss, Martin (Craig T Nelson), James is rolling in dough and doing a great job in the finance business. Allissa (Alison Brie) pushes him hard, but he’s doing well until the cops barge in on their engagement part and James is arrest for fraud and facing a long stint in San Quentin. Though James insists he’s innocent, he’s really afraid as he has no idea how he will survive in the Pen. But though the guy who run the car wash in the parking garage, Darnell (Kevin Hart) is as gentle and good as they come, he needs some cash in a hurry and when James assumes he’s gangsta because he’s black he hires James to “Get Hard” and prepare for life in prison.

This is a typical Will Ferrell comedy and it is his usual character. Whether Buddy the Elf or Ron Burgundy or any of his sport characters, it’s pretty much the same guy. No stretch here. James is a bumbling innocent eyed guy who is doing his best, but nothing goes right for him. But I must admit that I did enjoy this film quite a bit more than a lot of the other Ferrell films. A lot of that is Kevin Hart who is really funny, and his gang of relatives who are the real gangsters who make friends with James as they seek their help. They are really funny too, and a great add to the film. Craig T Nelson plays the SOB Father of the Bride who is really a jerk. Alison Brie rounds out the picture as the spoiled brat daughter and she does a good job too. Actually there are no bad actors in this film, and they really all gave their best which shows. The humor is funny. Unless Ferrell just irritates the heck out of you (which a lot of people report), the movie is pretty good. I enjoyed this and thought it was a relaxing and funny DVD and well worth recommending for a good slapstick comedy.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog