Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Released: 2018

Director: J. A. Bayona

Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Daniella Pineda.

DINOSAURS! Life finds a way! I grew up loving Jurassic Park, from the film to the novel. Though, having been directed by Steven Speilberg it was completely different than the novel as his other adaptations are. As though the man can’t come up with his own material. But that’s not what this post is about, no. It’s about DINOSAURS.

Claire and Owen are back in this one to save the animals from Isla Nublar which is being engulfed by the erupted volcano. It’s been a few years since we were last on the land of yet another failed park, Jurassic World. And we even hear from the mouth of Ian Malcolm that nature should take its course.

Well, I say fuck you, Ian. Henry Wu, our villain from the last film has returned to sell whatever animals were saved to the highest bidders. And we see yet another hybrid creation more distrustful and dangerous than the Indominous Rex. And yes, the dinosaurs haven’t been updated with feathers like scientists have discovered but this isn’t a factual film. I’m sure if Michael Crichton was alive, he’d make an updated novel with the information out there.

Nor can one create such hybrids as these. Though mashing it enough times could have a plausible outcome. It’s a world of fiction. Science Fiction to science fact.

All I can say is TOBY JONES AND JAMES CROMWELL!

And blue!

As a lover of biology and genetics and a huge fan of dinosaurs even at 25, this was a great sequel to the 2015 film and I cannot wait for the last installment to the Jurassic World series.

8.5/10

Table 19

Released: 2017

Director: Jeffrey Blitz

Cast: Anna Kendrick, Craig Robinson, Lisa Kudrow, Wyatt Russell

Weddings. Who doesn’t love weddings? Unless you’re the leftovers that get put at table 19. The film follows a group of strangers, a nanny, a long time friend, a rocky couple, a virgin, and a criminal. A dysfunctional group is placed at a table that shouldn’t have RSVP’d.

Eloise (Kendrick) gets invited to her long-time friend’s Francie’s wedding. One where she was originally to be the maid of honor of. The only catch is her best friend’s brother Teddy (Russell) is her ex-boyfriend.

Jerry (Robinson) and Bina (Kudrow) Kepp are owners of a diner who seem to have a bit of a rocky relationship when they arrive at the reception hall.

Jo was the former nanny of Teddy and Francie who did her best to take care of the children while thinking Teddy was rotten.

Walter is a convicted felon.

Renzo is a young man whose mom is trying to help get him laid/find him a girlfriend.

After wondering why they were placed at table 19 together out of the way, Eloise explains the rundown of the seating charts that she created before being dumped by her boyfriend and dropping out as maid of honor for Francie’s wedding. The gang starts thinking they shouldn’t even be there until they realize the importance of the table doesn’t matter as much as helping Eloise try to get back or get even with Teddy.

I enjoyed this film quite a lot. It’s one of the better drama’s that I actually thought was better than pure comedy. The relationship between Jerry and Bina was so raw and real and the pain that Eloise and Teddy exhibited was both heartbreaking and yet heartwarming. I wanted to jump through the screen and hug every single one of the tablemates.

And come on, the cast was is just golden.

Jaws

Released: 1975

Director: Steven Spielberg

Cast: Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw, Lorraine Gary

Da Dum. Da Dum.

Amity Island used to be safe…until now. The remains of a woman washed up on shore and quickly forces the chief to close the beaches. However, the mayor overrules him on that. That is until another more public attack happens on the beach. With the help of oceanographer Matt Hooper (Dreyfuss), and shark hunter Quint (Shaw), chief Martin Brody (Scheider) goes hunting for the killer beast beneath the sea.

I absolutely love sharks, I always have. But the water is their territory. You take that chance every time you get into the water with these magnificent beasts. The more people learned about them, the better they could be to defend themselves when necessary or just share the water peacefully. They are very intelligent creatures, too. Never underestimate any species of them. Unless it’s a whale shark, then you’re fine.

I loved Hooper and Quint so much. The dedication they had to their work and the arguing book knowledge vs experience. You put those two together and you get a hell of a team.

If Jaws was remade today, the only thing I would like is more realistic looking sharks. For the 70s it wasn’t bad but for now what they could do with today’s technology the tiger and great white would look amazing. The shark moved a little too slow for my liking. As a film, it was decent enough.

4/10

Life of the Party

Released: 2018

Director: Ben Falcone

Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Maya Rudolph, Gillian Jacobs, Luke Benward

Before I go into this film, I have to say this. I absolutely love Melissa McCarthy. I grew up with her as Sookie St. James on Gilmore Girls and Ben Falcone is a creative man with a great sense of humor. He’s up there with Judd Apatow for me. And the fact that he makes films that his wife stars in is the goal right there.

After dropping her daughter off for her final year at college, Deanna’s (McCarthy) life is turned upside down when her husband tells her he wants a divorce. She had put her life on hold when she had her daughter and had to drop out of finishing her last year at college. But now Deanna is determined to get her life back on track and take matters into her own hand.

Her daughter, however, is not so keen on sharing the campus with her mother. Everything goes slightly smooth as Deanna works through her divorce until the usual school ignorant mean girl decides to judge mother and daughter. After making some friends, she starts to realize how she needs to let go and learn to have fun again.

I think this is one of my more favorite roles for Melissa because it’s not just pure comedy. There’s quite a bit of real drama in it. And Christina Aguilera. Also, it’s really important to do what you can to get an education. No matter what age you are, you can always go back and learn more. I myself am 25 and about to start college for the first time.

8/10

The Shawshank Redemption

Released: 1994

Director: Frank Darabont

Cast: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Clancey Brown, Bob Gunton.

Based off of the Stephen King short story ‘Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption’.

This is one movie I have been wanting to see for a long time but never got around to it for one reason or another. But I’m glad I finally did. Even though my father put some doubts in it, I found this to be amazing. The beautiful narration is done by Morgan Freeman’s character Red about his time at the Shawshank State Penitentiary and how another man changed his life.

After being wrongly convicted of murdering his wife and her lover, Andy Dufresne (Robbins) is sentenced to two consecutive life sentences. During his time he makes a few friends. One being Red (Freeman) who he clicks so well with. Over the years, Andy learns the ins and outs of the prison. The good and the bad. And while he does he dreams of a better life outside of the prison. He makes friends and learns how to work the system. But he also leaves his mark on the others and shows them that they can still feel like free men even on the inside if they’re smart. If you dream hard enough and are persistent, someone’s bound to cave.

The warden is a pure bastard. Manipulative, crooked, slimy.

There are several key things in this film like the message to never lose yourself in a time where you think all is lost. And also never lose hope because to lose hope is to lose it all. Hope is a very strong feeling and the more you hope, the better the chance. Frank Darabont adapted a few of Stephen King’s written works, The Mist, and The Green Mile. And this had the same feel and captivation as The Green Mile without the supernatural. In this, the supernatural aspect is simply just hope and perseverance. And smarts. If you’re smart, you can achieve many things.

Still the same message that someone can come along and change your life around in the best way possible.

10/10