By Michael C. Woody | Lake Panorama Times

“Toy Story 5”

When you take a classic movie that is universally loved and make a fourth sequel, you are taking a calculated risk that you can recapture the magic one more time. My concerns for that quickly disappeared as “Toy Story 5” brought back the whole gang, and they united in their concern about an electronic device being introduced to their family. The series continues to be a crowd pleaser with equal shares of fun, humor and heart. It doesn’t hurt that it also has a character named Woody! Grade: B+

“The Death of Robin Hood”

Starring Hugh Jackman and Jodie Comer, this film is a story about Robin Hood that I’m not sure is true or just made up. Regardless, it’s an excellent film about an aging man on the run and the woman who helps him. It is way more violent than I expected, but it is a strong movie that I would like to see again. By the way, is there anything that Jackman can’t do? Grade: B+

“Young Washington”

The folks at Angel Studios rarely miss the target –– and they are back at it with this biopic about our first president of the United States. We see George Washington as a young man and a military officer who takes chances and wins big. Like most Angel Studios films, it is well made and entertaining in its depiction of the young Washington and how he made his name. Grade: A-

“Moana”

The animated version of “Moana” was an excellent film and a huge hit for the folks at Disney Pictures in 2016. Now we get the live action version, which is equally excellent and entertaining. The actress playing Moana is tremendous, but it is Dwayne Johnson who steals the film. Great action, great humor, the songs are excellent and the story held the attention of a huge IMAX audience. Grade: A-

“The Invite”

There are two couples living in an apartment building at odds over loud noises coming from the bedroom upstairs. They are played very, very well by Ed Norton and Penelope Cruz. Their downstairs neighbors (Seth Rogen and Olivia Wilde) invite them for dinner so they can confront them about their nocturnal habits and the volume of those activities. Tread carefully with this movie. The subject matter is handled well, but the movie goes further than you might expect. It is really well done but is not for the faint of heart. An interesting premise that is very well handled. Grade: B+

“Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass”

On that previous topic, we get another movie with a similar plot. This time, a young couple is confronted with the opportunity to engage with their dream celebrity, bringing up the conversation about which celebrity you would choose. The premise is fun, but the movie goes off the rails about halfway through and ends with a thud. Grade: C

“The Odyssey”

As an English major from the University of Iowa, I find it strange that I never read this epic poem. Now, I don’t have to, with this excellent version that covers most of the tale. This film gives you everything you wanted and much more.  Director Christopher Nolan brings this epic film to theaters across the country, especially IMAX theaters as Nolan shot the entire film with IMAX cameras. It is long, a true epic, but so well done with such a fantastic cast — Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Tom Holland, John Leguizamo, Zendaya and Charlize Theron to name a bunch. I can’t imagine another film that stands a chance at winning Best Picture this year. What a film. But please, please see it in the IMAX in Waukee. Grade: A

“Motor City”

On the other end of the spectrum was a mystery movie at The Palms Theatres in Waukee. “Motor City” is a head-shaker for sure. Uber violent, crazy loud and literally without dialogue, the film tells the story (set in 1977 Detroit) about some seedy characters and their seedy lives. The film, for the most part, has no dialogue, but it does have a great 1970s soundtrack. It’s dark. It’s violent. It’s dirty. And it’s best not to see. Grade: F

Michael C. Woody has been reviewing movies on radio and television since 1986. He and his wife, Susan, are residents of Lake Panorama.

By Michael C. Woody | Lake Panorama Times

“Power Ballad”

This film would fit nicely in the “good” category. It stars Paul Rudd as a wedding singer and was produced by Guy Richie, which means smart dialogue, well-staged violence and beautiful women in distress. Unfortunately, the writers seem to be spinning their wheels in this genre to the point where you can count the amount of time for the double cross, the double, double cross and lots of explosions. This is not one of his best. I’ll bet it was more fun to make than it was to watch. GRADE: C+

“Winter Hymns”

I hesitate to even mention a film titled “Winter Hymns” for two reasons. The first is that it is going to be nearly impossible to find until it hopefully lands on one of the streaming channels. The second reason is that it is a devastatingly sad look at a doctor’s long, but typical, day meeting with families and individuals suffering from a variety of horrible illnesses. The movie is full of brilliant performances and raw emotions without a single false note. The film starts in the darkness of morning and ends in the darkness of evening. It is wonderful but will be difficult to find on streaming services. I understand that the company that runs FLIX Movie Theatres was looking at booking the movie in all of the theaters across the country. GRADE: A

“Spider-Noir”

This series is a daring but failed attempt to translate a series of comics set in a Spider-Man future on streaming services. What happens on the page of a superhero comic can struggle to translate well on a screen — large or small. This is a perfect example of “lost in translation.” Nice try, but it was not for this Spider-Man fan. GRADE: C-

“Scary Movie 6”

I vaguely remember seeing the first and second films in this franchise and tapping out after those two. With little else to see, I wandered into the Palms Theatre and IMAX in Waukee one Sunday morning to see if the franchise still has anything left to offer. It does not. The jokes are stupid. They are not funny and, in many cases, are offensive. GRADE: F

“Tuner”

I got a call from a New York-based PR firm asking if I would be able to get to a movie in Des Moines titled “Tuner.” I checked the trailer on IMDB.com, and it looked good. I called a friend of mine, and he and his wife joined my wife and me at the Varsity Theatre in Des Moines one Sunday evening. We sat in silence as the film told the story of an unlikely piano tuner who falls in with a group of bad guys who realize that his piano-tuning skills can also be used to crack safes. That’s all I will tell you, other than you need to see it. It is easily one of the year’s best and most likely a top five pick for best of the year. Difficult to find but so, so worth it. GRADE: A+

“Disclosure Day”

A new Steven Spielberg-directed movie is usually cause for celebration and, in my opinion, “Disclosure Day” fits that bill perfectly. Like any good movie, this one sets up an intriguing story that there are aliens among us, and they have plans to make a move. I don’t want to give you too much information and spoil any part of the fun, but it is time for the aliens to come out of hiding. Like many of Spielberg’s films, there are big thoughts in play, great ideas on the way and not a second to wait. Spielberg sets up a great “what if?” story. The concept is both unique and fun that rolls out over a two-and-a-half-hour runtime. The cast is wonderful with Emily Blunt, Colin Firth, Colman Domingo and Wyatt Russell.

If you can catch it in the IMAX, it is quite a treat. GRADE: A

“Office Romance”

My final movie is “Office Romance” on Netflix. It is an abysmal and unnecessarily raunchy romantic comedy featuring Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein. GRADE: D-

Michael C. Woody has been reviewing movies on radio and television since 1986. He and his wife, Susan, are residents of Lake Panorama.

By Michael C. Woody | Lake Panorama Times

“Michael”

With a title like that, how am I not going to be intrigued? It was a fabulous look at the early career of Michael and his brothers in the Jackson 5. It shows his overbearing father who saw the talent in his sons early and did his best to develop their talents and showmanship, sometimes in demanding ways. As Michael aged, he began to steal the spotlight from his older brothers. By the end of the film, he is a single act and embarking on the career we remember him having. The film does an excellent job focusing on his music career and not the creepiness that haunted his life. The film ends early in his solo career, but I’ve read that we have at least one sequel coming, if not two. The sequels will certainly be dark and controversial, so enjoy this look at the early career of this wonderful performer. GRADE: A-

“Fuze”

This film, which was touted as being from the director of “Hell or High Water” and written by Taylor Sheridan, was quietly released and did a little business. Those two pieces of information are enough for me to drive across town to see it. What I found was an intense film with almost non-stop action. The action and story are so elaborate that it was sometimes difficult to follow. The dialogue was also difficult at times, and I wished for subtitles. The story is set in Afghanistan and is full of too many flashbacks. If you love action films and don’t care so much about the story, this might be perfect for you. GRADE: B-

“Apex”

This Netflix film stars Charlize Theron, Taron Edgerton and Eric Bana. We get an action-packed look at a female mountain climber who is dealing with a recent tragedy in Norway but travels to Australia to continue on her travels and hopefully get over her loss. All was going great when a well-intentioned young man turns out to be a not very well-intentioned man. This leads to a cat and mouse chase full of impossible stunts as she tries to escape. The whole time I was watching this, I felt like I had seen this story before and remembered it being more engaging. At the end of the day, it was a waste of great talent. GRADE: C-

“The Devil Wears Prada 2”

Without getting into whole lot of details that would ruin the movie for most people, I can tell you that the title of the film is just the start of a total lack of creativity. The first movie was smart, sassy and entertaining, but this sequel produced more yawns than smiles for me. At the end of the year, this will be one of the biggest disappointments and wastes of an outstanding cast. GRADE: C-

“Animal Farm”

I vaguely remember seeing the animated version of this when I was much younger. It didn’t make much of an impression on me then, and this new version didn’t make much of an impression on me today. The story is familiar, and it does mirror our society today, as it did in the earlier version. This is a tough one to adapt, as you need to instill human tendencies and bad habits into farm animals to successfully make your point. I was more bored than intrigued by this newest version. GRADE: B-

“The Sheep Detectives”

The trailer for this film made it look fun and maybe one of those quirky comedies which would unexpectedly amuse and entertain you. The film is about a murder, and a group of sheep decide they need to solve this case. This might have been a unique and possibly interesting movie, but I found it to be slow and not nearly as funny as it thought that it was. A missed opportunity. GRADE: C-

“Obsession”

Admittedly, I have lost most of my taste for horror movies. They are too violent, too stupid and there are too many of them — sometimes three or more per month. With little else to review, I took a chance on “Obsession.” In the movie, a distracted young man pines for a beautiful co-worker and finally gets a date with her. To assure that the date goes well, he stops in a store and buys a device that will grant him one wish: for his coworker to love him more than anyone else in the world. The film presents this relationship as horrific, and he cannot escape it. In a nutshell, this film has a fresh but worrying storyline and more than its share of “look away” moments. It was so, so creepy. With great caution, I give it a grade most horror films never achieve. GRADE: B+

“In the Grey”

If you see the poster for this movie, it proudly states that it is a Guy Ritchie film. Let me translate that for you: scantily clad women, usually with deadly martial arts skills, plus really handsome men who can also handle guns like they have used them since birth. Ritchie has made a bunch of movies that all seem to be the same with slight moderations to the story. A few of them, “The Covenant,” “Snatch” and “Sherlock Holmes,” have been entertaining. Recently, what would typically be a cause for excitement turns into a boring chase film that comes nowhere close to charming, funny or entertaining. Ritchie still gets great actors to help him, but even that didn’t keep me from repeatedly checking my watch. GRADE: C

Michael C. Woody has been reviewing movies on radio and television since 1986. He and his wife, Susan, are residents of Lake Panorama.

By Michael C. Woody | Lake Panorama Times

“The Drama” 

“The Drama” stars two beautiful people (played by Robert Pattinson and Zendaya) who meet in a cute way, have a nice relationship and naturally decide to get married. The stress of that decision and all that accompanies it put their relationship to the test right up to, and including, the wedding. “The Drama” has moments of humor and lots of craziness with its share of angst and darkness. GRADE: B+

“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” 

“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” is the sequel to “The Super Mario Brother’s Movie,” two movies that will confound me right up to my death bed. It is only marginally more coherent than the first film, but you need to be a whole lot younger than I am to even start to understand (or care about) this mess of a movie. I will score this for the kids younger than 12. GRADE: B-

“You and Me & Tuscany” 

“You and Me & Tuscany” is a romantic comedy about a young woman (played by Halle Bailey) who has a habit of getting into the homes of people who are out of town — or the country — in this movie. When she sees the opportunity to sneak into an empty Italian villa, she jumps at it. A family in this small-town setting assumes she is the fiancée of the owner of the villa, which quickly gets messy when she falls in love with another man. The movie is full of fluff, fun and lots of Italian cooking. It redeems itself late in the film and ends up being much better than I expected. GRADE: B

“Normal”

“Normal is an interesting action crime thriller film starring Bob Odenkirk (and Henry Winkler of “the Fonz” fame in a small role) that takes place in the corrupt small town of Normal, Minnesota. Odenkirk is the new sheriff in town. When he investigates a bank robbery in his first few days, his own deputies open fire on him, revealing that the town’s law enforcement is compromised. Inside the bank, he discovers a big secret — a cache of cash, gold bars and military-grade weapons. They are tied to a criminal operation connected to Japanese gangsters — really bad guys who have come to this small town to take what they feel is theirs. GRADE: B+

“Lee Cronin’s The Mummy”   

I don’t have a clue who Lee Cronin is, but I really don’t care to see any more movies from him.  “The Mummy” is a bloody, gory mess of a film. We are introduced to a young America family living in Cairo with young children. When a daughter is stolen by a creepy looking lady, the family grieves her loss and struggles to move on. Fortunately, or maybe not, they find their daughter eight years later. She is not in great, or even good shape. The film goes down from there. “The Mummy” is creepy and has a few good moments but goes way too far. GRADE: C-. 

Michael C. Woody has been reviewing movies on radio and television since 1986. He and his wife, Susan, are residents of Lake Panorama.

By Michael C. Woody | Lake Panorama Times

Since I reviewed 10 movies last month, I will take it easy on you this month with only a handful of new films opening,

“Midwinter Break” 

(most likely headed to streaming soon)

This is an interesting movie that will pull you in deeper and deeper as the movie methodically unspools. It is a small film with little to no promotion that I can recall. Leslie Manville and Ciarian Hinds play an old couple on a trip to Amsterdam for a weekend away from home. We find that she is not a happy woman but a very strong Catholic with a secret plan. This is a quiet and sad movie about a couple who have maybe fallen out of love. It is a film that is wonderfully acted with a unique story. Grade: A-

“Hoppers” 

(in theaters)

I see fewer kids movies these days, but “Hoppers” pulled me into the theaters with a great teaser trailer. A young girl who is a spunky environmentalist is inspired by a local pond and all of the creatures that live in it. When the community wants to get rid of the pond, she starts a crusade to save it. This is a well-made animated film with a strong and important message. Grade: A-

“The Bride” 

(in theaters)

In Warner Brothers’ latest update of their legendary horror film vault, we get this update of “The Bride of Frankenstein.” The film claims that Mary Shelley wrote “Frankenstein” on a bet, and we all know how much that decision probably repaid her handsomely. Here we see a woman who has also been brought back from the dead, several times. Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Annette Bening, Penelope Cruz, Perter Sarsgaard and Jake Gyllenhaal star for Gyllenhaal’s sister, Maggie, who wrote and directed the film. It is a dark, crazy and ultraviolent film that has little to offer most moviegoers. Grade: D

“Reminders of Him” 

(in theaters)  

Romance author Colleen Hoover gives us the story of a young woman who was just released from prison and is walking home. We quickly understand that something bad has happened and that she literally has no one to help her. Her attempts to find work are met with closed doors, but she finally finds an opportunity at a local coffee shop. From there, her tale of woe unspools. It’s an interesting story ,and the movie is actually better than it needed to be. Grade: B+

“Project Hail Mary” 

(in theaters)  

Based on the best-selling book by Andy Weir (“The Martian”), “Project Hail Mary” is the story of a high school science teacher who is pulled away from his day job by the government to help save our planet. Our planet and many others are at risk of dying, and the government needs someone with the skills and intellect to save us. The less I tell you, the better off you are, but what I can state is that the story is great, the filmmaking is breathtaking and Ryan Gosling is brilliant in this role. Sue and I saw it in a packed IMAX house, and it was a spectacle for sure.  See it and be amazed. Grade: A-

“The Pout Pout Fish” 

(in theaters)   

My old friend and retired school teacher Kathi Millin told me that this a wonderful story. I took a chance on the movie, and I enjoyed it, but it is definitely targeted to a younger audience than a lot of the recent animated hits. Nick Offerman lends his distinctive voice to the lead role. Grade: B+

I’ll be back next month with some early summer movies for you. 

Michael C. Woody has been reviewing movies on radio and television since 1986. He and his wife, Susan, are residents of Lake Panorama.

By Michael C. Woody | Lake Panorama Times

“Shelter”

While Jason Statham is not anywhere close to obtaining an Oscar nomination, most of his films are action heavy with less depth to the stories than most major releases. “Shelter” is an exception to that rule. In this movie, he plays a man in hiding, living off of the coast of some wonderful ocean. One day he witnesses a boat collapse, and he goes out and manages to save a young woman from a sure drowning. This rescue brings him to the attention of the bad guys who have been trying to find where he has been hiding. The rest of the movie is him going to great lengths to avoid these bad guys and make sure that they don’t get either him or this young woman killed. “Shelter” is an above-average Jason Statham film, and it is entertaining, which is, quite frankly, a little surprising. Grade: A

“The Testament of Ann Lee” 

This is one of the year’s strangest movies. The movie stars Amanda Seyfried, who has been in a lot of good movies this year, and it tells us a true story about a woman who became the leader of the Shaker Movement. This religious movement was a spin-off from the Quakers with each having some unique rules for their congregations. I believe the Shaker Movement to be long gone, but they are still known for unique, high-quality wooden furniture. This is an interesting look at an odd splinter religion. Seyfried gives a brave performance as one of its early leaders. Grade: B+

“Melania”

This week’s other oddity is “Melania,” which gives us a well-scrubbed look at our current first lady — a former model who may or may not have found her husband, and our current president, at a Jeffrey Epstein party. According to this film, she could be one of the best first ladies. I would much rather have seen a movie that gives us a less-than-sanitized look at the woman. Her full story has to be more interesting than this movie. Grade: C

“Solo Mio” 

One of the year’s biggest surprises for me is “Solo Mio,” a Kevin James vehicle about a man preparing to marry his fiancée in Rome. No secret here; she leaves him standing on the altar and devastated. Since the trip and honeymoon were both prepaid, he stays and goes it alone. That changes when he meets a new woman. This is not your typical, silly, slapstick, Kevin James film. This man is hurting, and this woman is filling a void for him, and we just go right along with it all. It turns into a charming film and a real crowd pleaser. Grade: B+

“Dracula”

How many Dracula movies have been made? Siri tells me it is more than 170. I am not sure if that incudes this new film, which goes deeper into the story and gives us a different angle — a love story. The angle is unique and has moments, but the movie runs out of gas about three quarters in, and that’s where the silly and misplaced special effects take over. It is also when I mentally checked out. Grade: C

“Send Help” 

Horror director Sam Raimi gives us an almost unrecognizable Rachel McAdams as a nerdy assistant to a new boss (Dylan O’Brien) in “Send Help.” After being reluctantly added to a team business (golf) trip, she and the team are all but wiped out in a mid-air collision. Her boss is incapacitated, so she works to keep him alive and nurses him back to health. Without giving anything away, at this point, the film flips the table on the audience. This plot device left me shaking my head and asking, “Why”? Grade: C

“Wuthering Heights”

I grew up looking at the spine of this book in our living room bookcase, never reading it or even asking what it was about. So, here’s what I discovered: It is about a beautiful young woman and her husband whose lives are interrupted by another man who takes a serious interest in the man’s wife. This threesome is played well by three beautiful people. IMDB shows at least 20 adaptations of this literary classic. Not sure how I missed those? This adaptation has a strong cast with Margot Robbie and her suitor played by Jacob Elordi. The sex is steamy and kinky at times as these two men continue to woo this possibly insatiable young woman. The movie is well-made, well-cast and well-acted but falls flat when everyone has their clothes on. Grade: B

“GOAT”

This is an animated movie about a team of animals playing in a championship basketball game, but they have added a new player. This one is a goat, playing off of the nickname “greatest of all-time” (the GOAT). The animation is wild and crazy, and the characters are all well drawn in an over-the-top animated style, but the story is soft. Most young audiences are not going to know or care, but the adults do. For the inevitable sequel, the writers should spend a little more time on the story. Grade: C

“Crime 101” 

Every once in a while, you see a movie that you know nothing about, and it blows you away. “Crime 101” is one of those. I knew nothing about the film, other than it had a strong cast. Chris Hemsworth plays a thief angling for his last big score. Halle Berry is an insurance exec slowly falling off the corporate ladder. Barry Keoghan is an assassin on the hunt for his next target. And the always reliable Mark Ruffalo is a cop growing more disillusioned by the day. This will be on my (next) year’s “Best Of” list. Grade: A

“EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert”

This is another of those films that will blow you away. I was between high school and college delivering high-end office furniture in Sioux City the summer Elvis died. His death was announced on the radio as we parked the truck for the day. We just sat there in silence. I thought about that day as I watched Bas Luhrmann’s new Elvis concert film. It is an amazing movie and shows us a performer at the top of his fame and the top of his game. This film provided one of the most fun experiences I have had this year. Grade: A

“Scream 7”

This movie that will NOT be on any “best of” list. I saw “Scream,” “Scream 2,” “Scream 6” and now the last in the series… “Scream 7.” I found “Scream 6” mildly entertaining, but I took one step too many in watching “Scream 7.” Sue tapped out quickly so I braved it alone, and the movie started out well. Sometimes, it is amazing how quickly a movie can take a dive, but this one was really quick. It has a dumb plot, too many jump scares and acting at the level of, well, any of the second through fifth “Scream” movies. Grade: D

Michael C. Woody has been reviewing movies on radio and television since 1986. He and his wife, Susan, are residents of Lake Panorama.