By Michael C. Woody | Lake Panorama Times
“Deadpool & Wolverine”
(still in theaters)
Ryan Reynolds teams with Hugh Jackman in what will undoubtedly be not only the highest grossing film of the year but one of the wildest movies of this year or any other! It is a crazy and irreverent romp through the Marvel Universe with many characters you haven’t seen, or thought about, in years. It is fun and funny at the same time, but it never… never… takes itself seriously. If you catch even half of the jokes, you are lucky, as they come in rapid fire succession. Creative, engaging and just pretty damned fun. Grade: A
“Harold and the Purple Crayon”
(in theaters)
This film is based on a children’s book (in case the title didn’t already tell you that). Harold lives in an animated world with two good friends, a porcupine and a moose. When the three of them head into “our” world, crazy hijinks ensue. This is a clever film that the entire family can enjoy, and Zachary Levi proves once again (as he showed in “Shazam”) that he is a master of these types of family action movies. Grade: B
“Alien: Romulus”
(in theaters)
If you turn the “Alien” franchise over to a talented horror director, you are moving in the right direction. A group of scavengers board an abandoned ship to see what they can salvage. Since it is an “Alien” film, the scavengers find more on the ship than they ever could have imagined. This is about as effective of a horror film as I’ve seen in a while. I would put this right behind the original “Alien” film on the horror level, and that is high, high praise. Grade: A
“The Instigators”
(Apple TV)
Matt Damon and Casey Affleck star as two damaged men trying to pull off a heist way above their pay grade. It’s a crazy mix of comedy and action that manages to rise a bit above average. The story holds them back, but both actors (two of our best) get moments to shine. Grade: B
“The Crow”
(in theaters)
I might be the only film critic in America who really enjoyed this movie, but I thought it was well-made, well-acted and it does a nice job fixing the problems with the troubled first version of this film. That being said, it is absolutely the most bloody and violent film I have ever seen. You have been warned. Grade: B+
“My Penguin Friend”
(in theaters)
This family film is based on a true story of a man who befriends a penguin. Or maybe it is the other way around? French film legend Jean Reno stars in this PG-rated family film that manages to be humorous, heartwarming and really fun. Grade: B+
“It Ends With Us”
(in theaters)
This would fit firmly into the category of “chick flick,” and I tried to avoid it. But people continued to flock to it, and the reviews have been good, so Sue and I caught a Sunday afternoon matinee. It was also more than 100 F, so I had even more incentive to hide in a dark theater. You know what? It wasn’t a bad movie at all — romantic with many shades of darkness and excellent performances all around. Blake Lively does a nice job as the lead character with a conflicted past. Expect a sequel. Grade: B
These movies scored pretty good grades for the month of August — way above average compared with the typical August fare. Look for news next month on the return of the “Murph & Andy Show” and their Wednesday companion, Mr Movie. Until then, stay cool.
Michael C. Woody has been reviewing movies on radio and television since 1986. He and his wife, Susan, are residents of Lake Panorama.