Today’s Rant No. 34: Recent Movies Edition

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Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. It also stars Val Kilmer (who reprises his role as Tom “Iceman” Kazansky), Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, and Miles Teller. In the film, Maverick is tasked with preparing a group of young pilots for a dangerous special assignment. Like the original movie, Maverick is a gutsy, top-tiered pilot who enjoys pushing the envelope. Yet, this time around, he is older and wiser with the necessary life experience to mentor the youthful group of Top Gun graduates. While the plot is somewhat predictable, this film has enough new elements to keep viewers interested. Maverick is still as charming as ever and his chemistry with Penny (Connelly) seems like a natural fit. Grade: A</li><li>I think “Father Stu” is a so-so film. It stars Mark Wahlberg in the lead role, Teresa Ruiz, Mel Gibson, and Jacki Weaver. It is a biographical movie about Stuart Long, a boxer-turned-Catholic priest who develops inclusion body myositis, which causes muscle weakness and damage. While the story of Fr. Stu is inspirational and Wahlberg has some humorous quips, the film simply lacks depth. It would have been better as a Netflix documentary than a full-length Hollywood film. Grade: C</li><li>“Orphan: First Kill” is a decent horror film. It stars Isabelle Fuhrman, Julia Stiles, and Rossif Sutherland (half-brother of my

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favorite actor, Kiefer Sutherland). A prequel to the 2009 film, “Orphan,” Fuhrman reprises her role as the psychopathic Esther, who this time travels to America and impersonates the missing daughter of a wealthy family. I generally dislike horror movies not because they are scary, but because I find them to be boring and formulaic. Yet, this flick has enough surprises, particularly a major plot twist around the halfway point, to make it worth watching. Grade: B</li><li>“Marry Me” is a pretty good film. It stars Jennifer Lopez, Owen Wilson, Maluma, and Sarah Silverman. The plot is fairly simple: Kat Valdez (Lopez) is a famous pop singer who marries Charlie Gilbert (Wilson), an ordinary math teacher, as a publicity stunt. Of course, the couple eventually (and predictably) develop real romantic feelings for one another. In a way, this romantic comedy is similar to every other rom-com of the past 75 years. Famous person + ordinary person = adorable odd couple. Typical cliche, right? Think “Notting Hill.” But it is the catchy music soundtrack that separates this rom-com from the pack. Not surprising since Lopez and Maluma are both singers. Nonetheless, they provide viewers with some good songs that bring a breath a fresh air to a film that would otherwise have been stale. Grade: B+</li></ul></article></body>

Today’s Rant No. 34: Recent Movies Edition — Part Three

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There are quite a few hobbies I enjoy doing. Hiking, especially since I live in Southern California, and we have the luxury of nice weather year-round. Writing (obviously). And watching films. I might not be a cinematic expert, but I know a good (or bad) movie when I see one. The 2022 “Elvis” film about … surprise, surprise … the late singer Elvis Presley is by far my favorite of the year. It stars Austin Butler as Elvis, Tom Hanks, and Olivia DeJonge. I might be bias since I had been a die-hard Elvis fan as a kid, but I strongly recommend watching it. Butler does a fine job as the “King of Rock and Roll” and deserves an Oscar for his performance. Anyone who dislikes this film should receive a one-way ticket to the Heartbreak Hotel. Grade: A

I also love “Top Gun: Maverick,” reportedly last year’s second-highest grossing film. A sequel to the 1986 “Top Gun” movie, Tom Cruise reprises his role as Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. It also stars Val Kilmer (who reprises his role as Tom “Iceman” Kazansky), Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, and Miles Teller. In the film, Maverick is tasked with preparing a group of young pilots for a dangerous special assignment. Like the original movie, Maverick is a gutsy, top-tiered pilot who enjoys pushing the envelope. Yet, this time around, he is older and wiser with the necessary life experience to mentor the youthful group of Top Gun graduates. While the plot is somewhat predictable, this film has enough new elements to keep viewers interested. Maverick is still as charming as ever and his chemistry with Penny (Connelly) seems like a natural fit. Grade: A

I think “Father Stu” is a so-so film. It stars Mark Wahlberg in the lead role, Teresa Ruiz, Mel Gibson, and Jacki Weaver. It is a biographical movie about Stuart Long, a boxer-turned-Catholic priest who develops inclusion body myositis, which causes muscle weakness and damage. While the story of Fr. Stu is inspirational and Wahlberg has some humorous quips, the film simply lacks depth. It would have been better as a Netflix documentary than a full-length Hollywood film. Grade: C

“Orphan: First Kill” is a decent horror film. It stars Isabelle Fuhrman, Julia Stiles, and Rossif Sutherland (half-brother of my favorite actor, Kiefer Sutherland). A prequel to the 2009 film, “Orphan,” Fuhrman reprises her role as the psychopathic Esther, who this time travels to America and impersonates the missing daughter of a wealthy family. I generally dislike horror movies not because they are scary, but because I find them to be boring and formulaic. Yet, this flick has enough surprises, particularly a major plot twist around the halfway point, to make it worth watching. Grade: B

“Marry Me” is a pretty good film. It stars Jennifer Lopez, Owen Wilson, Maluma, and Sarah Silverman. The plot is fairly simple: Kat Valdez (Lopez) is a famous pop singer who marries Charlie Gilbert (Wilson), an ordinary math teacher, as a publicity stunt. Of course, the couple eventually (and predictably) develop real romantic feelings for one another. In a way, this romantic comedy is similar to every other rom-com of the past 75 years. Famous person + ordinary person = adorable odd couple. Typical cliche, right? Think “Notting Hill.” But it is the catchy music soundtrack that separates this rom-com from the pack. Not surprising since Lopez and Maluma are both singers. Nonetheless, they provide viewers with some good songs that bring a breath a fresh air to a film that would otherwise have been stale. Grade: B+