WONDER WOMAN 1984 (2020)

 

Directed By: Patty Jenkins  Written By: Patty Jenkins, Geoff Johns & Dave Callahan Story By: Patty Jenkins & Geoff Johns Based on characters from DC Wonder Woman created By: William Moulton Marston Cinematography: Matthew Jensen  Editor: Richard Pearson 

Cast: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal, Robin Wright, Connie Nielsen, Lilly Aspell, Natasha Rothwell, Ravi Patel, Stuart Milligan

Diana must contend with a work colleague and businessman, whose desire for extreme wealth sends the world down a path of destruction, after an ancient artifact that grants wishes goes missing.

WELCOME TO ME (2014)

Directed By: Shira Piven 
Written By: Eliot Laurence 
Cinematography: Eric Alan Edwards 
Editor: Josh Salzberg & Kevin Tent 


Cast: Kristen Wiig, Wes Bentley, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Linda Cardellini, James Marsden, Tim Robbins, Joan Cusack, Loretta Devine, Thomas Mann, Alan Tudyk, Kulap Vilaysack 


Alice suffers from borderline personality disorder, but she has what she needs in life. She has an apartment, she has a best friend, and she has tapes of every Oprah Winfrey show. And now, after winning the lottery, she also has 83 million dollars. What she doesn't have is an outlet for the whole world to know who she really is. The TV station cut her off when she tried turning her lottery announcement into a frank discussion of her sexual experiences, but with her money in hand, she's off to LA to convince two struggling TV producer brothers to produce her own TV show. Whatever it costs, she's going to do it. From swan entrances to dog neutering, she is going to introduce the world to Alice. But is the world ready for Alice?

MASTERMINDS (2016)

Directed By: Jared Hess 
Written By: Chris Bowman, Hubbel Palmer & Emily Spivey 
Cinematography By: Erik Wilson 
Editor: Keith Brachmann & David Rennie 

Cast: Zach Galifianakis, Kristen Wiig, Owen Wilson, Jason Sudekis, Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon, Jon Daly, Ken Marino, Ross Kimball, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Devin Ratray 

David Ghantt discovers the true meaning of adventure far beyond his wildest dreams. He is an uncomplicated man stuck in a monotonous life. Day in and day out he drives an armored vehicle, transporting millions of other people's money with no escape in sight. The only glimmer of excitement is his flirtatious work crush Kelly Campbell who soon lures him into the scheme of a lifetime. Along with a group of half-brained criminals led by Steve Chambers and an absurdly faulted heist plan, David manages the impossible and makes off with $17 million in cash...only problem is he foolishly hands the money over to this wild group of double crossers and has been set up to take the fall. With the bandits blowing the millions on lavish and ridiculous luxuries, they leave behind a glaring trail of evidence. Now on the lam and in over his head, David must dodge the authorities, evade a hilarious hit man, Mike McKinney, and try to turn the tables on the ones he trusted most

EXTRACT (2009)

Cast: Jason Batemen, Kristen Wiig, Dustin Milliagan, Ben Affleck, J.K. Simmons, Mila Kunis, Gene Simmons, Clifton Collins Jr., David Koechner, Hal Sparks, Tom Virtue

Written & Directed By Mike Judge
Cinematography By: Tim Shustedt
Editor: Julia Wong

No one quite does satire or the mundaness of life like mike judge. The fun of this movie is that like his show king of the hill it involves normal characters that see so real you could swear you know someone just like each of them but he then throws these characters into increasingly outrageous situations that are believable.

The comedy is dry and subtle which is why I liked this film so much. It’s a film to discover that never goes over the edge. it’s best if you not know what happens other then. Jason Batemen’s character owns a flavor extract company and is involved in a domino effect involving lawsuits, a con woman, and his best friend a bartender.

The film is pretty cut, dry and simple it’s entertaining but not something you remember too much longer after watching it. I nice slice of life that is a good time passer. That is Funnier the more you think about it. It just never really reaches a tone or settles on a point of what it all means. It just seems random no center almost like it is meant to be a character study that is supposed to be about the workers of this factory but just becomes about Jason Bateman and his challenges.

It’s a return to form for the director as this is another workplace comedy this time it is seen more from the boss’s point of view and instead of cubicles this takes more of a look at a factory setting. What works for mike judge is that he writes movies with characters that you feel like you have meet or known in your life.

Ben Affleck returns to the screen in a role more suited for him. The supporting role the comic relief instead of the leading man can do no wrong type characters. It reminds me of his comic roles in movies like DAZED & CONFUSED

The problem with the film is that one of the main reasons things happen in this film is that Bateman’s character is trying to make a deal to sell his company. Everything that happens threatens to mess up the deal so he has to straighten things up. It drives the events of the film but is treated as a second thought then a real problem. Almost like another side story that is not interesting.

Jason Bateman’s Character is neurotic and exaggerated as a person in his position would be that you can understand if this was another filmmaker’s movie but since this is a mike judge film it seems not to fit in the laid back characters and world of this movie. In fact during this movie nothing feels like it is on the line it all feels random and inconsequential staying true to the films laid back nature


GRADE: C+

WHIP IT! (2009)

Directed By: Drew Barrymore
Written By: Shauna Cross
Based On The Book By: Shauna Cross
Cinematography By: Robert D. Yeoman
Editor: Dylan Tichenor

CAST: Ellen Page, Marcia Gay Harden, Daniel Stern, Drew Barrymore, Kristen Wiig, Landon Pigg , Jimmy Fallon, Zoe Bell, Eve, Andrew Wilson, Ari Gaynor, Juliette Lewis, Alia Shawkat, Har Mar Superstar

Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut is much like her personality. It’s cute, fun, funny and surprising. With a career in front of the camera for almost all of her life and working with so many talented directors and running her own production company. It really goes to show that while she was working, she was taking notes and paying attention because she definitely picked the right story to direct and is more successful then I believe most people would have thought.

The film based on the young adult novel by the same name it’s the story of a teenage girl whose mother always enters her in beauty pageants and doesn’t really fit in too much in her town then she discovers a all female roller derby league and enters into it and finally blooms and bonds with people.

This is the type of film you usually discover you see the advertisements and think it’s going to be one way but then when you actually sees it. It is totally different and it has an energy and mood that is infectious that you can’t help but find yourself smiling throughout.

It has a bunch of cliché filled scenes but the difference is they end in a totally different way. I’m not going to lie this film is a chick flick but not the typical one where the guys will be eyeing the exit and checking there watches. It has a girl power theme but can be entertaining to both sexes

The performances are all good but special Mention goes to Andrew Wilson as the girls coach. Juliette Lewis who whenever she is on screen in most movies puts a smile on my face and usually makes me laugh as bliss’s rival on another team and Kristen Wiig as bliss’s surrogate mother on the team. Drew Barrymore has a supporting role that is more comedic then anything and she really throws herself into as the member of the team who is always getting injured. Ellen page has seemed to corner the market on this type of role not exactly JUNO here not as wisecracking and more shy. But I can see why she choose this over the film DRAG ME TO HELL which she dropped out of to be in this film. This seems to speak more to her sensibilities and resume.

At heart the film is a coming of age film told from a female’s perspective. The film doesn’t clearly define exactly if the film takes place in the 90’s or the 2000’s. It also has her mother have the least likely job for a woman who is so obsessed with Pageant’s and being a lady.

It also has a very good soundtrack. This is a must see.

GRADE: B