Pacific Rim Uprising (PG-13)
War on Earth is a battle with sea creatures beneath the crust of the Pacific Ocean and every generation must be prepared for battle. Jake Pentecost
(John Boyega) is the son of the great General Stacker Pentecost who won and ended the last war against massive sea creatures known as Kaiju.
General Pentecost is dead and his son, has left the military that protects the world. Instead he steals scraps from old robots for money. Kaiju wants to take over the world again and Pentecost is forced to decide: fight for your country or watch it be destroyed. Overall the sci-fi action is entertaining but it lacks the ability to pull the viewer into this robot experience without it feeling and looking very artificial. If you want an adventure, action and comedy, this movie will give you that, but don't expect it to look or feel believable.
MEVOE Grade: C-
Fifty Shades Freed (Rated-R)
The "Fifty Shades" trilogy ends true its theme with a predictable finale. The spark in "Fifty Shades Grey" becomes dim in "Fifty Shades Freed" because the characters struggle to evolve beyond sex. Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) and Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) are married and are trying to adapt as husband and wife. Steele wants to maintain independence though Christian has demanded submission from the beginning. In true form "Freed" maintains intense love scenes, romance, fast cars and getaways to foreign lands. "Freed" also picks up where "Dark" left off with a hint that someone will seek revenge against the Grey empire. However, "Freed" lacks momentum. "Grey" and "Dark" had a level of suspense that wasn't totally predictable. Now that Grey's past, mommy issues and control addiction are out in the open the film struggles to surprise the viewer. You will either love or hate this movie.
MEVOE Grade: B-
Acrimony (Rated-R)
Melinda (Taraji P. Henson) and Robert (Lyriq Bent) are college sweethearts
struggling to make ends meet. Melinda has been supporting Robert with inheritance money as he tries billions of dollars for an invention. Then, the marriage falls apart when Melinda suspects Robert is cheating and they divorce. Melinda believes life is better without Robert until he returns to thank her for supporting him and gives her a check for 10 million dollars. Yes, the whole things sounds unbelievable but it happens. The strange things is, this only angers Melinda when she decides its time for them to get back together. 'Acrimony' is engaging through the life story of Melinda and the never ending conflict with her husband. However, the movie struggles to successfully find closure in the last 15 minutes of the film. Revenge, love and betrayal fuel this film with unexpected revelations.
MEVOE Grade: B-
Death Wish Rated-R
Doctor Paul Kersey (Bruce Willis) is a Chicago surgeon who saves lives in the emergency room everyday, many of them victims of random shootings in the Windy City. Armed robbers kill his wife and daughter and Kersey begins to seek revenge. Disguised by the shadows of the night and second hand clothes, Kersey becomes a modern day Robin Hood, murdering his family's killers, while killing off other criminals along the way. Despite the suspense and drama of this film, moments of extreme violence and graphic scenes reflect acts of dark comedy. It's so over the top you might laugh from the awkwardness. Overall, the movie is entertaining but will probably receive a low reception due to a real life mass shooting that has happened around the time DW was released. This film could prompt controversy and debate about being a victim of crime and seeking revenge without the help of law enforcement.
MEVOE Grade: C
A Wrinkle in Time (PG-13)
Meg Murry (Storm Reid) feels like her life as a kid is falling apart. Her father has disappeared, fellow students bully her at school and she's losing hope in herself. Then Meg, her brother and a friend are changed forever, when three women from the universe guide Meg to her father. Meg's story is a life lesson about staying positive and believing in yourself despite how hard life becomes. The mystical journey combines drama, sci-fi and fantasy, and that might be the biggest mistake of the film. When the film shifts into other worlds, it also takes on a thriller theme as conflict arises, in a way that seems disjointed through the middle of the film. For adults, it may be a challenge to watch, while children might let their imagination carry them through the end of the film. Though AWIT is visually engaging some of the sets appear like studio boxes and not an out of this world adventure. Wrinkle has a great message but loses its momentum with a couple of moments that are a little too unreal even for fantasy.
MEVOE Grade: C
Rampage (PG-13)
Davis Okoye (Dwayne Johnson) is a special forces veteran who left the battlefield to help rescue animals, including his best friend George, a silverback gorilla. Okoye keeps the peace as a sinister company in Chicago is modifying the DNA of animals. One of their outer space tests turns into a disaster when the DNA modifying chemicals crash into the sanctuary and contaminate the animals. George and other animals turn violent and grow 10 times their size. An action packed adventure begins as Davis tries to save his best friend and humanity from three powerful animals that could destroy cities in hours. This film shines unlike most with solid special effects that carry the film. There's a perfect blend of action, humor and suspense that makes this movie spectacular! Welcome to the jungle, you'll enjoy it!
MEVOE Grade: A
Tomb Raider (PG-13)
Lara Croft (Alicia Vikander) lives a simple life working as a courier. Her father has been missing for years and now she's forced to accept his death and take over his estate. When Lara goes home she discovers a video tape and a diary that could lead to her father's final destination. Croft gets some cash, flies around the world and finds a boat captain willing to take her to a mysterious island to trace her father's final steps. This is where the journey becomes unbelievable but its a fun adventure. Croft finds out the truth about her father's death, while maneuvering through bullets, a strong storm, underworld riddles and the touch of death. Expect to be entertained through the entire movie. I predict there will be more action-packed films from Croft in the future.
MEVOE Grade: A
Black Panther (PG-13)
"Black Panther" roars with legacy, betrayal and family ties that erupt in conflict during this action, drama, sci-fi film. T'Challa (Chadwick Bosemen) is crowned king after his father is killed during a terrorist attack. Being crowned king comes with the burden of a family secret that divides T'Challa's homeland, Wakanda, a non colonized, country that is full of natural resources, technological advancements and peace. Wakanda fools the world posing as a third world country. T'Challa is also trying to find Klaw (Andy Serkis) who steals Wakanda's natural resources, selling them to the highest bidder.
T'Challa's life is threatened when long lost family member Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) comes to Wakanda to take the throne.
Black Panther gracefully combines multiple genres while maintaining a consistent and engaging storyline. Black Panther will be one of the best movies of the year overall and one of the top best Marvel films, for its blend of sci-fi, fantasy, drama and adventure, but it also shines as a positive reflection of African and African Americans in film in a way that is rare for super hero themes.
MEVOE Grade: A+