Whatever Wednesday - Power Ballad

 I needed a short escape on a dreary, rainy Friday and treated myself to a movie - Power Ballad. This is a small film with a big heart.  It's a bit less than two hours - hooray.  It stars Paul  Rudd and Nick Jonas - two pleasant cuties.  It has some music, laughs, and is just entertaining. 

Paul Rudd (Rick Power) was a former star in a decent band. After he married an Irish woman, had a kid, and took off a year, he lost that gig. Since then, he's the lead singer in an Irish wedding band. It's a living - a human jukebox. 

The latest gig is at a very fancy Irish castle and turns out a groom's best friend is Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas) - a former boy band superstar who's not found his next groove.  After the show, Rick and Danny  end up talking music, playing some tunes, and noodling on a song. No big deal.  "It's been fun"

Six months later, Rick hears his song "How to Write a Song (Without  You)", only  it's a massive hit by Danny Wilson. Say what?

Here's where some hijinks ensue. Rick just wants some credit and some payment for his song. Danny's manager gives Rick the "buzz-off" and "do you have any proof"?  I won't tell more except Rick and one of  his Irish bandmates head to the U.S. to find and confront Danny. 

Power Ballad is about music, art, integrity, and family. Rick wants his wife and teen daughter to be proud of him. Deep in his soul,  he knows he's a good songwriter.  He wants the acknowledgment.  And then there's Danny who can really interpret a song - put  the soul into the tune.

I  predict this film will not  stay in  theaters long. It's a "little film". Look for it on  streaming and thank me for  a pleasant two hours.

Finally Friday is Marvelous - latest Ant Man

 Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania  proved entertaining on an incredibly dreary Saturday.  Ray and I had a "cheap" early in the day date. The movie is sheer fun,  ridiculous, and CGI wow. We like Paul Rudd and he's just an every man kind of guy who can be silly, an Avenger, Big, Small, and can save his family. 

I won't begin to explain plot - the whole crew (Paul, Evangeline Lilly (Wasp), Michael Douglas (Dad), Michelle Pfeiffer (Mom), and the daughter get sucked into the Quantum universe.  From there we learn about the whole Multiverse going on with the Jonathan Majors character who, of course, wants  to rule the whole worlds...plural.  Many worlds have been ruined.  There are a lot - I mean a lot of battles. It's crazy. The ants tend  to rule and Paul Rudd/  Ant Man looks like a hero. 

Unless.........

Stay for final credits and then the final, final final credits  for teasers.  That's how Marvel movies roll. 

We had fun and then grabbed lunch at Sonic to take home.  Cheap date - $30     Dang - olden days that would have been $20. 

Movie Review Madness - Ant Man and Wasp

Ant Man and the Wasp is just goofy fun. It seems like Marvel-lite, just a bonus of a Marvel hero/duo.  Paul Rudd just gets better as he ages. He still looks so boyish and projects amusement. His patter alone is worth the movie. Evangeline Lilly as Wasp can kick butt and FLY!  He even protests, “Hey, Wings? Seriously?”  And I love Michael Pena as Luis – Ant Man’s work partner in his “real” time security company job.  Pena is awesome in serious movies, but he obviously has a sense of humor and enjoys letting his freak flag fly. Some of his lines are laugh out loud funny.

I can’t begin to discuss plot. Let’s just say the word “quantum” is used a lot. Somehow, Wasp’s mother (Michelle Pfeiffer) is still floating in the quantum tunnel. Is she still alive? Hmmm…….

Wasp’s father (Michael Douglas) has been working on a way to get her back. Meanwhile, there’s some poor creature (the ghost) who is between worlds and needs the tunnel to go suck energy from Michelle. Samuel L. Jackson has been helping her. So there is a scientist war going on, a quantum war, and a whole lot of other people trying to get Douglas’s lab.  I won’t go further, and frankly just don’t ask too many questions.  This movie is just sheer movie-making effects, fun, patter, and summer don’t use your brain too much kind of movie.

The acting is fine, the effects are good – small and tiny. Paul Rudd carries the amusement and I give him props. This is a big tub of popcorn and a vat of soda worthy flick. Just laugh and go with it. Stay for the two extras at the end. What the heck! Support the Ant-Man and Wasp

Movie Review Madness - Captain America: Civil War

I am late to the Marvel party, but here's a review as this movie slowly eases out of theaters             

  Captain America: Civil War finds our Avenger folks at odds.  Here’s a theater Synopsis

Political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability when the actions of the Avengers lead to collateral damage. The new status quo deeply divides members of the team. Captain America (Chris Evans) believes superheroes should remain free to defend humanity without government interference. Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) sharply disagrees and supports oversight. As the debate escalates into an all-out feud, Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) must pick a side.

Captain America is also loyal to his friend the Winter Soldier who’s been unthawed and released to create havoc. This movie has everybody except Thor enter the fray. The Scarlett Witch uses her powers. Vision is overseeing her. Ant Man and Spider Man provide some comic relief. The new Spider Man is a smart aleck kid with some great lines. Otherwise, the film stays dark and serious as Captain America and Iron Man pursue their goals and go toe to toe. 

The movie could use some editing. That’s my usual complaint. The performances are fine and the action battles are exciting. Good film-making and special effects. Choose your team – Captain America or Iron Man, place your bets, and root for a winner. Then again, do we win if they are all divided?

Movie Review: This is 40

This is 40 - sheer laugh out loud funny. It's R - overuse of the "F" word, but other than that, if you are indeed forty or beyond, you will laugh yourself silly. Judd Apatow struck movie gold with Knocked Up and returns with a spin off using the Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann characters that we met before. Leslie Mann is Judd's real life wife and the girls playing the daughters - yep, their real daughters. Consequently, so many scenes feel like real life on the screen. The girls squabbling, the dad wondering what's going on, the wife frustrated at her life, the girls realizing the parents are fighting too much.
The movie has angst, but it gets resolved in comedy and doesn't suck you into depression. And it is just plain funny. Albert Brooks is Rudd's father. He's been mooching money forever and Rudd really needs to cut him off. But the man now has triplets that are around five years old and he uses that card on Rudd, the half brother. Mann's been distant from her father, John Lithgow, a very rich surgeon with a second family that he spends time with. Thus both Paul and Leslie have parent issues. They have money issues. They have communication issues.

And they have love. That's what it boils down to in a successful comedic way. They said, "Til death do us part," and yep, even on days they don't like each other and could be plotting the other's death (trust me, it's funny), they love each other and the girls. And yep, that sums up This is 40.

Stay through the credits for an outtake with Melissa McCarthy. The ad libs are hysterical as her scene escalates and she has everyone cracking up.

You'll walk out of the theater smiling.