TENET
Rated: PG-13
Release Date: September 3, 2020
Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Kenneth Branagh
Plot: A CIA operative joins a dark forces team to try to stop a mad man from destroying the world with a time-altering weapon
Clint Says: Wait for the digital release
When the first trailer was released for TENET many months ago I was so excited to see it. After all, it was directed by Christopher Nolan who has made some fantastic films, including a couple of my all-time favorites. It looked like it was going to be a smart, sci-fi, version of a James Bond flick.
Then I finally got to see it.
And I was thoroughly disappointed.
First and foremost, the premise of the film is incredibly confusing, to the point where it was virtually impossible for the characters to properly educate us on what we needed to know in order to follow along with the story. I was so completely confused for the first 40 minutes that by the time things started to gel a little I was too exhausted to care.
Second, a large portion of the important dialogue is almost impossible to hear. For some reason Nolan thought it was a good idea to have major plot points discussed through respirator masks, over headsets while on a noisy ocean, and in several other hard-to-hear environments. Throw on top of that some heavy accents discussing PhD-level science, and it becomes nearly impossible to follow along with what is being said.
The good news is that the acting is incredible. John David Washington leads a fantastic cast in giving the best performances possible on a below average script.
This could have been another INCEPTION, but instead it falls short of being anything worthy of your time or money.
This could have been another INCEPTION, but instead it falls short of being anything worthy of your time or money.
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MULAN
Rated: PG-13
Release Date: September 4, 2020
Director: Niki Caro
Stars: Yifei Liu, Donnie Yen, Jet Li, Li Gong
Plot: A young girl becomes one of China’s greatest warriors after pretending to be a man in order to replace her aging father in the war
Clint Says: Worth every penny, watch it with the family today
I have been waiting for this film for a long time. When Disney started making live-action remakes of their classics one of my first thoughts was, “I hope they do MULAN.”
You see, I have two beautiful daughters that are from China. They have spent most of their lives in the US, but we make it a point to help them connect to their heritage and culture. The original MULAN was one of the only accessible works of art that showed my daughters a powerful, but kind woman that looks like them. Now, they have a real life version to admire.
We sat down, as a family, to watch this together and we all fell in love with it.
It is a stunningly beautiful film filled with bright colors, breath-taking landscapes and sets, and mesmerizing motion. Every member of the cast gives a great performance adding to a well-written script. And the people in charge did a perfect job in modernizing the story without taking anything away from the rich heritage of ancient China.
For those of you with small children, this film is rated PG-13. There are several intense fight scenes and Xian Lang (the witch) that could be a little much for them. You may want to screen it first before you let them hop on the couch to watch it. But for the older crowd, these elements bring a level of excitement and suspense that brings this remake to a whole new level.
If you are a fan of the original MULAN you have to see this one. You’ll become a fan all over again.
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CRITICAL THINKING
Rated: Not Rated
Release Date: September 4, 2020
Director: John Leguizamo
Stars: John Leguizamo, Angel Bismark Curiel, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Corwin C. Tuggles
Plot: The true story of the first inner-city school to with the Chess National Championships
Clint Says: Rent this movie this weekend
It is very rare for me to like a film that is directed by and stars the same person. Typically, this means that it is a passion project for them and they refuse to change anything. However, there are exceptions to this rule, and when it is done right, the film can be extraordinary.
John Leguizamo did it right.
And that is doubly extraordinary in this case because he managed to make a movie that features chess exciting. (Please do not read this as a slight on chess. It is an exciting game when played at a high level, but it isn’t something one would think to add to a film in order to add excitement).
This is an underdog drama filled with interesting and dynamic characters. It doesn’t take long to care for and cheer on the protagonists. They have so many obstacles to overcome, but they refuse to be beaten.
Leguizamo does a masterful job in making the characters, the story, and the dialogue real but still accessible. Like a great chess match, he builds everything one step at a time, while always building on what else is going on, and thinking three steps ahead. By the time the film gets to the final scenes you will be so invested in the characters and so engrossed in the story that, if you are like me, you won’t breathe for several minutes.
This is one of the best movies of the year. It may not be the biggest and it may not get a lot of attention, but I have a feeling this film might be an underdog just like the kids on the chess team. It’s going to fight hard, rise to the top and be a winner.
Anyone that sees this film will know they have seen something special.
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