LEGO BATMAN MOVIE REVIEW

BATMAN!!! NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA, BATMAN!!! Batman is perhaps my favorite comic book character ever. Will Arnet lent his voice Batman in the first LEGO movie, and gave us a Batman to remember: a dark, overly dramatic know-it-all, who sings his own theme song. (Remember, DARKNESS! NO PARENTS!) Apparently he pleased the filmmakers so much that they immediately went to work on a spin-off movie. Now, normally I get a little worried about spin-offs. They can get too cute.  But I can say that in this case, Warner Brothers did the right thing, because this movie is as good as the first in many ways. Here’s what I mean!

The LEGO Batman Movie starts with Batman really only caring about himself. He’s selfish and acts as though the world owes him everything. Alfred, his ever-present Butler, explains that Batman's life is somewhat meaningless, because he doesn't have anything to care about. Enter Dick Grayson, an annoying orphan who needs Batman. Through helping Dick, his encounters with the Joker, and some help from Alfred, Batman attempts to become a better person.  The plot itself is slightly more complicated, and I won't give any of that away except to say that complication isn't a bad thing. It feeds a fun and fast-paced cartoon. Will Arnett once again stars as Batman, and with his great gravelly voice, and his absolute disdain for having to really care about anyone, he’s perfect opposite Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort Alfred. Michael Cera and Rosario Dawson portray Robin and Batgirl, with Baskets star Zack Galifinakis as the Joker, who ultimately just wants Batman to love him. The film has such great animation and funny jokes, I couldn’t stop laughing.  And while the story goes all over the place, it still keeps you interested. I have only two complaints. It's slightly too long. And the cameos in it seem wasted, because in some cases, the scene goes by too quickly. But other than that, it’s terrific!

                                                               THE  VERDICT

LEGO Batman may have some pacing problems and a couple of wasted actors, but its jokes, animation, and story keep you entertained. I give it an A-.

JOHN WICK CHAPTER 2: REVIEW

  After the success of the first John Wick (a film I really loved), and its supernova ticket sales (which ended up earning double their production budget), I was thrilled to see the green light for John Wick: Chapter 2. It seems Keanu Reeves, after his Matrix and creepy/bizarre love movies with Sandra Bullock, has found his new character. And while we had to wait three years for the new one, boy, oh boy, is it worth the wait!

As we learned from the first installment, John Wick is a highly trained assassin. He's the man you send in to kill the worst people. Upon the death of his wife, and the murder of his dog, he goes on a rampage that would send the average killer running. Chapter 2 takes place one day after the events of the first film. After John has exacted his revenge, he tries to go back to his normal life. But because of a code that prohibits coming back and killing for something like revenge, he is called back to be an assassin. Sent on a mission that promises his freedom upon completion, John quickly discovers that his employer is using him. And then it really gets good! The film stars Keanu Reeves, Common, Ruby Rose, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, Riccardo Scamarcio, and Lawrence Fishburne, each one adding to a terrific, action-packed story. The fight scenes alone are worth the price of the ticket. And it perfectly sets up Chapter 3, which cannot come too soon, because this film is worth it! The acting is great, the action is fantastic, and the story is so interesting that you want more. My only complaint with the film is the first half is slower than the second. But overall, it is so much fun.  

                                                               THE VERDICT

John Wick: Chapter 2 may be slow in the beginning, but its story, performances, and action keep you super entertained. I give it an A-.