Monday, May 22, 2017

Sleight (2017) Movie Review

Image result for sleight

At the heart of Sleight is its characters. Strong relatable characters that make you become personally invested in the high stakes in which they are involved. Bo (Jacob Latimore) is just a kid forced into manhood early after his mom dies. You feel for him as he struggles to try and take care of his younger sister while maintaining his moral compass at the same time. Holly (Seychelle Gabriel) finds her way into Bo's life with a heart-tugging story of her own. Both characters are on an unavoidable collision course that you can only hope ends for the best.

With superhero movies being all the rage for well over a decade at this point, I've gotta give credit to the rare ones that offer fresh takes on the genre. Sleight is extremely original, something you will walk away saying you haven't seen before. Where most origin stories start off with the main character already having a somewhat decent life (Batman, Thor, Iron Man), Sleight thrusts you into the inner city where drugs, nightlife, and violence are at the forefront. It's not long into the film you realize just how badly Bo's world needs a hero.

Part-time street magician, part-time drug dealer, Bo's goal is simple: Make enough money from the latter to buy his way out of the seedy life and focus on raising his sister. He's playing a dangerous game, however, as his boss Angelo isn't the easiest of dealers to get away from. The decisions Bo has to make are like little land mines effecting every single slice of his life. I won't ruin how the superhero aspect comes into play, but I will say it's both cool and refreshing.

Latimore delivers a strong peformance as does Gabriel playing Holly. Believability is everything and both actor and actress managed to capture the strength and vulnerability of their respective characters. On the flipside, Dule Hill's performance as Angelo was not nearly as believable. His role as crime boss didn't quite scare me as much as other notable actors in a similar role.

This film is a definite sleeper and I was glad to be a part of the circle of people that have viewed it. I saw this film and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 two days apart. Sleight was better. I give it a solid 89.

Monday, May 15, 2017

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) Movie Review

Image result for guardians of the galaxy vol. 2


There is so much to like about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and it doesn't really surprise me much as James Gunn hit a home run with the first one. Marvel has been on such a roll over the past few years and I'm sorry to tell the haters: They're not out of gas yet. I knew it would be funny from the trailers, but the humor hits you in different ways from the monumental to the subtle. It's sci-fi action that succeeds because of the funnybone at its core. For the most part it never takes itself too seriously.

Again, the trailers left me with certain expectations, one of which being that I had seen a good chunk of the good parts. Not so in the least. In fact, you remember that trailer scene where the Guardians are battling it out on the platform with the massive space monster? Yeah, that's just the first ten minutes. The movie is jam-packed with cool surprises that keep you on your toes even as the credit rolls. My lips are sealed, but be sure and stay on the lookout at all times for cool easter eggs.

I'll get off my praise horse for a moment to address my one gripe. While the film was excellent bordering on brilliant at times, I thought there were other times where it tried too hard. There were a handful of sentimental moments that were over the top reminding me of something I might find on a Lifetime movie. Gunn was forcing it, just as he found himself doing with a handful of the jokes that tried a little too hard to be funny. In his defense, there are few movies that get this completely right. In a film that feels like a walking punchline, there's bound to be jokes that fall flat. Not to mention it's better to try to hard than look like you never really tried at all.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 succeeds without there being any kind of plot to drive the ship. The cast's familiarity with each other shines onscreen. You have a better feel for these guys this time around which makes their actions and dialogue even funnier. Everyone will rave about how awesome and cute Baby Groot was, but I personally think that Drax steals the show this time around. He's over impulsive and his decisions tend to drive the direction of the group, mostly in directions they never wanted to go in the first place. The blunt way he puts things will leave you cracking up.

Not quite as good as the first, but still a strong sequel. I give it an 86.