"Keanu" *Non-Spoiler* Review

Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele team up in the comedy action film Keanu. Known for their comedic talents on their hit show Key & Peele, they decided to try out their talents on the big screen. Their first ever big screen appearance could not have gone that much better. Keanu is more of an action film than it is comedy. The movie will make you laugh, maybe just not as much as you hoped it will. That is not a bad thing because there are some good laughs in this movie. The story of Keanu is cousins Rell (Jordan Peele) and Clarence (Keegan-Michael Key) devise a plot to retrieve a stolen cat (Keanu) by posing as drug dealers for a street gang. As one could imagine, things get hectic and make for a very entertaining film. Method Man plays the lead drug dealer, Cheddar, and his crew consists of Hi-C (Tiffany Haddish), Trunk (Darrell Britt-Gibson), Bud (Jason Mitchell), and Stiches (Jamar Neighbors). The crew is the funniest part of the movie as they learn to adapt and take lessons from both Rell and Clarence. Key and Peele’s chemistry shines throughout the movie and the film keeps you smiling throughout the story. Luiz Guzman and Will Forte make short appearances in the movie and very well utilized in the film. While Keanu was not as funny as I hoped it to be, it is still a very entertaining and fun movie to go and see. It also does not hurt that the cat is one of the cutest cats out there.

Conclusion: Keanu stars comedians Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele and they deliver on almost every level imaginable. The movie has a strong supporting cast that will make you laugh, and more importantly, a story that you will care about. The film has surprise cameos and some unforeseen twists. While the movie comes up a tad bit short on the comedic side, it comes through everywhere else. Keanu is a rated R movie, but is very entertaining and is not a waste of your time or money.  Keanu may not be a “must-see”, but it is one you will want to see.

SCORE:                7.25/10 – ENTERTAINING/FUN                  

"The Jungle Book" *Non-Spoiler* Review

Disney’s and Director Jon Favreau’s live-action The Jungle Book is here and it is visually stunning. For those who do not know the story; Jungle Book is the tale of man-cub Mowgli, who is guided by Bagheera the panther and Baloo the bear, as he tries to flee from Shere Khan the tiger. Besides Mowgli (Neel Sethi), everything in this film is CGI and you would be hard pressed to realize it too. It is really a testament to Neel Sethi’s performance because he makes you believe he is really jumping through trees, talking to animals, and avoiding mud slides. For his first ever Hollywood performance, he looked like an absolute pro doing it. The voice actors in the film are magnificently casted. Bill Murray as Baloo, Idris Elba as Shere Khan, and Sir Ben Kingsley as Bagheera all do remarkable jobs voicing their characters and fit them perfectly which makes the film that much more enjoyable. Also, Christopher Walken as King Louie and Scarlett Johansson as Kaa both have small roles but impacts are fully felt. My personal favorite voice performance, outside the main 3, was that of Lupita Nyong’o as Raksha. The emotion between Mowgli and the wolves is very well done throughout the movie. There is just so much to love about this film.

Conclusion:  The Jungle Book by Jon Favreau is a visual masterpiece but also has substance to go along with it. Neel Sethi makes an impressive debut and the stars that voice the characters all give grade A performances. The storytelling is done almost to perfection and you believe that this movie takes place in an actual jungle instead of a movie studio. The emotion is what makes this film standout out the most. Of course it doesn’t hurt to include a couple of classic songs from the original movie. The Jungle Book is a family-friendly film that will definitely please you.

MY SCORE:         9/10 – BRILLAINT

"The Boss" *Non-Spoiler* Review

The Boss starring Melissa McCarthy is exactly what you think it would be; a movie with a simple plot but sequences that will make you laugh. While The Boss is not exactly anything to brag about, it does have some redeeming qualities. The star Melissa McCarthy (Michelle Darnell) is back to playing the same type of role she usually plays. That is not necessarily a bad thing, but of course when you play the same role so many times; it is hard to really mess up a performance. There were two really big standouts, comedy wise, in this film; Tyler Labine (Mike Beals) and Cedric Yarbrough (Tito). The two bring it every time they are on screen and steal the show every scene. Kristen Bell (Claire) plays the classic cliché character in this movie as the former employee turn mentor role. Finally, Peter Dinklage (Renault) plays the extremely weird and awkward ex-lover and rival to McCarthy. The Boss tells the story of successful business woman, Michelle Darnell, road to redemption after she is thrown in prison for insider trading. The plot of the film is simple but it surprisingly does hit on a couple emotional chords. Unfortunately for the movie, most of it is not really that funny and only somewhat enjoyable to watch.

Conclusion:  The Boss is the classic Melissa McCarthy movie, so if you are a big fan of her and the films she makes, you will enjoy this one. While the plot is simple, two side characters will make you laugh the most. That is not to mean McCarthy does not hold her own. She has some very fun lines and scenes in the movie, and others…well not so much. The problem with The Boss is that we have just seen this movie so many times before and this does not do a good enough job making itself standout among the rest. On a positive note, that fight scene you see in the trailer is awesome and hilarious. Overall, The Boss is not a must see movie, but is one people could enjoy.

MY SCORE:         4.5/10 – OKAY