Movie Reviews #29…
[I’ve decided to put these on Mondays for the rest of the summer because kids are off and even grownup moms and dads are looking to get out of the house and heat.]
Now You See Me #2. Jon Chu, Dir. Belies the adage because this sequel is much better! Still confusing (it’s about magicians, after all), and I could have done without the lady mago (Lizzy Caplan) and Woody Harrelson’s evil twin bro, but Morgan Freeman plays a more important role and shines this time, which is always good for a film. I didn’t see enough of Sanaa Lathan as the FBI agent (Mark Ruffalo’s boss); she did a far better job than Ms. Caplan. I hope to see more of her. That Harry Potter kid is OK, but it’s hard to think of him as a villain. Where’s Voldemort when you need him? Definitely preposterous, mind-bending fun, though.
Finding Dory. Andrew Stanton and Angus MacLane, Dirs. Confusing title because is looking for her parents. This annoying and forgetful fish is upstaged by the septopus (octopus who lost a leg). Nemo has a smaller role. Judging by the laugh track (kids in the audience), this is more successful than #1 too. But you have to wonder: sharks were the bad guys in #1; here a lady shark helps Dory. Maybe only guy sharks are bad? There’s some unscientific takes—a whale’s echolocation used out of water to track a truck, for example—but nothing more than you’ll find in your average Star Trek movie. The animation is fantastic and better than #1 also. But I still like Zootopia better.
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The “Clones and Mutants Trilogy” is on sale. Some authors bundle a series or part of a series. Here’s an alternative: from now until July 1, all three books in the “Clones and Mutants Trilogy” are on sale AT SMASHWORDS, $0.99 for each ebook, reduced from $2.99. The clones make their appearance in Full Medical (coupon code VJ44L) as part of a complex government conspiracy, they combine forces with the mutant in Evil Agenda (coupon code LE48D) to thwart another plot, and they all save the world in No Amber Waves of Grain (coupon code PZ86X). These aren’t comic book characters like X-Men—they’re real people who work to halt an apocalyptic future. Use the links and go directly to Smashwords to enter the coupon codes and get hours of summer reading for only $3. (Amazon addicts, did you know Smashwords also sells .mobi files for your Kindle? They handle all popular ebook formats.) Pass the word about this sale to your relatives and friends.
In libris libertas….
