A Quiet Place Surprises As A Breakthrough Directorial Debut For John Krasinski

    

        In an era where comic book movies and sequels dominate the roaster at the box office, one would think that originality and creativity are becoming harder to come by as Hollywood is leaning more towards playing it safe with superhero genre based films, as well as reboots rather than experiment with smaller scale films that bring something new to the table. That's what makes the surprise box office and critical success of John Kransinski's A Quiet Place so significant, it's a film that's a pure exercise in being both imaginative and creative while drawing inspiration from the post-apocalyptic genre that it thrives in. In a year where the most dominating movies at the box office happen to mostly be comic book films and live-action remakes of Disney films, it's nice to see a smaller budget film that's ambitious and totally confident in it's storytelling abilities breakout and become a success of its own both commercially as well as exceeding expectations in terms of how good it can be. A Quiet Place happened to be one of 2018's breakthrough hits as well as being one of the best films released that year when all was said and done. Easily the most successful horror film since both recent chapters of Stephen King's IT, A Quiet Place is a horror flick that's not only entertaining to watch, but surprises on many levels with how well done and crafted it is. It's nice to see a horror film come around that possesses brains and imagination, while showing an actors true talent both as the star of the film as well as being the director and co-scriptwriter. With A Quiet Place, John Krasinski hits a home run as he stretches his legs in regards to expanding on his talents both on and off the camera.

      The story for A Quiet Place takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where a family (Played by John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe) is forced to live in silence while hiding from monsters with ultra-sensitive hearing. A Quiet Place is a horror film that's exciting from start to finish while moving at a brisk pace, allowing the audience to be drawn into the films nightmarish world while becoming emotionally invested in it's characters. A Quiet Place is a combination of films such as 10 Cloverfield Lane mixed with a touch of Signs as well as The Road with all three influences morphing into it's own story which deserves major points for its efforts regarding creativity, imagination, brilliance, cleverness, and ultimately managing to be surprising to the audience with it's twist and turns. The concept of a creature with extra special hearing searching for people while forcing them to use sigh language to communicate is both an original and genius concept, that actually manages to bring something new to the horror genre. While it can be argued that the post-apocalyptic aspect of the story is a tad familiar to audiences as it's been done before with numerous other movies, A Quiet Place takes an already familiar setting yet delivers an engaging twist to the genre while allowing it's cast and filmmakers to rise to the occasion with their creative skills and believable performances. John Krasinski shows audiences that there is much more to him than just a comedic actor and can actually craft a striking horror film, that makes the audience think while placing them in the scenario presented in the story.

      As far as performances go, John Krasinski is terrific here as he shows a great deal of emotional depth to his role as a father both dealing with grief while trying to protect his family from the outside forces pursuing them. Emily Blunt is fantastic in the role of the wife and mother also dealing with grief and struggling to keep her family together while juggling her pregnancy. The young child actors played by Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe, deliver strong performances with them bringing believability to their roles along with making you care about their safety during scenes where they come into contact with the creature. The films opening sequence beautifully sets up the tone for the rest of the film with it establishing the post-apocalyptic nature of the story, as well as the silent family sticking together while being forced to communicate through sigh language with the end of that sequence presenting a shocking revelation, that gains a firm grip of the audiences attention by the time the main title appears.

       In terms of the films directing and writing, John Kransinski directs the film with an extreme and impressive amount of confidence in regards to telling the story. He writes the film beautifully in a way where not too much information is given about the backstory of the family nor what's happening. Rather he gives the audience just enough information through news clippings and selected dialogue to make everything clear, while forcing the audience to never take their eyes off the screen when the actors communicate through sigh language. Such a move would normally prove to be a risky one by today's Hollywood's standards, but here it's presented in a way that's essential to the storyline, while being done exceptionally well showcasing brilliance on the filmmakers end as well as their firm grip on the story. The films cinematography and art-set decoration are both perfect and effective enough to convince the audience that the nightmarish world their seeing has been overrun by monsters with enhanced hearing, making the scenario both intense, frightening, and ultimately tiresome to watch. The best thing that can be said about this film outside of it's stellar performances and solid production values, is the level of brains and intelligence that shockingly as well as admirably went into telling this story. What could've easily ended up being another generic horror film or a been there and done that post-apocalyptic tale, turns out to be a pleasant surprise that shows the horror genre still has some tricks up it's sleeve, while being inspirational to other filmmakers in showing that creativity is not fully absent just yet.

       In an era where most breakthrough films or blockbusters nowadays are mostly sequels, comic book movies, franchise-oriented films, remakes, or reboots, it's nice to see a film with a reasonably creative concept with a healthy dose of originality take the center stage in showing that there is still room for smaller stories, that can have a significant impact on it's audience long after the credits roll. Despite the movie being only 90 minutes long, the film does a very good job of pulling the audience into its world, and placing them on the journey the family endures, making them become invested with the characters while generating some solid scares and suspense. The creatures intelligent feature is a clever twist with the family being forced into being silent, proving to be an ingenius twist that's done exceptionally well. A Quiet Place is a horror flick that's beautifully written, masterfully directed, and acted in a way that makes it feel artfully done. Whereas most horror movies in today's generation rely on jump scares and gore, A Quiet Place shows that one doesn't need those elements to make a movie scary and sometimes the silence of the moment can genuinely be just as creepy or more. The film is a triumph in the sense that it successfully manages to make the audience care about the characters, while making the story both tense and exciting despite the lack of dialogue. For horror fans and audiences in general, it's the films originality and level of thoughtfulness that went into it's story, ultimately making it a unique yet special experience for them. Hopefully the talent that John Kransinski brings to the table with this film both infront and behind the camera, will encourage and inspire other actors and filmmakers audiences would least expect to test and discover their own potential.                                                               
Final Verdict: For horror fans as well as those looking for fairly original and creative storytelling, A Quiet Place is a must see.

Sicario: Day Of The Soldado Is A Cynical Yet Entertaining Sequel To Denis Villeneuve's Acclaimed Hit

      

      When one looks at the current slate of movies that traditionally come out during the summer box office movie season, they usually consist of sequels to comic book movies or big budget films with hundreds of expensive CGI shots. The industry consists of franchise oriented films, which makes it even more impressive that a smaller budget film with a serious tone such as Denis Villeneuve's Sicario received a sequel in the summer 2018 with the studio brave enough to put it up against franchise favorites such as Incredibles ll and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. The first Sicario was a solid and effective thriller, that became a surprise hit at the box office while garnering critical acclaim for it's storytelling, acting performances with praise being directed towards Emily Blunt and Benicio Del Toro, the films stunning cinematography, musical score, and strong direction from Villeneuve, who later went onto helm the underrated masterpiece sequel to Blade Runner titled Blade Runner: 2049. The film also received well-deserved Oscar nominations for Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, and Best Sound Editing at the Academy Awards. It didn't take long for a sequel to Sicario to become greenlighted with the story continuing from where the first film ended with the main focus being directed towards Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin's characters. Absent from the sequel are Emily Blunt and Denis Villeneuve as the director with Stefano Sollina taking over the directing helm. The end result is a reasonably decent follow-up to the first film, even if the sequel doesn't match the well-craftedness of Sicario. Whereas the second continues without the involvement of Blunt, whose character left a huge impact on audiences with the first movie and Denis Villeneuve's masterful directorial touch, the sequel still manages to be stylish, grim, and engaging to watch thanks to Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin's performances.

      The plot for Sicario: Day Of The Soldado continues from where the first film left off with the US government declaring Mexican drug cartels terrorists, and enlisting the help of a team of agents to initiate a war between two cartels with their plan starting with the kidnapping of one of the kingpins daughter. The sequel has federal agent Matt Graver (Played by Josh Brolin's), re-teaming with the mercurial Alejandro (Played brilliantly once again by Benicio Del Toro) to help fight the drug war on the U.S-Mexico border, which escalated to the point of the cartels trafficking terrorists across the US border. The plot for Sicario: Day Of The Soldado is interesting enough to make for an effective sequel, that's full of suspense and tension with some action sprinkled throughout the story. The problem with the new film however, is that the audience lost key characters they can connect with such as Emily Blunts character from the first one. Blunt and Villeneuve did such a good job of building up her character from the first one, along with getting the audience drawn into the story with them caring about her well-being at the end. With the sequel, the audience loses that connection with the characters as Brolin and Del Toro's characters don't hold the same emotional power. Removing Blunt's character Kate Mercer from the script, essentially removes the moral compass of the first film as well as what would've been the sequels heart. Day Of The Soldado still does a strong job of reprising much of the same type of directorial style of the first film with similar cinematography, music, and mood building with the films grim atmosphere. The filmmakers essentially offer the audience more of the same in terms of what made the first film work such that films realistic, gritty, and violent viewpoint of terrorism, traffiking, and the necessity of becoming dirty in order to win pivotal wars. While the sequel looks appealing visually and is on point with the first Sicario in technical terms, the film lacks some essential ingredients that would've brought it much closer to the 2015 film, but the end result doesn't completely collapse nor fail. A comparison to these sets of movies are 1993's The Fugitive and it's sequel/spin-off film U.S Marshals. The first was a well-received critical and financial hit like The Fugitive with the sequel not performing as well both critically and financially. Day Of The Soldado feels very much like US Marshals where it works as being an entertaining follow-up to it's predecessor, but never comes close because it lacks the heart of the previous film despite carrying much of what made that film work. Both sequels lose their main star while retaining the supporting cast, that helped make their predecessors what they are. In the case of The Fugitive and U.S Marshals, the sequel loses Harrison Ford but still retains Tommy Lee Jones in the main role to keep it worth watching and exciting. With Sicario: Day Of The Soldado, the sequel loses Emily Blunt but retains the strong side characters from the first movie played by Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro, to maintain the audience interest while attempting to fill the void of Blunts absence.

       As far as acting performances go, the cast of Day Of The Soldado shines through once again much like the first, delivering strong and believable performances as the actors and actresses bring both realism and grittiness to their parts. Josh Brolin does a very good job reprising his role as Matt Graver from the first movie. His character remains as equally interesting and compelling to watch with him taking the lead this time along with Del Toro's character. Benicio Del Toro delivers a dynamic and scene-stealing performance as hitman Alejandro, proving to be just as intense and intimidating as he appeared in the first film. Whether together on the screen or separate, Brolin and Del Toro are the driving forces of the story with both delivering commanding performances while working well off each other. Isabela Merced shines as the young daughter of a kingpin, whose kidnapped by the main characters in hopes of starting a war between two cartels. Jeffrey Donovan reprises his role and impresses as Steve Forsing, member of Matt Graver's team. Catherine Keenar and Matthew Modine both do well in their minimal roles, adding both quality and class to the cast with their performances. Elijah Rodriguez impresses as Miguel, a young boy recruited by the cartels to perform illicit border crossings. The cast as a whole delivers top notch performances with everyone bringing their A game to the film, though one clearly misses the presence of Emily Blunt, Daniel Kaluuya as her partner Reggie, and Victor Garber as Dave Jennings. Whereas Emily Blunt and Benicio Del Toro gave outstanding work in the original film, the sequel has Josh Brolin and Del Toro leading the rest of the cast, as well as setting the bar for what everyone's performances should be.

      The directing by Stefano Sollima works effectively in terms of delivering an entertaining and tension-filled action thriller. Sollima had a heavy task set infront of him in regards to continuing the work that's well-established by Denis Villeneuve. Although he's no Denis in regards to masterfully building up tension and characters, Sollima does a very good job of trying to retain the same style and tone of the 2015 original. The cinematography by Dariusz Wolski is impressive though not as innovative and striking as Roger Deakins Oscar-nominated work on the first Sicario. The films editing moves the film at a slow-pace like it's predecessor, allowing time for the story and characters to develop as well as the building up of the tension in the story. The score by Hildur Guonadottir does a good job of continuing the work started by the first film conposer Johann Johannsson, who sadly passed away in 2018. Johannson earned a well-deserved Oscar nomination for his work on the first Sicario and although Hildur's work isn't as a strong, still manages to be a worthy companion piece. The approach that Sollima takes with the sequel is both a noble and risky one as he presents the sequel as being a story with no moral guidance with the removal of Blunt's character from the equation. By doing this, he presents a darker and more haunting film, which includes highly intense scenes such as terrorists walking into retail stores on US soil and detonating bombs strapped to themselves. Sollima makes it a point with this scene to show that there are no rules in the sequel, and that the environment presented in the film is lawless with both sides taking extreme measures in order to achieve their goal. Sollima maintains the spirit of the first movie but doesn't try to copy or remake it. Instead he makes a distant sequel which manages to tell it's own story despite it's faults. Sollima also tries to give Brolin and Del Toro's character more of a complex in this one, particularly the latter as the audience saw minimal of Alejandro in the first Sicario, which helped make his character extremely well-crafted​ effective and memorable in that film. The films action sequences are well-shot and filmed in a way that draws the audience into the scene, making them feel apart of the moment while making them question whether certain characters will make it to the end of the film. Like U.S Marshals, the sequel to Sicario manages to go in a different direction than it's predecessor and manages to work for the most part.

      The films writing by Taylor Sheridan is strong with the sequels plot being well-thought out and serviceable despite the film lacking the key main character, that helped make the first such a hit with audiences. The sequel tackles themes that include smuggling terrorists into the country for profit, the reign of drug cartels, issues regarding the Mexico/US border, suicide bombers, Border Patrol, and revenge. The films message as evidenced by the graphic nature of the films violence says that the war against terrorism and drug cartels is not an easy one, and that drastic measures must be taken in order to win (Hence the eliminating of the films moral compass which is the character of Kate Mercer). The films script is written in a way that doesn't necessarily require one to watch the first Sicario film in order to fully understand what is going on in Day Of The Soldado, despite the film having the same main characters. The sequel does a good job of reintroducing Brolin and Del Toro's characters along with explaining their motivations to the audience and reintroducing the murky and lawless world they operate in. Although the main characters are portrayed as being the protagonists in the story, they use methods that exceed what is considered to be acceptable by lawful standards with the villains being low level and downright corrupt. In terms of righteous characters, there is no main character in the film that can be considered a sympathetic character other than the drug kingpins daughter Isabel Reyes, despite the fact that the audience first impression of her involves her fighting a classmate. The film is essentially a story about morals being thrown out the window and extreme measures being taken in a quest for gaining power over the other side. The filmmakers and writer Sheridan make an interesting play on the concept of the first movie by presenting a lawless environment with the audience not having any character they can agree with nor get behind. While that approach is a bold and smart one for the sequel, it also robs it of one of its key elements that made the first film so appealing to audiences, as well as providing the barrier between the two sides.

      The question that fans of the first Sicario will find themselves asking upon watching Day Of The Soldado is whether the original film even needed a sequel as it's story was bookended solidly. The sequel tries it's hardest to justify a continuation of that films story, even going as far as utilizing the supporting side characters from the first film, who are appealing enough to continue the story. Sicario: Day Of The Soldado gives audiences much of what made the first movie work, while managing to churn out a reasonably decent yet cynical sequel that serves as being an interesting play on the themes and concepts that the first movie built up. With a third movie planned in hopes of completing a three film arc with the Sicario story, one hopes that the writers can find a way to bring Emily Blunt back for the third film as well as Denis Villeneuve as director to give the story the grand finish it deserves. Day of the Soldado for the most part is intense, thrilling, and works as being a sequel that stays consistent with the first film even if it doesn't reach the same cinematic height as that film. It wasn't a sequel that audiences needed as Sicario wrapped things up nicely, but it doesn't ruin or tarnish the legacy of that film. One hopes though that the third movie goes back to basics and provides fans with a strong finish as the end of this movie leaves the audience hooked to find out what happens next.

Final Verdict: A worthy sequel to Sicario despite it's faults. There's more that's positive about it than negative.

   

Netflix's The Christmas Chronicles Succeeds Largely Due To Kurt Russell's Brilliant Performance As Santa Clause.

      When one thinks of great Santa Clause movies for the holiday season, Tim Allen's 1994 family hit The Santa Clause comes to mind. That film since its release has become a staple in regards to what a movie based on Santa Clause should look like (Billy Bob Thorton's Bad Santa doesn't come to mind). With Netflix's The Christmas Chronicles, a new Santa Clause is born for today's generation of young audiences along with a story that carries with it heart, charm, and puts the spirit back into the concept of Christmas. Released on Netflix instead of receiving an official theatrical release much like Tim Allen's 90's movie, The Christmas Chronicles proved to be a huge hit with audiences despite receiving mixed reviews from critics with the film being praised for Kurt Russell's performance as Santa Clause along with the main criticism being drawn towards the films special effects as well as its campy style. Having watched the film, one can easily say that The Christmas Chronicles succeeds in delivering a new modern holiday classic despite its minor faults. The film succeeds largely thanks to Kurt Russell's brilliant performance as Santa, which ultimately proves to be both genius and clever casting. The movie also benefits from having young side characters, that the audience becomes connected with along with the movie being charming, funny, and at times, often magical with its child-like perspective in terms of exploring whether Santa Clause is real or a figment of the the main characters imagination. In a time where the world has become a darker and more cynical place, it's nice to have a Christmas story that can still make people believe in the impossible while paying homage to classic Christmas stories such as Miracle on 34th Street and Tim Allen's The Santa Clause.

      The plot for The Christmas Chronicles centers around a pair of siblings, Kate and Teddy Pierce, who still grieving over the loss of their father, hatch a plan on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Clause in the act on camera. Their plan leads them on an unexpected journey, that most kids dream of being apart of. The plot for The Christmas Chronicle works well in terms of bringing a fresh and brand new holiday story, that properly reintroduces Santa Clause for a new generation of young audiences while effectively modernizing the tale. The film largely plays on the imagination that young children have in regards to the mystery surrounding Santa Clause, as well as the curiosity and desire to see if such a person is real or not. The filmmakers behind The Christmas Chronicles succeed in making audiences relive their childhood nostalgia in regards to believing in Christmas and wanting to experience Santa's presence. The film works largely thanks to Russell's performance as Santa Clause with his role being the key to the film being as fun-spirited and energetic as it comes across. The characters of Kate and Teddy work well together because of their relatability to the audience in regards to feeling lonely and sad during the holiday season due to them not having their father around and their mother working hard to provide for them, while dealing with her own grief regarding her husbands loss. The family dynamic presented in the film is effective in terms of setting up the theme of the kids going on an adventure full of both imagination and wonder, while lowering their guard in terms of questioning what's reality. The story for The Christmas Chronicles is exactly what a holiday film should look and feel like with it having such a warmth feel to it, as well as possessing heart as well as a sentimental touch to it. The story highly encourages the audience to look into their own inner child in regards to fully enjoying the adventure that's present on the screen without regard for a hundred percent realism. The film does a solid job of transporting audiences to that place where they can feel like young children again at the age where they could believe that anything's possible.

      The films strongest asset lies within it's strong performances from its main cast with Kurt Russell's performance as Santa being the driving force behind the film. Russell's Clause is the main attraction of the film with his performance being so strong, he completely sells the idea to audiences that he is the one and the only Saint Nick (Audiences get a kick out of seeing his character poke fun, as well as being frustrated at the iconic stature of his character being depicted in pop culture as being overweight). Without Russell's casting being the biggest piece of the puzzle in terms of making the story work, the film wouldn't have turned out as well as it did. His character brings out the fun-spirited nature of the film along with the heart and charm hidden behind the films dramatic aspects of the story. As for his side characters, Darby Camp and Judah Lewis shine as siblings Kate and Teddy Pierce with Camp delivering the strongest performance of the two. Darby embodies the spirit of the young child, that pretends to go to sleep on Christmas Eve but secretly stays up late at night to catch Santa Clause leaving behind presents in the living room. She beautifully conveys that emotion with Judah Lewis effectively portraying the flawed older brother, who desires a Christmas present he can never receive from Santa, which is to see his father again. Lewis like Camp, succeeds in making the audience feel the pain the siblings feel over the loss of their dad along with an understanding of why Lewis character acts the way he does along with a cynical view of Christmas. Kimberley Williams-Paisley has a minimal role as Kate and Teddy's mother, but works in an effective yet generic role as the grieving mother, whose struggling to keep her family together while dealing with her loss in the only way she knows how which is staying busy with work. Oliver Hudson shines in his minimal role as the siblings father Doug, making the audience feel the loss with the brief yet poignant moments his character appears in archive footage. The cast as a whole is the strongest aspect of the film and deliver performances that are fun to watch but full of heart, emotion, charm, and possess a carefree attitude towards the story bringing complete believability to their roles.

      In terms of the films directing and writing, director Clay Kaytis does a solid job of creating an effective Christmas atmosphere that's enchanting and feels modernized. The film carries with it a genuine Christmas spirit, that comes with tons of clever and witty humor, mayhem, and a car chase involving the cops and Santa. The film feels like one endless homage to the holiday classic films of the 1980's as well as films like The Adventures In Babysitting. Kaytis takes the modern world and gives it a majestic feel in regards to making the audience feel like this scenario could happen now. He presents Santa as being a magical force that can speed from one Chimney to the next in seconds, while delivering presents in order to reach everyone on his good list in one night. The films weakest point in terms of direction lies within the films CGI work, particuarly the Elves of the North Pole despite being appealing look wise. The scenes with Santa on his sleigh are exciting, but not always compelling on a visual note, though it gives the film a Saturday morning feel to it. Watching the film, it's clear that the director and writers have a vision for this story, though one can't help but feel at times that it feels restraint due to it being confined as a Netflix film rather than a theatrical production. Director Clay Kaytis does a good job of taking a familiar Christmas story, and attempts to turn it upside down on it's head with the aim being both young and adult audiences. The films production qualities such as it's art-set decoration and costume design, work well together in terms of giving the film a Christmas style feel to it as well as a heartfelt score by Christophe Bank, and a steady pace that slowly builds up the anticipation the audience feels for the arrival of Santa's character on the screen. Once Kurt Russell's Clause arrives, the film takes off like a race car and doesn't lose momentum.

      The films screenplay by Matt Lieberman and story by David Guggenheim works well together in regards to playing off the classic elements of a traditional Christmas movie. The films opening sets up a sombre and moving subplot involving the family attempting to heal from the loss of the husband/father figure in their lives. While that subplot might be too mature for this type of story as well as making it a questionable inclusion into what's supposed to be a modernized take on a classical Christmas story, it helps to establish the siblings as being young kids who need to be reminded of what Christmas as well as the holiday season is truly about such as believing in the unbelievable, loving each other, forgiveness, and being kind to ohers. The film explores all of these themes within it's script, making them effective and relevant to today's audiences. The film also covers naughty behaviors such as Teddy having a history of stealing cars behind his families back as well as mistreating Kate. The film even presents a funny yet shocking twist involving Santa Clause and the siblings ending up in a high speed car chase in a twice-stolen car, that lands them in jail. The film also has moments where it has the siblings using words like "hell" or "damn" to make the characters feel natural to today's youth of kids in terms of how they speak. In terms of the overall script, it does a very good job of blending together all the elements to make an effective family film with the addition of Santa Clause into the story being a great twist. The families subplot is well-developed, making the audience feel and sympathize with them. The film has humor that hits both young and adult audiences perfectly without feeling forced (The whole "fake news" poke with Santa decrying a claim Kate makes in regards to him supposed to say Ho Ho Ho is brilliant). The film has a hilarious key sequence that includes Russell's Santa Clause performing a musical number with an improv band of criminals locked in a jail cell on Christmas Eve. That sequence is over-the-top but clever and funny with it representing the writers taking a different approach to the Santa Clause storyline, while keeping it cheerful and holiday-oriented. While one can argue that the films dramatic moments feel forced or the cheesy yet heartfelt speeches in which Santa tells characters such as Teddy to just be themselves comes across as feeling cringe-worthy, both elements work within the plot because of the message the film is trying to convey to audiences, young ones in particular. Audiences have clearly seen the subplot before involving the main characters fighting to save Christmas for millions of people before, but it still remains effective and gives them something to root for as they end up buying the rest of the story largely thanks to Kurt Russell's masterful performance as Santa Clause (Dare one says, he probably had more fun making this movie than he did any of his other films due to the role).

      In the end, The Christmas Chronicles proves to be a surprising experience, ultimately making it worthy of being a fun-spirited and entertaining Christmas tale that's destined to become a new holiday classic in the same vein as A Christmas Story, Home Alone, Nightmare Before Christmas, Tim Allen's The Santa Clause, Bad Santa, and Elf. The film has elements within it's plot, which can be enjoyed and appreciated by audiences, both young and old. The film isn't perfect as it's CGI work on the young Elves is a bit shaky at times due to the limitations of the film being grounded in terms of it's budget, but it doesn't detract nor harm the film in a way which makes it unworthy of being a fun family-themed adventure. The film is a charming, imaginative, heartwarming, and uplifting experience that reminds audiences about what the soul of Christmas is truly about, while challenging them to relive their inner child in regards to believing in Santa Clause once again for the films well-acted 104 minute running time. The film is a must see for Kurt Russell fans as well as those looking for a creative and somewhat original Christmas story, that borrows elements from the past while reimagining the classic story for today's generation making it funny, exciting, and full of heart. For those who were skeptical of The Christmas Chronicles at first and went in with caution at how Netflix would pull this one off, the results proved to be a surprising and genuinely satisfying experience that's worth watching and being enjoyed by families this Christmas. If one is hesitant to see this movie, give it a chance as the film itself will surprise you.

Final Verdict: For Kurt Russell fans as well as those searching for a different type of Christmas film rather than watching the same ones again, The Christmas Chronicles is a must-see.

Incredibles ll Succeeds In Delivering Much Of What Audiences Loved About The Original

      After making audiences wait 14 years to see the continuation of America's number one iconic superhero family, Disney's Pixar finally gives audiences the sequel they've been waiting for with Incredibles ll. Reuniting all the key voice actors and characters back from the first film, the filmmakers pick up the story from where they left off previously with the sequel placing focus on the Incredibles families new mission, which includes a switch in family roles with the parents. The first Incredibles became a smash hit upon its release in 2004, pulling in over $630 million worldwide and garnering instant critical acclaim with a sequel being discussed and brainstormed for over a decade before being greenlighted. Returning from the first film are Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, and Samuel L. Jackson with newcomers Huckleberry Milner, Bob Odenkirk, Catherine Keener, and Jonathan Banks. The sequel was put on hold by the previous films director Brad Bird, who wished to differentiate the script from other superhero films and TV shows released since the first movie with more emphasis being placed on the family dynamic rather than the superhero genre. The end result is one that proves to be highly satisfying and ultimately a worthy sequel to it's predecessor. However, given the 14 year timespan that audiences waited for the second installment in the popular Incredibles series, one can help but feel the end result is slightly underwhelming.

      The plot for Incredibles ll centers around the Incredibles family Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, Violet, Dash, and Jack-knives (Voiced to absolute perfection by Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Huck Milner, and Eli Fucile) being prohibited from using their powers as their crime-fighting routines often ended up causing massive property damage. The people who come to their support are a wealthy entrepreneur (Voiced by Bob Odenkirk) and his inventive sister (Voiced by Catherine Keener), both whom begin a campaign to make superheroes legal again. However, a supervillain with the ability to hypnotize others has alternative plans for the Incredibles. One of the strongest aspects of the sequel is how well the stories for the first two films blend together with the plot for Incredibles ll feeling like a natural evolution for the characters. Much like Pixar's Toy Story 1 and 2, Incredibles ll maintains the same style of fun, charm, superhero satire, and family dynamic that the first Incredibles movie possessed. Brad Bird returns to the directing chair and crafts a sequel that remains just as witty, inventive, and smart as the first even if the sequel doesn't quite pack the same emotional punch but remains a touching story nonetheless about a superhero family, that essentially desires to fit in with society as well as be accepted. Whereas The Incredibles heavily revolved around Mr. Incredible with Mrs. Incredible being second to the story, the sequel reverses the roles with Elastigirl receiving the main focus in the script this time with the husband struggling to adjust to everyday family life. Both stories are written so well and appear to be complimentary of each other. Though Incredibles ll misses some of the spark that made the first movie the animated classic it is today, the sequel comes close enough and earns its name of being a worthy follow-up that maintains the heart and rich entertainment value of it's predecessor.

      As far as the voice performances go, the returning cast from the first film as well as the band of newcomers all deliver fantastic performances, bringing old characters back to life with the same style of energy and enthusiasm with the new faces being appealing and interesting characters. Craig T. Nelson and Holly Hunter both give excellent performances as Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl with their relationship being the heart of the story. These two make for one of the screens most compelling superhero couples, as they bring both charm and believability to their roles in regards to showing audiences the struggle of balancing out their normal everyday family lives along with being international superheroes in a vein similar to Robert Rodriguez's Spy Kids and Sky High. Sarah Vowell is great once again as Violet with the audience witnessing her characters struggle to be both a normal teen as well as being apart of her families superhero team. She's equally likable and sympathetic of a character as she was in the previous film. The same goes for Huck Milner and Eli Fucile as Dash and Jack-knives, both do a terrific job of fitting back into their roles and adding more to their characters. Samuel L. Jackson delivers another strong, fun, and impressive performance as close friend of the Incredibles as well as crime fighting partner, Frozone. Jackson once again shines in his supporting role, making his character equally fun to watch as the first time around. As for the new additions to the cast, Bob Odenkirk and Catherine Keener deliver excellent voice acting performances as the wealthy siblings, intending to put superheroes back on the map with Keener delivering the strongest performance of the two. Brad Bird reprises his role of Edna from the first Incredibles, adding the same style of humor, charm, and wittiness to the role being equally effective. The performances from the main cast play a huge part in why the sequel does such a great job of attempting to maintain the same style of fun, excitement, and heart as its predecessor. There is not one performance in the film that doesn't feel enthusiastic nor inspired as everyone brings their A game here while appearing to be having a ball.

      In terms of the films directing and writing, Brad Bird once again returns to the directing chair and continues the story of these iconic characters he near flawlessly brought to the screen 14 years prior. What Bird does so well with the characters is making them feel real and relatable to the audience. He makes the audience care about the family and understand their struggle in regards to living two lives. It's also noble how he gives Elastigirl the same kind of equal footing that Mr. Incredible had in the first film. The films animation is breathtaking once again with the film looking flashy and colorful with a crisp feel to it. The new superheroes introduced in the film come with impressive character designs, further pulling audiences into the superhero world of the Incredibles. As far as the films running time goes, the film clocks in at an usual running time of two hours for an animated movie and doesn't feel rushed. The film doesn't move slowly nor speeds through it's plot, it lasts long enough for the audience to spend the appropriate amount of time with the main characters again before closing shop with the films stunning climax. Michael Giacchino returns once again to compose the score for the film and delivers another brilliant score, that compliments the main characters as well as the tone of the story. The films action sequences are minimal and spread throughout the film, making their impact more significant when they do arrive. The action this time around is stronger and manages to improve upon what's present in the first Incredibles film. With Incredibles ll, Bird returns to extend the story he created over a decade prior and does a damn good job of trying to make everything match up with the first film.

       The films writing is both the films strongest and weakest point in terms of it falling just shy of it's predecessor. The script excels in giving more development to Elastigirl, as well as switching the family roles with Mr. Incredible essentially being in his wife's shoes this time around. It's a smart move that mirrors the events of the previous film, while presenting something new to the story. The problem with the new film however, is sometimes it becomes too reliant on the previous film for comfort. What made the original Incredibles film so appealing to audiences at the time of it's release, was the fact that it was fresh and creative with it's concept. Before the birth of the MCU, the Incredibles came at a time where comic book movies weren't as routinely released as they are now, and thrived off giving audiences an alternative to Sam Raimi's Spiderman trilogy or Bryan Singers X-Men films. The Incredibles had a concept that took the superhero genre and turned it on it's head in a way which was creative, fun, exciting, noble, and served as entertainment for the whole family. The second Incredibles film is released in an era where many of it's plot devices and twists have already been done before in other superhero movies, making it lose some of the magic of the first movie. As strong as the plot for the sequel is, it has moments where it comes across as feeling a tad formulaic as well as predictable, though not in a way that brings the film down significantly. The film still has the slapstick and broad humor the previous film had along with clever bits of satire. The film carries a strong and effective antagonist, though the main reveal can be predicted a mile away before it actually happens. Perhaps asking for the sequel to recapture all of the first movies magic is too tall of an order given the legacy that the first film has enjoyed in between the two movies, but the sequel does a damn fine job of working its way towards being on the same level as its predecessor. It certainly tries to rekindle the magic of watching these characters for the first time on the screen, as well as exploring their story with the end result being worthy of the franchises name.

       Compared to last year's Into The Spider-Verse, Incredibles ll isn't quite as good as that movie manages to have the impact that this film was searching for in terms of being fresh, impactful, and making it's audience believe in a new breed of superheroes again. The sequel appears to be lacking the innovativeness of it's predecessor. Incredibles ll never feels like it's better than the first film, but it feels like a genuine part ll of the story, that still possesses the heart, the spirit, the charm, and the soul of that film. Watching the new film, it's clear that the returning actors appear to be happy in regards to reprising their roles once again with a story that allows them to build on the work they did before previously. With Incredibles ll, the filmmakers know what the audience want and deliver all of the ingredients that made the first film a smash bit with audiences. The film is a beautifully stunning and colorful film that's witty, extremely fun to watch and carries with it brains. It might've been too much to expect lightning in a bottle twice in terms of matching the same level of audaciousness the first film had, but the sequel remains bold and daring with it's overall presentation with the action marking a significant upgrade from the first film along with a strong enough villain to keep the stakes high. For fans of the first Incredibles as well as Pixar and comic book nerds, Incredibles ll is worth watching as it richly brings back the characters, that audiences fell in love with 14 years prior and gives them a glimpse of where they ended up after the end of the first film. If they choose to make a third Incredibles, one hopes they don't wait as long to put together a compelling story to wrap up the series in grand fashion. One of the strongest films of 2018 as well as being one of the best animated films released last year.

Final Verdict: Incredibles ll is a must see for fans of the first film, as well as fans of superhero films and Pixar movies in general.