Friday, May 24, 2019At The Movies
Time to take a break this holiday weekend and take in a movie? Reader Eric Lucero, our resident reviewer, takes a look at a trio of films.
Tolkien (PG-13) ****Stars out of 5  “Tolkien” depicts his formative years as a teenager, his friendships, his mastery of languages, his romance of Edith Bratt and finally, his horrific experience as a young British officer in the Battle of the Somme-France (1914) during the “War to End All Wars.” Gifted British actor Nicholas Hoult (Warm Bodies, 2013) plays the iconic Tolkien with verve and emotive sobriety. The supporting cast is inspired and memorable.
Tolkien’s legacy lives today. He is considered the father of modern fantasy literature, having climbed that vaunted throne long before George R. R. Martin’s noted series—Game of Thrones—arrived on the scene.
There has been criticism of the film for failing to clearly depict Tolkien’s Christian religious beliefs as a central pillar to his life and literary works (I am in this camp).
Tolkien’s life and works extol the timeless values of virtue, honesty, loyalty, friendship and sacrifice. “Tolkien” is a fair and sobering portrayal of that as well as his genius.
Long Shot (R) **1/2 Stars out of 5 “Long Shot” tries hard to be a semi-comedy/romance, with a dash of political satire thrown in; it fails in both regards.
Seth Rogen’s (Flarsky) raunchy film antics are legendary to his fans, but don’t mesh believably with his contrived love interest; the always striking Charlize Theron, who plays a sophisticated and accomplished politico yet has a wacko, wild side.
In short, this pair could never have seriously been a past item, much less years later. Nor would Rogen’s character be hired as a speechwriter for the likes of Theron’s character, Field.
If you like adolescent humor as doled out by this Jonathan Levine fantasy story then this romp is for you. Otherwise, rent “The Front Runner” (2018***1/2 Stars).
Wandering Earth (PG-13) ***Stars out of 5  “Wandering Earth” borrows, purloins and outright steals dialogue, scenes and story lines from classic American films. It reeks of intellectual property theft. But isn’t “imitation the sincerest form of flattery?” With that said, there is a viable plot. Our sun is dying out and a united world government responds by building giant, planet moving thruster “engines” to move the Earth out of orbit and into a new star system. Of course this 2,500-year journey will be fraught with peril and the usual suspects will save all of humanity. The only question is how! “Wandering Earth,” will not become a genre classic, but its fast and furious pace, eye popping visuals, state of the art effects and heart tugging, multifaceted personal stories is watchable escapist fare. I’d like to see this film on the big screen. If it keeps making money we might see a limited North American run. For now, Wandering Earth is available via Netflix and Amazon. Enjoy! This is the home of New Mexico politics. E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com) Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here.   (c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2019 |
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