MOVIE REVIEW: Queen of Katwe

Uganda has never been this impoverished, crowded yet beautful and magical in Queen of Katwe, the latest Disney true to life sports underdog movie that brings us to this African country that we barely know nothing about. 

The film is all about Phiona Mutesi (Madina Nalwanga in her film debut), one of the many impoverished children living in the slums of Katwe in the capital city of Kampala. She and her siblings help their mother Harriet (Lupita Nyong'o in a brilliant  luminous performance that proves her Oscar winning performance in 12 Years A Slave ain't a one-hit wonder) sell maize on the streets. It will all change when Phiona meets an out-of-work engineer Robert Katende (David Oyelowo still in a saintly performance after portraying Martin Luther King in Selma) who coaches soccer to kids in the area. He introduces chess to kids who wants to dabble in a less physical sport and when she learns chess for the first time, that's when they discover that Phiona has the potential to be a chess master. Her rise despite poverty and limited resources is one inspirational tale that deserves to be seen around the world. A lot of young girls can easily relate to Phiona Mutesi and in the age of the Kardashian girls, this Ugandan is a breathe of fresh air.

In the able hands of the film's director Mira Nair and just like in her previous films Monsoon Wedding, Vanity Fair, Mississippi Masala among others, Queen of Katwe succeeds because the background is in harmony with the actors. Inspite of hardships, there is happiness in the slums and that works in an underdog triumphs against all odds film just like this.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Magnificent Seven

I have vague memories of the original 1960 Western, which in itself is the remake of the 1954 Akira Kurosawa Japanese classic Seven Samurai. I only remember two things: the all star cast (Steve McQueen, Yul Brynner, Charles Bronson and Eli Wallach among others) and it's iconic theme by Elmer Bernstein.

The spirit lives on in the remake and with Antoine Fuqua as it's director, this is a more modern, diverse, violent but nevertheless fun Western that does not disappoint on it's 132 minute running time. With a rich businessman (Peter Sarsgaard) as the villain this time, harassing a poor village, it mirrors current events and personalities that we know and are familiar with.

And speaking of all star cast, it's great to see Denzel Washington who plays the groups de facto leader Chisolm and Ethan Hawke reunited on the big screen after Training Day which no doubt is Fuqua's most prestigious film which gave Washington his Best Actor Oscar. Chris Pratt is also in the cast as one of the members of the group with his trademark wit ever so present in the movie. Byung-hun Lee, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Martin Sensmeier and Vincent D'Onofrio complete the most diverse Magnificent Seven cast among the three films.

MOVIE REVIEW: Blair Witch

More like a reboot than a sequel of the groundbreaking 1999 film that elevated found footage film  into a genre in the horror category, Blair Witch is all the same except that the family member this time that's venturing into the forest is the younger brother James (James Allen McCune) of the lead actress in the first film Heather (Heather Donahue).

After watching a video in YouTube (which does not exist in 1999) about some mysterious encounters in the woods, James firmly believes that it is connected to her sister's disappearance and with the help of those who uploaded the video Lane (Wes Robinson) and Talia (Valorie Curry), he ventures with his friends to discover that there is really something mysterious and frightening that can be the Blair Witch.

From the start till the end, Blair Witch felt like a rehash and some parts are good especially scenes that are more visual compared to the first but in 16 years since the first, there had been more better found footage films and this Blair Witch is more like a film school project with new gadgets like drones to honor the original.

MOVIE REVIEW: Storks

A fresh take on the age old story of storks delivering babies to couples and families needing of one, the animated film written and directed by Nicholas Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him To The Greek and The Muppets reboot in 2011) rises with it's witty script loaded with lots of double entendre that smart adults can easily recognize and make them smile. 

When storks stopped delivering babies and concentrated more on delivering products from an online shopping conglomerate cornerstone.com, Junior (voiced by Andy Sandberg) is faced with a trial when the only human in the company Tulip (voiced by Katie Crown) accidentally switches back the baby making machine therefore jeopardizing his chances on being the next big boss with a big endorsement from Hunter (voiced by Kelsey Grammer) the company's head.

Jennifer Aniston, Ty Burrell, Danny Trejo and the Key and Peele duo complete the prominent names in the voice cast and they do not disappoint.

Storks is fun family entertainment but be prepared to be bombarded by questions by your children or other kids after watching the movie. This can be the first step in introducing them to the birds and the bees.

MOVIE REVIEW: Sully

In just 96 minutes which is short for a Clint Eastwood directed film that usually lasts 2 hours or more, the two time Oscar winning director made a love letter both to New York City and the United States in Sully.

Tom Hanks plays the titular character, now retired pilot Chelsey "Sully" Sullenberger who became an instant hero in 2009 when he was able to land safely on the Hudson River in New York, U.S Airways flight 1549 with all the passengers and crew alive despite the chilly weather and frigid waters after birds damaged the plane. Assisted by co-pilot Jeff Skiles (Aaron Eckhart in a heartfelt subdued performance), they soon realize that there's more to that when authorities call for an investigation if there was "pilot error" on the captain.

Eastwood, in his first film made for IMAX  was able to use the format wisely with beautiful shots of  the New York City skyline that compliments  the plane as it attempts to make the landing on the Hudson. The film also stars Laura Linney who plays Sully's wife. She and Hanks have great chemistry as a couple even though they weren't together in any scenes in the film.

When three All American Icons (Hanks, Eastwood and Sullenberger) collaborate, the result is one wonderful film that makes you want to do great in the world.

MOVIE REVIEW: Bridget Jones's Baby

12 years after the disappointing sequel The Edge of Reason that probably made its lead actress Renee Zellweger go into a self-imposed hiatus, Bridget Jones is back with a vengeance in the 3rd installment of her story. She's still the confused single Brit but thanks to it's director Sharon Maguire (who directed the first film), the author of the original book Helen Fielding and Oscar winning actress/screenwriter (Sense and Sensibility) Emma Thompson who's also in the film as the gynecologist joining screenwriting credits, the film is one enjoyable intelligent chick flick.

Bridget's true love Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) is back again and this time he's competing with an American website millionaire Jack Qwant (Patrick Dempsey) for her love. After having an intimate moment with the two, she becomes pregnant and the dilemna begins: who is the father between the two men?

Aside from the writing, Bridget Jones's Baby wins with its cast. It's great to see 4 Oscar winners (Zellweger, Firth, Thompson and Bridget's dad Jim Broadbent) all in one film and they don't disappoint. Nice to see Patrick Dempsey back in the chick flick scene again with charm fully intact.

This is the Bridget Jones in the age of social media and those who loved her since the first book came out are in for a treat.