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Ella McCay – Review
Ella McCay – Budget of $35 million – 1 hour and 55 minutes
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Lieutenant Governor Ella McCay approaches her office when her secretary, Estelle, hands Ella a letter. A reporter wants exclusive access to her. If not, he will release damaging information he has about her and her husband, Ryan. A former trooper reported that Ella and Ryan shared intimate moments on government property. While it wasn’t an affair, it is illegal to do that on government time and goods. Ella pushes the matter aside and jumps in her vehicle. Her driver, Trooper Nash, drives Ella to her aunt’s bar. Aunt Helen raised Ella since she was 16 and has been the voice of reason for Ella. Helen’s advice is to dump the dead weight: Ryan. Ella refuses because he’s provided a sense of fun for her.
Ella returns to work, and Governor Bill is waiting in her office. The President chose Bill as the next Secretary of the Interior, and Bill will name Ella the acting governor immediately. He mentions that she wouldn’t get the job any other way. While Ella is good at passing legislation, she isn’t well-liked amongst constituents. Ella believes she can win them over with her tooth tutor and well baby legislation. Bill shakes his head, stands up, and grabs the doorknob. He can hear the reporters at Ella’s door, waiting for his confirmation. He lets Ella go first and announces her promotion. Ella shies away from the camera as Ryan smiles for the it, grabs her, and dances with her. She wants to do good for her state, but life will happen.
Ella McCay is a smartly-written film about family, relationships, and politics. The plot teaches micro lessons in civics while entertaining. Ella is highly capable and intelligent. However, she has anchors pulling her down. Sadly, she doesn’t see how her two biggest pitfalls mirror each other until it’s too late. The cast did a stellar job of acting with little dialogue. They let their facial expressions and hand gestures convey the message. This movie shows how politics is a constant tight rope walk of personal and professional policing. Ella learns that ‘good’ and ‘right’ aren’t always the same. The plot doesn’t mention what state or political party Ella represents, but only her ideals. It helps viewers connect with her personal turmoil. At the conclusion, this picture will encourage you to scream healthily.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars
Not really – Ella
Do you want me to worry about him too – Estelle
It’s all a joke except for us, baby – Ryan
You are going to die – Casey
Are you trying to cry – Nash
I can’t let you walk into my mistake – Claire
Stop the world – Bill
Don’t be sad. Don’t be mad – Helen
No. Not … Not really – Eddie
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The Running Man – Review
The Running Man – Budget of $110 million – 2 hours and 13 minutes
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Ben asks his old boss, Richard, to remove him from the blacklist. Ben can’t find work with the scarlet letter on his record, and his daughter, Cathy, is sick. He needs money for her medical care. He brings Cathy with him to prove his point. However, Richard won’t change his mind because Ben spoke to union leaders about his working conditions. Every other man on his crew lost the ability to have children except him. Ben will remain on the list.
Ben watches game shows with Cathy until his wife, Sheila, returns home. She wants to spend time with Cathy, but changes her mind after feeling Cathy’s fever. They can’t afford medicine to fix Cathy’s ailment. They only have money to alleviate the symptoms. He hates that she has to flirt with wealthy men for tips, especially after one client killed her co-worker. He gets an idea. He will go to the network building and be a contestant on one of their shows. Sheila rejects the idea because she fears he will try out for The Running Man. No contestant has made it home on that show. Ben assures her he would never try out for that game before leaving.
Ben walks through the gates of the network building. They pull up his work history and tell him to go to elevator 26. Hopeful contestants, Jenni and Tim, greet Ben. The Network showrunners perform physical and psychological tests on the contestants. They label him the angriest man they have ever met. After the test, the contestants get their show assignments. To Ben’s surprise, they picked him to be on the Running Man. Ben tries to force them to change, but they refuse.
Ben meets with the Network owner, producer Dan. Dan shows Ben the lucrative contract. He gets a bonus for every day he remains alive and a $500 signing bonus. Ben signs the contract and assures Dan he will be the first contestant to go the distance. Ben meets with his family liaison, Agent Doug, before resting for the night. Ben calls Sheila and tells her the sad news. He promises to send the money no matter what.
Dan introduces Ben, Tim, and Jenni to the show’s hosts, Bobby T. Bobby gives a quick hello before running on the stage. Ben rages at the false narrative Bobby spins to make the fans hate him. Bobby says that Ben is a criminal who sold secrets to a foreign government. He states that Sheila is a call girl, and Ben is abandoning his daughter. Security guards hold Ben back as he rages. Then, Bobby gives the rules. The runners will have a 12-hour head start. The further they go, the more money they will make. They have to film themselves every day for 10 minutes and drop it in a mailbox. If they don’t, they won’t get the money, but the hunters will still come after them. They have to last 30 days. Ultimately, they will receive $1 billion. Bobby T reminds the audience that when the game goes live, they can report a runner’s location for money. The three runners step into pods, and the game begins. Ben grabs his items and runs. Will he survive the Running Man and make it home to his family?
Based on The Running Man by Steven King, this film has a spectacular pace, wild stunts, and a fresh twist on a familiar plot (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). This film isn’t just about a man running for his life. It’s a searing indictment of media manipulation by corporations. Ben learns this lesson during his introduction. They display him to the audience as a lazy criminal who doesn’t want to work. However, his company blacklisted him from other jobs. It’s no different from the media portrayals of reality stars today. The director uses different camera techniques to capture Ben’s runs. It could be a steady drone camera shot, a GoPro-style shot, a handheld camera shot, or standard movie framing. These changes display an enticing view of Ben and his run. The soundtrack stays in step with Ben’s speed and gets you excited. The action slows with a purpose. It speaks to corruption, pollution, and screen addiction. The plot delivers these messages without getting too topic-heavy or self-righteous. This film is an exciting and violent ride.
I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars
How about you do my job – Bobby T
Everything – Ben
I don’t have them – Jenni
You have what it takes to win the game – Dan
We can do it later – Tim
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Zootopia 2 – Review
Zootopia 2 – Budget of $150 million – 1 hour and 48 minutes
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Partners Judy and Nick became famous for saving Zootopia from a civil war. However, Chief Bogo thinks it was a fluke because they are different. There is no way a fox and a rabbit can repeat those results. Bogo presents their latest case to the squad. It’s a crooked dock inspector. He gives the team their assignments and puts Nick and Judy on observation. However, they aren’t there. Officer Clawhauser informs Bogo that Nick and Judy are on the scene and took the lead.
The bust becomes a TV spectacle, putting Judy and Nick in the hot seat. Judy tries to explain that she found snakeskin in one of the crates, but Bogo won’t listen. Besides, reptiles haven’t been in Zootopia in 100 years. That’s when they created the weather wall. It allowed different species to live in Zootopia within a setting that’s comfortable for their bodies. Judy secretly takes the case file home. She discovers that the culprit will be attending the Zootenial Gala. Zootopia’s founder, Ebenezer Lynxley, will be honored at the event. His family will display his journal, which contains the idea and blueprints for Zootopia.
Judy convinces Nick to attend the gala undercover. Judy bumps into Pawbert Lynxley, Ebenezer’s grandson, and he’s smitten with her. Pawbert is the black sheep of the family. His father, Milton, runs the family business and upholds the legacy with his other two children, Kitty and Cattrick. She’s too distracted to see someone slinking in the chandelier. Nick shines a light on the culprit before they grab the journal and try to run away. Judy and Nick follow them into a private room and remove their cloak. It’s Gary De’Snake. He tells Judy they aren’t the bad guys and the journal can prove it. Someone falsely accused his grandmother of killing Ebenezer’s maid. He started a smear campaign against all reptiles and drove them out. Before Gary reads the journal, Milton, Kitty, and Cattrick kick open the doors. They want to kill Gary, but Judy stands in their way. Bogo barges into the room, and Gary accidently bites him with one of his fangs. Judy breaks it and holds it in her hand. When the other officers enter, Milton says Judy, Nick, and Gary attempted to kill Bogo. They escape before the police arrest them, but they are enemy number one. Can Judy and Nick clear their name while helping Gary uncover the truth?
This sequel is clever, endearing, and funny. It covers perception, smear campaigns, history washing, and forced migration with ease and compassion. During these hard-hitting topics, the script tackles the partnership between Judy and Nick. They are friends, but must address their blaring differences. The world points them out, but Nick and Judy believe they are above it. This case puts that friendship and partnership to the test. The animation rivals the first film. Disney manages to give the animals human-like qualities while displaying their unique animalistic characteristics. Gary moves like a snake while talking, dodging, and expressing hurt. This installment expands the animal world while rooted in its core cast. And it allows the principal characters to grow emotionally. The therapy scene is a laugh riot. The beginning recaps what happened in the first film, so you don’t have to see it to enjoy this. The end-credit scene gives the viewer a hint at what is to come. See Zootopia 2 with the whole family today.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars
We are a real team – Judy
I would like to call a partner meeting – Nick
Would you like a traumatic adulthood – Bogo
Everyone knows fine is a cry for help – Stu
Hun, you’re pushing it – Bonnie
Joel, the safe word is coconuts – Dr. Fuzzby
You’re clearly working it – Pawbert
We aren’t the bad guys – Gary
Did I choose the wrong mayor – Milton
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Categories: alan tudyk, albert brooks, Andy Samberg, Ayo Edebiri, Bonnie Hunt, Colman Domingo, Daniel Ezra, Danny Trejo, David Strathairn, disney, Don Lake, Ella McCay, Emilia Jones, Emma Mackey, Fortune Feimster, ginnifer goodwin, glen powell, idris elba, Jack Lowden, Jamie Lee Curtis, jason bateman, Jayme Lawson, jenny slate, Josh Brolin, Julie Kavner, Ke Huy Quan, Kumail Nanjiani, Lee Pace, Michael Cera, movie, Must Buy, Nate Torrence, Patrick Warburton, Quinta Brunson, Rebecca Hall, review, Sean Hayes, shakira, Spike Fearn, The Running Man, William H. Macy, woody harrelson, Zootopia 2
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