“Transformers: The Last Knight” (Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi: 2 hours, 29 minutes)

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Hopkins, Laura Haddock and Josh Duhamel

Director: Michael Bay

Rated: PG-13 (Violence, innuendo and profanity)

 

Movie Review: “Transformers” franchise is an adaptation of the Hasbro toyline. The series started with 2007’s “Transformers,” which starred Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox.

The latest addition, “Transformers: The Last Knight,” stars Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Hopkins and a Megan Fox look-a-like Laura Haddock. This one, as with the other “Transformer movies, is mediocre material that offers an overabundance of special effects and a plethora of stunt people. 

With the absence of Optimus Prime, a lack of leadership leads humans and Transformers to war against each other. When the planet Cybertron threatens Earth, humanity’s best hope is its history that involves Transformers and a device that could save the planet.

What plagued the previous four movies in this series is present here also, an overabundance of characters, visualizations and story arcs. The same is true of “The Last Knight.”

The movie involves King Arthur, a planet colliding with Earth, a new villain and the return of adolescent humor. The result is a too plentiful mix of material that appears a combination of “Indiana Jones” meets “G.I. Joe.” As with most Michael Bay movies, the screenplay is mostly car chases, explosions and gratuitous computer-generated imagery.

Michael Bay’s movies are entertaining but they are also nonsensical. 

If audiences want to see a better Transformers’ movies, see the animated “The Transformers: The Movie” (1986). It dealt with events similar to “The Last Knight” and the story is better.

Grade: D+ (Again, nothing transformative.)

 

“Rough Night” (Comedy: 1 hour, 41 minutes)

Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Jillian Bell, Zoë Kravitz, Ilana Glazer and Kate McKinnon

Director: Lucia Aniello

Rated: R (Violence, profanity and sexuality)

 

Movie Review: Five women in their 30s engage in a heavy night partying in this wayward comedy. A similar mix of “Weekend at Bernie’s” (1989) and “The Hangover” (2009), “Rough Night” takes comedy to a weak, juvenile extreme.

Best friends meet in Miami, reuniting 10 years after college. They are celebrating the marriage of their friend, Jess Thayer (Johansson), who is also competing in an election for a state government office. The women have the time of their lives until one of them accidentally kills a male stripper at a bachelorette party.

A party can be crazy in a fun way or a party can be just crazy. The latter involves law enforcement and Facebook posts of the incident that follow you for about 15 minutes. “Rough Night” is a perfect example of the latter. It is comedy gone overboard.

The characters do not act their age. Five grown people and not one of them behaves as if they are women in their 30s, especially the ones who are mothers. While immature friends may exist, a situation in which all friends are just as inept at having safe fun is far from convincing.

The characters are not funny. Instead, their misbehaving antics lack a sophisticated execution. Even more, the movie deviates constantly by also showing the husband’s bachelor party, which is much less interesting.

Lucia Aniello, who has mainly directed television and video shorts, provide this, her first photoplay for the big screen. The results are immature, mediocre humor.

Grade: C (Rough around the edges.)

“All Eyez on Me” (Biography/Drama/Music: 2 hours, 20 minutes)

Starring: Demetrius Shipp Jr., Danai Gurira, Hill Harper, Annie Ilonzeh and Kat Graham

Director: Benny Boom

Rated: R (Profanity, violence, nudity, sexuality and drug use)

 

Movie Review: Sometimes, music imitates life. It appears to be the ongoing theme throughout this biography of rapper Tupac Shakur. 

The screenplay attempts to show how Shakur’s music materialized during the 1990s. It does this with a great performance from Demetrius Shipp, yet the movie fails to remain focused as it skims through Shakur’s life.

“All Eyez on Me” details the life of Tupac Shakur, played by Shipp, who bears a resemblance to Shakur. He was born in New York City, Tupac grew up in Harlem, but his family moved to Baltimore in 1984, where he met Jada Pinkett Smith (Graham). 

In 1988, he and his family migrated to Oakland, Calif. There, Shakur’s music debut happened in 1991 as a part of the group Digital Underground and he also began his acting career. His fame grew but controversy followed Shakur. 

Many, including then-Vice President Dan Quayle, held his gangster rap as upholding cop killing, drugs and sexual violence. Still, Shakur’s inability to disconnect from troubling associations led to his death at age 25.

A team of writers tries to put too much into two hours; they have to skim through the rapper’s life. They also do not keep the focus as tight as possible. 

For example, Afeni Shakur’s life as a Black Panther is front and center and the movie appears to be just as much about her as her son. Also, the family’s multiple moves to major cities also changes Tupac Shakur. He sees plenty of crime and the mistreatment of African-Americans via law enforcement. These matters are important to Shakur’s life but they dominate the movie.

Much of the time of this biography is spent showing Shakur’s motivation to craft his words into means that are mental. He wants to make a statement about the condition of urban areas and Black America. The movie works well here to convey intention.

Events are shown that trigger Shakur’s artistic ventures. Scenes go back and forth, tying his music to current events. This part of the movie is nicely done, but like a soap opera, the movie only hits the high and lows without acknowledging the in between. 

In doing so, Director Benny Boom (“Next Day Air”) and writers forget to allow room to give their characters depth. This negates the narrative’s ability to produce powerful moments as artistically stylish and talented as the movie’s subject, Tupac Shakur. 

Grade: C+ (All eyes on Tupac, still.)

“Cars 3” (Animation: 1 hour, 39 minutes)

Starring: Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Cristela Alonzo, Armie Hammer and Chris Cooper

Director: Brian Fee

Rated: G (A perilous moment)

 

Movie Review: “Cars” and “Cars 2” dazzled audiences in 2006 and 2011. While the series is waning entertainment-wise, it is still quality material. “Cars 3” remains a part of that quality, leaning more towards a dramatic, animated screenplay. 

After an accident, Lightning McQueen (voice of Wilson) wants to prove he is still the most talented racer in the world. Except McQueen is an antique compared to faster and more efficient cars. His recovery will not be easy but his new trainer, young technician Cruz Ramirez (Alonzo), is determined to get McQueen racing again. 

McQueen’s return may be just in time to stop the momentum of Jackson Storm (Hammer), an arrogant hotshot racecar who has been winning the circuits.

Lightning McQueen is still an attention-getting character for kids. He is a talking car and people love their cars. Add new cars Jackson Storm and Cruz Ramirez, McQueen is in good company. Of course, Tow Mater, voice of Larry the Cable Guy, is still a film highlight, providing comedy where possible. Mater has a lesser role here, which is sad.

“Cars 3” is good but it is waning. The franchise becomes more dramatic as it ages. Although the drama is good, it is less entertaining as the comedy is less and scenes therefore duller. Some scenes may bore younger audience members. 

Grade: B- (The motor is still revved up for the track.)

“47 Meters Down” (Suspense/Thriller: 1 hour, 29 minutes)

Starring: Mandy Moore, Claire Holt and Matthew Modine

Director: Johannes Roberts

Rated: PG-13 (Sequences of intense, peril, bloody images, and brief strong language)

 

Movie Review: “Jaws” (1975) was a revolutionary movie in that it made moviegoers fear water for a split second. 

“47 Meters Down” does not cause anxiety because it does not reach a level causing fear for its characters or audiences but is just engaging enough to gain one’s attention. 

Two young women, Lisa (Moore) and Kate (Holt) decide to swim with sharks while on vacation. Their adventure goes wrong when they must remain in a cage with sharks circling. They are panicking while the sharks consider if they want a leg or arm for lunch.

Director-writer Johannes Roberts is no stranger to horror and thriller genre movies, such as “F” (2010). Here, he helms “47 Meters Down” in a manner that manages to create a nice environment for frights but it never delivers fully. In part because the onscreen personas never appear tangible enough to care about their cause fully. 

The suspense is just enough to entertain, yet the sensation does not remain after one leaves the cinema. 

Grade: C+ (Undersea delivers a few thrills.)

“The Book of Henry” (Drama: 1 hour, 44 minutes)

Starring: Naomi Watts, Jaeden Lieberher, Jacob Tremblay, Maddie Ziegler and Dean Norris 

Director: Colin Trevorrow

Rated: PG-13 (Thematic elements, violence and brief strong language)

 

Movie Review: Jaeden Lieberher (“Midnight Special” and “St. Vincent”) stars as Henry Carpenter, the title character, in this intriguing movie with an engaging plot. Its cast is exceptional and the plot is riveting. However, its execution is pitiful.

In a suburban town, Henry Carpenter, a genius kid, lives with his mother, Susan (Watts), and his younger brother, Peter (Tremblay). Susan, a waitress, plays video games all day while Henry pays bills and invests the family’s money. 

Henry is a responsible child who believes evil thrives when no one cares. Henry does care, especially about his next-door neighbor, Christina Sickleman (Ziegler), who is the daughter of Glenn Sickleman (Norris), the police commissioner. Henry realizes Commissioner Sickleman abuses Christina and the boy genius tries to help, devising a plan that his mother helps execute. 

The attempt to find the perfect mate is difficult. Once found, the relationship is complicated. “The Book of Henry” could be defined this way. It is a good find but its story is overly complicated.

The movie tries to be a tearful story with heart, while trying to make it a suspenseful mystery and a comedy with several smashed-together subplots. The overall narrative is gratifying but all the smaller stories are unnecessary as they appear to be three movies in one. 

It is a shame, considering the cast is likable and provides dynamic performances. 

Jaeden Lieberher is superior as Henry. He is a talented young man who deserves plenty of accolades for his skills as a young actor. 

Naomi Watts plays Lieberher’s mother with a strong conviction. Jacob Tremblay offers a nice turn as the younger brother. 

The three make a good pairing. And Dean Norris plays the protagonist well. The roles suit him.

Gregg Hurwitz’s writing is a scattered attempt. His use of multiple plots distracts. The direction of Colin Trevorrow (“Safety Not Guaranteed,” 2012) does nothing to tame Hurwitz’s ramblings. Hurwitz’s script is ambitiously creative but unnecessarily convoluted. 

Grade: C+ (Henry’s writings are good but Hurwitz’s is less.)