Crazy Rich Asians Movie Take

Crazy Rich Asians is another checkmark for the page-to-screen adaptation trend in 2018.  

The film debuted on November 20. It's on everything from Blu-Ray combo pack, DVD and Digital. The Digital format appeared early on November 6.

ROMANCE

Crazy Rich Asians managed to land high on the Rotten Tomatoes rating scale with a 92%. Which earns the “Certified Fresh” distinction. The movie made over $236 million worldwide.

Those numbers may not be high compared to The Meg. It is good enough to be the biggest in the romantic-comedy genre since 2009’s The Proposal with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds.

Crazy Rich Asians is a bestselling novel by Kevin Kwan. It was published in 2013. It's success led to two sequels - China Rich Girlfriend and Rich People Problems.

It wouldn’t be a shocker if the movie had a sequel someday soon. The director John. M. Chu has already said the plans are moving forward.

If you stick through some of the credits - the wordless scene seems to tease something.

Chu is behind the camera for Crazy Rich Asians. Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim worked on the screenplay. The international cast of Constance Wu, Gemma Chan, Lisa Lu, Awkwafina, Ken Jeong and Michelle Yeoh.

The rest of the ensemble is Henry Golding, Sonoya Mizuno, Chris Pang, Jimmy O. Yang, Ronny Chieng, Remy Hii, Nico Santos, and Jing Lusi.

TAKE

Would I buy this film? Yes.

While The Meg offers up its own form of entertainment - I have to go with Rotten Tomatoes here. Crazy Rich Asians is the better movie between the two.

Crazy Rich Asians may seem like a fantasy world highlighting the over-the-top extravagant lifestyle. The big houses and the multi-million dollar huge wedding. But. There’s more going on too.

I cannot forget the romantic part either. The story may have been seen plenty familiar from other romantic comedies, but the backdrop made it feel different. (Or maybe I just don't watch enough these movies.)

New Yorker Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) decides to travel with her boyfriend Nick Young (Henry Golding) to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore. This is a chance to meet the boyfriend’s family for the first time. The thing is there’s so much more to the boyfriend which she did not know.

Crazy Rich Asians have some style. Wu and Golding make for a good - or the unlikely couple - at the helm of the story. Wu struggles with knowing she may look like everybody in the family, but everybody sees her as something else.

I did not find the film very successful in the comedy department...since comedy is used to promote the movie. I think it does better on the drama front and even the romance. 

And I did grow to like Rachel and Nick as a couple over the 120 minutes. I wanted to see how things panned out.

The standout moment for me, anyway, a sequence of the song ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love.’ I thought it was done quite beautifully and brings out a lot of emotions in the scene. 

Whenever the sequel happens…I will probably watch it too.

SPECIAL FEATURES OVERVIEW

The regular DVD only has the Crazy Rich Fun segment.

Crazy Rich Fun (7 minutes, 18 seconds)

- The behind-the-scenes reel. There’s discussion about the book, filming, and casting. It's the most interesting segment of the bunch.  

Gag Reel (1 minute, 47 seconds)  

- It’s not much in talking. But a lot of cast being silly.

Deleted Scenes (12 minutes, 10 seconds)

- A few scenes are cut from the movie. Others are just extensions of scenes that are already in the movie. It really depends on your preference.

Commentary by Director Jon M. Chu and Novelist Kevin Kwan.

- Depends on Viewer interest.

Warner Brothers Home Entertainment 

The Meg: A Very Big Shark

“You’re gonna need a bigger boat.”

Oh. Wait.

That’s a different shark movie.

The Meg debuted on November 13. It's on everything from 4K UHD Combo Pack, Blu-Ray combo pack, Digital and DVD Special Edition. The Digital format appeared early on October 30.

BELOW

Counting the movie surprises of 2018 - The Meg will be on the list. It made over $527 million worldwide but landed just 45% on the Rotten Tomatoes rating scale.

The surprising box-office result makes it the biggest shark movie since 1975’s Jaws. Of course, most people know the Steven Spielberg film created the summer blockbuster.

And in 2018, Jaws still remains the gold standard for the shark genre. This rings so true that director Jon Turtletaub even stated in the press the mission was to “set out to make the second best shark movie of all time." (Source: The Hollywood Reporter.)

Critics will probably disagree on the statement. 

The Meg is based on a novel, just like Jaws. The Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror is written by Steve Alten and initially published in 1997. The story has spanned into a series to eight novels, so far.      

The Meg is directed by Turtletaub with Jason Statham and award-winning Chinese actress Li Bingbing leading the charge. The main cast is rounded out by Rainn Wilson, Ruby Rose, Winston Chao, Page Kennedy, Jessica McNamee, Olafur Darri Olafsson, Robert Taylor, Sophia Cai, Masi Oka, and Cliff Curtis.  

 TAKE

Would I buy this film? Yes - but more for a rainy day.

The comparisons to Jaws are inevitable. There are even a couple homages to the film if you really pay attention. But in the end, The Meg does not dethrone Jaws.

It is a pretty watchable movie though. I never felt bored during the 113 minute time (with credits.)

I also have not read any of the Steve Alten novels, so I can’t really take those into account. The screenplay was by Dean Georgaris, Jon and Erich Hoeber.

The film is crazy, silly and just a touch over-the-top. But there’s a few decent jolts and some moments of shark-terror-intensity. 

The story is not too complicated. A deep-sea expedition leads to a mysterious creature attacking. What could it be?

For some reason, the movie plays it out as a mystery for the first half hour. Spoiler - the title gives it away.

The Megalodon is eventually unleashed. It’s a very big shark, of course. The rest of the movie is basically trying to stop it before there’s more destruction.

It’s Jason Statham versus a giant CGI shark, in a nutshell. Although the cast like Li Bingbing and others end up with a good workout around water. Despite how silly things may look, the cast takes it seriously.

The Meg will not win any Oscars. If you like shark movies though, it may just be worth the look.     

How surprising was The Meg result? There’s already rumblings of a sequel.

SPECIAL FEATURES OVERVIEW

The features are not all that extensive if you compare to other DVDs. It covers the necessary ground.

Chomp On This: The Making of The Meg (12 minutes, 9 seconds)

- This is the behind-the-scenes reel. Director Turtletaub, cast and crew discuss stunts, shooting on water and even having to take a one-week water safety course.

Creating The Beast (10 minutes, 25 seconds)  

- A lot of thought goes into what the megalodon would look like. Science knows they existed but not much on how they look from the fin to teeth. They think a real one went up to 60 ft in size, but the movie pushed it to 75 ft.  

New Zealand Film Commission (1 minute, 53 seconds)

- The cast in crew discusses the love and enjoyment of shooting in New Zealand.

Warner Brothers Home Entertainment

Teen Titans GO! to the Movies: Small Screen To Big

A lot of superheroes are getting a movie these days. Why not Teen Titans GO!?  

Teen Titans GO! to the Movies debuts on October 30. It's on everything from Blu-Ray combo pack, Digital, and DVD. The Digital format appeared early on October 9. 

SUPER

Teen Titans GO! to the Movies made over $51 million worldwide. It may be easy to scoff at the box office haul compared to other superhero films. 

But.

The flick doesn’t come close to the budget of some of those other movies. It also landed a 91% on the (debatable) Rotten Tomatoes rating scale. It is good for a ‘Certified Fresh.’ 

Some of those bigger superhero movies were beaten on that front. 

Examples - Avengers: Infinity War - 84%. Ant-Man and the Wasp - 88%.    

(In fairness, a lot more critics reviewed those other movies.)

Teen Titans Go! is a comic book and television series. The show is underway of its fifth season in 2013 on the Cartoon Network. The story behind that could lead to a few more hundred words. I will leave the background alone. 

The DC Entertainment and Cartoon’s Network’s show sees Greg Cipes (Beast Boy), Scott Menville (Robin), Khary Payton (Cyborg), Tara Strong (Raven) and Hynden Walch (Starfire), all making the move from the series to the big screen. Will Arnett and Kristen Bell round out the cast.    

Peter Rida Michail and Aaron Horvath directed the film from a screenplay by Michael Jelenic and Horvath.

The Teen Titans - or more Robin - is determined to be in his own
movie. 

Superman has been on the big screen. Batman does too. Wonder Woman. Even Green Lantern.

Of course, this means the Titans need to get a Hollywood director to notice them. It wouldn’t be an adventure without a Supervillain Slade to mess with their plans either.

TAKE 

Would I buy this film? Yes - it would make a pretty good gift for kids who like superheroes.

For myself though? If I was younger I know it would be something  I would watch again. But I am quite happy with the one viewing. 

The movie does come across like a Saturday morning cartoon feature. The PG adventure clocks in at a brisk 84 minutes, but it does feel long enough too. 

After darker adventures with The Avengers and Batman v Superman - Teen Titans GO! offers a surprising dose of zany and silliness. 

I can’t say I was much aware of what Teen Titans or Teen Titans GO! were about before this. 

A lot of the humour and action is clearly aimed at the younger set of the audience. For the kid-at-heart with a decent knowledge of comic book characters and those pesky superhero movies, there are still points to find amusing. (Even taking a jab at the particular Batman v Superman film.) 

Superman is voiced by Nicholas Cage. There is a reason for it. There are references to some 80s movies and a cameo master, who may have ties to Marvel.   

The voice cast is solid, overall. From the basic animation, which is used less nowadays in feature films, it works fairly well. The story takes some crazy and surprising turns too…musical numbers anyone?   

Teen Titans GO! to the Movies will likely hold many parents - or just adults - attention. But I can see more of the kids getting the bigger kick out of the viewing experience.         

SPECIAL FEATURES OVERVIEW 

The DVD only has the Storyboard Animatics for the features.

Lil Yachty Music Video: Teen Titans GO! Rap (2 minutes, 9 seconds.)

- Lil Yachty gets animated to help rap to the Teen Titans GO! Song.   

Sing-a-long with Silkie 
Rap (1 minute, 56 seconds.)
Inspirational (2 minutes, 41 seconds)
Superhero (2 minutes, 23 seconds)

- Remember those musical numbers mentioned? Well, here you can not only replay them, but they offer up words to help you sing them better.

“DC Super Hero Girls: The Late Batsby” Mini-Movie (4 minutes, 14 seconds)

- Considering this as the highlight of the special features. It’s a very short story of a young Batgirl trying to keep her secret from her father, while Mr. Freeze is unleashing mayhem on the city. 

Red Carpet Mayhem (2 minutes, 10 seconds.)

- Really feels like a promotional clip used for the movie before it got released. Feels unnecessary after watching the movie.

Teen Titans GO! To the Movies: WB Lot Shenanigans (3 minutes, 56 seconds.)

- This is completely set in the real world. The Teen Titans GO! Set out to get on the Warner Brothers Lot. They sneak onto the lot, but the security guard is on their trail. No talking. Just music. Maybe points for uniqueness. 

Everything is Fake (51 seconds)

- Storyboards of a song which was cut from the movie.

Teen Titans GO!: Translated (2 minutes, 18 seconds)

- Clips from the film and translated into five other languages like German and Hebrew.

Storyboard Animatics:
Time Cycles and The Final Battle (2 minutes, 41 seconds.)

Sequences from the movie and how they looked at the storyboarding stage of production. Unless you like behind-the-scenes look, don't bother.

Warner Brothers Home Entertainment

Ocean's 8: Stylish Ladies

Ocean’s 8 is the ladies turn for a heist.

Ocean’s 8 debuted on September 11. It's on everything from 4K UHD Combo Pack, Blu-Ray combo pack, Digital and DVD Special Edition. The Digital format appeared early on August 21.

OCEAN

Ocean’s 8 made over $294 million worldwide. It landed 68% on the Rotten Tomatoes rating scale.

The heist inspiration, of course, stretches back to Ocean’s 11 in 1960. The flick starred Frank Sinatra as Danny Ocean and the likes of Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop, as they plan to rob five Las Vegas casinos in one night. The 'Rat Pack' flick.

Ocean’s 8 connects to the updated Ocean’s Eleven (2001). This is where George Clooney stepped in as Danny Ocean. The ensemble cast with Brad Pitt and Matt Damon set out to rob three Vegas casinos in one night.

Steven Soderbergh directed Ocean's Eleven. It became successful enough for the crew to work again in Ocean’s Twelve (2004) and Ocean’s Thirteen (2007).   

Soderbergh returned as producer for Ocean’s 8. Gary Ross went behind the camera for the Village Roadshow and Rahway Road production. Ross helped pen the new heist with Olivia Milch.  

The ladies ensemble includes Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sara Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna and Helena Bonham Carter. Late Late Show host James Corden even pops up.

TAKE

Would I buy this film? Yes.

Ocean’s 8 connection to the George Clooney-led trilogy is still having an Ocean as the mastermind. Sandra Bullock plays Debbie Ocean - Danny Ocean’s sister.

If you are familiar with the Ocean’s trilogy, there are a few nods to those movies along the way. Not just in the style either for the PG-13 flick.

Ocean’s 8 definitely has style.

Heist films have an appeal too. They can come in different forms like being set during War World II in Kelly’s Heroes (1970) or in a bank like Inside Man (2006).

Ocean’s 8 mission is to steal a diamond necklace. Debbie has been in prison for over five years. She had time to make plans. The necklace is to be worn on actress Daphne Kluger (Hathaway) during an event. Which is the very exclusive - very public - Met Gala.          

Everyone has a role. The partner-in-crime, jeweler, street con, expert fence, hacker and fashion designer.

If you have seen any of the Clooney movies, you may already know the game plan and even the result. Sure, you may not find out a ton about the characters, but I believe the fun lies in watching the plan unfold.

And yes, I found it to be plenty of fun for the 110 minutes.   

Maybe even the best Ocean’s movie since Eleven.

(Although I have not seen the Sinatra version.)   

I would watch Ocean’s 9.  

Or even an Ocean's 5. 

SPECIAL FEATURES OVERVIEW

A Heist in Heels (11 minutes, 35 seconds)

- The cast discusses the role of the ladies in the film. The attempt to make the movie feel like an ‘Ocean’ movie, but also distinctive from the guys.

Ocean’s Team 3.0 (13 minutes, 20 seconds)

- A conversation and a closer look at the 8 characters. Well, really what you can cram into 13 minutes.

Reimagining the Met Gala (12 minutes, 47 seconds)

- This is probably the most interesting of the bunch. The heist takes place at the Met in New York City. Scenes were actually shot at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to keep as much realism. The Costume Institute of the Met provided background. Vogue consulted as they hosted the gala and filming took place at the magazine's offices. The exhibition in the film was treated like something in a real museum and of course, the gowns and designers were highlighted.

Deleted Scenes (1 minute, 53 seconds)

- There are only two scenes. They add a tiny bit more texture to the story, more details of the Met Gala and teasing Paulson’s mom life. But overall did seem unnecessary.

Warner Brothers Home Entertainment

TAG: You're 'It'

Most people have played the game at one time or the other with their friends. Now can you imagine playing Tag with those same friends...over the span of 30 years?

TAG arrived August 28 on Blu-Ray combo pack and DVD. The Digital format already appeared on August 17.

TAG

Tag made over $77 million worldwide. The Rotten Tomatoes score settled at 55%. Many critic reviews were mixed.

The story is grounded in truth too.

Yes, truth.

Tag is based on The Wall Street Journal article titled, ‘It Takes Planning, Caution to Avoid Being It,” by Russell Adams.

Rob McKittrick and Mark Steilen wrote the screenplay. Jeff Tomsic was behind the camera. It was a Warner Bros Pictures, New Line Cinema and Broken Road production.

The ensemble cast is tough to knock. Ed Helms, Jake Johnson, Annabelle Wallis, Hannibal Buress and Isla Fisher, Rashida Jones, Leslie Bibb, Jon Hamm and Jeremy Renner.  

TAKE

Would I buy this film?

At most…a rainy day selection. I wouldn’t rush to watch it.

As mentioned before, comedy is a very subjective genre.

Did I laugh? Not really. (Some people will.)

I’m learning quite a few R-rated comedies are not my cup of sense of humour. It’s crude in different ways and has plenty of language. A few jokes go for the gross-out route and probably a little dark.

In the filmography of Ed Helms though, I would slot it above Father Figures.

The story is nothing too complicated. It’s silly at times too. It’s the ‘true’ aspect of what kept my interest for the 100-minute timeframe.

Ed Helms is Hoagie and he gathers up his friends (Johnson, Buress, and Hamm), to play one last round of Tag. They have a mission. Jeremy Renner is Jerry, who is getting married and wants to retire from the game. The catch is Jerry, in all the years of playing has never been ‘it.’

There's even a Wall Street Journal reporter along for the ride.

There are rules. The game is only played in the month of May. There are no tag backs. The person who is ‘it’ must be truthful, when asked.  

Of course, being a movie, the story gets the Hollywood spin.

Overall, the movie could have been better. While I didn’t find it to be a ‘comedy,’ it earns a few redemption points for a kind-of-a-sweet-but-silly-ending.

“Someone once said we don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”

SPECIAL FEATURES OVERVIEW

The standard DVD only has the ‘Meet the Real Tag Brothers’ featurette.

Meet the Real Tag Brothers (5 minutes, 23 seconds)

This is most interesting of the slim Blu-ray special features.

- The real Tag crew played in February. They are also a group of 10. They have traveled across country, used disguises, used golf carts, and even played the game at a funeral. Which all factor into the movie, in some form.

Deleted Scenes (6 minutes, 20 seconds.)

- None of the scenes grabbed my attention. Most don’t seem to last longer than a minute.

Gag Reel (8 minutes, 5 seconds)

- Nothing to write extensively about. Silliness, mix-ups and cursing.

The most intriguing outtakes go to Hannibal Buress. Of all things, he discusses PCP and the Air Bud franchise. He also shows his disinterest in someone else’s conversation.

Warner Brothers Homes Entertainment. 

Life of the Party: McCarthy Spotlight

Melissa McCarthy is the Life of the Party.

McCarthy re-teams with her husband, Ben Falcone for the third time. He directed and she starred in The Boss and Tammy.  

Life of the Party shakes things up on August 7. It's on Blu-Ray combo pack and DVD. The Digital format already appeared on July 24.

PARTY

Life of the Party made over $65 million worldwide. Rotten Tomatoes scored at an unimpressive 37%.

(This is a much lower result compared to movies like Bridesmaids, Identity Thief, and The Heat. Which all featured McCarthy.)

McCarthy co-wrote the screenplay with her husband. The couple produced through their production company, On the Day.

The cast includes Gillian Jacobs, Maya Rudolph, Julie Bowen, Matt Walsh, Molly Gordon, Stephen Root, Jacki Weaver, Jessie Ennis, Adria Arjona, Debby Ryan and Jimmy O. Yang.  

TAKE

Would I buy this film?

More of a rainy day selection, a rental, streaming or discounted price.

As mentioned in the past, comedy is a very subjective genre. What some people find funny, others won't.

Is it a great movie? Not really.

The cast appears to have improvised many of their scenes. (The special features highlight this fact too.) Found it a little hard to get into the rhythm at the beginning.

Are there laughs? Yes.

Father Figures and Game Night didn't make me laugh. Life of the Party has a few scenes with big laugh-out-loud moments. This is combined with a handful of chuckles sprinkled throughout the 105 minutes.    

The points drop when the jokes don't hit the mark. And it happens.

The story is simple. McCarthy’s Deanna drops off her daughter, Maddie, for the last year of college. As they drive away, Deanna’s husband, Dan, says he wants a divorce. Deanna starts thinking about the college life she never finished. She decides to join her daughter at college.

I guess the story highlights what boils down to a mid-life crisis. There's also mother and daughter talks, classes, parties, weird roommates, late-night relationships, friendships and more. It’s kept very PG-13.

There are sprinkles of drama too, but it doesn’t get too complicated.  

If you are not a fan of Melissa McCarthy, it's probably best to avoid this.   

If you like McCarthy, well, there is hardly a scene in which she is not included.  She does seem to give it her best effort and appears to be having fun with the role. 

SPECIAL FEATURES OVERVIEW

The standard DVD only has 80’s Party.

80’s Party (4 minutes, 51 seconds)

- There is an 80’s Party sequence in the movie. This discusses the costumes, dancing, and some 80’s references.   

Mom Sandwich (2 minutes, 45 seconds)

- McCarthy and her husband, discuss that Deanna’s parents are loosely based on Melissa’s real parents. Something to do with sandwiches. 

Deleted Scenes (46 minutes, 36 seconds)

- The time length here is quite surprising. Only a few scenes are not featured in the final cut. Most are actual scenes straight out of the film. The story beats are the same, but play out differently as the actors try out other lines. Some scenes stretch out way too long.

Line-O-Rama (3 minutes, 2 seconds)

- Other scenes as improvisation mode continue.

Bill Hate-O-Rama (2 minutes, 44 seconds)

- Creative insults are found here…a couple gets reused from the deleted scenes.  

Gag Reel (5 minutes, 25 seconds)

- What you would find in most Gag Reels. I have seen better and funnier ones.

Warner Brothers Home Entertainment