“22 Jump Street” | 112 min. | Rated R | Director: Phil Lord,Christopher Miller | Stars: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube, Peter Stormare, Wyatt Russell, Amber Stevens, Jillian Bell, The Lucas Brothers, Craig Roberts and Nick Offerman
Rating: 3.5/4
After a successful undercover drug bust operation in high school Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) get their next assignment. Now, in the sequel, “22 Jump Street,” “[these] two sons of b*tches are going to college.”
Schmidt and Jenko, otherwise known as Doug and Brad McQuaid, do the exact same thing: they go back to school and go through a series of ridiculous yet hilarious situations. In doing so, there are some sequelitis traps that the movie falls into, BUT this film knows it, rolls with it and has fun with it. It laughs at the whole idea of sequels, and how we as an audience never get tired of seeing the same movie over and over again (Make sure you stay for the mid-credit sequence).
“22 Jump Street” is neither better nor worse than the original. In fact, it’s equally as good. Thanks to Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s fun direction, the non-stop laughter and the great chemistry between Hill and Tatum, this film is likely to be the comedy of the year.
“22 Jump Street” opens tonight.
“How to Train Your Dragon 2” | 102 min. | Rated PG | Director: Dean DeBlois | Stars: Jay Baruchel, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera,Jonah Hill,Christopher Mintz-Plasse, T.J. Miller, Kristen Wiig and Djimon Hounsou
Rating: 4/4
Just when you thought Hiccup successfully trained his dragon, nope. There’s more to do, and thank God for that. “How to Train Your Dragon 2” is darker, more mature than the original, yet just as endearing and fun.
Taking place five years after the first film, the second installment sees the island of Berk as a stead that is fully integrated with dragons. The Vikings have achieved a sense of peace that has long since been absent, until Drago (Djimon Hounsou) arrives in Berk.
A merciless warrior who also knows how to control dragons, Drago is forming an indestructible dragon army, with the conquering of Berk on his to-do list. That’s where Hiccup (Jay Baruchel), his dragon Toothless and posse intervene.
The 2010 original felt like it arrived out of nowhere. It even passed up some recent Pixar films in terms of quality and narrative. This sequel goes even further in all aspects, building upon an already magnificent world.
“How to Train Your Dragon 2” could have played it safe by merely repeating the original’s formula, something that the self-aware “22 Jump Street” pokes fun at itself for. Instead, the writers of “How to Train Your Dragon 2” take a more daring route by injecting this “children’s movie” with more adult, relatable themes, such as family loss and others that involve going into spoiler territory. Trust me, this film gets dark, though there’s still plenty of heart and fun to be had.
When it comes to 3D, I usually turn the other way. Who wants to pay the extra bucks to wear those uncomfortable glasses and see a flick that’s easier to focus on in 2D? Only a handful of films in the past have done 3D right, and the original film was among those select few. The sequel soars above and beyond by making the animated adventure a completely immersive experience. Flight scenes in particular really put you in Hiccup’s shoes as he and Toothless fly across the sky. If you pass on the 3D, you miss out on the full measure of artistry put into making “How to Train Your Dragon 2” such a great movie.
Backing up the stunning use of 3D is the incredible production design, a ridiculous-sounding comment to make about an animated feature. Nonetheless, this film fits in the same class as “The Lord of the Rings,” “Avatar” and “Star Wars” as a quintessential example of how to build a striking world. The environments are picturesque, the costumes are spectacular and the dragons themselves continue to impress with their detailed designs.
The script proves to be no slouch either. Each character returns to the sequel with impressive depth. Hiccup’s progress as a character and his faith in people and their ability to change is a great message for children to take with them as they exit the theater. Hiccup’s relationship with his father, Stoick (voiced with continued greatness by Gerard Butler) builds a wonderful dynamic, making the film all the more moving and involving. You’ll just have to see it bloom yourself.
“How to Train Your Dragon 2” is a gleaming exemplar of what both family and inspired movies are capable of. From the characters, to the drama, to the action and comedy, this film does what all sequels should do by stepping up their game and winning audience’s hearts.
“How to Train Your Dragon 2” opens in 3D and 2D in theaters everywhere tomorrow.
“Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon” | 85 min. | Rated R | Director: Beth Aala, Mike Myers | Stars: Shep Gordon, Sylvester Stallone, Michael Douglas, Tom Arnold, Alice Cooper, Emeril Lagasse, Anne Murray, Willie Nelson and Mike Myers
Rating: 3/4
This lively documentary, which had its U.S. premiere back in March at the South by Southwest Film Festival, details the incredible spirit and accomplishments of longtime entertainment manager Shep Gordon.
While many of you may not be familiar with Mr. Gordon, he is the man who jump started the careers of a few people you may have heard of, including Alice Cooper. He was also, in a way, the underground “wolf” of the entertainment business. He dropped acid with Jimi Hendrix and partied like a rockstar with John Lennon.
The man was/is certainly a legend, and with Mike Myer’s documentary, we get access into his crazy and bizarre life. Myers never lets us forget that Gordon is a good human being who truly created a difference in so many lives, and through these stories and interviews, it really shows that he’s a great man.
So, if you’re looking for something that isn’t a sequel, like the films above, and is interesting, insightful and fun, “Supermensch” is good film to seek out.
“Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon” is open in NY and LA now, opens in Dallas tomorrow.
