AMERICA: THE MOTION PICTURE
A ridiculous animated revision of when the U.S. got its independence from Great Britain (aka the fun police) in 1776 with a voice cast consisting of Channing Tatum, Will Forte, Olivia Munn, Simon Pegg, Jason Mantzoukas, and Judy Greer. George Washington and Abraham Lincoln are best buds, but when Lincoln is murdered in the theater – his last request is for Washington to form America. It takes less than half an hour to realize what seems like a sure-fire hilarious idea of our Founding Fathers being vulgar, violent, and assembling like The Avengers to start a revolution against Benedict Arnold (who’s a werewolf) is actually not.
The talent, director Matt Thompson, and producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller do their best to let us know that they’re aware of how dumb this is. Likewise, they want to prove just how dumb our own country can be and how its history is more depraved than what we read about in school. That’s all well and good, but it’s done in such a lazy way with a lack of imagination, obligatory pop culture put-ons, and slack stereotypes. Overall, I’m sure you can find a few laughs from our favorite historical heavyweights acting like asses, but it tries so hard to be outrageous that it backfires big time.
FATHERHOOD
Kevin Hart is shockingly subtle, dialing it down to deliver his best performance to date as a widowed father named Matt who’s in way over his head in raising his daughter. As the uncertainty of what she wants and needs and the guilt of dividing his time between her and himself sets in – giving up is what his friends and family expect him to do but Matt refuses to prove them right. Based on a true story, writer-director Paul Weitz’s storytelling is mostly standard stuff where viewers know how this is going to go in the first ten minutes or so. Regardless, the tenderness, worry, and sincerity involved is hard to resist. There are a wide range of emotions that Hart, along with a superb supporting cast, express in ways that largely work. It’s an inspiriting dramedy that gives him the right kind of material to show what he can do when laughs aren’t the main objective.
BO BURNHAM: INSIDE
Bo Burnham’s comedy special is much more than that. It’s an amazing achievement that’s about as personal and powerful as art can get. It’s 2020 and Burnham is on the verge of insanity (like so many of us) during quarantine. He’s stuck inside with all of his creative juices stuck inside of him swirling around and ready to explode. Thus, we are given a front row seat to his genius. Self-reflecting and transformative, this is Burnham’s therapy and in some way, shape, or form – we weirdly get what he’s going through. There’s a method to his madness and it’s quite beautiful to behold. Through his spectacular songs, hypnotic lighting, and excellent editing – it’s a funny and unexpectedly emotional experience that’s inarguably one of a kind.
THE ICE ROAD
When miners find themselves trapped and running out of air – a rescue mission that’s a race against time is set in motion by a group of truckers who are putting their own lives on the line. The road is a rough one with predictability, soulless characters, and cruddy villainy. Writer-director Jonathan Hensleigh definitely has a lumbering, conventional action movie on his hands. Still, fans of Liam Neeson know it instantly gets elevated when he enters the picture. And between our reliable, blue-collar hero and some decent thrills on a big rig, it’s an easy and entertaining watch, yet a forgettable one all the same.
Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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