Disney Kills it with "The Jungle Book"; Also: "Midnight Special"; "The Boss"

   Disney seems to be on a mission to adapt their classic animated films into live-action versions. They're latest version, "The Jungle Book", hits theaters this weekend and let me tell you, it does not disappoint. The 1967 animated film was the last one Walt Disney worked on. It's a classic in every right, with memorable characters, exciting moments, and unforgettable songs. Growing up, "The Jungle Book" was one of my favorite Disney movies and the moment I heard they were making a live action version, the little kid in me got excited. This movie is the perfect family film and I'd be hard pressed to think that people of all ages wouldn't like this adaptation.

   This movie follows the 1967 film quite closely. The wolf-raised man-cub Mowgli (played brilliantly by young new-comer Neel Sethi) flees the jungle after a threat from the tiger Shere Khan, voiced by Idris Elba. Guided by Bagheera (voiced by Ben Kingsley) the panther and the bear Baloo (Bill Murray), Mowgli embarks on a journey of self-discovery, though he also meets creatures who don't have his best interests at heart. This movie is as heart-warming as its animated counterpart. The first thing that comes to mind when talking about this movie, for me anyway, is the casting. All the voiced characters were spot on. Ben Kingsley as Bagheera and Idris Elba as Shere Khan both brought this gravitas to their respective parts. Bill Murray kills it as Baloo, I mean perfect casting. He captured the fun-loving and loyal aspects of Baloo. Young Neel Sethi does a fantastic job as Mowgli. He looks the part and it's really exciting to see the animated version captured so brilliantly, adding his own little nuances to a definite homage portrayal. I laughed out loud when I realized Christopher Walken was voicing King Louie, not because it was funny, but because it's Christopher Walken people! So awesome! Scarlett Johansson as Ka the snake was a little weird, but I dug it. Overall though, the casting was spot on.

   The story moves at a fairly quick pace, much like the animated version. As the movie progressed, both my wife and I couldn't help but feel nostalgic. This movie has some magic to it, I'll give it that. There's not a lot of exposition to set up the characters and story. The film is narrated by Bahgeera, but you get the gist of what's going on through the visuals. Director Jon Favreau did an awesome job splicing the practical and digital worlds in order to deliver a fantastic-looking film. I mean, some of the best CGI you'll ever see is in the movie. Seriously, everything looks real. Despite the fact that all the animals talk, it looks as if real animals are interacting in the movie. The jungle looks amazing, the action scenes are intense and they don't lose image quality within the fast-paced, quick cuts. This movie is stunning and real, at least to me. Again, I'm a grown man and I was fully aware that a majority of this movie was CGI, but I honestly was lost in it the entire time, thinking I was looking at the real thing. Kudos to the art department and the director for crafting such a beautiful film.

   This movie has some intense moments but overall it's perfect for the whole family. It's a quality PG rated film that captures not just the magic of the original film, but the magic of Disney as a whole. Knowing Jon Favreau was directing left me a bit more at ease, because I really love this story and wanted to see it done right. Favreau has worked with Disney before, and he knows how to handle big films (like that little Marvel movie he did a while back, I think it was called "Iron Man"?). Something tells me that as the weekend progresses, I won't be the only one thanking Mr. Favreau and his cast and crew for doing such an amazing job.


ALSO THIS WEEK:

   "Midnight Special" is a story about a father and son who go on the run, pursued by the government and a cult, both of which are drawn to the child's special powers. It's an intense sci-fi from writer/director Jeff Nichols and it's one that shouldn't be missed. From the acting, to the writing and direction, to the overall story, this movie is intimate, intriguing and compelling from start to finish. It opened in select theaters for a couple of weeks before finally getting a larger release. When I got the chance to finally see it, it had been out for some time and no real buzz was floating around for it. It reminded me of "The Signal" a few years back where this unknown movie made it's short run and then went the way of home release. And, just like "The Signal", I loved "Midnight Special".

   Michael Shannon is an acting champ. There really hasn't been much he's done that I haven't loved. He tends to do a lot of smaller, independent films and he gives stellar performances in everyone. In this film he plays Roy, a father whose son Alton (Jaeden Lieberher) has these strange powers, bordering on telepathy and telekinesis (sort of). They used to live on a compound with a religious cult following whose doctrines are based on Alton's "revelations". Fearing danger mounting towards the boy, Roy and his friend Lucas (Joel Edgerton) go on the run with Alton. Though the cult is sent after them, the government is fully aware of Alton and wants him for their own agenda. NSA analyst Seveir (Kylo Ren...I mean Adam Driver) is sent to figure this whole mess out. The movie is one giant chase and it's compelling to boot. The story is very small, until the very end. The ideas in this movie are vast and compelling, but are stuffed inside an intimate story about a father and a son. If you like great acting, great storytelling, and sci-fi, find the nearest showing and check this movie out.

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   Melissa McCarthy has become a bonafide comedic powerhouse. That's not to say she can't also be a one-trick pony. Her latest film "The Boss", directed by her husband Ben Falcone, is nothing more than a cheap rendition of what McCarthy does movie after movie. She does the slapstick, crude humor really well and I love her to death, but my fear is that if people aren't tired of her already, they will be. Ever since she killed it in "Bridesmaids" it's as if every movie she does is another version of the same character. Sometimes it works like in "The Heat" and "Spy", and sometimes it doesn't, like in "Identity Theft" and "The Boss".

   A titan of industry, Michelle Darnell (McCarthy) is sent to prison after she's caught insider trading. When she emerges ready to rebrand herself as America's latest sweetheart, not everyone she screwed over is so quick to forgive and forget. She enlists the help of her former assistant Claire (Kristen Bell) and starts a brownie empire after being inspired by Claire's daughter Rachel. The movie uses crude humor, lame jokes and McCarthy's undeniable charm and comedic timing to garner the laughs. The story is predictable and the acting is fairly straight-forward. That's not to say it wasn't funny, it had its moments. Peter Dinklage is in this movie, and he brings such a unique and wonderful spin on characters, and I think he was my favorite part in the whole film. When all is said and done, this isn't the greatest of comedies. If you're a fan of McCarthy, then this will probably resonate with you.