By “Cinema Dave”

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

As part of the 4th of July festivities, I indulged in a Duffy’s Hot Dog and enjoyed a half pound cheeseburger (medium well) from Jacks Old Fashioned Hamburger House. My meals were delicious, but I am glad I had those meals before viewing Eating Animals. Since witnessing that documentary, I have been eating vegetarian (Not that this diet is going to last).

Narrated by Natalie Portman, Eating Animals presents how the food industry has become addicted to factory farming. Through this type of farming, we see genetically raised chicken and fish products being bred for consumption. We witness healthy and unhealthy animals being slaughtered by machines and dead on a conveyor belt before being processed and gift wrapped for purchase on grocery shelves or through online purchases.

To director Christopher Quinn’s credit, this film is a politically objective documentary. Democrats and Republicans are treated fairly, though there are some “Deep State” issues involving censorship. Most of the graphic images seen in the film are now considered illegal since this film was released. It has been nine years since the Oscar-winning documentary The Cove was released; expect similar kudos for Eating Animals during the awards season.

With the release of Ant-Man and the Wasp, movie fans will have to wait a full seven months before the next installment of the Marvel Comic Universe 21st movie, Captain Marvel, starring Brie Larson. Thus far, Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War and the Ant-Man sequel have dominated box office gross for the first half of 2018. While each of one of these Marvel Comic Universe movies are interconnected, the strength of these screenplays is that they present standalone stories.

Since the events of Captain America: Civil War, Scott Lang (a.k.a. Ant Man), played by Paul Rudd, has been under house arrest, but is spending quality time with his daughter, Cassie (Abby Ryder Fortson). Lang is also estranged from Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and his daughter, Hope (Evangeline Lilly). Both father and daughter have created the technology that can shrink an individual into the size of an ant … or a wasp.

Of course, there are multiple bad guys with greedy motives who seem intent to destroy happiness. To reveal more of the plot could ruin the popcorn-eating Saturday Matinee fun that Ant-Man and the Wasp delivers. With the exception of some sentimental scenes involving Dr. Pym’s attempts to rescue his wife Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer) from the Quantum Realm, this film is mostly full of fun and merriment.

Suffice it to say with any Marvel Comic Universe movie, stay past the closing credits and see how this film links up with the aftermath of Avengers: Infinity War. People who had not seen Infinity War exited the Museum of Discovery IMAX theater with gasps of astonishment. The cool thing about Ant-Man and the Wasp is that ticket buyers witnessed a few clues to the Marvel Comic Universe films that will be released in 2019!

By “Cinema” Dave

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

With very little surprise, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom dominated the box office. It is soon to be replaced by Ant-Man and the Wasp this week.

As I said last week, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom deserves to be seen on the biggest screen possible (IMAX), for this is the only opportunity one will get to see a Tyrannosaurus Rex or an Apatosaurus life-sized.

Also at IMAX (at the Museum of Discovery & Science in Ft. Lauderdale) is Backyard Wilderness 3D , a simple and entertaining documentary. Set in a suburban New York, we seem to ride on the back of a bird, who spies Katie, a teenage girl working on her computer. Katie is writing a report about nature and can’t seem to find all the information on the Internet.

As the snow melts, Katie goes exploring and witnesses the miracles of nature in her own backyard. As the bird’s eggs hatch, we see the hatchlings eat their first meal and instinctively attempt their first flight. As coyotes await the opportunity to seize a baby deer, ticket buyers are reminded about the savagery outside the safety of the front door. As the narrative reminds us, there are not villains nor victims in nature — simply predators and prey.

With a running time of less than an hour, Backyard Wilderness 3D does not feel rushed as we follow the cycle of the four seasons. Taking a cue from Henry David Thoreau’s nature study, Walden, Backyard Wilderness 3D will inspire you to step outside your door and observe our own tropical ecosystem.

While the emphasis on the 4th of July is baseball, hot dogs, American music and fireworks, the motion picture industry usually tries to release a special movie on this special holiday. Ironically, this 4th of July only one motion picture opened and it seems to be a subversive choice, The First Purge, which is the fourth movie of the dystopian horror franchise.

The core assertion of The Purge series is that crime (including murder) is legal for 12 hours a year. This controlled anarchy is examined from a sociopolitical perspective, while the fundamentals of horror movie jump scares remain intact. While The Purge series was thought to have concluded two years ago with The Purge: Election Year, this new entry opening this week is being used to set up a new cable television program in September.

Narrated by Natalie Portman, Eating Animals is due to locally release in July. This documentary looks at how the meat-packing industry has changed in the past century. With the science of cloning and harmful food additives, one wonders if we will give up our hot dogs and hamburgers and go vegan after viewing this film.