20s Movie Review - Space Jam: A New Legacy

Director: Malcolm D. Lee
Genre: Family/ Adventure/ Comedy/ Animation
Runtime: 115 minutes
Year: 2021
Starring: LeBron James, Don Cheadle, Sonequa Martin-Green, Sarah Silverman
 
I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 33: A RAZZIE-AWARS WINNING MOVIE
 
Description: A rogue artificial intelligence (Don Cheadle) kidnaps the son of fames basketball player LeBron James, who then has to work with Bugs Bunny to win a basketball game.

Review: Those who saw “Space Jam” (1996) in the cinema as a kid may still get warm feelings now at the thought of that wacky game of basketball. At the time, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and the rest of the Looney Tunes enlisted the help of one man: Michael Jordan, who was considered by friend and foe alike to be the best basketball player of all tim. It’s pure nineties nostalgia. At least for some. Indeed, it is quite conceivable that many young people today will look at this goofy mix of animation and live-action with a different, perhaps even pitying eye.

A lot has changed since then. On the one hand, film techniques have advances enormously, on the other hand, the audience itself nowadays demands more and more stimuli and sensation. The generation that grew up with mobile phones and I-Pads is generally easily distracted, so it’s best to bombard them with as many flashy images and hip music possible, right?

If that’s what you’re looking for, “Space Hame: A New Legacy” is right for you. For the most part, the film is densely packed with visual fireworks and a pumping soundtrack, but unfortunately the compliments will end there.

The film is packed with movie and TV references. At first, it’s fun to see popular franchises like Harry Potter and Game of Thrones pass you. But it quickly becomes an overkill and it is way too much. It even starts the become annoying. It looks like a big advertisement. The fact that characters like Pennywise and the gentleman from “A Clockwork Orange” are standing on the sideline of a basketball game cheering, feels really weird.

The acting across the board is terrible. Even Don Cheadle, an Oscar-nominated actor, doesn’t impress and he feels out of place. And LeBron James… lets just put it this way: he is a great basketball player.

I don’t even know why this sequel is even called “Space Jam”, because it’s not set in space or stars creatures from outer space. The only space-related character is Marvin the Martian, and he is hardly in the movie. “Space Jam: A New Legacy” is just an uninspired cash-grab. And even though the first “Space Jam” wasn’t a masterpiece, at least it was entertaining and is rewatchable. “Space Jam: A New Legacy” is just a bad movie.

Rating: 2/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 100: Trainwreck

Director: Judd Apatow

Genre: Comedy/ Romance

Runtime: 125 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Brie Larson, LeBron James, Tilda Swinton, Vanessa Bayer, John Cena, Ezra Miller, Daniel Radcliffe, Marisa Tomei, Method Man

Description: Having thought that monogamy was never possible, commitment-phobic career woman Amy (Amy Schumer) may have to face her fears when she meets a good guy.

Review: Amy is a writer for a popular magazine. She drinks a lot and sleeps with lots of men, because she doesn’t believe in monogamy. Amy takes care of her father who has MS and is close to her younger sister. When Amy has to write a big article about sports doctor Aaron, she realizes she is falling for him. Can Amy have an actual relationship or not?

Amy Schumer is a very popular comedian and has her own sketch show, “Inside Amy Schumer”. With her friendly face she messes with everyone and makes jokes about booze, sex and especially herself. Schumer writes the show herself and director Judd Apatow noticed that. Schumer wrote “Trainwreck” and Apatow directs. And the story is partially based on Amy’s real life. Besides sharing the name, she is close to her sister and has a dad with MS. The movie version is a younger and more enhanced version of herself.

Schumer does fine in her lead role. Besides the jokes she obviously succeeds in, she is also convincing in the more serious scenes. Bill Hader is a good choice for the love interest. Hader, who is also most known for his comedic performances, creates a very likeable character. Although I do prefer him as the funny guy. Surprising is the role by LeBron James, who plays himself, who is really funny. And also Tilda Swinton, who plays the boss from hell. She is normally a very serious ‘ice queen’, she was seriously hilarious n “Trainwreck”.

Amy Schumer is known for her humor and that it might cross some boundaries. She plays the role that normally a man would play in a movie like this. In “Trainwreck” there are a lot of lines crossed, jokes about sex, tampons, monogamy, penises. The plot is standard and there are lots of conventional romcom clichés present. But Amy Schumer’s character makes it all original, that’s why you’re never bothered by it. Two hours is a bit long for a movie like this though.

“Trainwreck” is a fresh romantic comedy with rising star Amy Schumer. The harsh humor and sometimes improvisation, make this movie to a success.

Rating: 3,5/ 5