Shaft

First Hit: Simply, this is Samuel L. Jackson’s film through and through.

It’s hard to take this film seriously, and it is seriously fun to watch. Jackson, as John Shaft, is still the king of the neighborhood, has a stern attitude, and rollicks through this story taking full ownership.

This story begins when he and his wife Maya Babanikos (Regina Hall) are arguing in their car. JJ Shaft (Jessie T. Usher), their baby, is in the back seat. As usual, where Shaft is, there is trouble, and a shootout will more than likely commence.

Maya has had enough and, with JJ in tow, leaves Shaft and tells him to stay away forever. The film rolls through the years quickly, with funny vignettes showing the birthday presents Shaft sends JJ (box of rubbers on JJ’s 10th).

In current time JJ is now an FBI data analyst, and he stumbles on to a possible crime because his best friend, Karim Hassan (Avan Jogia) dies of what the police say is an overdose.

At work, he doesn’t get assigned to the FBI probe into the local mosque, although he’s an outstanding analyst, and he thinks Karin was involved in the mosque’s activities.

He locates and waltzes into his dad’s office, looking for some help in finding what really went on in Hassan’s death. Meeting for the first time in twenty plus years, the reunion is filled with John Shaft ego and bragging moments and advice that is contrary to JJ’s beliefs. This is the moment when the audience knows we’re going on a Samuel L. Jackson E-Ticket (for those who remember Disneyland long ago) wild ride.

Going to visit Manny (Ian Casselberry) the local Bronx heroin dealer, they run roughshod, over his group of thugs. And here is where JJ starts to re-think that his passiveness and begins to see some value in his dad’s way of resolving problems.

Some of the amusing parts of the film include JJ’s attempts to share his romantic interest for his longtime friend Sasha Arias (Alexandra Shipp). When John Shaft first meets Sasha, when she pulls a gun out of her purse at a restaurant, and how she dreamily looks at JJ when he jumps into action during a dinner they have.

The story goes on, and eventually, we get introduced to John Shaft Sr. (Richard Roundtree), and this completes the cycle. The original Shaft, the current Shaft, and the upcoming Shaft.

Don’t go to this film if you are looking to watch a serious movie. This film is tongue-in-cheek, and it’s fun.

Jackson is this film. He’s the reason you laugh and are engaged in the story because you wonder what he’ll do next. Hall is excellent as Shaft’s estranged wife. Her quips about Shaft’s focus are hilarious. Usher is wonderful as the passive smart FBI agent who finds his roots through meeting his father. Shipp is excellent as JJ’s friend and later girlfriend. Her shift in attitude towards Shaft’s lifestyle was subtle and fun. Roundtree was great to see, and as a reminder of the original song and film, I smiled. Kenya Barris and Alex Barnow wrote an entertaining active script. Tim Story knew that he needed to let Jackson run roughshod over this film because Samuel will make it work, he always does.

Overall: If you’re looking for action entertainment and don’t mind a lot of swearing, this is a film for you.

Ride Along 2

First Hit:  Not much of a film and felt forced in all ways.

The upside was seeing Olivia Munn although I sensed she knew this was a stinker of a film.

This retread of a film came off as a throwaway. Kevin Hart as a newly minted, on probation, police officer Ben Barber who is engaged to Angela Payton (Tika Sumpter) that happens to be Detective and fellow officer James Payton’s (Ice Cube) sister.

James doesn’t think much of Barber’s unqualified police and detective skills. Barber doesn’t help his case much because he’s always talking. He is incessantly chattering away about something or nothing.

Not sure if the script had it this way or they just let him loose but it was tiring. With all the noise he was creating it was extremely difficult to hear any good stuff that would make the film funny.

Together Barber and James are off to find a guy who is a drug supplier to a dealer they tried to bust. The investigation takes them to Miami where they meet Munn (as Maya) a detective with the Miami Police Department.

The villain is Antonio Pope (Benjamin Bratt) who is half wise guy and half stupid. His scripted toughness lacked an intelligent storyline for his obvious success.

Therefore, we end up with a stupid insipid story bouncing along hoping that Hart’s jokes and banter will make this film interesting or funny; it was neither.

Hart’s role was one of constant needless jabber. It was almost as if the director and producers hoped he'd talk so much that it would make this film funny or interesting. It didn't. Hart needs to take on roles that have some depth and story behind them and use his quick wordiness more sparingly. In other words quit throwing shit on the wall hoping some sticks. Ice Cube:  I’m always so surprised that I see him in something like this. This was the guy who came Straight Outta Compton? Really, you’re doing mindless drivel like this. Where did your soul go? Sumpter is OK as the engaged girlfriend of Barber’s. She barely rose above the level of the film. Munn was fun to see and she did her best to keep the role focused and on target. The scriptwriters and director let her down. Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi wrote this stupid script that had little direction or focus. As director, Tim Story, never told one.

Overall:  This film was really a follow-up to the first one and showed NO originality or reason for existing.

Think Like a Man

First Hit:  This film served up both truth and laughs.

Film follows 7 men who are close friends and hang out together often.

The film also follows the women whom they meet. So what is thinking like a man entail? It entails reading Steve Harvey’s book “Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man”.

In this book he gives women advice of how to land men; who are mama’s boys, or can’t commit, or are players, and other behaviors. What happens is that we follow men who are being lured into relationships they actually want by women who are using the techniques written in the book to make the man do what they want.

At one point the men get copies of the book and try to blunt the girl’s attempts but in the end the men want these girls. Through all this is humor, some of it smart, some slapstick, some racial, but mostly it is the kind of humor one expects in the truth.

The bits with the professional basketball players is really funny and I would have liked even more of those scenes.

This film is smart in the way it handles the male and female parts.

This is a very good ensemble piece and although the actors are not largely known (A-list) the acting was strong: Michael Ealy, Jerry Ferrara, Kevin Hart, Terrence Jenkins, Romany Malco, Gary Owen, Chris Brown, Meagan Good, Regina Hall, Taraji P. Henson, Jennifer Lewis, Gabrielle Union, La La Anthony, Wendy Williams and Sherri Shepherd were all funny and good in their roles. Keith Merryman wrote the smart screenplay from Steve Harvey’s book. Tim Story directed this smartly with great movements between couples and scenes.

Overall: I really enjoyed this film because it rang of truth, was smartly written and well directed.