What Vicky Is Watching 1/6

New year, new month, new movies on the screen both cinema and small. It’s only 6 days into January and 2018 and already I’ve: been dragged into a jungle inhabited by herds of elephants, killer hippos, and a greedy poacher hellbent on stealing a precious jewel; fallen through a gauzy portal that took me back in time to the end of the reign of Queen Victoria, and watched as the aged monarch struck up an unlikely friendship with a young Indian man; and I’ve joined the day to day mishaps, and mayhem of the blue-vest-wearing Cloud 9 employees of Superstore, who’s big box store duties are anything but monotonous!

In Theatres

Jumanji Welcome to the Jungle

No longer just a song Axl Rose wails on the famous Guns ‘N Roses album, Welcome to the Jungle is a companion movie to the 1995 original. Comedian Robin Williams memory isn’t being trashed, and this isn’t a remake. There was so much uproar about this movie before it even premiered that it begs being said Jumanji Welcome to The Jungle is NOT JUMANJI. It’s an entirely different take on the magical board game, this time, updated for a 2018 audience. After a father discovers the board game buried in the sand during his morning beach run, he digs it up and brings it home for his teenage son. It’s the 90’s and his grunge loving son couldn’t care less about such a pointless game. . . that is, until it transforms in the middle of the night - jungle magic whooo - into a video game cartridge. Fast forward almost 30 years later, four high schoolers get detention. Their little Breakfast Club is tasked with cleaning out the school’s basement, and what do they discover but an dingy old tv, a counsel and the game. The four find themselves hurled into the screen, a portal to world of Jumanji, and in the bodies of the avatars they chose on the screen selection.

Shallow and flaky mean girl Bethany becomes chubby middle-aged cartographer Shelly “Sheldon” Oberon (Jack Black); athletic and aggressive basketball player Fridge is shrunk down to a scrappy, sassy, and SMALL zoologist nicknamed “Mouse” (Kevin Hart) ; shy and bookish girl Martha who always keeps her head down is transformed into bombshell explorer Ruby Roundhouse (Karen Gillan) -killer of men- and awkward geek Spencer becomes the ripped hottie Dr. Smoulder Bravestone (Dwayne Johnson) . Freaking out about their predicament, they find the only way they can get out of this digital death trap is to rescue Jumanji from the greedy clutches of an Van Pelt, an explorer who’s on a mission to steal a gemstone crucial to the jungle’s universe.

Hilarity ensues as the teens -- now inhabiting the bodies of their avatars -- struggle to adjust to the craziness of the jungle and keep up some semblance of teamwork. Some trailers ruin films when they share the funniest jokes or dramatic scenes. That doesn’t happen in Jumanji Welcome to the Jungle. The script is full of even more gags and laughs, and there isn’t just one or two golden comedic moments-- instead brilliantly sharp humor is peppered throughout the duration of the film. The chemistry between the characters-- and the dynamic of the actors, all fiercely funny comedians in their own right- make this an irresistible escapist movie. The action sequences aren’t just clunky video game fight scenes, and the CGI isn’t abused and overused. Instead, Jumanji Welcome to the Jungle zings with energy. It’s a madcap adventure story with an eccentric cast of characters--I couldn’t stop laughing at all the antics, and I absolutely cannot wait to see this film again, or even buy it when it’s released on DVD to add to my own collection!

On DVD

Victoria & Abdul

This period film is based on a true story, one of which was only truly revealed in 2010 when the private diary of the real Abdul Karim was discovered. Dame Judi Dench is Queen Victoria, entirely entrenched in her old age. The elderly monarch relies on her household staff to ease her out of bed in the morning, and carefully clothe and style her into the composed woman she is every single day. The monotony of royal life constantly leaves the Queen in a state of ennui. World weary and garbed in her widow blacks, Victoria’s duties leave her with no sense of pride, happiness or accomplishment. Our heart aches for this woman, once so formidable and unshakable, now small and frail and despite being surrounded by servants and staff, undeniably alone.

India is under the reign of the British Empire at the time, and a simple clerk from India - the son of carpet makers- Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal)  is given an extraordinary opportunity: he’ll be shipped across the ocean to present the Queen with a medallion, a symbolic token from India, at the grand Jubilee England’s hosting. Traveling along with another Indian man, Abdul is brought to court, and decked out in historically inaccurate dress and paraded around for everyone to see, like a curiosity. Known as “the Hindus” this foreign pair is just a living decoration for the aristocrats and nobility to ooh and ahh at, and marvel at their “otherness”.  

Abdul’s kind and friendly nature sets him apart from the money mongering and status obsessed household, and Queen Victoria takes a shine to this young, handsome man. Unlike the others, Abdul is completely and utterly genuine. His wonder and enthusiasm for the world, and his openness in accepting British culture, and willingness to share his own story and culture fills Victoria with a new energy and enthusiasm for life. No longer just content to shuffle about doing day to day duties, Victoria and Abdul go from being mere acquaintances to very dear friends, and Abdul her teacher, she, his pupil. Victoria’s captivated by the man, and committed to learning Urdu and more about the country that she’s ruler of, despite having never setting foot there.  

Her son Bertie (Eddy Izzard), and the other men and women in her inner circle are appalled and disgusted with the familiarity Victoria shows Abdul, and her generosity towards him. The entire film is a lushly crafted historical drama, that is a beauty to watch from the opening screen to the closing credits. There’s a deep heart and soul that shines through in the way the camera captures the shift in Victoria’s personality, and the reflection of the era is accurate and transports us to that time period. Judi Dench is a master at invigorating Victoria with indignation and steadfastness when she needs to, and weariness, sadness and frailty at other turns. This is movie about the bonds of friendship that is enchanting and engrossing, that touches our hearts and will stay in our thoughts far beyond the roll of the end credits.

Streaming on Cable

Superstore

OMG friends, how did it take me SO many years to fire up NBC’s comedy Superstore?! Girls - and guys - I have nooooo idea how this flew under my radar for such a long time, but my goodness am I glad that I watched the first episode, because I’ve been watching several episodes a day since then! Also confession:  it’s only available on demand for free for a very short time, and the episodes are less than a half hour each and sooooo easy to watch multiple of in a row. This is coming from a girl who physically is like unable to binge ANYTHING.

So here’s how it is, if you’re like me and had no idea what this was about-- Superstore takes place in a big-box store called Cloud 9 (“Have a Heavenly Day!”) which is basically Walmart. A upper-middle-class young thirtysomething guy named Jonah (Ben Feldman) applies to work at the store on a whim. He’s hired by the assistant manager, Dina (Lauren Ash), a drill sergeant of a woman who gets the hots for the J-man. The other employees, especially Floor Supervisor Amy (America Ferrera) don’t take to  him immediately  and are skeptical of his privileged upbringing. After some hazing Jonah finally gets accepted into the wacky fold of characters like teen mom Cheyenne (Nichole Bloom),  flamboyant attention hog Mateo (Nico Santos), oblivious and slightly racist 80-year-old  Myrtle  (Linda Porter), and snarky wheelchair-bound store announcer Garrett  (Colton Dunn).  

The humor is absolutely outstanding. The quirky personalities and lightning fast dialogue between characters make this show feel like a cross between Gilmore Girls and Parks and Rec, but still with an energy and spirit that’s entirely its own. There’s a social awareness and a lot of brain behind the humor. Superstore is not fueled by empty, stupid, jokes with a laugh track. It’s sharp and aware, addressing things like poverty, race, sexuality, politics and privilege but it’s never preachy or trite. The cast is mostly women and men of colour, and some of the characters are ages that are very uncommonly featured on tv with body types that definitely aren’t Hollywood. One of the most featured protagonists is Amy. Her earnestness, comedic timing and snappy dialogue makes her a joy to watch on screen. It’s wonderful to have America Ferrera, a Latina lead whose identity is a part of her but doesn’t only define her have such a prominent role. The flawed “family” that make up the Cloud 9 is one of the best ensembles on tv today!