Movie Reviews: ‘Hidden Figures’ revealing story

Published 11:00 am Tuesday, January 10, 2017

“Hidden Figures” (Drama: 2 hours, 7 minutes)

Starring: Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, Jim Parsons and Kevin Costner

Director: Theodore Melfi

Rated: PG (Thematic elements and some language )

Movie Review: “Hidden Figures” is an appealing adaptation of Margot Lee Shetterly’s book, based on true accounts. 

It is part of United States history not fully known until now. Three African-American women being intellectual pioneers in computer science, mathematics and engineering is not something American history divulges easily because such a narrative does not fit the stereotypes placed on African-American culture and women through hundreds of years. 

“Hidden Figures” is inspirational, definitely one of the better, sincere movies from 2016. 

African-American women become pivotal players in getting astronauts into space at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 

Katherine G. Johnson (Henson), a brilliant mathematician, is heavily dependent upon launching astronauts in space in an attempt to compete against Russia. 

As computers are coming into mainstream use, Dorothy Vaughan (Spencer) becomes a necessity for operating NASA’s new IBM computer as well supervising a group of talented African-American employees. 

Mary Jackson (Monáe) decides she wants to be an engineer after working with NASA’s engineering department. 

The three women are pivotal players for their employer.

Theodore Melfi (“St. Vincent,” 2014) directs this inspiring film. It is a celebratory feature about ingenuity and intelligence in spite of opposition. Melfi has a manner of making his movies about characterizations rather than story. He tries to do the same with “Hidden Figures,” but its story is as grand as its characters.

Melfi and writer Allison Schroeder’s screenplay is good, but it could be better. They show the working and personal lives of its three female protagonists nicely, but both are not necessary. 

The movie could have tackled their personal lives, including the racism and sexism they encountered, via their work setting.

Instead, the movie gets sidetracked from both its story and theses of three wonderful women by some scenes not needed to promote the characters within a great story. The women are phenomenal. The movie could keep a better focus if it just stuck with the women’s incredible intelligent and diligent work at NASA.

“Hidden Figures” is one of the better movies of 2016. Although other black women worked at NASA during the time, the movie focuses on just three.

The drama is charming, energetic and inspirational. The cast is good, especially Academy Award recipient Spencer, Henson, Monáe (“Moonlight,” 2016), “Big Bang’s” Parsons, Kirsten Dunst and Oscar recipient Kevin Costner. 

Others are significant too, but these six people are intricate to the movie’s plot. They excel in unique ways important to the portrayal of their roles. Of course, Spencer, Henson and Monáe remain its core.

“Hidden Figures” is one of the few movies that debuted in 2016 that all audiences should see. With only a PG rating, the movie is wholesome and suitable for all audiences. 

“Hidden Figures” thrives on inspiration, where characters overcome their problems while solving others’ problems. That takes it to outer space and back.

Grade: B+ (Hidden beauty of three intelligent and determined women offers plenty.)

“A Monster Calls” (Drama/Fantasy: 1 hour, 48 minutes)

Starring: Lewis MacDougall, Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones and Liam Neeson

Director: J.A. Bayona

Rated: PG-13 (Thematic content, violence and some scary images)

Movie Review: Patrick Ness’ novel serves as the basis for this intriguing and well-acted fantasy-psychodrama about a boy’s coming to terms with his mother’s illness. 

The young boy is Conor O’Malley (newcomer MacDougall). He watches his mother (Felicity Jones) succumb to an illness. 

Even more, Conor faces having to leave his mother to live with his demanding grandmother (Weaver), and he is tortured continuously at school by bullies, in particularly Harry (James Melville). 

Conor finds an unlikely friend when a Monster (Liam Neeson) appears one night. The tree-like Monster helps Conor find courage to face his fears. 

The fantasy is good, although it may be too intimidating for some younger audiences. The movie is about a boy’s imagination to face fears. It deals with a parent dying, bullying and separated parents. The themes are definitely for tweens, teens and above.

The themes are part of the story. They work to make the screenplay riveting in a good dramatic way. Again, “A Monster Calls” is about boy’s mind during tragic situations. The movie is not sad. It is a drama. It takes time to show people dealing with life events.

Director J.A. Bayona last directed “The Impossible,” a 2012 movie about a family surviving a tsunami. That was his last full-length feature film and a good production. 

He scores with “A Monster Calls.” It is a touching film for audiences that like fantasies and dramas. It is poetically pleasing, even if the story is not a joyous event.

Grade: B (Answer the call.)

“Underworld: Blood Wars” (Action/Horror: 1 hour, 31 minutes)

Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Theo James, Tobias Menzies, Bradley James and Lara Pulver

Director: Anna Foerster

Rated: R (Strong violence, sexuality, gore and profanity)

Movie Review: “Underworld: Blood Wars” is the fifth installment of this series, following 2003’s “Underworld” ( Director Len Wiseman). 

Like a number of its predecessors, “Blood Wars” is a messily told story filled with inconsistent characters. The dilution of the bloodline becomes more evident with the debut of each sequel.

Death Dealer Selene (Kate Beckinsale), an elite vampire fighter, finds herself again at the center of the eternal war between the Lycan clans and the Vampire factions. Both Lycans and Vampires betrayed Selene, and both now want her. Each group hunts her for different reasons.

The story is a scattered one. The plot involves too many sub-plots, all an attempt to tie up loose ends. 

Conceivably, this is like the last movie following the adventures of Selene. With hope, this is the last “Underworld.” 

All of these movies have a common story arc. For “Blood Wars” and the other movies of the franchise, the inclusive story is consistent and filled with side stories that offer little more than unimaginative writing.

Just as annoying, the characters are very inconsistent, especially the main character Selene. Kate Beckinsale plays Selene well, but she and others are uneven. 

One minute, a character is an awesome fighter and nearly indestructible. The next moment, the same character is weaker and not as skilled as a fighter. The uneven script for the characters is aggravating and poor characterization. 

The screenplay is exciting. The action scenes are stylishly energetic. They are the fulfilling parts, but even they are a letdown because of the inconsistencies. The blood is thinly transparent.

Grade: C- (Under par bloodline.)