Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991)

Directed by Michael Pressman | Starring Paige Turco, David Warner, Michelan Sisti, Ernie Reyes Jr., and Vanilla Ice

Cowabunga—this sequel knows exactly what it is, and it doesn’t apologize for it.

I caught this one at our local drive-in’s 35th anniversary screening (shout-out to Kingdom Media Club for putting it together), and with a beautiful sunset as a backdrop producer Kim Dawson gave a Q&A before the movie which really drove home how much heart went into keeping this sequel fun and accessible.

Here’s the thing: if you’re thinking about letting your kids watch this, or if you’re feeling nostalgic yourself, you’re not going to run into anything that’s going to blindside you. The turtles are fighting bad guys, cracking jokes, and being goofy—which is pretty much the whole point. The fight scenes are genuinely well-choreographed and fun to watch. There’s no blood or gore to worry about, no sexual content (just a quick joke with a Michelangelo poster that lands and moves on), and the dialogue is playful without being annoying.

Yeah, you’ll hear some name-calling (“stupid,” “idiot”), and there’s one bit of crude humor, but it’s mild stuff. One character smokes, so that’s worth noting. The action gets a little chaotic when the bad guys tear through the city, but it’s the kind of mayhem that feels like controlled chaos in a superhero movie—not gratuitous.

The acting is deliberately over the top, and the dialogue has puns that land more often than they miss. Michael Pressman directs the whole thing with this self-aware energy that says: “We know this is a movie about talking turtles, so let’s have fun with it.” And they do.

If your kids are 7 or older and you want something that doesn’t require much thinking but delivers genuine entertainment—and honestly, if you want something the whole family can enjoy together without cringing—this is a solid choice. It’s the kind of movie that knows its place and does that place really well.

Available to rent or purchase on Prime (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/4pE2Wmj

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢 out of 

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

Suicide Squad (2016)

Suicide Squad marks the third time we get to go into the new DC Movie Universe. Following the hit/miss Batman v Superman, Suicide Squad offers a darker, more "realistic" take on the anti-heroes we've seen recently on Arrow and Batman: Assault on Arkham. I believe the casting of Will Smith was a decent choice. The casting overall was pretty good. I didn't care for Jared Leto's Joker, but it's rather hard to set yourself apart as a character when it was so expertly portrayed by the late Heath Ledger just 8 years ago. The cameos of Ben Affleck (Batman) and Ezra Miller (The Flash) were fun to see. I enjoyed the plot of the movie and seeing a ragtag bunch of anti-heroes try and save the day. The soundtrack was possibly the most enjoyable part of this movie for me. As far as objectionable material, there is some language here and there, Harley could be considered scantily clad throughout this movie, and of course the violence has been cranked up to 11. There are several funny parts as this movie will serve to show the lighter side of the DC Movie Universe. I believe this was a successful entry into the new DC fare and I hope they keep up the momentum going into Justice League and Wonder Woman. Enjoy and see you at the movies!


PS. Don't forget to stay for the mid-credits scene!! It's a great bridge-builder and lead-in to Justice League.

Overall, I'd give this movie
 
out of
 

Jurassic World (2015)

7.5/10


Jurassic World is the quintessential summer popcorn movie. You have the action, the adventure, the thrills with just a touch of love interest thrown in.  Isla Nublar is back and better than ever with a re-envisioned park that shares the same feel as the original from 22 years ago, but ramped up to 11.  If, while watching, you get a bit of déjà vu, you're not alone. Many of the plot points (two kids roaming the park by themselves, new dinosaur, raptors doing what raptors do, etc.) are repeated in this movie.  They're tweaked just enough to enjoy, yet familiar enough to put the audience at ease.  There are several newly introduced dinos this go round.  They do not disappoint.  Chris Pratt has found a niche for himself on the big screen as the "it" summer blockbuster hero.  He's surrounded by another great cast with Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent D'Onofrio, and Judy Greer among others.  I would recommend this as a great action summer blockbuster! Enjoy and see you at the movies!

Overall, I'd give this movie
 
out of