WARWICK SHOWCASE

LIGHTYEAR
* * *
(Disney/Pixar Cartoon Feature)

The lovable character from “Toy Story” has a big back story that led him to becoming one of the biggest dolls in history. This is his story.

Lightyear (the voice of Chris Evans) goes “from infinity to beyond” and is marooned on an unknown planet with a crew of hundreds including three green Space Rangers, blaming himself for a crash landing and no means of escape.

Buzz blames himself and is determined to “light speed” a rocket that can get everyone back to earth, but something goes wrong in his many attempts. To make matters worse, those back on the unknown planet age every time he tries.

Izzy, his mentor breaks new ground for a Disney character. Handled very subtlety and discreetly, she is a Black, gay wife and mother who grows old while Lightyear stays the same age during his adventures.

The movie is loaded with adventure as Lightyear and his Space Rangers are chased all over the universe by mean robots.

The action goes on a bit too long, but the young folks will enjoy the battles that play out like a video game.

BRIAN AND CHARLES
* * *
(English Oddity)

This has to be one of the oddest films we have ever seen.

It was expanded from a popular short film which may have been a mistake, as it takes forever to kick-start.

Brian is the perfect example of an eccentric inventor, living alone in the Welch countryside, where he garbage picks anything that could be used in his oddball inventions.

He finds a mannequin’s face and decides to expand it into a full-size robot.

The robot comes to life, and they become bosom pals.

The village bully steals the robot and won’t give it back.

Brian joins with his girl friend (Not girlfriend just yet) and they invent an ingenious way to get Charles back.

There is a happy and crazy ending to this nice little tale.

NETFLIX

OZARK lovers will want to catch the half-hour special “A Farewell to Ozark” featuring the cast and crew talking about the making of the popular series.

VICE is a scathing look at VP Dick Cheney and how he grew from an unruly teenager to one of the most powerful people in the political arena. If half of it is true, we should be very concerned.

BILL BURR is one of the hottest comedians around today. He’s playing Fenway Park this summer. I watched his special on Netflix and wasn’t that excited. I found some of his material tasteless, but I guess that’s what sells today.

Netflix has produced a number of standup shows recently with comedians bringing their “guests” on for short standups.

GOD’S FAVORITE IDIOT is the latest comedy half-hour series. Starring Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone, it is about an office filled with idiots (No comparison to “The Office”). One of them has his face glow and starts to believe that he is a messenger from God. I don’t think I’ll stay with this one.

SPIDERHEAD stars Chris Hemsworth as a research scientist in a prison that experiments with its inmates. Miles Teller plays one of the inmates who rebels when things get out of hand. There is conflict and eventual attempts to escape. It gets a bit brutal and out of control. Good acting. Not so good story.