Movie Review- Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

This Christmas we had a last-minute change up and Felix was with us for the holiday. We spent a few days in Las Vegas, including Christmas Eve, when we decided that we needed to go to a movie. We debated between the latest Star Wars film and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, which won out. We did end up seeing Star Wars: The Last Jedi, a week later and I can't even write a review on it. I fell asleep during several pivotal plot points. I also fell asleep and couldn't review Star Wars: Rogue One. I guess I have a pattern.

PLOT- In the mid-90's, Alex (Nick Jonas), a bored teenager, discovers the Jumanji board game in his home, his father having found it on a beach. When Alex casts it aside, mentioning a disinterest in board games, the game converts itself to a video cartridge. Alex decides to play and is sucked into the game. 

Flash-forward to the present day, where Alex's mysterious disappearance and the mark that it has left on his father, have become a town legend. When forced to clean their school basement as a part of detention, a group of high school students discover the Jumanji cartridge. Like Alex, the kids get sucked into the game and they become the avatars that the chose. They quickly realize that they must complete the challenge set forth in the game and stay alive, if they ever want to escape Jumanji.

LIKE- Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is a fun ride. It's exiting, funny, and creative. I liked the original, especially because of Robin Williams, but I think this sequel is actually the better movie. We did have a family movie night last summer and watched the original Jumanji, which the kids loved. I think this is why Felix was eager to see the sequel. He's eight and the film is just a touch scary, without being terrifying, and this makes it exciting for kids. 

I liked the creativity with the board game shifting to a video game. It's great update. The trailers revealed that the kids became the avatars, with comedic touches like Bethany (Madison Iseman)  the popular girl gets turning into the frumpy old-guy avatar, played by Jack Black. The nerdy girl, Martha (Morgan Turner) is turned into the avatar "Ruby Roundhouse" ( Karen Gillian), a super-model looking martial arts expert. Spencer, (Alex Wolff) the nerdy boy, who has a crush on Martha, is transformed into an uber-muscular anthropologist, played by Dwyane Johnson. Spencer's childhood best friend, whom he has grown apart from, is Anthony (Ser'Darius Blaine.) Anthony is a popular athlete and he struggles when he is turned into a zoologist with a weakness for cake, played by Kevin Hart. It's a little on-the-nose that the kids are turned into their polar opposite avatars, but it also works, because we see each of them struggle in their new bodies. I liked touches like having the ancillary game characters, the ones who just repeat a few lines for the purpose of advancing the story and giving the characters information, just like a real video game. 

There are some surprises; funny and unexpected moments that were not spoiled in the trailer. There is also a sentimental nod to Robin Williams. 

DISLIKE- Nothing. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is just a fun movie. We walked out of the cinema smiling and happy. Sure, this isn't going to be winning awards, but for sheer entertainment, it's a winner.

RECOMMEND- Yes! Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is worth splurging on in the theaters. We watched it in a full theater and the vibe of the crowd made it even better. It's also a great pick for a family day out, I would say older elementary kids and up. 

Las Vegas Christmas 2014 - Criss Angel's Believe

Moving right along with my goal to see a new show every trip to Vegas, we bought discount tickets to Criss Angel's Believe at the Tix-4-Tonight booth. It was the day after Christmas and quite frankly, Vegas was a ghost town, making it easy to find good seats for most shows. 

I donned my leather jacket and we headed to the Luxor for Believe. Thinking that alcohol might be necessary to enjoy the show ( hey, we saw David Copperfield earlier in the year and he was dreadful), we got a giant margarita.

Big Mistake. Huge.

My bladder was absolutely bursting for the entire performance and there was no easy way to exit the theatre from our seats. Life lesson = no major consumption of liquids before a live performance.

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PLOT - Believe is written and directed by magician Criss Angel, but it is also a co-production with Cirque Du Soleil. I've seen many Cirque Du Soleil shows and truthfully, I'm not a big fan. I often catch myself working on my grocery lists during the shows. Luckily, in Believe, the Cirque parts are limited to a few creepy and comedic characters. They are secondary, with Angel and his female assistant, the stars of the show. 

The ambiance begins as soon as you enter the theatre. The lobby is filled with props, including a large display of Angel's motorcycles. If you're quiet, you can hear Angel whispering phrases as you walk near the motorcycles. Make sure to arrive early or leave time after the performance to take a close look at the lobby, there is so much to see.

The stage is quite elaborate and reminded me of Alice in Wonderland or something concocted by Tim Burton. It's whimsical and slightly eerie. There is an old-fashioned music box on stage that plays a discordant melody. 

Angel performs several tricks, the most impressive is one where he just appears in the middle of the audience, within a row of seats. I was left mystified. He also has an audience member pick a motorcycle from the lobby and he has it appear on stage, with his assistant sitting on top. This is definitely more of a magic show, than a cirque show. Although there are the cirque characters, the show does not have an overriding story or theme. About fifteen minutes of the show is dedicated to Angel showing clips from his childhood and various televised stunts. I've never seen any of his shows, but this caught my interest, especially the one where he cuts people in half on Mind Freak. I know they're illusions, but I'm baffled by how he does it!

LIKE - Angel makes the show. The impression that I had of him going into the show, based on other people in the media making fun of him and his overall image, is that he is completely full of himself. The vibe that he gave off during the show was completely the opposite. He seemed humble, happy to be performing and like he is a genuinely nice guy. He has fun on stage and it made me have fun in the audience. Most of his tricks were mind blowing and I left the show feeling dazzled. I even enjoyed the cirque characters.

DISLIKE - My only complaint is that there were not enough tricks. If he had added two or three more tricks and removed some of the unnecessary cirque clown action, then I would have walked out of the show feeling completely happy. Believe could have stayed the same length, just with more magic.

RECOMMEND - Yes, absolutely! If you're a magic fan, you won't be disappointed. This isn't the best representation of a Cirque Du Soleil show ( see Love, it's brilliant), but if you've seen other Cirque shows and want something new, give Criss Angel's Believe a chance. It's a worthy contender in the plethora of vegas shows competing for your vacation time and money.