Bright (2017), and Happy Holidays!

Yep, I missed my annual Giving-Thanks post.  Daily life gets in the way sometimes, you know?  So, Thanks!  I've got new friends and more peace and quiet to be thankful for this year, and probably many other hidden blessings that I'm sure just have to be given time to unwrap themselves, like this unexpected holiday review that I jsut decided to write!  Yay!

I saw Bright (2017) on Netflix the other night.  Will Smith plays some cop in an alternate universe kinda thing where modern-day Los Angeles is actually home to Humans, Elves, Orcs and Fairies.  There're rumors that the Dark Lord (a very bad guy) is returning, and there's some creepy group of elves helping him called the Inferni.  So, to bring back the Dark Lord, the Inferni need 3 Wands, which are obviously the only way these heretofore-magical races can wield magic, apparently.  So, what happens when some typical beat-cop runs across a Wand in his normal day, and everyone's out to get it, and his new Orc partner?  Find out on Netflix!

Okay, this is another one of those cases where my review is actually better than the movie.  Will Smith seems uninspired in this, not up to his normal level of action-hero badassery (is it time for him to join the cast of the Expendables yet?), and his Orc partner seems hampered by the odd camo-face-paint makeup they are using to denote Orcs.  The rest of the cast was ok, the theme seemed like a good idea, but the execution wasn't very good.  Special effects were ok, but there was no explanation given as to most of the magic stuff going on behind the scenes.  Sometimes, there doesn't need to be, but i don't think this was one of those times.  Also, if they need 3 wands to bring him back (which was what i thought they said, though i might have misunderstood), then how are they trying to do it with one?  Generally disappointing movie.  Can't really recommend it, unless you like watching Will Smith smack a CGI fairie around with a broom.  Feels like a hate crime to me.

Happy Holidays!  Happy New Year!  I had a sucky 2017, so maybe 2018 will be better?  I can only hope, and maybe 2018 will be better for the rest of you, as well.  Good luck!  :-)  See you next year, hopefully with more reviews!  I suck at this regular-posting schedule stuff.  ;-/