Paul McGuire Grimes from Paul’s Trip to the Movies, gives us his take on Deadpool & Wolverine and Twisters.

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE (in theaters)

Their on-screen duel in Deadpool & Wolverine is set to shake up the Marvel Cinematic Universe both on screen and off. Marvel fans of been waiting for this on screen pairing for years despite the fact that Wolverine was killed off in Logan and there’s been rights issues between Marvel, Disney, 20th Century and everyone involved that would allow them to join forces. That’s all explained in a violent, expletive filled opening sequence with Ryan Reynold’s Deadpool out to dig up the grave of Wolverine. The opening alone should leave the audience cheering for what’s in store. Wade Wilson/Deadpool is celebrating a birthday when he’s taken into custody at the Time Variance Authority and interrogated by a man named Mister Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen) He proposes to Wade that Deadpool can save the Sacred Timeline and join the Marvel world, but this whole mission involves Wolverine who is thought of as the greatest character and anchor to the MCU.

-Director Shawn Levy and his writing team, which includes Ryan Reynolds, have so much in store for the audience, not only in terms of packing the film with fun easter eggs, cameos, and thrilling action, but it is backed by an emotional core for both the characters of Wade/Deadpool and Logan/Wolverine.

– Deadpool & Wolverine is a celebration of everything you love about these characters and what they mean to comic book movies. This pairing is given that buddy adventure, road trip dynamic to play off of. 

-Ryan Reynolds goes full force high octane energy with Deadpool’s fouth-mouthed, fast-talking, pop culture obsessed personality. Hugh Jackman has that gruff, anger-filled growl as Wolverine but continues to back it with a deep, layered connection to his past. You need that emotional core for any of this to work.

-Matthew Macfadyen matches Reynolds energy as the frantic Mister Paradox while Emma Corrin is a diabolic entry to the Marvel universe as Nova, the film’s core villain. Both are pitch perfect additions to the heightened tone set in place.

-The film keeps in that R-rated tradition of Deadpool. It’s incredibly bloody and violent, but and adds in so much humor you’ll miss half the jokes. He quips, “I turn everything into a joke” and that seems to be the mission of the screenplay is to take it to the next level.

–Deadpool & Wolverine is a nerd-gasm of the highest regard making it one of the best in the Marvel, X-Men, Deadpool franchises. 

RATING: 4.5 out of 5 TICKET STUBS

TWISTERS (in theaters)

This isn’t a remake or a direct sequel per say but features an all-new crew of storm chasers with Daisy Edgar-Jones as Kate Carter who has always been fascinated with the weather. She along with a scrappy team of friends including Anthony Ramos as Javi, head to into a twister with a truck full of sensors and absorbent polymers they hope will decrease the moisture and collapse the storm. Tragedy strikes their team, and she swears off storm chasing and moves to New York. It’s Javi that finds her and makes her an offer she can’t refuse. She believes he’s on the right track to saving lives if they can get a head of the storm. The latest storm system brings out all the fanatics and storm chasers including Glen Powell as Tyler Owens, a hot shot YouTuber and influencer known as the “Tornado Wrangler”

-Director Lee Isaac Chung is taking a massive swing going from small arthouse films like the Oscar-winning Minari to now directing a massive summer blockbuster like Twisters. He’s working with a screenplay by Mark L. Smith based on a story by Joseph Kosinski. Kosinski was the creative mind behind Top Gun Maverick, and now he’s igniting the Twister legacy all over again. Both films also happen to star Glen Powell.

–Twisters follows a very similar blueprint to its predecessor almost to a T with Daisy Edgar-Jones playing a similar character to Helen Hunt, and Glen Powell playing the obnoxious bro type that Bill Paxton played so well the first time around.

-Following that general template is forgivable as Lee Isaac Chung knows you still need to you have characters you’re rooting for and massive action sequences that will have your jaw on the floor. There’s a great build that follows as the intensity escalates with each storm. There’s some meat on the bones with what you would expect from this type of movie.

–Twisters aptly acknowledges how society and science has changed since 1996. Glen Powell’s character Tyler Owens states “We don’t need PhDs and fancy gadgets to do what we do.” Influencer culture plays a key role here as anyone with a truck and a camera can go viral when there are real scientists, meteorologists who don’t get the same type of attention.

– Glen Powell brings his usual cocky charm to Tyler, while Daisy Edgar-Jones gives Kate whip smart, girl next door energy. They represent the city girl versus the country boy rivalry, but the downtime in between storms allows for some sexual tension and an openness that they’re more than the stereotypes and images they’ve been given.

–Twisters is a popcorn movie at its finest with nail-biting action sequences, edge of your seat thrills, reliable leading actors and a few nods to the original for eagle-eyed fans.

RATING: 4 out of 5 TICKET STUBS