Shmee.Me

The Maze Runner was a surprise mid-level hit for Fox in 2014, so it was not surprise that a sequel based on the second Maze Runner book, The Scorch Trials, was green-lit.  What was surprising is how different Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials was from the previous film.  It is pretty much a straight up zombie movie.  It is mildly entertaining, and there is some fun to be had, but it doesn’t go deeper than that.

Now that the Gladers have escaped the maze and WCKD’s clutches they find themselves ‘rescued’ by a new group.  Can this ‘rebel band’ be trusted?  Of course not, so they soon escape only to be chased by zombies in the desert while looking for a real group of rebels to take them in.

I just wrote three short sentences about the plot of The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, and I think I may have given away too much.  There really isn’t that much to this movie.  They just run a lot getting chased by either WCKD or zombies (known as Cranks).  They do offer a little more info about what WCKD is up to, but nothing that interesting, and I still have no idea what the title of the film is referring to.  There are no ‘trials’ as far as I could tell.  Tribulations perhaps.  Also after looking at the plot synopsis of the book, don’t expect this movie to be anything like the source material.

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials is a completely passible way to send a couple of hours.  There is nothing wrong with a family friendly zombie movie, but after the intriguing first movie it is a bit of a let down.  Still it was good enough that I will probably watch the third movie whenever it comes out.  At least they are not splitting Maze Runner: The Death Cure up in two movies like every other YA series’ last book adaptation.

Nancy Meyers knows how to make a dramedy.  They are the bulk of her directing portfolio, so it should be no surprise that The Intern does its best to bring the laughter and the tears, and if that is what you are in the mood for, The Intern will scratch that itch.  It is not a movie that raises the bar, but it is charming and well made, and there is a lot to be said for that.

The Intern is about Ben Whittaker (Robert De Niro) a 70 year widower who is finding retirement to be a bit dull and lonely.  He has already traveled the world, and he doesn’t want to be a bother to his son’s family, so he decides to become an intern at a local tech start up.  He is quickly paired with the CEO and Founder of the company Jules Ostin (Anne Hathaway) who is overworked and over-busy, so he will have to use his old school work ethic and caring personality to help her out.

This movie is pretty much setup like a standard romantic comedy, but with the twist that the two leads become friends instead of a couple.  Which is actually a refreshing change.  It is sweet to see De Niro take the role of almost a caring grandfather to this person that just needs a steady hand on her shoulder as her company is taking off.  I also appreciated that they did this while still showing that Hathaway’s character was more than capable at her job.  She didn’t need someone to save her from her job.  She just needed a friend and some guidance.

The Intern is a fine film that no doubt has a large audience.  Nancy Meyers is a good filmmaker who knows her product and market well.  If you are part of that market, I am sure that you will like The Intern, and even though I am not part of the target audience, I enjoyed myself as well.  So just like Jules Ostin you may just need to give The Intern a chance.