JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE (8 out of 10) Directed by Jake Kasdan; Written by Jake Kasdan and Chris McKenna; Starring Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Bobby Cannavale; Rated PG-13 for  adventure action, suggestive content and some language; Running time 119 minutes; In wide release December 20.

Whenever Hollywood trots out a seemingly unnecessary sequel or reboot to a beloved classic, the first question to come to many people’s minds is, “why?” Too often, they turn out to be soulless and hollow films that exist merely to cash in on nostalgia with no understanding or respect of the original. So when Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle was announced, that was the first thing to pop into my head. Then, the trailer came out and it actually looked interesting and funny. So, it was with a mild hope that I headed into the theater to see what they had put together. And wouldn’t you know it, the film ended up being heartfelt, relentlessly funny and also one of the best video game movies ever.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle begins in 1996 with someone again finding the treacherous board game and bringing it home for his son who initially shows no interest in it. The game senses this and transforms into a video game in the middle of the night, and when the teenager discovers and plays it, sucks him into the world of Jumanji much the same as it did to Robin Williams character in the original. Fast forward 20 years, and a motley crew of school kids – the jock, the nerd, the outcast and the self-absorbed popular girl – are given detention and find the game system while cleaning out the basement at school. They play it and also get sucked into the dangerous jungle world and are transformed into new alter-egos – the powerful adventurer (Dwayne Johnson), the diminutive sidekick (Kevin Hart), the sexy man-killer (Karen Gillan) and the portly cartographer (Jack Black) – and are tasked with saving Jumanji from an evil overlord (Bobby Cannavale) or die trying.

This is without a doubt one of the funniest movies of the year. From the moment the characters get pulled into the world until the credits roll, almost everyone in the theater was laughing uproariously. From sight gags involving a character learning how to pee to figuring out what happens to someone with a “weakness” to cake, the jokes never stop coming, and almost none fall flat. There was also a surprising amount of innuendo here, so that, along with a decent amount of violence and blood, means that this movie proudly wears its PG-13 rating on its sleeve. Parents, be aware.

But what really makes this so much fun is watching these talented, adult actors having to play their characters as insecure or whiny teenagers. Much the same as it was amusing to see Jamie Lee Curtis pretend to be Lindsay Lohan in Freaky Friday, so too is it the same here in Jumanji. Watching Dwayne Johnson having a panic attack about being in a jungle without his allergy medication, or Kevin Hart wondering where the hell the rest of his body went never stops being funny, because as much as it’s a running gag, it never feels overused. And of course, the star of the show is Jack Black playing the self-absorbed teenage girl who just CAN’T EVEN being stuck as a portly middle-aged man without her phone. The scenes where he “learns” about the different uses of the penis got some of the biggest laughs.

Jumanji isn’t without some problems. It’s incredibly predictable, and the plot exists merely to move the players to each stage in the game, and yes, there is a lesson to be learned, but everyone will be having too much fun to care. Throw in a little plot twist with an actor I haven’t mentioned yet, and you’ve got a fun movie that will find its way into the hearts of people just as the original did.

This is the definition of a popcorn movie and one that is surprising to see during the awards and family, holiday season, but it’s completely welcome. Parents should probably keep their youngest ones at home as there are some intense, violent moments and because of the innuendo, but everyone probably 10 and up is going to love this. It’s an engaging two hours at the movies that gives everyone pure escapism, and sometimes that’s exactly what people are looking for.

BAYWATCH (3 out of 10) Directed by Seth Gordon; Written by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift; Starring Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron, Alexandra Daddario, Priyanka Chopra, Kelly Rohrbach, Ilfenesh Hadera, Jon Bass, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Hannibal Buress, Rob Huebel, Oscar Nuñez; Rated R for language throughout, crude sexual content, and graphic nudity; Runtime 116 minutes; In wide release May 26, 2017.

In the current Hollywood trend of remaking and rebooting every franchise that ever could stir even the tiniest twinge of nostalgia, it was inevitable that we would at some point get a Baywatch movie. And with as charismatic leads as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Zac Efron, it seemed possible that this could hit the same notes as the 21 Jump Street reboot.

Unfortunately, nah.

While this tries to walk the line between action and comedy, the jokes fall flat, the action is ho-hum, and the literal best things about the movie are the often shirtless Johnson and Efron. But if that isn’t your particular cup of tea, there’s not much here for you.

Speaking of not much there, the plot is predictable. Johnson is Mitch, the legendary lifeguard of Emerald Bay. He and his team of Baywatch lifeguards protect the beaches, inexplicably, from all sorts of threats that the police, coast guard, and others seemingly should be taking care of. In the midst of recruiting new members of the team through open tryouts, they’re saddled with a cocky Olympic Gold Medalist (Efron) who doesn’t play well with others. But when drugs and dead bodies start washing up on their shores, they’ll have to learn to become a team to blah blah blah. . .  and there’s slow mo running in bathing suits. I assume that’s why people come to this movie?

It’s not exciting. It’s not funny. It’s not sexy. Indeed, in an R-rated comedy based on a series best known for its exploitative T-and-A, all of the nudity is male, and none of it is sexy. One instance includes a lengthy shot of a corpse’s penis, and another is a shower scene involving a somewhat overweight male member of the team played for laughs — with some problematic body-shaming elements.

One positive element to the film is that it has toned down the exploitative feel of the source material. The female leads are all competent, smart, and, for the most part, better at their jobs than their male counterparts. In one bright spot, they point out the unfairness of a promotion going to celebrity pretty boy Efron instead of another veteran female lifeguard. But even including a social commentary isn’t enough to save this otherwise braindead “comedy.” 

Speaking of the film’s treatment of women, I’m sure you noticed the film’s R rating for “graphic nudity.” Warning: If you go to this movie expecting boobs. . . you know there’s porn on the internet, right? Perhaps it’s for the best that there is no female nudity in the film, because in 2017 we really should know better than to so shamelessly exploit women’s’ bodies for the male gaze. But even the scenes involving shirtless Efron and Johnson aren’t particularly alluring (not that those would get an R rating, but they’re the only thing that approaches sexiness in the film). This is nowhere near as fun nor sexy as a film like Magic Mike. The helicopter scene from last year’s Captain America: Civil War was far better.

Why did I spend so much time talking about nudity here? Because there just isn’t much to this movie, folks. It was questionable what the value of a Baywatch reboot was in the first place, and this doesn’t do anything to answer that question. This Memorial Day weekend, you’d be better off hitting the actual beach.

3 out of 10

MOANA (9.5 out of 10) Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker; Written by Ron Clements, John Musker and Jared Bush; Starring Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Temuera Morrison and Rachel House; Running time 103 min; Rated PG for peril, some scary images and brief thematic elements; In wide release November 23, 2016

It has been a fantastic year for animation. With few exceptions, nearly every film has been engaging, wonderfully told and animated and has moved the genre forward. I was quite positive that we had seen the best there was with Kubo and the Two Strings, but then along comes Moana that just might give it a run for best animated movie of the year.

Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) lives on the island of Motunui and is the daughter of Chief Tui (Temuera Morrison) and next in line to succeed him as leader of their people. Headstrong and resourceful, Moana tries to resign herself to her responsibilities but constantly finds herself drawn to the siren song of the ocean which her father has forbidden her and the rest of their tribe from venturing out in. Although they used to be wayfarers, at home on the sea, previous tragedies have left them afraid of sailing past the reef that surrounds their home. A strange rot soon begins to affect their land by killing their crops and driving off the fish they need for food. Moana learns that the shapeshifting demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) was responsible for stealing the heart of a god and releasing the lava monster Te Kā that is slowly poisoning the world. Encouraged by her Gramma Tala (Rachel House), she sets off on a quest to find Maui and force him to return the heart to its rightful owner and stop the blight before it is too late.

If some of this setup sounds familiar, that would be because the directors behind this, Ron Clements and John Musker, told a similar story decades ago that many should be familiar with – The Little Mermaid. While Moana uses some of the same ideas from that classic, it does so in such a wonderful way that any comparison to Mermaid is largely washed away.

While it’s as much a fairy tale as many other Disney movies, first and foremost, Moana is a tale about a strong and interesting young woman who powerfully drives the plot and follows her heart — not to fall in love or find her Prince Charming but instead to save the lives of all she loves. Even though her main purpose seems to be to locate and force Maui to help her, the responsibility of saving her people falls solely on her, and she is very much the heroine in this story. Thankfully, newcomer Auli’i Cravalho is up to the task presented and gives a heartfelt and meaningful performance as the voice of Moana. Not only that, but she can belt out songs like a seasoned pro, which makes it all the more exciting to see where this young performer will go from here.

She shares the spotlight with Maui voiced with charm and sarcasm by Dwayne Johnson who proves that there’s more to him than WWE and action films, as he can sing too! Maybe not Broadway caliber, but he proves he’s up to the challenge and delivers one of the catchiest songs in the movie.

Rounding out the cast, for comical relief, is the incredibly stupid and clumsy rooster Hei Hei (clucked lovingly by Alan Tudyk) as well as the Ocean itself which is just as important, if silent, a character as the Magic Carpet from Aladdin.

And of course the soundtrack is first rate since Lin Manuel Miranda of Hamilton fame wrote the lyrics and partnered with Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foa’I for the music. While it’s not as much of a musical as Frozen (which had a stronger recurring theme running through it), the songs that are there are fantastic and will be stuck in your head long after leaving the theater. Of note, especially, is Moana’s How Far I’ll Go (an easy nod for Best Song) as well as the Bowie-influenced Shiny sung by Jemaine Clement of Flight of the Conchords fame.

Moana has it all. It’s charming, funny, beautiful, has heartwarming songs and an incredible story that everyone will love. Young girls especially will identify with Moana, and it’s refreshing to see a movie aimed at kids show that women can go on to accomplish anything even in the face of adversity. Go see this with your family, as I guarantee you’ll love it.

You’re welcome!

9.5 out of 10

SAN ANDREAS (6 of 10) – Directed by Brad Peyton; Written by Carlton Cuse; Starring: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario, Archie Panjabi, Paul Giamatti, Ioan Gruffudd, Hugo Johnstone-Burt, Art Parkinson; Rated PG-13 for “intense disaster action and mayhem throughout, and brief strong language“, in wide release May 29, 2015.

“San Andreas” is a film in that grandest of traditions of giant, spectacular disaster movies, shared by other “classics” like “The Towering Inferno” and “The Poseidon Adventure” that were staples of cinema in the 70’s, 80’s and even into the 90’s (remember when we had TWO volcano movies in 1997 and then TWO asteroid movies in 1998?) In that sense, “San Andreas” doesn’t cover any new ground, but it does deliver a lot of action, some genuine thrills, and even manages to make this cynical critic care about its characters a little bit.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is an elite Los Angeles Fire and Rescue helicopter pilot, and we see just how skilled he is in an opening sequence during a harrowing rescue of an SUV dangling off a cliff in the San Fernando Valley.

At the same time, Cal Tech seismology professor Paul Giamatti may have discovered a method of predicting earthquakes, and he and his team race off to the Hoover Dam outside Las Vegas to investigate a cluster of small quakes.

Of course, disaster strikes. . .and it may mean certain doom as the quakes threaten to spread up and down the San Andreas Fault, destroying . . .well, pretty much all of California.

When the megaquake hits, Johnson has to swing into action to save his estranged wife from the top of a downtown LA skyscraper, and then rescue his daughter in San Francisco. Yes, there’s some family drama and angst. And a tragic backstory. Luckily, it doesn’t get too cloying and actually helps make the story more interesting rather than just have the movie be a series of sequences watching buildings topple over.

Unfortunately, this is still basically a retread of the disaster movie genre, simply switching out Hollywood’s favorite nihilistic obsession of destroying itself (eg, next week’s “Entourage” premier. . . ZZzzzing!!!) with destroying the Bay Area instead. While the script is attributed to former “Lost” producer Carlton Cuse, it is very obviously a product of the Hollywood script-by-committee.

But, that being said, it is a better entry into the disaster genre, understanding what it is and where it comes from, and it tries to exceed the limitations of what it is. For example the film takes a different turn in its final act as San Francisco deals with a giant tsunami, helping to make sure each action sequence builds from the previous one and tries to raise the stakes. 

While the real stars here are the spectacle and the special effects, the human cast does a great job as well. Carla Gugino seems to have a lot of fun here, and when daughter Alexandra Daddario (The “Percy Jackson” movies, “White Collar”) is trying to escape from crumbling and flooding San Francisco, she’s aided by a pair of English brothers who bring a lot of fun and hear to the story.And yes, there’s even a little bit of a love story. Awwww. . . .predictable and trite? Yes. But remember, this is a disaster movie, not Shakespeare. 

There’s a great metaphor for this film in its choice of soundtrack, which uses a remake of The Mamas and the Papas’ “California Dreaming” by Sia. Hey, that’s a good song, and a good singer, and she tries to take it in an interesting direction by making it a soulful ballad. But. . .it kind of misses the mark, as that song is really all about the harmonies and call-and-repeat mechanic that a single singer can’t deliver. Good try. Not bad. Great production values. But ultimately not a classic.

Overall, you can sum up whether or not you should see this movie with this question: Do you want to see Los Angeles and San Francisco get completely wrecked? If yes, enjoy, but don’t expect too much from it. If not, go watch “Mad Max: Fury Road” again.

Do you want to see Dwayne Johnson’s new film “Hercules”? Enter to win passes to see the film in theaters by emailing SaltLakeCity@43kix.com with “HERCULES” in the subject line! Be sure to include your name and mailing address for your chance to win! Winners will be notified via email by Monday, July 28^th. “Hercules” opens everywhere on June 25! www.mightyhercules.com

Tickets are for run of engagement, which means that  you won’t have to wait in line to exchange passes for actual tickets, and you’ll be able to pick the time and day of the showing that works best for you!