Gifted

PG-13
Starring: Chris Evans, McKenna Grace, Lindsay Duncan, Jenny Slate and Octavia Spencer
Running Time: 1 Hour and 41 Minutes

This movie was a sweet surprise. It is the story of a young man Frank Adler (Chris Evans) who inherited his sister's six year old daughter Mary (Grace McKenna) after his sister committed suicide. Young Mary just happens to be a mathematical genius and a child prodigy.
Frank finds his world turned upside down and puts every effort he has into making a wonderful life for little Mary. The two of them develop a tender and sweet relationship.They live in Florida where Frank repairs boats and lives in a rundown house.
When Mary starts school she finds herself very bored and she is not being challenged enough. Her teacher Bonnie (Jenny Slate) notices she is not fitting in like the other students. Mary became frustrated and demanded to have Frank come and get her from school. When Mary returns, her teacher decides to challenge her and Mary completes her work at breakneck speed. Her teacher consults with the principal where they determine that Mary is "Gifted". They invite Frank in to discuss their findings with him and recommend a special school for her. Frank refuses and demands to keep her at the local elementary school.
Enter Frank's long lost mother Evelyn (Lindsay Duncan). She is a very proper English woman who suddenly shows up at Frank's front door. She found out that little Mary is a prodigy and demands to take her to her home in Boston and raise her in a more stable environment where she will supply her with all the tools she needs to be challenged and educated in her style.
Little Mary's mother was also a prodigy and a mathematical genius. Her mother Evelyn pushed her and was a very dominant force in her life! Evelyn really wants an opportunity to help move Mary in that same direction.
Frank and Evelyn lock horns and all chaos ensues!
I really enjoyed this movie. I found it to be very touching and heartwarming. Chris Evans did a really good job as Frank and it was great to see him in a serious role. Little Grace McKenna was incredible as Mary, I'm sure we will see her around in a lot more movies in the future. If you just want to go and see a sweet movie and have a break from the regular  intense movies, this will fill the bill.
Parents be advised: This movie is rated PG-13. There is really nothing objectionable about this movie other than some fighting and genuine showing of raw emotion. Also when Frank is really stressed out he drops one F-bomb.
I am giving "Gifted". three bags of popcorn.

The Fate Of The Furious

PG-13
Starring: Vin Diesel, Jason Statham, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson,Ludacris, Charlize Theron,Kurt Russell, Nathalie Emmanuel, Luke Evans, Kristofer Hivju, Helen Mirren and Scott Eastwood
Running Time: 2 Hours and 16 Minutes

Okay, so here we are once again and the gang is all here with the exception of course, of our beloved Paul Walker. This is the EIGTH  (octoquel) installment of "The Fast And The Furious" franchise!
When Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) are finally honeymooning in
Havana, Cuba.
Dom suddenly finds himself being challenged to race the so-called leader (or bully) of the racing gang in Cuba, in order to save an old, beat up car for his cousin or his young cousin has to forfeit his car to the leader. The issue is that Dom has to race in the old beat up car! It is quite the race scene. Dom kicks in the Nos (nitrous oxide system) and it is pure pedal-to-the-medal classic "Fast and Furious" street racing!
This movie starts out with a bang! Lots of Latin culture and the flavor of Cuba which is interesting to see.
When Dom ventures out the next day he encounters Cipher (Charlize Theron) from his past who threatens him (or blackmails him) to turn against his racing buddies and his new wife Letty.
She shows Dom  a picture on her cell phone where he finds out he is actually the father of a newborn son from another woman he was previously involved with.
Cipher is some kind of an evil villain type that will do anything for power! She has kidnapped the woman and the newborn baby and put them on an airplane with her.
The whole movie is based on Dom finding a way to save the baby before Cipher does something to harm the baby. His friends and Letty have no idea why he has turned against them and continue to believe the best in him. This movie is full of mind-blowing stunts and special effects that are unbelievable. There is a chase scene in New York  with the Russian defense minister who just happens to be carrying a briefcase of nuclear codes that ultimately takes them to an unbelievable showdown in Russia.
The gang including; Letty, Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel), Roman (Tyrese Gibson), Tej (Ludracris) all end up at some kind of Russian military outpost in the middle of nowhere where all crap breaks loose and a huge race/fight takes place on the frozen tundra. All of the drivers are there with the customized fancy race cars going as fast as they can on the ice and snow all while being chased down by the Russians! They are confronted with a gigantic, disastrous nuclear submarine that comes crashing through the ice when Dom saves the day!
Oh, and also, the baby is saved off of the airplane before it goes down and Cipher parachutes safely off the plane too, leaving her character wide open for a sequel.
They eventually all end up at one of their homes where they are all having a party when Dom introduces the newest member of the gang and all is well!?!?
This movie is classic "Fast And Furious" style. It stays true to the franchise and you will get the
 "The Fast and Furious" thrill out of this one too For me personally, I just really miss Paul Walker and his character Brian O'Conner. It just doesn't have the same feel without him. They introduced a new character in this movie, Little Nobody (Scott Eastwood). He just happens to be Clint Eastwood's very handsome son that has a similar look to Paul Walker  and he was also a close friend to Paul Walker for several years as well. It will be interesting to see if they decide to develop his character in the next sequel due out on April 19th 2019.
Parents be advised: This is a hard PG-13. Brief scantily-clothed women in the beginning, crazy racing scenes, violence, destruction and some suggestive content too. Of course they drop one f-bomb and several other curse words.
I am giving "The Fate Of The Furious" two and a half bags of popcorn.