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Atomic Blonde
  (2 popcorn boxes)

  Atomic Blonde is a spy movie. I was going to say spy thriller, but not many thrills are involved.
  The year is 1989, just days before the fall of the Berlin Wall. Lorraine Broughton (Charlize Theron) is an MI6 agent who has been sent to Berlin to investigate and clean up after the murder of a fellow agent. Part of the clean-up is to retrieve a master list of agents which could damage England, Europe and the United States.
  This may be naive of me, but why would an “intelligence” agency make a master list? Do they need it for payroll? A calling tree? Secret Santa gifts at the holidays? Just saying.
  Lorraine makes contact in Berlin with fellow agent David Percival (James McAvoy). I love that guy. Best line of the film is when he says 𠇍on’t shoot – I have your shoe!” 
  The cinematography along with the overall oppressive and seemingly smoke-filled atmosphere were excellent. Not one ray of sunshine peaked through the clouds of East or West Berlin in the entire movie – and yet Lorraine was in sunglasses most of the time. The car chases and fight scenes were great and perfectly choreographed. They would have to be, otherwise there is no way you would swallow the fact that 100-pound Lorraine is taking down six really large Russian brutes. I mean she is skinny, her very long and thin legs are gorgeous, but I’m not convinced they would hurt any of those men.
  The storyline, however, just doesn’t hold all that action and atmosphere together. The really loud (cool, but really loud) 1980s soundtrack can’t cover the fact that the mystery is weak, the characters are not sly and the twist ending is as obvious as Charlize Theron’s Atomic Blonde hair.
  Only two boxes out of five for Atomic Blonde. McAvoy was perfectly psychotic, but not onscreen enough. Theron is beautiful and captivating, but not enough to save this movie. I still haven’t figured out why she takes so many ice baths. The film is rated R for violence, language and sexuality.
  Check this week’s issue of the Frankenmuth News for a complete listing of shows and times.

MOVIE TRIVIA
   I like Charlize Theron. She was amazing in the 2010 video for Brandon Flowers’ Crossfire. She has also appeared in some real clunkers…like this 2008 ‘superhero’ film starring Wil Smith.

LAST WEEK’S MOVIE TRIVIA
    Luc Besson was a writer of one of my favorite actions films, this 2002 action explosion starring Jason Statham…there were eventually three films, but the first is always the best. The Transporter.