Cube Critics discuss ‘Fly Me to the Moon‘ and ‘Twisters‘

Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Mandy Thalhuber discuss a historical fiction that was confusing and a movie about weather-obsessed individuals doing anything they possibly could to die.

The following are capsule reviews edited from the audio heard using the player above.

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‘Fly Me to the Moon’

“Fly Me to the Moon,” a romantic comedy set against the backdrop of the Apollo 11 mission, stars Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum as a NASA public relations specialist and a scientist.

The film attempts to weave historical fiction with romance by introducing a subplot where characters prepare to fake the moon landing should the real mission fail. '

Unfortunately, Johansson and Tatum lack the chemistry needed to make their on-screen relationship believable, a shortfall accentuated by revelations that Chris Evans was initially slated for the scientist role — a casting choice that might have offered more credibility.

Directed with an eye toward blending significant historical events with lighthearted romance, the film struggles to strike the right balance, landing in a realm of mediocrity without taking any notable risks.

— Jacob Aloi

Fly Me to the Moon trailer

‘Twisters’

“Twisters” offers a refreshing take on the storm-chasing genre. As a meteorologist, I appreciated the film’s accurate use of meteorological terms, a detail that often goes amiss in similar movies.

The plot centers around a grad student specializing in cloud microphysics who, after a traumatic experience, finds herself drawn back into the world of storm chasing.

The movie features Glen Powell as a charismatic yet over-the-top internet star storm chaser, adding a blend of charm and intensity to the narrative.

However, the film falters in depicting safety during tornadoes, notably a scene suggesting that overpasses are a safe shelter — a dangerous misconception. Additionally, the portrayal of tornado warnings is overly dramatized, with storms appearing suddenly following flashes of lightning, which detracts from the authenticity.

— Mandy Thalhuber

'Twisters' trailer