Unbroken, The Imitation Game, Big Eyes, Into the Woods, The Interview, Foxcatcher, Men, Women, and Children

As it's the last day of December and I have been slipping in putting up reviews of these late December releases (Thank you Christmas) I've decided to compile the reviews for Unbroken, The Imitation Game, Big Eyes, Into the Woods, and The Interview.

Unbroken: An inspirational true story that is unabashedly Oscar bait. But it is good Oscar Bait. It's basically Rescue Dawn meets Chariots of Fire. Heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time. A 

The Imitation Game: Stellar performance by Benedict Cumberbatch. A heartbreaking true story of a man with secrets who had to unravel the greatest secrets of World War II. Some great twists and turns. A

Big Eyes: Another true biographical film. No less compelling than the previous two. Much more light but still pretty sad. Career best performance by Amy Adams and another great performance by Christoph Waltz. Good, solid, storytelling. A-

Into the Woods: Started great, about twenty minutes too long. Never saw the Broadway show but an average musical. Johnny Depp is spectacularly creepy as the wolf. Chris Pine and Billy Magnussen have a duet as princes and it's the greatest musical moment in years. B 

The Interview: A controversy stole all the thunder from the actual movie when theaters and Sony pulled it's release after terrorist threats. It became a patriotic statement to just watch the Interview. It's probably a good thing for Seth Rogan and James Franco though, because without the controversy the only people who would watch it is people who like the type of comedies Seth Rogan puts out. Crass, crude, and obscene...but enough comedic moments to satisfy those who like crass, crude, and obscene. C-

Foxcatcher: A prestige, true story, drama with career best performances by Channing Tatum and Steve Carell. With all the hype I expected something more. A slow burn of a film with strong performances. If you don't love drama's you probably will find this too boring. B+

Men, Women, and Children: A dark, stark look at the influence of technology on our world today. Pornography, infidelity, bullying, and gaming are all addressed. A timely film that is strengthened by strong performances but handicapped by an over convoluted script and an excess of characters. Also narration is annoying, even if it's by Emma Thompson. C+

Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb

"The end will come." This line is uttered early in Secret of the Tomb. It's fitting for the final installment in the Night at the Museum trilogy. Sadly, the end for this series was guaranteed when star Robin Williams tragically committed suicide earlier in the year. That made me kind of scared of this movie because I didn't want it to end on a bad movie. As much as I liked the Battle for the Smithsonian there was no doubt it had lost a step on the magic of the original. But the secret of the tomb is apparently that they saved the best for last.



In 1938 a joint archaeological dig between the United States and Great Britain uncovered the Tomb of Ahkmenrah and despite the warnings from the locals that "The end will come!" they take the artifacts and divide them up between the Museum of Natural History in New York and Britain. In present day, the tablet that has made the Nights at the Museum so lively has started to corrode, causing mayhem with the displays. To discover the secret of the tablet and restore order, Larry Daley must travel to England, with his most trusty exhibits, to raise the parents of Ahkmenrah himself.

This isn't an end of the year prestige drama. It wont win an Oscar. But it is one of the most enjoyable movies I've seen all year. There are moments of surprising darkness along with a celebrity cameo that steals the whole movie. (It is probably the funniest scene I've scene all year.) It's a sweet, funny, and partly because of the death of Robin Williams poignant film about accepting that some things do end. Except the magic...  A

The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies

"I'm old, Gandalf....I feel...thin. Sort of stretched, like....butter scraped over too much bread." Bilbo Baggins 

Five movies later, that statement takes on new meaning. I love The Lord of the Rings. I like The Hobbit. I think as far as the movies go though, they are the fantasy equivalent of Star Wars. Epic originals that defined a culture, flat prequels that made everyone shrug or roll their eyes. We needed a Hobbit movie, make no mistake, but I am more sure than ever that we didn't need three. But if The Hobbit is the Star Wars prequel equivalent to LOTR than The Battle of the Five Armies is also The Revenge of the Sith. (The best of the prequels for all you weirdos who don't watch Star Wars.) 

We pick up right where we left off: Smaug flying to decimate Lake Town...which he does. Bard breaks out of prison and kills the best thing about this trilogy within the first 30 minutes. (Aside: Like, what the heck Jackson? You spent two movies getting to the dragon and you kill him that quick? Lame.) So now the movie deals with what pretty much no one cared very much about: The dwarves holding the kingdom of Erebor from everyone looking to capitalize on the vacant dragon lair that is overflowing with riches. So power vacuum brings everyone (men, orcs, elves, dwarves, and goblins) looking to take the treasure and a huge Battle ensues. Also Gandalf. And a Ring....

Before I list the things I didn't like about this, I will say I did love this movie. I love this franchise. I can't wait to get the whole extended edition and watch all six movies back to back. And The Battle of the Five Armies is perfect in the fact that when you start at An Unexpected Journey and watch to Return of the King, you will be watching them in order of greatness. But..... THEY KILLED SMAUG WAY TOO QUICK.....and there was way too much Lake Town. Like I have a hard time caring about the dwarves and now you're throwing all these humans at me? Please stop. And in the midst of the battle the dwarves all the sudden start riding goats, seriously, out of nowhere, and it looks ridiculous. Also Beorn finally joins the battle and we get like one scene of bear munching goblins... sigh....it's not a perfect movie is what I'm saying, but it's still a Peter Jackson Middle Earth movie...so it's still pretty cool.  B+

Exodus: God's and Kings

"...the biggest source of evil is of course religion," ~ Ridley Scott

I love Ridley Scott. He is a great director who makes (usually) great movies. He is now the second atheist to release a movie based on a Biblical account this year. I don't think you have to believe in something to make a good movie about it. I do believe you have to at least respect it though. I don't believe in aliens and I think I could make a good movie about aliens though. But I wouldn't disrespect peoples expectations to say, make the aliens weakness water or something.... Or take a Biblical story and add rock monsters/angels, a psychotic 'hero', and theistic evolution...much like that other 'biblical' movie this year. But I love Ridley Scott. (And pretty much every other person involved in this movie.) So I was willing to give Exodus the benefit of the doubt. Oy Vey.

Who doesn't know this story? Oh well, for those who don't (who are you seriously?) the story (according to the movie) goes something like this: Moses is a general and illegitimate member of the royal family, but he doesn't know just how illegitimate he is. He is a Hebrew who was saved as a baby. He eventually discovers his lineage and religious background that he refuses to buy into. He is kicked out of Egypt for killing two soldiers and after years pass, God shows up to slap him in the head (kind of literally) and tells him to help him free the enslaved Hebrews. Guerrilla warfare, supernatural (or maybe natural) plagues, and arguing with God (or maybe delusions) follow.

Ridley Scott tries to please everyone. His own atheistic beliefs and the religious audience that this movie is mainly directed toward. He bends just far enough for each person: So that he doesn't have to completely concede that God is real and that religious people can say he didn't exactly say He doesn't either. It's a typical compromise, everyone walks away shrugging their shoulders in almost happiness, but shaking their heads in semi disappointment. It's far from a perfect movie; I loved the realism and horror of the plagues and Red Sea but completely hated the winy, angry portrayal of a child God. It's not great, but thank God it's not Noah.  C+

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

Ok, I can't believe I'm posting this on December 2. For some reason I thought that I had already posted this.., so sorry for the delay. Unpopular confession 1: I think that Mockingjay was the best book in the Hunger Games Trilogy. (Believe me I could/might dedicate an entire post to defend this position.) Unpopular confession 2: I do not have a problem with this Hollywood cash grab of splitting books up into multiple movies...as long as they stay close to the source material. As much as I like that splitting books up can allow for more book material to be covered (or as in the case of Peter Jackson's Hobbit, material adding) I can concede that Mockingjay could have easily been a single movie.


After being rescued from The Hunger Games by a rebel force that has emerged to challenge the tyrannical rule of the Capitol, Katniss Everdeen is just barely scraping by. PTSD and anxiety have all but crippled her. Unfortunately for her, the rebels have big plans for her. They want Katniss to be the face of the revolution. The rallying cry to encourage other districts to revolt. The Mockingjay. The stakes have never been higher, the games are over, the war has begun.

Let me just describe the opening for you: After a nightmare/PTSD episode, Katniss hears crying and whimpering. She walks to the room next door where she sees a grief stricken, guilt ridden, traumatized Finnick crying in his regret of being helpless to save their comrades in the Games. He then wishes they were all dead. And Katniss doesn't disagree. THAT is the kind of movie this is. It is the most gutsy, depressing, installment yet...I reserve my final judgement until next years Part 2. It's why I loved the book so much: This is the Hunger Games except with no one playing any games, the stakes are higher than individual survival. It's stripped of all fluff and shows the bare bones of traumatic the Games and war affect people. Motives are masked, consequences are far reaching, and some damaged kids are swept up in it. It's the most important of the series...and the movie doesn't disappoint. The acting is strong, the visuals powerful, and the cliffhanger leaves you with the promise of more action next year in the conclusion of this awesome series.     A

Big Hero 6

Oh, No. Beware families! Disney is releasing another movie right around the time that they released Frozen last year!!! That was pretty much my thought when I saw the first teaser trailer for Big Hero 6. I loved Wreck It Ralph. I thought I liked Frozen (that definitely changed). And I will say right now that Big Hero 6 is better than both of those movies....yeah, I said it. 

The Bullet points: San Fransokyo. A dark alley, late at night. Hiro Hamada, boy genius, illegally bets on Bot Fights. No robot can match his simple machine. After being caught by the police and failing to learn his lesson, his older brother Tadashi decides to give him new direction and takes him to Tadashi's college. A college that is made up of nerd genius's who experiment on the cutting edge of science. Who, as Professor Callaghan says, will change the world. It works and Hiro is determined to get into the school and begin his own inventing and discovering. As one character observes: "Our origin story begins!" 

Big Hero 6 is not just another Disney movie. It also isn't just another Marvel universe starter. Both influences are noticeable but this is Disney with more bite and higher stakes, It's Marvel with an actual heart. The best way I can describe it is, this is Disney's answer to Dreamworks How to Train Your Dragon...and I mean that as an enormous compliment. If animated movies like these keep getting made then maybe we can all finally let Frozen go.  A  (Hairy Baby!) 

Interstellar

Back in December of 2013 (yes, all the way back then) when I made my list looking at the big movies of 2014 (Which you can still check out here) I listed Interstellar as my number one most anticipated movie of the year. I love Christopher Nolan films and I don't care if that makes me a Nolanite or not, Memento was sheer brilliance, the Prestige was magical, Inception was amazing (even if it was pretentious), and Nolan made the greatest superhero movie ever made. How could you bet against him? Especially when you realize that he inherited the project when Steven freaking Spielberg backed out! But I forgot one thing: That for Spielberg's Schindler's List, Jaws, or Saving Private Ryan, even he had a 1941. (just look it up)



The Bullet Points: A blight has wiped out most of the crops on earth. The food shortage has led to the abandonment of 'unimportant' pursuits and the need for everyone to tap into that farmer inside them. Cooper abandoned a career as a pilot to become a farmer. But time is running out and the earth will eventually die along with everyone on it. Humanities one hope is to relocate a la nearby black hole that could lead to inhabitable planets in distant galaxies. But can Coop save humanity and his family?

Interstellar is not the best film I've seen this year. (That still belongs to Rise of the Planet of the Apes) Interstellar is not the worst film of the year. It's not Nolan's best film and its not his worst either. It boasts incredible visuals, an inspired score, and solid acting. It's a movie of grand ideas, questions, and concepts but answers all of them with one answer: Love. In one sense that is a bold and great answer. But to borrow from Nolan's other film, It's not the one we need right now. I wanted my mind completely blown in the way we've come to expect from Nolan and Love just seemed like a let down. If you want my opinion as to whether you should see this in theaters or would I see it again the answer is a definite yes. The visuals alone make the price of a ticket worth it. But does it live up to the hype that even I was fanning? Definitely not.    B+

Nightcrawler

Every once in a while you just have a feeling about a movie. That even if no one else likes it or sees it you will love it and preach it's qualities to anyone who will listen. I have at least one of these pet projects every single year. Rush, Prisoners, Lawless...etc. I love these movies, some of them have become my favorite movies of all time. The second I finished watching the trailer for Nightcrawler for the first time, I predicted that this would be my movie this year. My instincts were right.




Louis Bloom knows how to get things done. He has a game plan that is focused and is willing to overcome any obstacles that stand between him and personal growth. He may have started as a scrounger, stealing metal from where ever he could and selling it. But his fast talking and driven personality will help him succeed in his new profession: Nightcrawling. Nightcrawlers drive around the city filming the bloody and shocking crimes and accidents that happen so people can be satisfied in their fascination with violence during the morning news. Louis's lack of conscience and willingness to do what ever is necessary for that one money shot is the exact thing that a news station that is struggling in the ratings needs. But everything has a price.

Everyone's favorite word when describing this movie and Jake Gyllenhaal's amazing performance is "Creepy." And while I hate to be repetitive it really is the best word for it. The examination of a society's obsession with rubbernecking and glorification of violence couldn't come at a more relevant time. (The irony that the Saw re-release was playing a few theaters down was not lost on me.) As an aspiring director I caught myself at times evaluating and praising Louis's footage instead of being shocked at what he was filming. Nightcrawler is an extremely captivating, relevant, and realistic movie that transcends familiar tropes and becomes a modern instant classic.  A+

St. Vincent

The main reason this movie interested me was not it's actors. I have no problem with Bill Murray he just never was fantastic to me either and I am actively not a fan of Melissa McCarthy. The story of a first time director/writer bringing together these Hollywood heavy hitters and one complete newbie in a starring role captured my attention. It's a dream of mine to be in his shoes one day so spending ten bucks to see his passion project was completely worth it....and the fact that the movie was great didn't hurt things either. 

Vincent is no saint. He has a problems with drinking, gambling, prostitutes, and generally being nice to people. The only person he cares about is his wife who is suffering from Alzheimer's Disease. One day though he gets new neighbors, and while the crusty Vietnam vet wants nothing to do with them at first, financial hardships force him to offer to babysit the single moms young son while she works in the evening. The pairing of this crusty geezer and innocent child might seem like a bad idea at first, but they begin to learn from each other what it means to grow up. 

St. Vincent is very much like it's titular character: flawed but with a heart of gold. Bill Murray and newcomer Jaeden Lieberher absolutely steal this movie. It's a classic coming of age tale about a young person being paired with an old person and neither wanting much to do with the other but it feels fresh and new. Call me a pushover or a softy but the speech at the end delivered by the young Oliver as to why Vincent is his Saint brought me to tears. And that doesn't happen often.  A 

23 Blast

I hardly knew anything about 23 Blast when I walked into the theater. I hadn't even looked up a trailer. All I knew is that is was about a kid who played football and went blind and that is was being pretty much destroyed by critics. But I never really care what the critics say, heck I'm the guy that like The Lone Ranger and hated American Hustle. But this is one case where they might have a point.

Travis Freeman knows who he is. He's the star High School running back who's dating the beautiful head cheerleader and has big plans for his life. He'd like it if his best friend since childhood would feel the same but he's more interested in drinking, partying, and goofing off. But one infection changes his life, taking his eyesight and leaving him blind literally overnight. Travis understandably has trouble understanding the plan in this but with a little help from his friends, coach, and pastor, he may come to grasp it yet. 

As good as this story sounds, and it is good, this is not the movie it deserves. It's positive story and message lost its impact on me as I had to sit through poor dialogue delivered by poorer actors. There are a few exceptions.... The main characters best friend and a girl who eventually becomes more to him both are worth mentioning, the always stellar Stephen Lang does not disappoint...but they're about the only ones who don't. Plagued by the problems that have now become cliche of Christian films the movie is all heart and no quality...which granted, the audience it's aimed at will happily accept. But this is the type of movie that made me want to make movies in the first place: There is no excuse for sacrificing production quality for quality family entertainment. I expect better.  C- 

John Wick

I hadn't heard the name John Wick until about a month ago when I first saw the trailer. It looked like a decent popcorn flick with the very underused Keanu Reeves. I wasn't sure if I'd even go see it. Last week my theater rewards card gave me a free ticket and I was looking for a movie to burn it on. I was reminded of John Wick when I saw some very positive reviews on it. Now that I've seen it I realize I would've gladly paid to see this movie.



John Wick is a sad, simple man. He used to be a fearsome hit man known as The Boogeyman for the mob but found a chance to get out of that violent life and live his happily ever after with the love of his life. But she got sick and died. She knew John would need something to love after she was gone and gave him a puppy. But John's flashy car catches the eye of a psychotic punk who kills his dog and steals his car. John Wick was happy to kick back and retire...now he's going to kick backs and retire other people.

John Wick is not Citizen Kane. But in knows that and never tries to be. It's story might not be the most complex or compelling but it doesn't have to be. Watching Keanu Reeves punch, kick, shoot and slice his way through mobster after mobster with the grace and coolness of a feline dancer is more than enough to keep engaged. The snarky one liners are hilarious and the supporting cast is unbelievably talented. This is the directorial debut of two Hollywood stunt men and their familiarity with action shows in every fight scene. John Wick is a beautifully shot, adrenaline pumping, shoot em' up that while it's never intelligent, it is always very entertaining. Hopefully this is the first installment in a series because I want to see more of John Wick.   A

Fury

Movies about World War Two are a dime a dozen...or a Dirty Dozen. But... Movies that center around a tank crew and take place mostly in the tank? Not as popular. Fury decides to break that trend. This movie was barely on my radar until Brad Pitt signed on and it became one of the only movies ever to use a real Tiger Tank (and the last operational Tiger) in its production. When trailers were revealed it became less of a might see and more of a must see.

Fury picks up in April, 1945 near the end of the Great War. A tank crew who have been fighting together from Africa to Germany has just lost one of their comrade and is sent a greenhorn typist as a replacement. Someone who has never even seen the inside of a tank. He's never seen action let alone kill somebody. His skill set is typing 60 words per minute which is pretty useless on the front lines. "Just wait till you see it..." warns one tank member, "What a man can do to another man." And see it he does... The hell that is war. The animalistic nature men adopt when faced with war. There are no heroes here, only soldiers. 

Audiences are showed the hell that is war along with the greenhorn Norman. Unlike Brad Pitts other WWII movie, war and violence are not glorified here. There is nothing cool about stabbing another human being in the face or watching your comrades burn alive. "Ideals are peaceful, History is violent." Says Wardaddy. Fury perfectly captures that without reveling in it. And despite an ending that I thought copped-out, Fury holds up as one of the greatest war movies of recent years.  A 

The Judge

If you judged this movie based just on it's actors, you would have to rule that this movie is guilty of potential greatness. If you examined or cross-examined the directors pedigree you might begin to have doubts. But I am here to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that The Judge doesn't just court greatness, it becomes it. (Also I am loving these law puns...I'm sure I'll be guilty of a few more..)

Hank Palmer is something of a cliched jerk. The cold, calculating, big-shot lawyer that couldn't care less that all his clients are guilty, he just cares about getting another win. Then he gets a wake up call in the form of his mother dying. "Is grandpa Palmer dead too?" His daughter asks. "No, He's dead to me." he replies. It's too bad then that he has to return to the podunk town in Indiana that he hates and board with his estranged father who he hates. He is going to try to get in for the funeral and get out as soon as possible. But an alleged accident involving his father changes his plans and he finds himself in the unexpected place of fighting in his fathers corner. 

I see no reason in delaying a verdict: I found the Judge an amazing and thoroughly enjoyable film. While the court room drama is compelling it's the family relationship drama that is truly captivating. Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall are both great on their own but put them in a room together and you have a tour de force. No objections here. A 

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

So confession...I went to see this movie basically just to ask for a ticket and use the full title in every conversation I could. That said, the title does not lend itself well for writing so from here on out, it will be referred to as Alexander Etc. So basically, I had low expectations. I was looking for something new to watch while I ate an unhealthy theater supper. But low expectations are made to be exceeded. 

If the title didn't clue you in, Alexander doesn't have the best of days. His days actually suck. His family however have everything going right. His Dad just landed a big interview as a video game designer, His mom could become the Vice President of the company if her book launch goes well, his older brother is about to get his driving permit and go to prom with the hottest girl in school, and His older sister is starring in the school play. Even his baby brother is saying his first word! Alexander meanwhile is accidentally starting fires in his school lab, waking up with gum in his hair, and getting photo-shopped into embarrassing photos. His birthday party is getting hijacked by the most popular kid in school. His family doesn't really understand... He just wishes they could...that they know what it means to have a terrible...horrible....well, you know. 

Alexander Etc. is a pretty rare movie in today's world. It's a live action, family comedy. And despite it's title, it really isn't that bad of a movie. It's zany and ridiculous but it's sweet intentions makes it more than watchable...it makes it actually enjoyable. A great cameo by Dick Van Dyke seals the deal. This is a family movie you should watch.  B+

Dracula Untold

I love Dracula. I love the book, the classic Bela Lugosi movie, basically the whole mythology of vampires. I hate anything that messes with the classic mythology. (So pretty much Twilight, True Blood, and anything dealing with vampires that came out in the last ten years. [One exception is The Strain]) I don't mind origin stories as long as they're done right. So it's accurate to say I was excited about the possibilities of Dracula Untold but nervous about the execution of the story.


Vlad The Impaler never wanted to be known as such. But when forced into the Turkish army as a boy he quickly learned the importance of brutality. "People don't flee before a man, they flee before a monster." He says, justifying murdering and impaling a village so that other villages surrender without a fight. But now he just wants to settle down with his wife in son in Castle Dracula. To live out his life as a peaceful Transylvanian prince. Unfortunately, the Turkish Sultan is at war again... and demands 1,000 Transylvanian boys, including Vlads own son, to fuel his war machine. Vlad knows he can't take on the Turkish empire as a man...not even as the infamous Impaler, He must seek something more...something evil lurking in the dark caves on the neighboring mountains. He must seek to become a true Monster.

Dracula...Untold... Look at that title. Half good, half bad. Dracula...That's all you need. The menacing evil, the promise of a classic monster story. Untold...A cheap 21st Century update. The promise of something plastic pretending to be something epic. The whole movie is like that: Flashes of greatness overshadowed by permeating blandness. Frankenstein is sympathetic. The Wolfman is sympathetic. Dracula was never meant to be sympathetic. He is pure evil whose goal is to drink men and steal their souls for the Devil. This is Vlad the Impaler as a family man. Dracula who is heroic. Basically a fang-less vampire: It looks cool but doesn't have any bite. Too bad because there are moments that are awesome. CGI could lend itself well to Dracula. Vampire vision, Bat-transforming, and Impaling the Vampire looked amazing. But the great action/horror moments are not complimented by the tepid storytelling.  C+

Gone Girl

I never got around to reading Gone Girl. I had heard the praise, I just was to lazy to check it out of the library. Then when I heard a movie would be made that sealed the deal: I would wait for it to hit the theaters. Then David Fincher signed on to direct. Yes, the David Fincher of Se7en, Zodiac, The Social Network, and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Now Gone Girl became less of a passing fancy and more of a must see.

"There are three sides to every story; Yours, Mine, and the Truth." ~ Robert Evans

This quote sums up this movie perfectly. One persons heaven is another ones hell. Nick and Amy Dunn are two such people. Stuck in a once passionate marriage that has now grown stale. Then one morning Amy disappears...except all the evidence points to her being disappeared unwillingly. Nick becomes suspect number one and their marriage suddenly falls under the scrutiny of the entire nation. When one character reminds another of the old saying; "The simplest answer is often the correct one." the character reports; "I've never actually found that to be true." It certainly isn't true for this movie. There's just as many twists and turns as you would expect from a David Fincher movie.
But... If you're a fan of David Fincher or have read the book you may know this movie isn't for the faint of heart or weak of stomach. While not especially end to end gore the scenes with violence are extremely gory. Oftentimes the violence coincides with sex which makes it all the more disturbing. It's a twisted movie no matter how you slice it; even with the amazing story and great acting. If content doesn't get to you, then you will definitely find a great movie. A

The Equalizer

Up front: I have never seen the TV show on which this is based. I don't need to. It's Denzel Freaking Washington in an action movie saving a damsel in distress (Cloe Grace Moretz) I believe taking his track record into account for these types of movies is enough to make you want to see it. If that doesn't do it....

Bob (or Robert as he looks more like one) McCall is just your average, 40 hour work week, OCD, Insomniac, Ex-CIA agent with some serious butt kicking skills. He minds his own business and keeps his head down...for the most part. He also is quick to help his friends and when your a Russian mobster it would be good to keep that in mind when you rough up his one friend and then turn down his deal to give her her freedom from a life of prostitution.

Come on!! If THAT doesn't do it for you are you human? It sounds awesome! Sure its ridiculously violent but you have to expect that when you have a man with such butt kicking skills and so many butts that need kicking...though it's not as much kicking as shooting, stabbing, corkscrewing, drilling, asphyxiating... well, you get the picture. It's also one of the most beautifully shot action movie I've ever seen. Almost every shot had me cocking my head and saying, "Wow, that was a great shot!" If violence doesn't bother you then this is a must see for you.   A

The Maze Runner

I'm like everyone else more or less... I work, I sleep, I eat.... I am tired of YA book adaptations that document one or several brave teens as the brave a post apocalyptic world. The Hunger Games, The Host, Divergent, The Giver and now The Maze Runner. The Hunger Games was the best. Divergent...was better then the rest but still felt derivative and same old, same old. The Host and The Giver were just....flat. So I entered the theater with eye's slightly rolled and incredulity as my expression. Some times the last isn't the least though...

Awake... No memory, in a quickly rising elevator. Daylight, outdoors, surrounded by strangers. Trapped in a maze. That's who this movie begins. We learn as He learns... like Thomas! That's his name! The Maze is a deadly, inescapable, unforgiving place and you need to be a quick learner to survive.

As tired as I am of YA post apocalyptic book-movie adaptations, if they were all as good as The Maze Runner and The Hunger Games I would be okay with it. It's part Lord of the Flies, part Hunger Games, and all nightmare. It's one of the more brutal and violent then most of the fare starring teenagers...It's also one of the more compelling and better acted. Here's looking to the sequel. A-

This Is Where I Leave You

I like messy movies. Let me clarify: I like movies that correctly display how messy life can be. It's why I liked Boyhood. It's one of the reasons I wanted to make movies in the first place. So I have to say I was looking forward to this star-studded film documenting what happens when a dysfunctional family gets together to bury and mourn their father. Unfortunately some movies aren't just messy but a mess.

When the Altman patriarch dies, his four children come home and honor his last wish: to sit Shiva...even though he was an atheist Jew. It's the first time in a while they've been together and their personalities clash causing all manner of drama.

This was a messy movie that was a mess. It's the classic case of not knowing when to stop, I feel like the screenwriters sat around and figured out each persons problem (miscarriage, affair, divorce, pregnancy/marriage fatigue/ unable to get pregnant/ unwilling to growup) They decided that wasn't enough... I won't 'spoil' the rest but needless to say by the end I felt lest touched than pummeled. C-

A Walk Among The Tombstones

Another day, another movie starring Liam Neeson in which he speaks threateningly to the villain through a telephone. At least that might be what one would think while watching the trailer for this movie. The trailer did not fail to intrigue me though... it looked darker and rougher than most of Neeson's recent fare, in the style of last years Prisoners. A mystery instead of an action movie, hearkening back to the days where gumshoes sat in smoky bars nursing there liquor. That was all I asked for when I walked into the theater....



Neeson plays a retired cop working as an unlicensed P.I. who is hired to track down the men who kidnapped and killed a client’s (who is also a drug dealer) wife. The serial killers are brutal and focus on drug dealers because of their unwillingness to turn to the cops, but when you have Liam Neeson on the case, who needs cops?

Sometimes movies just deliver. Sometimes they don't try to outsmart you or try to be something they're not. When a movie does this, and concentrates on what it is, you get a movie like Tombstones. It's a straight shooting detective movie with compelling characters and a strong script. I go as far to say it's the only neo-noir films of the last decade that isn't set in Sin City. A Walk Among the Tombstones is a dark, bloody, gloomy, depressing, slog through the rain...but if you like that type of thing, this is a Walk worth taking.       A 

No Good Deed

Two things: I love Idris Elba and I love home invasion type thrillers. I love the thrillers that throw two actors together, one playing a villain and one playing an innocent victim, and let their chemistry and characters play off each other. I was looking forward to this movie and had it on my top ten list in the next two months. But sometimes the perfect formula does not add up to the perfect sum.



Terri Granger is looking forward to a girls night in with her friend and neighbor while her husband is away on a golf trip with his father. Wine and good times will flow after she's put her two children to bed. Unfortunately, a violent, sadistic escaped prisoner, Colin Evans, has crashed his escape vehicle just up the road from her house. Seeing the polite, hansom, bleeding stranger on her doorstep she lends him her phone...then offers him shelter from the downpour...then dry clothes... And then she finally begins to understand that no good deed goes unpunished.

2014 was a year of feminism in Hollywood. Movies like Maleficent, Tammy, Lucy, and now No Good Deed. I personally am happy that there are strong female characters being represented in cinema... or should I say I am happy that they are trying. Maleficent was essentially only mad because of something an old boyfriend did. Lucy was made smart by shear happenstance after trusting a boy she barely knew (and Lucy was just straight up terrible without that), and now we have Terri Granger... I found it hard to sympathize with a character who invites a stranger into her house when she is alone with only her young children. Even if I could the whole movie was tired cliche, after tired cliche, after stupid decision, after ridiculous coincidence, after Deus ex machina, after absurd conclusion. If the rest of the movie would have been like the first 5 or 10 minutes it would have been pretty decent (I actually imagine an alternate universe where this movie documents Terri Granger [who literally worked at profiling men just like Colin] tracking down the psychotic Colin across the nation... kind of a-la-Silence of the Lambs) but unfortunately the movie runs of the track right about the time Idris Elba runs off the road. You may think it's a good deed, buying a ticket for this one but trust me, the punishment of watching it is not worth it.  F....-

Boyhood

Every once in a while a film comes along that takes the world by surprise. Once in a while an "Instant Classic" comes along and you just know it will go down in cinematic history. The buzz surrounding Boyhood has been as such. That the movie that took twelve years to make was well worth it. So going into the theater I had enormously high expectations...walking out I felt kind of underwhelmed. But that was the point.

Mason Evans Jr. is just like any six year old. Wildly imaginative, tenacious, and fun loving. He and his sister relocate to Texas with their single mom for a fresh start. They have to deal with new schools, a renewed relationship with their biological dad, and dealing with having a new step-dad. Over the next twelve years we see each relationship and situation grow and be dealt with.

Watching characters literally grow up in the course of almost three hours and an incredible experience. Growing up is a long, sometimes dull, sometimes exciting, sometimes scary thing...and that pretty much describes Boyhood. It beautifully messy in the best possible way. It truly is a must see. It is easily the most lifelike/realistic movie I've ever seen. All the pros and cons of growing up is here and it's amazing. I was speechless for almost an hour afterword even choosing to drive home with the radio off so I could really absorb it all. It was amazing. Period.  A+

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

I love noir or neo-noir films. I love everything about them. Give me any gangster/crime drama between 1930 and 1960 or anything that's like that and I'm a happy man. Sin City was a great noir film in 2005 and was a revolutionary visual treat that changed the way comic book based movies could be made. Now 9 years later can the sequel live up to its predecessor or will it follow so many other franchises into the sequel curse.



Sin City is a place you go into with your eyes open, or you don't come out. That's what one of the characters says early in the film. As far as I could tell you could go into that city with all your senses sharp and not come out...or come out in pieces. It's everything you could expect of a city named Sin. Murder, prostitution, bribery, etc. aren't just necessary evils, they're an understood and excepted way of living. We get four different but intersecting stories that document the workings of this city in all its glory..er..depravity. And at the end of the day not much has changed...people love, get betrayed, kill, and go guns blazing to their doom.

Sin City was revolutionary. I've already said that but I say it again to remind you that the defining point of this series is how original the original really was. Unfortunately this sequel continues the trend of amazing graphics and visuals but forgets to bring any compelling stories. In fact the most compelling story of all (Johnny the gambling bastard son of the main man in Sin City) is the least used. As much as I wanted to like this followup there is nothing special here. The one thing of note is that this may be the most anti-women film ever made. There isn't a female character who doesn't make a living off her sexuality. Sin City was a nice vacation spot in 2005 but now I think I would stay home. D

If I Stay

I'm I guy who grew up with five sisters so believe me, I've seen my fair share of Chick Flicks. There are some that I can say that I genuinely enjoy and some that honestly hate. I like love stories that feel real. It's one of the reasons I liked The Fault In Our Stars (except for the constant gosh darn metaphors) If I Stay looked a little far out there but also looked like it could be sweet enough to swallow...


Mia Hall is something of an anomaly in her family. Even though she's the daughter of rocker parents and has a rocker brother and a rocker boyfriend, Mia leans toward more classical music. Not like classic rock but like, Beethoven and stuff... She's actually good enough to be invited to audition with her cello for Julliard. Everything seems to be perfect for Mia...until one fateful day in a tragic car accident when Mia's whole family is killed and she is left in a coma. In a coma though she has a ghost like, out of body experience where she can walk around and hear other people etc. Whether or not she goes (to where it's never really clear) or stays with her boyfriend minus family it's apparently all up to her.

I love Chloe Grace Moretz and I already established a certain appreciation for Chick Flicks. Unfortunately nothing could redeem this stinker of a movie. Great actors but a terrible, shlocky story. It has moments where it almost transcends it's sappy, starry-eyed, sob fest but it quickly resigns itself to mediocre cliches. I actually wanted to like this movie but when the credits rolled all I managed was a eye roll.    D

When The Game Stands Tall

The longest wining streak in sports is not held by a professional team. It's held by a Catholic High School in Concord, California. It stands at a momentous 151 wins in a row. A movie could be made about that streak. About the strategy Coach Bob Ladouceur used and how he Coached his team to win for over ten years straight. But When the Game Stands Tall is not that movie. It focuses on when the streak ended. When the Coach and all his student were deeply challenged and how they learned from the defeat and pain of life and football.

I kind of already said the synopsis but for the sake of consistency: After 151 wins, over ten years worth, the varsity football team of De La Salle High School has lost. It comes shortly after their coach suffered a heart attack and one of their teammates was tragically killed in a shooting. Life and football are full of hard hits and in both its what you do after the hit that matters.

Just to cut to the chase: This is a great family movie. It's a true story, it's inspirational. Even if some moments are cliche one big moment comes at the end that is a genuine surprise. Alexander Ludwig and Micheal Chiklis almost steal the movie from the quiet performance of Jim Caviezel. It is like Facing the Giants....except better. A-

The Expendables 3

Can you ever have enough of a good thing? I love ice cream. I don't think I could ever get enough ice cream. But there comes a point when you stop...some people call this brain freeze, I usually call it a brief respite. I also love the Expendables. I loved both the previous entries. Who doesn't love your favorite geriatric action heroes of yesteryear (and a few you didn't know existed) coming back for one (or two or three) more grand display of fire power, fighting skills, and witty quips in what I believe is supposed to be English? Well....



It's just another day for Barney Ross and his team of equally ridiculously named expendables: (Lee Christmas, Hale Caesar, Toll Road, and Gunnar Jensen) Rescue an old compatriot from prison (name of Doctor Death) then jet off to Somalia to intercept a shipment of weapons. They didn't count on Conrad Stonebanks though... an old frenemy that Barney thought was long dead. (with a name like that though how could you think that?) So after.... look does it matter really? Guns get fired and stuff blows up! It's the Expendables not Citizen Kane! No one came for the story!

(inhale, exhale)

No that wasn't another characters name BTW. How do you judge a movie like this? If you watched the first two Expendables is there really any doubt that you'll see this? If you didn't nothing is going to change. These movie are basically interchangeable and you'll still get the same basic awesomeness. The story lacks of course and unfortunately they toned down the campy violence to a PG-13 level and a new batch of expendables halfway through the movie was a terrible idea. But Mel Gibson hams it up magnificently as the villain, Antonio Banderas goes for big laughs and gets them (essentially stealing the whole movie), and Sly sill struggles with words with compound syllables. I do think that this third installment is the brainfreeze point though and while I usually just take a breather, it feels a little old and may be time to retire. (sorry Stallone, age jokes had to happen)  B-

The Giver

Before Divergent. Before The Hunger Games. There was The Giver. A book released in 1993 finally makes its way onto the big screen largely due to Jeff Bridges dedication to the project. But in a world full of Utopian-but-not-really young adult stories, Is there really anything left to....give?



                                                   
Jonas lives in a perfect world. There is no sickness, no racism, no anger or murder. No corruption, lying, or hate. Everyone has a place and purpose. But everything has a price. If you could live in such a world what would you give up? Color? Love? Free Will? Now on the day of his job assignment Jonas is given (heh) the ability to see everything they've lost...and gained. Can he accept the status quo or will he change things forever?


I have to admit that I have never read the Giver. But I will say I feel the need to. There are genuinely compelling questions asked in the Giver and some stunning shots. There where parts that effectively displayed what makes us human. All of our faults and all of our short comings are on display as are our profound capacity to feel and create and love. But... I feel that while asking questions and displaying humanity are all well and good, the payoff is lacking. The last 20 minutes seem rushed. All the pain that Jonas is warned he will experience felt glossed over. So while the Giver does show some
quality entertainment, it could have given so much more. B

Let's Be Cops

I was just saying to my friend the other day who was asking me about what's in theaters right now that the one the that has been lacking since May-June is a good comedy. I said that Let's Be Cops is coming out soon and has a promising premise so hopefully it would turn the comedy drought around. My grandma always said hope in one hand and poop in the other and see which hand would fill up first.



Ryan and Justin are no where in life. Both struggle in there careers or don't have one at all. Both are close to calling it quits in L.A. and moving back to Ohio. But they change their minds when they both attend a costume party as cops and discover after they leave that their costumes are actually pretty convincing and everyone believes that they actually are police officers. So they come to the brilliant decision to keep up the charade...and be cops.

To be honest what my grandma said is actually funnier than any joke you will find during this movies 104 minute running time. The premise had promise the execution is terrible. The jokes are stale, the characters annoying, and the whole thing just lacking. I spent ten bucks for a comedy and I got Let's Be Cops....and that should be a crime. F

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

It's one of the most beloved stories about four underage, mutated, athletic, reptilians. We love them, they love pizza, and Hollywood loves ruining their movies. Maybe it's a new day though... maybe in 2014 we get the movie we want. Maybe Michael Bay should've kept hands of dude. (I actually don't blame him for this movies faults but who passes up a chance to take pot shots at Michael Bay?)



A new threat faces New York City. The vicious Foot Clan led by the vicious Shredder is pretty much taking over the whole place. Being villainous and stuff...naming children Shredder, things like that. April O'Neal is trying to report on their nefarious activities but people seem happier seeing her bounce on trampolines. Then her big break comes in the form of four hero's who are...screw it, if you read the title do you really need this description???

I love the Dark Knight trilogy. It was the first superhero series that I (and I think anyone honestly) took seriously. It was dark, gritty, and had real world implications. It has affected how movies are made. It's affects can be seen in almost every superhero movie since. Unfortunately it also affected the beloved TMNT. Can a movie about six foot, talking, pizza loving, teenage, mutant, ninja, turtles take itself seriously? Apparently this one tried and the result is devastating. Sometimes it does feel like it tries to have fun and in those moments in shines but otherwise it's dark and gritty. It isn't terrible but it's not necessarily good either. But at the end my nephew said, "Wow that was awesome! I want to see it again!" I guess for that this movie gets a few extra points.  C+

Guardians of the Galaxy

Marvel has been getting better and better. In my opinion their only major blunders were the Hulk and Iron Man 2. Now they make their biggest bet yet and risk it all on a movie starring characters no one (except the nerdiest of nerds) really knows. Everything about this movie is different, but that doesn't mean it's bad.



Peter Quill was just another kid in the 1980s. Until he is abducted by aliens and set on an adventure of a lifetime. 26 years later Peter Quill, now calling himself Star-Lord, is a smart mouth, thief, and opportunist. In a collision of paths revolving around his latest theft he is sent to prison with Gamora, Rocket, Groot, and Drax. They all have their own motivations. They all kinda hate each other. But to save the galaxy, they all have to work together.


No building suspense: IT'S FREAKING AWESOME!!! Sure it's not without a few problems but when one is laughing as often as I did, while watching eye popping special effects, and listening to awesome classic hits like Hooked on a Feeling, The Pina Colada Song, and Ain't No Mountain High Enough...No problem is big enough to be a real problem. Two such problems are: Not enough Thanos and Not enough of The Collector. I maintain that Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is the best movie of the year so far, but Guardians is by far the most fun. If you go (And why would you not?) I encourage you to check out 3D because it's worth it.  A

P.S. I have to say Guardians also can boast about having the greatest post credits scene-EVER. And that's all I can say about that...it's freakin awesome.

Lucy

It is a long dispelled myth that humans only use %10 of their brains. But I am okay with myths if they make good movies. Lucy looked like a good movie. The trailers were promising, it had the star power of Scarlett Johansson and Morgan Freeman, and it had a premise that could work. But all of this doesn't necessarily a good movie make.

Lucy is an American woman studying abroad in Taiwan. She likes to party and has just started dating a new boyfriend. Unfortunately her boyfriend only wants to use her naivety to traffic drugs for him. After being kidnapped by his employers and had a package of a new type of drugs sewn into her abdomen, Lucy has reached rock bottom. But that changes when one of her captors kicks her in the stomach causing the drugs to leak into her bloodstream. Lucy's cerebral capacity is increasing and she now has the knowledge to defeat and escape her captors. Lucy is now hardly human it seems and to get answers she tracks down the one man everyone wants to explain things: Morgan Freeman...err Samuel Norman.

Even though I was irked that it seemed like a blatant rip off of the far superior movie Limitless, I was more than willing to give Lucy a fair shake. It is Hollywood after all and almost everything is based on someone else's idea. Unfortunately though Lucy is straight up a terrible movie. I will go as far to say the worst movie of the summer. It wasn't just that it was boring, or that the dialogue was sometime eye roll inducing, or that the ideas and situations were downright laughable; it was all of that combined. One positive thing it has was pretty sweet visuals and a good car chase. (even though it wasn't even a car chase, just a car driving fast.) I have to say I can't believe some of the praise this movie got while the FAR superior Transcendence was panned earlier in the year.  Everyone has been asking for years where a good action movie was that had a strong woman as the lead. Everyone hoped this was it. It may be action but it certainly is far from good. Look elsewhere feminists, look elsewhere. C-

Hercules

2014 brought not one but two Hercules films. The Legend of Hercules released back in January was terrible. I had higher hopes for this one starring my man Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and based on a kick butt graphic novel. But were my hopes met?



Hercules has it tough. Sure he's a demigod but lets take some things into account: He never knew his father, his step mom (the goddess Hera) is jealous of him and wants to kill him, the only way to stem Hera's wrath is to complete twelve incredible labors. After completing the labors he may or may not have gone temporarily insane and murdered his wife and children. Yeah poor Herc has it tough, but he's now traveling as a mercenary trying to earn enough money to live out the rest of his life in exile. But when the world needs a hero...

I think the January Hercules took itself way too seriously. This Hercules corrects this and doesn't take itself seriously at all. It's as much a comedy as anything. And that is OK. It deconstructs Hercules legend into semi logical and realistic roots. It's not a brilliant movie but it does what it means to do and truly entertains. B

The Purge: Anarchy

Unpopular confession: I loved The Purge. I think it was a brilliant movie. The thing people don't think about when they complain about the Purge is that it was made on the minuscule budget of 3 million dollars. Ethan Hawk starred for free with a deal to benefit from the profits. It was a compelling concept that had to be made smartly. The only reason people didn't like it is because you had to listen, pay attention, and think about everything being said or hinted at, and people don't want to think. They want a purge, a mindless bloodfest filled with empty brutality. Or they want brainless Bayist explosions... Now I'm going to stop complaining about people who didn't like the first Purge and actually review the second.



It's twelve months after the last purge. America still enjoys a flourishing economy and a crime free society the other 364 days of the year. But what if it's not because the Purge allows people to release their aggression but because the people killed during the Purge are the poor and undesirable? Is it OK to Purge for certain reasons? If you get stuck outside, do you help or raise hell? These are all situations that several people will have to face during this monumental purge. This night their lives will change...if they can survive the night...

I was tentative about Anarchy. It looked like they made the movie people wanted and ignored the message they tried to communicate in the original. I have to say they made both. The street point of view is a much better soapbox and they still offer quite a sermon on class warfare and violence in America. (Side Note: I nominate Frank Grillo as the next Punisher because he is kick butt in this.) It's message hit home especially poignantly as while I walked out the theater I observed a boy no older then 10 walking with his parents talking about how cool the Purge was.   A

Snowpiercer

Snowpiercer was a movie I almost missed. I saw one trailer and while intrigued by its premise it seemed to be uninspiring. Then reviews and audience reactions surfaced (it currently holds a 94% on rottentomatoes) and I knew I had to pay attention. Now after seeing it thanks to VOD I'm left feeling.....underwhelmed. Confused.

It's the near future. Humanity is panicked by global warming and coats the atmosphere with a substance to cool the earth... It backfires and sends the planet into an ice age. The remnant of humanity survives on a super sized train that constantly circles the planet yearly. Now after 17 years, the passengers at the rear of the train are sick of being abused, neglected, and regulated by the occupants of the 'first class' passengers. Curtis Everett is ready to march to the front, take the engine, and make things right. But its a long trip to the front, and this ain't your normal train.

I was excited to see Snowpiercer. Once I saw its star studded cast and glowing reviews I began to build high hopes. In some aspects, Snowpiercer was an incredible movie. Sometimes it felt like completely contrived syfy drivel. The quieter moments of Chris Evans tearful confession, ("I know what people taste like." is one of the most chilling and heartbreaking lines ever delivered.) the ridiculousness of Tilda Swinton, and the menacing Ed Harris are all flawless. The sweeping syfy attempts fall short. The ending is especially disappointing. Here's a movie that should have spent less time on set pieces and more time between characters but all in all it's still far from a terrible movie. B-

Film Freak: A Year in Review

Well friends, I bet you didn't realize that a year ago I started my movie reviewing blog. I figured if I was going to go every week to the movies I might as well tell people what I think. Well I thought I would give everyone who has been keeping up a little update.

My first blog post was The Lone Ranger and the Critics NAM Syndrome on July 6th, 2013. I tried to keep coming up with clever lines to include in the titles (Like R.I.P.D. Dead on Arrival) but I dropped that quick when I realized I wasn't clever enough to do it for every movie.

The Lone Ranger remains the most viewed post with 27 views. The top ten list of my 59 posts looks like this:

1. The Lone Ranger
2. The Conjuring    
3. We're the Millers      
4. Despicable Me 2
5. The Wolverine              
6. Red 2            
7. Pacific Rim            
8. Noah
9. Captain Phillips
10. Elysium                

I have a grand total of 1,423 views.

By country:

United States	1177
Russia	46
United Kingdom	37
Malaysia	37
Serbia	30
Germany	23
Netherlands	14
France	7
Spain	6
Lithuania	4

By month:

July: 331

August: 272

September: 101

October: 150

November: 22

December: 166

January: 136

February: 2

March: 23

April: 63

May: 33

June: 116

And that's how the year was. Thanks for reading and keeping up!

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Sigh... remakes and reboots are tedious... That's why they rarely work. As much as I love Spider Man you cant watch the reboot without thinking about where you first watched Toby McGuire kissed Kirsten Dunst in the first movie. That's why when you have a piece of cinematic history that is Charlton Heston damning humanity to hell on a beach in front of the statue of liberty its very hard to rise to that same level. It's why no one remembers the nightmare that was Tim Burtons 2001 Planet of the Apes remake. After ten years though Rise proved that there was still a story to be told, a good one. Now in 2014, a great story is told.



It's been five years since Caesar famously led the free smart apes across the Golden Gate bridge to freedom in the redwoods. The deadly simian flu has wiped out most of humanity and the apes live in peace. One day a chance encounter with humans and a gun fired in fear shatters the peace and tranquility. Can ape and man finally put aside their differences and live in peace? As Caesar said in Rise: NOOOO!

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a movie that I've been looking forward to but not really paying any attention to. In the beginning of the year it was Captain America 2, Godzilla, and X-Men Days of Future Past and when I looked to fall it is Guardians of the Galaxy, Interstellar, and Mockingjay. An at the end I added, "oh yeah, and Planet of the Apes." Then I caught the buzz. Rewatched the trailers. And suddenly I started paying attention to July 12. I can now say that Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is the best movie of the year so far. It is the best Planet of the Apes movie bar none. It deserves an Oscar nod for best picture, everything technical, and had better earn Andy Serkis his LONG overdue Best Actor nod. I said back in May that Godzilla was the first Must See of the Summer. Now I'm saying Dawn is the TRUE MUST SEE.  I could go on and on about the drama characters, the fantastic opening and closing, or the two really great tracking shots that seriously left me speechless. I could go on about how seeing an ape riding a horse with a machine gun in each hand didn't make me laugh but elicited true fear. (That's not a sentence I ever thought I'd say) But I wont. Here's what I have to say about Dawn of the Planet of the Apes: It's not just a good action movie.It's not just a good syfy movie. It's a freaking GREAT movie by any standards. Long live the reign of the apes. A+

Exists (due out October)

This is the first movie that I was lucky enough to screen long before its release in October. I went in tentatively as I have never seen a good movie that dealt with Bigfoot. Considering this was made by the man behind The Blair Witch Project, I should have figured if there was someone who could pull off a found footage type of film about Bigfoot, Eduardo Sanchez is that someone.

Don't want to give away too much of the story here. It's a simple set up: 20 somethings secretly go to remote location to party, one is obsessed with filming everything, they piss off Bigfoot, chaos ensues.

As I said I went into the theater a little nervous about how they were going to capture something as iconic as Bigfoot on film. The premise is a simple but believable one. And the suspense is palpable. Sanchez does a brilliant take on Spielberg shark tactic; let the audience build up this monster in their minds before you knock them out with the real thing. And the beast is fantastic. He also does a great thing by supplying a soundtrack to a found footage film but a subtle one and it doesn't take you out of the moment, it sucks you in. The acting can sometime feel forced but the suspense and fear is completely genuine. A-

Think Like A Man Too

To be honest I have never seen Think Like A Man.  I almost didn't see Too but did out of sheer boredom. I had heard nothing but the greatest about the original and I like both Kevin Hart and Micheal Ealy so I kinda had some hopes it would be good. I was worried that not seeing the original would make the sequel confusing. But no worries, the only thing I was confused about was why I was still so bored.



The old crew is back together. For a wedding! In Vegas! Cedric is still Cedric and obsessed with being the best Best Man. Candace and Micheal are getting married. Dominic and Lauren's relationship is strained by job offers. Jeremy and Kristen are married and struggling to have a baby. All this is being dealt with in the 24 hours before Candace and Micheal's wedding in which both the guys and girls will compete to see who can have the most outlandish bachelor/bachelorette party. Hijinks, of course, ensue.

I wanted to like this movie, but to be honest it was down right boring. It was predictable in all the wrong ways and original in none of them. Kevin Hart brings his fantastic energy to the screen but not even that can make this pop. One of the requirements of a RomCom is that second part: Comedy. It's not a Romantic Comedy if its not funny and rarely is the time that I even chuckled at Think Like a Man Too.  C-