Dead Man Down

My View:   Dead Man Down  (2013)  R  Victor (Colin Farrell) is the right-hand man to a New York City crime boss (Terrence Howard).  Victor must find the killer who is threatening his boss. A woman named, Beatrice (Noomi Rapace), who seduces Victor and complicates things even more, may push him into a situation that he may never escape. This is one of those films that takes so many twists and turns that you fully don't understand what is happening until about three fourths of the way through the film.  Noomi Rapace is wasted in the character of a damaged woman (literally, her face is severely cut up in a car accident) who meets Victor after a series of flirting glances.  In a film where Farrell is playing a thug enforcer for a mob boss, there is very little action with only one really good action sequence near the beginning, and the climax at the end is highly predicable and totally unbelievable. This film was a waste of a really good cast, especially Rapace, whom, I hope, can find another role worthy of her Dragon Tattoo heritage.     My Rating:  Cable   Dead Man Down Website

Indiefest:  Emperor  (2013)  PG-13  World War II has ended, and General Douglas MacArthur (Tommy Lee Jones) has landed on Japan soil. Emperor Hirohito may now be charged as a war criminal. MacArthur has picked General Fellers (Matthew Fox) to investigate and decide if the Emperor is to be put on trial; a trial that could destroy a country.  The film centers on two stories:  the investigation into if the Emperor ordered the attack on Pearl Harbor and the love story set in the past between Fellers (Fox) and a Japanese girl named Aya (Eriko Hatsune) whom he meets while both are in college in the states.  Fellers sets about trying to put together who made the decisions to attack the US but is hampered by the fact that Japan is in total disarray due to the war, and under the gun to find evidence in ten days time, he is distracted in his quest to try and locate Aya to see if she survived the war.  This film left me wanting more of the war side of the story and much less of the love story.  I think I would have preferred to see a film about the rebuilding of a country with Tommy Lee Jones's MacArthur as the central character instead of him being a supporting character to Fox's love-worn general.    My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   Emperor Website

The 50 ( A Movie from My Best/Worst Films of All Time)

# 8 Best Film

Sunrise  (1927)  This silent film directed by the great F.W. Murnau is a stunning example of a film that was way ahead of its time in both its complex storyline and its visuals.  It's a film about a married farmer (George O'Brien) who meets a "city woman" (Margaret Livingston) who convinces the farmer that if he runs away to the city with her, his life will be full of joy.  But, before the farmer can leave, the city woman wants him to do one thing - kill his wife (Janet Gaynor).  Every scene in this film is shot to showcase the drama, the suspense and the conflict the actors portray.  The acting of the three principles is exceptional, especially Gaynor, who plays the unsuspecting wife so perfectly.  This film was groundbreaking, its special effects are better than some Hollywood films made today, and its plot could stand up to any of today's scripts.   Sunrise Info

Forgotten Film:  Thief  (1981)  R  James Cann plays Frank, a man who dreams of having a family, the two-car garage, kids and the white picket fence.  But Frank isn't your ordinary guy; he makes his money by being a professional thief.  When Frank meets and marries the girl of his dreams (Tuesday Weld), he decides to speed up his plan and make a big, final score so he can retire from the business.  Frank makes one mistake - he takes a job for the mob, a job that may be his last, not because he is going to retire but because he won't survive.    My Rating:  Full Price    Thief Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD):  Life of Pi  (2012)  PG  A young man survives a shipwreck only to be lost at sea on a large lifeboat with a Bengal Tiger.  I picked this film as one of the best of 2012, as the cinematography showcases the unbelievable 3-D scenes, making for an amazing visual experience.  I am afraid, though, that viewers who select to wait for the DVD will not fully be able to experience the wonders of this film.     My Rating:  Full Price    Life of Pi Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):   Scary Movie 5 (2013)  PG-13  You know studios are scraping the bottom of the barrel when you see the names, Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan on the same bill.  Just stop it! Stop the madness!     Scary Movie 5 Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Emperor:  Animal Coordinator

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  The Place Beyond the Pines  (2013)  R  A motorcycle stunt man turns to robbing banks to support his family. Just the cast of Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes and Rose Byrne makes me want to see this film.  Forget the great storyline.   The Place Beyond The Pines Website

Until Next Time!