Evil Dead

My View:   Evil Dead (2013)  R    A group of friends want to get away and decide to go to a remote cabin in the woods. There they find a mysterious book called, The Naturom Demono, and, despite warnings written on the book, they decide to read it anyway. It’s a mistake that could cost them their lives. This is the bloodiest film I have seen in a long time, maybe the bloodiest ever. I won’t be surprised to hear people passing out or throwing up due to the ultra-violence. I liked the setup of the film, but because it's  is such a “Gorefest," it starts to lose its punch near the end. I wanted the film to be scarier, and I also wanted just a little more humor. Also, it doesn’t seem to have the catch phrases that were so prevalent in the original film.  Evil Dead fans, stay through all the credits for a little treat at the end.     My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Evil Dead Website

My Take: The Place Beyond the Pines (2013)  R   Luke (Ryan Gosling) is a daredevil motorcycle rider on the carnival circuit who encounters Romina (Eva Mendes), a woman he had an affair with the last time he was in town. Now he finds out that he has fathered a son with Romina, and Luke wants to do right by his new found family, but he may have to turn to a life of crime to get ahead. Do not be fooled by the trailer, which makes it look like the whole film is about Ryan Gosling’s character. It’s equally Bradley Cooper’s film, as he plays a cop that is on a collision course with Gosling’s character. I felt the film was too long with the storyline giving us way too much information about the films characters. This is a film that some  critics will fall in love with, but I felt it missed the mark by a long shot.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee    The Place Beyond the Pines Website

Indiefest:   The Sapphires (2012)  PG-13   An Australian film about four Aboriginal girls who form a singing group and travel to Vietnam to entertain the troops. Chris O’Dowd plays Dave, the man who convinces the girls’ families that they will be safe on the tour that changes all their lives. I saw this film last year at the Austin Film Festival and just loved it. Chris O’Dowd is perfect as the boozy, scamming Dave who sees, at first, the girls as a meal ticket, then actually begins to care for them. The singing in the film is amazing, and the storyline reels you in from the start.    My Rating: Full Price     The Sapphires Website

Forgotten Film:    Waking Ned Devine (1998)  PG   Ned Devine lives in the small Irish town of Tulaigh Mhor, population 52. Well, it was 52, but Ned dies due to shock after winning the Irish National Lottery, and now the population is 51. Town Leaders Jackie O’Shea (Ian Bannen) and Michael O’Sullivan (David Kelly) decide that since Ned has no living relatives, the town should reap the rewards of the winning ticket and fool the National Lottery official that Ned is still alive and kicking. This is a brilliantly funny film, full of characters that make it so enjoyable to watch.     My Rating: Full Price    Waking Ned Devine Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD):   Lincoln (2012)   PG-13  An incredible, Oscar winning performance is given by Daniel Day-Lewis as the title character. The film has a great cast and is beautifully shot, but I think it’s one of those films where the performance is much better than the script. I wanted the film to be more about Lincoln’s whole life as opposed to the last few months.    My Rating: Full Price     Lincoln Website

Weird Credits: From the credits of Beyond the Pines: Body double for Mr. Gosling

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Oblivion (2013)  PG-13   I am not a big Tom Cruise fan, but this Sci-Fi film’s trailer makes it look really good. This film, about how Earth is no longer inhabitable after an alien invasion, will be Cruise’s only film released in 2013. My guess is that it’s going to be a winner.   Oblivion Website

Until Next Time!