Maleficent

My View:  Maleficent (2014) Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) puts a curse on  the child (Elle Fanning) only to realize that the child may be the key to peace in her kingdom.  This is a retelling of the “Sleeping Beauty” tale from a perspective of the villain in the film, a fairy instead of an evil witch.  Maleficent was good once but after being attacked and betrayed by humans, she turns vindictive and evil.  Jolie is the best part of the film, as she tackles the role with gusto.  The special effects are tremendous, and the film is worth seeing in 3-D, as there are a number of flying scenes that use the technology to great effect.  My problem with the film is that there is very little plot, it’s almost as if the film’s art director made all of the decisions, making the film look great without a lot of content.  A bit of warning, this film may be too scary for the 5 year old and under group. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Maleficent Website

My View:  A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014) Albert (Seth MacFarlane) is a down on his luck farmer when he meets a beautiful woman named, Anna (Charlize Theron) and instantly falls in love with her.  She feels the same way. but there is a problem.  She is married.  And, not only is she married, she is married to the meanest, fastest gunfighter in the west (Liam Neeson).  You have officially been warned that this is an incredibly raunchy comedy and it not for everyone.  If you liked Ted and are a fan of MacFarlane’s Family Guy, you will like this film.  MacFarlane pushes the boundaries of comedy at just about every turn in this film.  I loved Theron as the cowgirl on the run from her mean husband.  There is a nice chemistry between Theron and MacFarlane and their scenes together are some of the best of the film.  I give kudos to Amanda Seyfried, who plays Albert’s ex-flame, because she allows MacFarlane in several scenes to make fun of her rather large eyes.  Some of this film doesn’t work, mostly due to the fact that we are supposed to instantly like Albert, and we really don’t. I would have liked more scenes with Neeson, who looks like he was having a blast with the part.  This film isn’t for everybody but I did find myself laughing at numerous scenes in the film and overall had a good time watching it.  Be sure to stay through all the credits, as there are two bonus scenes, one in the middle of the credits and one at the end of all credits.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  A Million Ways to Die in the West Website

                                                            

Indiefest:  Ida  (2013) Set in Poland during the 1960’s, Anna (Agata Trzebuchowska) is a young novitiate nun, happily preparing to take her vows.  She is content with her life and is looking forward to making the next step to become a nun. Her world is changed when she is brought into the Mother Superior’s office and told that before she can take her vows she must make a trip to see her only living relative, an aunt named Wanda (Agata Kulesza).  When she talks to her aunt, Anna discovers that her real name is Ida, and her Jewish parents gave her up for adoption to a Catholic priest before they were killed in World War II.  This is a heart wrenching, moving film from Poland that uses its black and white cinematography to full effect. Trzebuchowska is stunning in the role of the innocent young Anna, who has led a sheltered life and now has to deal with the harsh realities of her past.   It’s a moving performance and amazing film that will stay with you long after leaving the theatre. My Rating: Full Price  Ida Website

Forgotten Film: Sleuth (1972) Andrew (Laurence Olivier) and Milo (Michael Caine) are two friends who have something in common, Milo has just run off with Andrew’s wife. Andrew invites Milo to his house and hatches an elaborate scheme for Milo to break into his house and steal his wife’s jewels. That way, Andrew’s wife gets the jewels, and Andrew can get the insurance money.  But this cat and mouse gave quickly escalates and both men know that someone just might die tonight.  This is a fascinating film full of great twists and turns with two actors at the top of their games.  If you like smart, suspenseful films where both the dialogue and the acting are brilliant, this is the film for you.  My Rating: Full Price  Sleuth Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD/Blu-ray):  The Monuments Men (2014)  An unlikely group of World War II soldiers is put together to create a platoon whose job it is to rescue stolen art masterpieces from the Nazis before they destroy them. The strength of this film is its cast with George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, John Goodman, Hugh Bonneville, Bob Balaban and Jean Dujardin all making up the squadron that is in charge of trying to rescue the art.  I liked this film but with the cast this film has I should have loved it. The cast is let down by the script as it can never find the right tone for the film, and the film, at times light and funny, never seems to find the right mix to put in the hardships of war.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Monuments Men Website

Weird Credits:  In the credits of Maleficent:  Weather consultant

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:   Tammy (2014)  A road trip movie starring Melissa McCarthy and Susan Sarandon.  Right there is enough to get me to watch.  Tammy Website

Until Next Time!