The Martain

My View:  The Martian  (2015)  PG-13   A mission to Mars goes bad as a storm forces the astronauts to quickly abandon the planet. Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is lost in the storm and is presumed dead by NASA and his crew. Left behind on a planet where life doesn’t exist, Mark must figure out how to survive long enough to be rescued. This is a film that needs to be seen on the big screen.  The special effects are extraordinary, and the film is filled with thrilling scenes that keep you on the edge of your seat. What makes this film so enjoyable is that Mark Watney uses his sense of humor as a coping mechanism. The film is filled with Watney quips as he deals with the harsh Martian world. Matt Damon is brilliant as the plucky astronaut that is determined to survive. I highly recommend this film.   My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again   The Martian Website

My View:  The Walk  (2015)  PG   Based on the true story of French high-wire artist Philippe Petit’s (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in the summer of 1974. I enjoyed this film. It’s got a strange narrative that takes a bit of getting used to, with Petit narrating the film, mostly on camera. The storyline is a little weak, especially if you have seen the fabulous Academy Award-winning documentary Man on Wire. Joseph Gordon-Levitt gives an entertaining performance as the talented wire-walker who is sure he can do the impossible. It is worth seeing in IMAX 3-D (it was shot in the 3-D format and uses the technology to a great advantage). Much has been made of people getting vertigo while watching the film. I am slightly afraid of heights but I had no problems watching this film. I did look away once, but I think that was due more to the anticipation of a shot, rather than the shot itself. It’s not a great film, but the last 20 minutes is worth seeing. It's a beautiful film with a great message; that you can do anything if you believe in yourself. There is a great tribute to the Twin Towers at the end of the film. You could say this is a love letter to the Towers and what they stood for. Please note that the film will be playing at IMAX theatres the first week and will open wide to other theatres next Friday.   My Rating: Full Price     The Walk Website

My View:  Sicario  (2015)  R  An FBI agent (Emily Blunt) is sent to join a task force to aid Mexico in the war against the drug cartels.  As she gets deeper and deeper into the mission, she starts to question the methods used to take down the cartels. Blunt gives a masterful performance in the film, making us root for her FBI agent character. Benicio Del Toro is perfectly cast as a mysterious, menacing consultant who just might be a C.I.A. agent with an agenda of his own. I liked the action sequences, which were fast moving and well-choreographed. I just wish the script had been a little tighter. There are a few plot holes that never get addressed. The film does have a scintillating score that helps create tension throughout the film. This is a film, due to its subject matter, that is hard to watch, though I enjoyed the film, but it’s not one that I will want to revisit anytime soon.  My Rating: Full Price    Sicario Website   

Indiefest:  The Keeping Room (2014)  R  In the last days of the American Civil War, three Southern women (Brit Marling, Hailee Steinfeld, Muna Otaru) are trying to survive.  They will have to fight off two rogue soldiers who have broken off from the fast-approaching Union Army.  Brit Marling is brilliant as Augusta, a woman driven to keep her family safe. She is extremely believable in the part of someone who makes every effort to survive. Marling plays well off of both Seinfeld and Otaru and has a real sister-like connection with both characters. Steinfeld plays Louise as a self-indulgent young woman,  someone who cares more about herself but when pushed to her limits fights back. Marling does most of the heavy lifting in the scenes with Steinfeld, but you get the idea that Steinfeld’ s character is more complex than we first thought. Muna Otaru is amazing as Mad, a woman who has seen hardships in her life but continues to have some hope for the future. The scenes between Marling and Otaru are some of the most moving and touching scenes of the film. Otaru gives us a character whose dignity shines through. Sam Worthington makes for a convincing menacing lunatic who is bent on continuing his path of destruction. Director Daniel Barber has created a movie that keeps building the tension until there is the breaking point conclusion, and its talented cast makes that tension almost unbearable. It's a film that shows war is hell for everyone and, because of it,  lives are changed forever.   My Rating: Full Price   The Keeping Room Website   

Forgotten Film:  Strange Days  (1995)  R  Set in the near future, technology has been developed called data-discs that allows users to experience the memories of other people.  Lenny (Ralph Fiennes)  is an ex-cop who now deals in the data-discs when he’s pulled into a murder mystery that becomes more complicated the further he investigates. Director Kathryn Bigelow creates a unique and mysterious world where everything isn’t quite what it seems. Fiennes gives a dazzling performance, one where you just can’t take your eyes off of him. This was a big box office dud when it came out, and it should have been a big hit.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Strange Days Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Martian:  Neoprene Spacesuit Cutter

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Finders Keepers  (2014)  R  Documentary of a man who buys a bar-b-que grill at an auction, brings it home and discovers an amputated leg inside. This film has been wowing audiences at film festivals.  Finders Keepers Website

Until Next Time!