The Lego Batman Movie

My View:  The Lego Batman Movie  (2017)  PG  Batman (Will Arnett) is used to handling The Joker (Zach Galifianakis) on his own, but now he realizes that he just might need some help.  If you just want to have fun at a movie, then this film is for you.  I love The Lego Movie (2014), and while I didn’t quite have as good a time as with that film, I still enjoyed this ride.  Will Arnett is hilarious as Batman, a man who thinks he can do everything by himself. The film makes fun of some of the old Batman movies and also the fact that there is a seemingly endless supply of villains in the DC world. There are so many bad guys in this film; you will have to see it twice to catch them all. A few things in the movie don’t work, but there is so much going on throughout the film, you can just let them go by. I wouldn’t be surprised that, after you see this movie, you go out and buy some Legos to play Batman yourself.   My Rating: Full Price   The Lego Batman Movie Website

My View:  John Wick: Chapter Two  (2017)  R  John Wick’s (Keanu Reeves) retirement didn’t last long as he now has to travel to Rome to take on a squad of assassins to defend a former associate who has seized control of the assassins’ guild. The first John Wick film was one of the biggest surprises of 2014, as it was a highly enjoyable full-out action-fest.  I enjoyed this film as much as the first and love that it tries to outdo the first film on ways to kill the bad guys. The action sequences are fast, well done and, unlike some recent films, don’t rely on the use of “shakycam” to cover up the lack of real action. If you like action films and especially up close hand-to-hand fighting, then this is the movie for you. And, by the way, a third film is in the works.   My Rating:  Full Price   John Wick: Chapter 2 Website

Indiefest:  The Salesman  (2017)  PG-13  A young couple Emad (Shahab Hosseini) and Rana (Taraneh Alidoosti) are appearing in a play together and have moved into a new apartment. One fateful decision changes their life together forever. This is a moving and forceful film on how one event can destroy a relationship and happiness. Alidoosti is stunning in her portrayal of a woman whose life has been shattered, and she doesn’t know how to pick up the pieces. This is a psychological drama that slowly builds up the tension until it explodes near the end. The film is a masterful job of storytelling and is well worth the watch.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   The Salesman Website

Forgotten Film:  Stir of Echoes  (1999)  R  After being hypnotized by his sister (Illeana Douglas) at a party, Tom (Kevin Bacon) begins seeing visions of a girl’s ghost (Jennifer Morison).  The visions become more frequent, and it is very evident that the ghost wants one thing from Tom, for him to find out how she died. This is a thriller that delivers on all fronts. Bacon gives a sensational performance of a man who is slowly slipping into madness.  The plot has a few twists and turns, and the supernatural aspect of the film is used to its full advantage.   My Rating: Full Price   Stir of Echoes Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD / Blu-ray):   Loving  (2016)  PG-13  Richard (Joel Edgerton) and Mildred (Ruth Negga) get married in 1958. They are sentenced to prison in Virginia because they are an interracial couple.  This is a story of courage, and we suffer at every indignity the Loving’s suffer in this film. Being told that your love is illegal and you must leave your home and family if you want to stay together is heartbreaking which forces the Loving’s to make tough choices.  Ruth Negga gives a performance of a lifetime, and this is a film that will stay with you for a long time.   My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again   Loving Facebook Page

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Lego Batman Movie:  Lead Lighter

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  T2 Trainspotting  (2017)  R  A continuation of the Trainspotting saga which includes the cast from the first film.  It’s hard to capture lightning in a bottle twice, but if anyone can do it, director Danny Boyle can.   T2 Trainspotting Info

Until Next Time!