Demolition

My View:  Demolition  (2015)  R  Davis (Jake Gyllenhaal) has it all. He is a successful investment banker with a beautiful wife and a great home. It all goes away when his wife is killed in a car crash. Now he has to figure out how to put the pieces of his life back together. I have seen this movie twice and can’t totally put my finger on why this film doesn’t quite work. The cast, which includes Gyllenhaal, Naomi Watts, and Chris Cooper, is first rate and Watts stands out on screen as a single mom, Karen, who works for a snack machine company.  Gyllenhaal is stellar as the man who wants to figure out what to do with his life now that his wife is gone. Gyllenhaal has great chemistry with Judah Lewis, who plays Karen’s son, a troubled young man who Davis takes under his wing. The film never quite finds its footing, trying too hard at times to be profound and meaningful.  I enjoyed some of this movie, especially the scenes involving Judah Lewis but the film never found a way to make its point, if it ever had one.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Demolition Website

My View:  Hardcore Henry  (2015) R  The film is a first person action film in which the audience is the main character.  Henry is a cyber-solider who is trying to rescue his wife from an evil warlord. Right off the bat, if you easily get motion sickness, this film isn’t for you but if you love or like first person video games, see this wild ride of a film. The main character is the camera, so it’s a first person point of view film. This is a movie that doesn’t really care about plot or character development, it just cares about action and this film is full of smash-mouth, in your face, pedal to the metal action sequences. There is one action sequence involving moving cars, trucks and motorcycles that I am still wondering how they shot it. Most of the film was shot with Go-Pro cameras mounted to stuntmen’s heads, so we see what the main character see’s. I had fun seeing this film, several times shouting out with the rest of the audience as the character jumps from one motorcycle to another. It’s not for everyone, but if you want to jump on, it’s one heck of a ride.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   Hardcore Henry Website

Indiefest:  Everybody Wants Some!!  (2016)  R  It’s 1981 in a small Texas college town where most of the sports teams of the college suck, all but the baseball team. The team rules the campus and just about the whole town, living in two old houses off campus, where there are only two rules laid down by their coach; no girls upstairs and no alcohol. Needless to say that both rules will be broken within in a few hours of the house manager laying down the law. Into this environment walks freshman pitcher Jake (Blake Jenner), a likable but sometimes too smart for his own good 18-year old who must quickly find his place in this new world of booze, manliness and baseball.  Everybody Wants Some !! is a blast to watch, sort of a sequel to Dazed and Confused, Richard Linklater’s 1993 classic film about a bunch of Texas high school students experiencing their last days of high school. While not the same characters as in “Dazed,” the baseball team does inhabit the same small town Texas world, just a little older but certainly not the wiser.  Linklater has created a film, which while a little shallow at times, is so much fun that you are willing to overlook it's few flaws. While a welcome addition to Dazed and Confused,this is a film that deserves its own place in the Linklater film repertoire. As with Dazed and Confused, which gets better with each viewing, you will want to revisit the baseball team from the small Texas college town for years to come.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Everybody Wants Some !! Website

Forgotten Film:  Serpico  (1973)  R  Serpico (Al Pacino) is a good cop who has never wavered in his duty. When he can no longer stand the rampant corruption in the police department, he blows the whistle on them. His life is now in danger, and it’s not from the bad guys. Pacino gives one of his better performances and the film perfectly captures the New York City of the early 70s. It’s a film that explores how hard it is to fight a system that in so entrenched in its corruption. Serpico is a film that hits hard, and it’s Pacino with director Sidney Lumet that delivers the heavy blow.   My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again   Serpico Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Hardcore Henry:  Additional Voices

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Sing Street  (2016)  PG-13  A boy growing up in Dublin in the 1980’s stars a band to escape his broken family life.  This was one of the films that people kept talking about at the SXSW Film Festival. It looks like a film that I can get into.   Sing Street Website

Until Next Time!

The Hateful Eight

Indiefest:  The Hateful Eight  (2015)  R   In post-Civil War Wyoming, John “The Hangman” Ruth (Kurt Russell) is escorting fugitive Daisy “The Prisoner” Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) to Red Rock where the latter will face justice for murder. They encounter a group of strangers at a stagecoach stop, including another bounty hunter named Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson).  I had a blast watching this film, but be warned, this is a violent and bloody film full of some very uncomfortable scenes.  The second half of the movie mostly takes place in one room, but the movie fully utilizes the 70mm format, taking what could have been a very claustrophobic film and turning it into a film that thrills the senses. This is truly an ensemble piece with Jennifer Jason Leigh as the unruly prisoner and Samuel L. Jackson as the wisecracking bounty hunter who stand out from the rest of the cast. I also enjoyed Tim Roth as a chatty hangman. The film doesn’t feel like it’s almost 3 hours long, as it moves at a quick pace with witty dialogue. I will warn you -  there is a scene near the end of the film that is quite disturbing and not for someone with a weak stomach. While not for everyone, if you like or love Quentin Tarantino movies, you will have a great time watching this one. The film is being shown in select theatres in 70mm film and nationwide in the standard digital format.    My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   The Hateful Eight Website

The 50  (A Movie from My Best/Worst Films of All Time)  #3 Best Film:  The Godfather Part II (1974)  R   We see the origins of The Godfather as Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro) finds his way in the streets of 1920’s New York City. We also experience Michael Corleone (Al  Pacino) tightening his grip on his growing crime syndicate in 1958 as it stretches from Lake Tahoe, Nevada to pre-revolution Cuba. This is one of the few times that a sequel is better than the original movie. De Niro gives a masterful performance as the young Vito Corleone. There is a sequence where Vito is moving across rooftops, tracking the man he is going to kill as he winds his way through the streets of a neighborhood celebration. Al Pacino is equally impressive, especially in a scene with John Cazale, who plays his older brother, Fredo. Pacino delivers one of the great lines in cinema as he tells his brother “I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart!” The final sequence of the film is a brilliant piece of filmmaking by a director, Francis Ford Coppola, who was in his prime.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again

Forgotten Film:  Medium Cool (1969)  R  John Cassellis (Robert Forster) is a hard nose reporter who always gets his story. He discovers that his network is cooperating with the FBI to give them ways of identifying protesters of the Vietnam War. When he protests this, he is fired. Cassellis decides to document the planned protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois. The film was written and directed by one of the greatest cinematographers of all time, Haskell Wexler. Wexler uses a documentary style to mix real footage of the convention with dramatic pieces, which makes you feel as if you are there, in the middle of scenes. The camera work in this film is beautiful and brilliantly blended between conventional  shooting and handheld shots. The film is enhanced by a soundtrack that includes songs by Frank Zappa.  Forster is perfect in the role of a reporter who won’t let the system beat him down.    My Rating: Full Price   Medium Cool Info

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I’ve Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  Fifty Shades of Black (2016)  A parody of the film Fifty Shades of Grey.  Is there any way we can stop Marlon Wayans from putting out any more of these crappy types of films?

In Case, You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD/Blu-ray):   Ant-Man  (2015)   PG-13   Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is a car burglar who is hand-picked by Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) to become Ant-Man.  Ant-Man can decrease in size but, also, can increase in strength. I enjoyed this film that is more in the vein of Guardians of the Galaxy with the amount of humor in it and the hero of the story who is dependent on his wits, rather than a superpower. I liked Rudd in the role, as he has a smart-ass quality to him, but not so much that you don’t like him. He plays off of both Michael Douglas and Evangeline Lilly (who plays the daughter of Dr. Pym), and there are some real sparks between Lilly and Rudd. Corey Stoll plays the villain well, bringing just enough menace to the role to make it enjoyable to watch. The action sequences are fast moving and exciting with some creative scenes that make the film a blast to watch. Once again, I think you can save some money and see it in 2-D. There are two bonus scenes worth staying for; one after the first portion of credits and one at the very end of all the credits.    My Rating: Full Price   Ant-Man Website  

Weird Credits:   From the credits of The Hateful Eight: Cat Trainer

Coming Soon To a Theater Near You:  Deadpool  (2016)  A former Special Forces operative turned mercenary (Ryan Reynolds) has cancer and is about to die. He is offered a way to live if he lets himself be the subject of a rogue experiment. That procedure gives him accelerated healing powers, and he decides to become Deadpool. The studio has done an excellent job in marketing this film with very funny print ads and even better trailers.   Deadpool Website

Until Next Time!

Furious 7

My View: Furious 7 (2015) PG-13   Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) is out for revenge, and he is targeting Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family. It’s time to get the gang back together and take down Mr. Shaw.  I loved Fast & Furious 6 (up to that point, I wasn’t a fan of the series), mostly because writers decided to make the Furious crew superheroes who could fly from one car to another when jumping off a bridge. This film brings more of the same impossible stunts and deadly looking accidents where the crew just walks away unscathed. I liked this film, but I didn’t love it, mostly because while Furious 6 was a new take on the series, this film is just more of the same (and much longer). There is horrible dialogue, The Rock is only in the beginning and ending of the film, and some of the acting is amateurish (looking at you, UFC fighter Ronda Rousey and Iggy Azalea), but it’s still loads of fun to watch. The skyscraper scenes from Abu Dhabi are worth the price of a ticket. If you haven’t seen any of the other Fast & Furious films, you can see this one, as the plot is easy to figure out. The very last portion is a tribute to the late Paul Walker, who died in an unrelated car accident during the filming of this movie.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Furious 7 Website

Indiefest: Danny Collins (2015)  R   Danny Collins (Al Pacino) is an aging rock star who has been self-absorbed his whole life. After given a letter written to him by John Lennon, he decides to try to right the wrongs of his life.  This is the best performance that Al Pacino has done in the last five years. He plays a man who, instead of writing his own material, has been creating very popular songs written by teams of other writers. I loved the cast in this film with Annette Bening giving an outstanding performance as the manager of a New Jersey hotel that Danny stays at and Christopher Plummer, who steals the movie as Danny’s world-weary manager. It’s an enjoyable film with great performances that explores the price of getting famous and then staying there.   My Rating: Full Price   Danny Collins Website

Indiefest: An Honest Liar (2014)    Documentary about James “The Amazing” Randi, a world-famous magician and escape artist who has dedicated his life to exposing psychics, faith healers, and con-artists. For a man who has practiced the art of deception all his life with magic, there is one secret that he is hiding from the world. FULL DISCLOSURE: I backed this film on Kickstarter, as I have been a fan of James Randi for many years. This is a fascinating look at a very complex, smart man. His appearances (shown in this film) on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson were landmark moments in television, and this movie gives us all the background on those appearances where he exposed phony faith healers and so-called psychics. The film does take a hard look at some of the things that Randi has done, and, to his credit, he is upfront and candid about those issues.  I loved the scenes when Randi used to perform his escapes from straitjackets, usually while hanging upside down, as I had never seen that footage of his younger days. It’s an interesting film about an “Amazing” man.   My Rating: Full Price   An Honest Liar Website

Indiefest:  Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter  (2014)  Kumiko (Rinko Kikuchi) is a Japanese woman who hates her job, is criticized for being single at 29 by her mother, and has a her only friend, a rabbit.  She goes on a treasure hunt and finds an old VHS copy of the 1996 movie Fargo.  She convinces herself that the money that one of the characters buried in the snow really happened and travels to the U.S. to find the hidden money. This is a strange but interesting film that drags a few times but ultimately finds it’s footing and becomes a film worth watching. Kikuchi has the difficult task of making a character, who isn’t very appealing or likable, someone that you root for to succeed. It’s heartbreaking at times but also inspiring.   My Rating:  Full Price  Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter Website

Indiefest: The Hunting Ground (2015)  PG-13  A documentary about sexual assaults on U.S. college campuses, how universities are not taking the assaults seriously and how a group of student activists are trying to force the schools to deal with the issue.  This a scary, maddening film that makes you want to write letters and make calls to the very Universities that we trust our sons and daughters to take care of. Every year between 16 and 20 percent of college underclass students will be sexually assaulted.  The film looks at how the accuser is almost always treated worse than the accused (even though 95 percent of all sexual assaults are found true). A portion of the film looks at sexual assaults done by fraternities and by college athletes and how the colleges and universities almost always side with the frats and athletes. This is a film that every parent needs to see before they send their child off to school.    My Rating: Full Price   The Hunting Ground Website

Forgotten Film: Rolling Thunder (1977)  R   Major Charles Rane (William Devane) has just returned to Texas after spending years as a POW in Vietnam.  He is given a few gifts by his community in recognition as a war hero.  A couple of thugs break into his home, kill his wife and child and mangle his hand.  Now, Rane is out for revenge and won’t stop until the people who murdered his family are dead. This is a gritty film with a lot of violence, but at its core is an unbelievable performance by William Devane. A very young Tommy Lee Jones plays the vet who Rane enlists to attack the thugs and get his revenge.My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Rolling Thunder Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Furious 7: On-Set Food Stylist

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)  R   Retelling of the Mad Max movie franchise with Tom Hardy in the starring role. The trailer looks so cool, and I will always go see anything that Tom Hardy makes.   Mad Max: Fury Road Website   

Until Next Time!

The Boy Next Door

My View:    The Boy Next Door (2015)  R  High school teacher Claire (Jennifer Lopez) has just come off a messy divorce. She has a one-night stand with a young neighbor (Ryan Guzman) who then develops an obsession with her. I was looking for the door about five minutes into this film. The idea that Jennifer Lopez's character, who looks like Jennifer Lopez and therefore, could get any man out there, would lust for and have a one-night stand with a nineteen-year-old is laughable, but then again, so is the dialogue. The plot holes in this film are about as wide as the empty theatres.  My Rating: Cable   The Boy Next Door Website

Indiefest:   Cake (2014)  R   Claire (Jennifer Aniston) suffers from constant pain. Not only does Claire have physical scars, she also has mental ones. She has driven away everyone, including her chronic pain support group. Now she only has her housekeeper (Adriana Barraza). Claire’s world is shaken when a fellow group member commits suicide. This film was written, it seems, to give Aniston every advantage of getting an Oscar nomination. Make her look slightly ugly but still look like Jennifer Aniston. Check. Make her character slightly unlikable but not so much that she isn't redeemable. Check. Have a bunch of well-respected actors show up for bit parts so we can put their names on the poster. Check. Have something in her past that we don't talk about for two-thirds of the film and then finally reveal what we already knew happened. Check. The one thing the producers missed to get Aniston her Oscar?  Write a good script.  My Rating: Cable  Cake Website

Familyfaire:   Song of the Sea (2104)  PG  Saoirse is a child who is the last of the selkies, a legendary group that can transform from seals into people. Now she is on a journey to free fairy creatures who are trapped in the modern world. This is one of the best-animated movies I have seen over the past five years, and it will become a classic, I believe. The film is beautiful and moving. The classically done animation is a joy to watch, and the storyline is original. Great blending of classic Celtic folk tales and a modern setting make this film one of the most inventive and imaginative films I have seen.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Song of the Sea Website

Indiefest:   The Humbling (2014)  R   Simon Axler (Al Pacino) is an actor whose world is turned upside down when he starts an affair with Pegeen (Greta Gerwig). This is Al Pacino playing Al Pacino with an insecurity complex. For most actors, the amount of scenery chewing scenes would be overwhelming and tedious, but Pacino pulls it off. There is great chemistry between Pacino and Gerwig. Their scenes together are the best moments in the film. I thoroughly enjoyed this film and watching a esteemed actor in an impressive part was the reason.  My Rating: Full Price   The Humbling Website

Forgotten Films:   Martin (1977)  R   An awkward, teenage boy (John Amplas) has a secret; he thinks he is an 84-year-old blood craving vampire. He has just moved into a new town to live with his cousin and doesn’t know anyone. Trying to make new friends isn’t easy, especially when you tend to kill the people you meet and drain their blood. With an unusual and interesting take on the vampire movie, this film, directed by horror legend George a. Romero, never lets you know if Martin really is a vampire or just nuts. The directors of current horror films could learn a lot from watching this film.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Martin Info

Weird Credits:   From the credits of The Boy Next Door: cat trainer

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:   Jupiter Ascending (2015)  PG-13  Not sure exactly what this film is about other than Channing Tatum has a dye job but it got him, Mila Kunis and Eddie Redmayne, so I will watch it.   Jupiter Ascending Website

Until Next Time!

   

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

My View:  Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)  PG-13 The Captain (Chris Evans) is struggling to figure out his place in the modern world. It turns out that he isn’t the only person to time travel – an old acquaintance is back. Now the Captain must deal with an agent from the Soviet Union, The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan).  I enjoyed this film so much more than the first Captain America film.  The action sequences are fast and well-choreographed without the dreaded shaky cam that so many of today’s action film directors like to use.  There is a great deal of humor in this film, something the first film sorely needed.  And Scarlett Johansson, as the Black Widow, has almost as much screen time as Chris Evans.  The plot is well thought-out and is very narrow in its range, which keeps the film focused. This film moves quickly, so you won’t notice the 136 minute run time.  Stay through all the credits as there are two bonus scenes, one after the main credits and another after all the secondary credits. They did not screen the film in 3-D for us, so I can't tell you which version to see.  My Rating: Full Price  Captain America: The Winter Soldier Website

Indiefest:  Anita  (2014)  Documentary about Anita Hill, the woman who accused Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment in the Senate hearings in 1991.  This is the first time that Anita Hill has talked at length about the ordeal she went through not only during the hearings, but also the aftermath.  While this film is very one-sided (neither Thomas or any Senator involved in the hearings as interviewed), it is fascinating to go back and see how things developed.  This film does give you, in detail, what Anita went through and why she decided to come forth with the allegations. As I was watching this film, I kept thinking that a lot has changed since 1991, especially how the workforce confronts the topic of sexual harassment.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Anita Website  For a full length review of this film click here

Forgotten Film:  Scarecrow (1973)  R  Max (Gene Hackman) is an ex-con who likes to fight and has been saving his money to open up a car wash in Pittsburg.  Lion (Al Pacino) is an ex-sailor who is homeless and wants to see his child who was born while he was at sea.  These two men meet and decide to travel together and go on an adventure.  This film is a pleasure to watch just to see Hackman and Pacino interact on-screen together.  The film gets a little too artsy with the lighting making everything very dark at times, but the performances outweigh these slight problems.  It’s a film well worth watching master actors apply their craft. My Rating:  Bargain Matinee  Scarecrow Info

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I’ve Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea): A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014)  A western written and directed by Seth MacFarlane (Ted).  I think I will go watch Mel Brook’s film Blazing Saddles (1974) instead.  A Million Ways to Die in the West Website

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD/Blu-ray): Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013) R  I feel that this sequel didn’t match the comedic standards the first Anchorman set.  It empathizes a character, Brick (Steve Carell), who is really better suited to be a supporting character.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Captain America: The Winter Soldier:  render wrangler

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Joe (2013) R I just saw this film about an ex-con (Nicolas Cage) who takes a young homeless man (Tye Sheridan) under his wing to get him away from the boy’s alcoholic father.  It’s Nicolas Cage’s best performance in years.   Joe Website

Until Next Time!

Robocop

My View:  Robocop (2014)  PG-13  In the near future, the United States is the last country in the world to not use some sort of robotic police force. When Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman), a loving father and good cop, is critically injured in the line of duty, the corporation behind most of the world’s robotic police force, OmniCorp, sees an opportunity. They plan on using what is left of Murphy to create a one-man police force called, Robocop.  I enjoyed this film as it attempted to bring something new to the Robocop franchise.  The supporting cast is perfect, including Michael Keaton as the slimy CEO of OmniCorp, Samuel L. Jackson as a pro OmniCorp TV host, and Jay Baruchel as a sleazy marketing guru.  I didn’t like the action sequences as the PG-13 violence seemed too rooted in video games.  I also didn’t like that the film takes way too long for Robocop to hit the streets to kick some bad guy butt.  Kinnaman is enjoyable as the Robocop, but I just wish the creators had really upped the action sequences.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee  Robocop Website

The 50  (A Movie from My Best/Worst Films of All Time) 
#4 Best Film:  The Godfather (1972)  R  The story of a mafia crime family trying to stay on top is one of most brilliant films of the past 50 years.  The cast of Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Cann and Diane Keaton is brilliant in this stirring film directed by Francis Ford Coppola.  Every scene in this movie could be studied in a film class, with its perfect framing and lighting.  Pacino is magnificent as Michael, a war hero who naively thinks he can leave the family business.  Brando dominates every scene he is in, and Keaton is never more appealing.  It’s a film that makes you root for the bad guys and feel good about doing it.  My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again  The Godfather Info  

Forgotten Film:  Outland (1981) R  William Neal (Sean Connery) is a Marshall, assigned to a mining colony on Io, one of Jupiter’s moons.  When Marshall starts investigating the mysterious deaths of a number of miners, he discovers that a drug trade is responsible for the deaths, and the dealers are out for the Marshall’s death.  Now the Marshall must face a gang of ruthless killers, and the population that he has protected is letting him go against them all alone.  This is a new take on the western theme of one man against many, like the 1952 film, High Noon.  Connery is at his charismatic best, playing the tough-as-nails Marshall who is willing to take on the bad guys.  My Rating:  Bargain Matinee  Outland Info

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I’ve Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  The Other Woman (2014) A wife (Leslie Mann) and her husband’s girlfriend (Cameron Diaz) team up to get revenge on the husband when they discover he is cheating on both of them.  Just what we need. A female buddy movie about cheating.  The Other Woman Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD/Blu-ray):  The Best Man Holiday (2013)  R   When old college friends get together for the Christmas holidays, they find out just how easy it is to pick right back up where they left off, which is good in the romance department but not so much when dealing with a rival.  I thoroughly enjoyed the first film in the series, The Best Man, and while this film isn’t quite as enjoyable as the first one was, it’s still a fun movie with a great message about love and family.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Best Man Holiday Facebook Page

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Robocop:  Balloon light technician

Coming Soon to a Theater Near You:  Captain America: The Winter Soldier  (2014)  Captain America (Chris Evans) is struggling to adapt to the modern world while there is also a new threat from an old foe, a Soviet agent known as the Winter Solder.  I really liked the first Captain America film, but I wanted a little humor in it.  They say this one will have that humor that I was looking for.  Captain America: The Winter Soldier Website

Until Next Time!