Deepwater Horizon

My View:  Deepwater Horizon  (2016)  PG-13  Mike Williams (Mark Wahlberg) is the chief electronics technician on the floating oil rig named, Deepwater Horizon. Williams will need all his skills when the rig explodes and creates one of the worst oil spills of all time.  It takes a while to get this film going but once the explosions start, the film seems to move at breathtaking speed. I loved the action in this movie, and director Peter Berg knows how to film those scenes to get the audience right there in with the characters. The movie has an outstanding cast with Kurt Russell giving a stellar performance as the safety expert of the rig and Gina Rodriquez, who gives a sympathetic and moving performance as the pilot of the rig.  There is tremendous chemistry between Russell and Wahlberg, which makes their characters seem more like father and son than co-workers. Even though I knew what was going to happen, I was mesmerized by the thrilling action sequences and gripping performances.   My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again    Deepwater Horizon Website

My View:  Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children  (2016)  PG-13  Jake (Asa Butterfield) goes on a quest to find the home that his grandfather told so many stories about.  First off I must tell you not to take young children to this film. There are parts that are quite scary, and there is one scene that would be disturbing to young kids (heck, it was disturbing to me). I liked this film and feel it is one of the better adaptations of a Young Adult book genre.  The storyline is fascinating and inventive.  The special effects are well done and fun. I especially enjoyed Eva Green’s performance as Miss Peregrine, as she made her character likable but also very strange. The bad guys, led by Samuel L. Jackson, are creepy and sometimes shocking, which gives a horror tinge to the film.  I enjoyed the ending of the movie and hope there will be more as I would like to revisit this strange world of “peculiar children.”    My Rating:  Full Price   Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children Website

My View:  Masterminds  (2016)  PG-13  David (Zach Galifianakis) is a security guard who drives an armored car every day. With a group of half-brained criminals, David does the impossible and steals more than $17 million.  Now, will he be able to keep the money? While I did enjoy that not just one, but two characters share my name, overall I did not enjoy this film.  The laughs were few and far between and most I had already seen from the trailer/commercials. A little of Galifianakis shtick goes a long way, and I grew tired of his character very early on. I did enjoy the quirky performance of Kate McKinnon, who plays David’s weird fiancé. Her character steals the film, as she deadpan’s her way throughout. The plot is based on a true story, but it’s predictable and, at times, just not funny.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   Masterminds Website

Indiefest:  The Dressmaker  (2015)  R  A glamorous woman, Tilly (Kate Winslet) returns to her small town in rural Australia.  While she changes the style and dress of the women of the small town, she is there to get revenge on those who did her wrong in the past. I enjoyed this film that is part mystery, part revenge film, and part comedy. Winslet is scintillating as the stylish woman in the couture dresses clashing with the people of a small, isolated town.  Judy Davis is perfect as the crazy mother that Tilly has come back to care for. I loved Hugo Weaving as the police officer in town who has a penchant for wearing women's clothing. And there is great chemistry between Winslet and Liam Hemsworth, who plays her love interest. There are plenty of twists and turns to make the mystery interesting, and you won’t believe the ending. Tilly is a beautiful woman on a mission, someone you might want to meet, but you wouldn’t want to get on her bad side.  My Rating:  Full Price  The Dressmaker Website

Forgotten Films:  The Seven-Ups  (1973)  PG  Buddy (Roy Scheider) is part of an elite police team that is little known and mostly undercover.  The team focuses on crimes that can get more than seven years in prison when convicted.  When investigating the murder of his partner, Buddy uncovers a plot to kidnap mobsters for large ransoms.  This is a smart and gritty film where the cops don’t always follow the rules to get their convictions. Scheider is intense and scintillating as the cop on a mission that may get him killed. There is an rousing car chase that rivals the car chase sequence in the 1968 film Bullitt.   My Rating:  Full Price   The Seven-Ups Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Masterminds:  Props; Silicone Eel

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Underworld: Blood Wars (2016)  I am a sucker for Kate Beckinsale and her portrayal of the kickass vampire Selene. The first film is still the best one in the series, but I am just happy to have her back killing vamps.   Underworld: Blood Wars Info

Until Next Time!

Dark Shadows

My View: Dark Shadows (2012) In 1752, playboy Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) breaks the heart of a witch (Eva Green) and, to get back at him, she turns him into a vampire and buries him in a grave. In 1972, his grave is uncovered, and being undead, he returns to his mansion to discover it in ruins.  Its current occupants are his descendants, but they aren’t quite living up to the Collins name. This film has no idea what kind of film it is.  Is it a comedy, a dark comedy, a drama, a horror film?   It just doesn’t know, and the audience that I saw it with didn’t know either.  It’s like the director Tim Burton and Johnny Deep just threw ideas against a wall and kept what stuck. I thought the appeal of vampire movies was that they were sexy, but there isn’t anything sexy in this film.  And, Johnny Depp's makeup makes him look dead. The film has a great cast with Michelle Pfeiffer, Jackie Earle Haley, Chloe Grace Moretz, and Helena Bonhman Carter, but most of this talent is wasted on characters that seem to be just that - characters. The film is too long (almost 2 full hours) and feels like it could have used a couple of editing sessions to tighten up its pacing.   My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again   Dark Shadows Website

Indiefest: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012) A group of British retirees travel to India to move to, what they believe, is a world class resort hotel. When they arrive, they realize that it’s not exactly what you would call “World Class,” and it’s nothing like what they expected. Some of the new residents, though, find joy and enlightenment in their new home. The film is fun to watch, India is beautiful to look at, and the cast, which includes Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, and Bill Nighy, looks like they had a blast making this movie. This is the type of film that audiences have been looking for - a smart, intelligent film that has warmth and humor.   My Rating: Full Price   The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Website

Indiefest: Sound of My Voice (2012) A couple (Christopher Denham, Nicole Cicius) who are making a documentary film try to infiltrate a secretive cult led by a charismatic woman (Brit Marling) who claims she is from the future, the year 2054. Will the couple accomplish their task, or will they be sucked into the culture of the cult? This is an interesting character study on how people get involved with cults and start doing things they normally wouldn’t do. Brit Marling is perfect in the role as the leader and helps you understand how someone would be controlled by a cult. While not a perfect film, it is an interesting one.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Sound of My Voice Website

The 50 (A Movie from My Best/Worst film of All Time)

#21 Best Film

Pulp Fiction (1994) Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) and Vincent (John Travolta) are hit men who are sent to retrieve a mysterious suitcase held by a mob boss (Ving Rhames). That’s just one of four stories that magically intertwine to make up a crazy ride of a movie. This film has an incredibly cast which also includes Uma Thurman, Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer, and Bruce Willis.  What makes this movie work, though, is the creative dialogue that Writer/Director Quentin Tarantino brings to  the screen with his wry sense of humor.   Pulp Fiction Info

Forgotten Film: Cinema Paradiso (1988) Winner of the 1989 Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, this film is about a successful film director who, in flashbacks, remembers his childhood when he developed a friendship with a projectionist at a local film theatre. The projectionist serves as a father figure to the young boy and teaches him about the magic of film. This film is a celebration of the movies and they can touch our lives.  It’s also a moving coming- of-age tale of a young boy who has lost his father in a war and needs a man to help shape his life.   My Rating: Full Price   Cinema Paradiso Info

In Case You Missed it (A Film Just Released on DVD): The Vow (2012) A newly married couple (Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams) are in a car accident.  When the wife comes out a of coma, she does not remember what has happened over the last few years, including all her time with her husband. I did not like this film mostly due to the fact that Tatum is not up to carrying the movie in his lead role.   My Rating: Cable   The Vow Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I’ve Only Seen in Trailers but Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2012): Yes, the film has Bruce Willis, but it also has Channing Tatum and The Rock (Dwayne Johnson).  Do we really need to Go Joe?   G.I. Joe Retaliation Website

Weird Credits: From the credits of Dark Shadows: Hair Artist for Mr. Depp

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Brave (2012) Pixar’s summer animated film finally brings us a movie about a female hero, a young girl named Princess Merida, who must rely on her skill as an archer and her bravery to save her kingdom from a curse.   Brave Website

Until Next Time!