Avengers: Age of Ultron

My View:  Avengers: Age Of Ultron   (2015) PG-13   Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) attempts to re-start a dormant peacekeeping program. Things go bad and, what should have helped mankind, threatens to destroy it. Now the Avengers must stop the evil Ultron from completing his evil plans. While I didn't like this film as much as I liked the first, it's still an excellent addition to the Marvel universe. Unlike the first Avengers film that Robert Downey Jr.'s Ironman dominated, this film does a better job highlighting each superhero, even giving quite a bit of background on Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner). While it's primarily an action film, there are a number of places where you will be laughing out loud, mostly due to the quick and witty dialog. I found that the villain of the movie, Ultron (voiced by James Spader), was a bit bland, but the plot moves along at a good pace, and the action sequences are numerous and well thought-out. I thought that 3-D did add to the experience, so I can recommend that you see it that way. There is a bonus scene at the end of the first series of credits. Unlike the first Avengers film, there is not a bonus scene at the very end of credits.   My Rating: Full Price   Avengers: Age of Ultron Website

Indiefest:  The Mafia Kills Only in Summer  (2014)  Arturo (Alex Bisconti) grows up in 1970s Sicily with an obsession for the Mafia. It seems that everyone whom Arturo meets by chance ends up dead or missing. The only thing that keeps Arturo from thinking about the Mafia is Flora (Ginevra Antona), a girl in his class he loves from afar. I loved this surprisingly funny and touching film. The first half of the film is what makes this movie so much fun to watch. Bisconti is hilarious as the kid who can't catch a break. Unfortunately, the film loses steam when Arturo is an adult. Writer/director Pif Diliberto plays Arturo as an adult, mugging at the camera every chance he gets. I did enjoy the scenes that he has with Cristiana Capotondi, who plays Flora when she is an adult. The film is an interesting mix of fiction with fact, as it uses actual news footage from the time giving us a good background into what was happening in the region. It's a fun film that touches the heart as well as the funny bone   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Mafia Kills Only in the Summer Website

Indiefest:  Hyena  (2014) A brutal undercover cop, Michael (Peter Ferdinando) has been targeting London's most violent drug traffickers. Michael and his team are known to take a bribe or two and because of that, he and his team have been threatened with exposure. Now Michael may have to change it up and sell out his allies to stay alive. This is a dark and gritty crime drama that sucks you in right from the start. Peter Ferdinando is brilliant as the cop who tries just about everything to stay alive as his world collapses around him. The film has a unique look, with most of it bathed in a dull blue light. Director / writer Gerard Johnson takes us quickly into this intense, grimy world where you can't trust even your best friend. It's a film that isn't always easy to watch and doesn't quite have the finish that you want, but Ferdinando makes it a film to experience.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Hyena website

Forgotten Film:  The Friends of Eddie Coyle  (1973)  R  Eddie (Robert Mitchum) is a two-bit criminal who, in order to get out of long prison sentence, decides to snitch on his friends. This is one of the best performances that Robert Mitchum has ever given. I love how this film slowly drags you into Eddie's world, giving us time to know and sympathize with the main, timeworn character. Mitchum dominates every scene and, by the end of the film, we really feel for Eddie, as we know it isn't going to end well. There isn't a lot of action in this film, but wow, can Mitchum act!    My Rating: Full Price    The Friends of Eddie Coyle Info   

Weird Credits:  From Avengers: Age of Ultron:  Personal Hair Designer and Stylist for Mr. Chris Hemsworth.

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story (2014)  Who doesn’t want to see a documentary about the man who is Sesame Street’s Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch?   I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story Website

Until Next Time!

Interstellar

My View:  Interstellar (2014)  PG-13 Earth is dying, and, when a wormhole is discovered, scientists come up with a plan to use the wormhole to travel through space.  A team of astronauts are assembled, led by Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) to fly the mission to find another planet where humans can live. This is an absolutely beautiful film, and I highly recommend watching it on the biggest screen you can find. I enjoyed this film, though it is full of scientific theories that are sometimes hard to follow. The film does take a while to get started (it’s almost 45 minutes until we get into space), but the action sequences are very cool and impressive.  McConaughey is on screen for almost the entire film and is superb in the role of a father who puts the needs of many others in front of the needs of his family. Out of the remainder of the cast (there are a few surprise actors in the film), I especially enjoyed Mackenzie Foy, who plays the smart and headstrong daughter of Cooper. This is a larger than life film, and its running time is almost 3 hours, but I guarantee it won’t feel that long.   My Rating: Full Price  Interstellar Website

Familyfaire:  Big Hero 6  (2014) PG  A young robotics engineer named, Hiro (Ryan Potter), and his plus-sized inflatable robot, named Baymax (Scott Adsit), uncover a criminal plot and put together a team of inexperienced crime-fighters to take on a masked villain.  I loved this film, which combines the super hero element of the Marvel films with the nice, personal touch of the Walt Disney films. You will fall in love Baymax and his little fist bump catch phrase. The film is enjoyable for both adults and children and teaches a wonderful lesson of listening to your conscience. The film is fast paced, full of colorful characters and has some exciting action sequences. I really didn’t notice the 3-D effects, so save a few bucks and see the 2-D version.  Be sure to stay through all the credits, as with most Marvel films, there is a bonus scene at the end that is worth the wait. The animated short, Feast, plays before Big Hero 6.  It’s a charming little tale of a dog with a big appetite.   My Rating: Full Price  Big Hero 6 Website

Indiefest:  Laggies  (2014) R 28-year-old Megan (Keira Knightley) is in a rut.  She lives with her high school boyfriend (Mark Webber) and not much has changed since her high school days.  When her boyfriend proposes, Megan freaks out and decides to take a week off from life.  She meets Annika (Chloe Grace Moretz) and starts hanging out with her and her high school friends.  Things are going well until Annika’s father (Sam Rockwell) enters the scene. If you love or even like Keira Knightley, you will enjoy this film. If you don’t like her, stay away as this is her film all the way. Knightley perfectly plays the young woman who just doesn’t know what she wants in life.  As usual, I also enjoyed Chloe Grace Moretz’s performance as the high school girl who is hurting from her mom leaving her and her dad.  This is a fun, smart romantic comedy that works well due to its stellar cast. My Rating: Full Price  Laggies Website

Indiefest:  Art and Craft  (2014)  PG  Mark Landis is a great painter.  Unfortunately, he is also one of the most prolific art forgers in US history. He doesn’t do it for the money, and, many times he has posed as a philanthropic donor, giving his work to museums.  After an investigator uncovers Landis’s work, Mark must now confront his own legacy.  This is a fascinating film about two men, one of which is Mark Landis, a disturbed man who for the past 30 years has fooled museums and art curators across the country with his forgeries. The second man is a former curator who has devoted his life to stoping Landis from fooling other museums.  Landis is a sad, but incredibly intresting man who is an extremely talented artist but one who only wants to make forgeries.  The film follows Landis as he goes about fooling galleries and museums, all the while people are trying to stop him.  My Rating: Full Price Art and Craft Website 

Forgotten Film:  Fat City  (1972) PG  This film, directed by John Huston, is about two boxers heading in opposite directions.  Stacy Keach plays a boxer who has seen better days and is haunted by the fight that got away.  Jeff Bridges plays the boxer whose career is on the rise but is slowly being held down by outside forces.  This is a gritty film that is fascinating to watch and is full of small dramatic moments.  Candy Clark stands out as the bride who has tricked the young boxer into marriage only to discover that it may not be everything she thought.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Fat City Info

In Case You Missed it (A film just released on DVD / Blu-ray):  Maleficent (2014) PG  I liked the special effects in this reworking of the Sleeping Beauty tale but I felt that the film had almost no plot.  It was if the art director made all the decisions on the film, making it a beautiful film without a lot of content.  My Rating:  Bargain Matinee  Maleficent Website

Weird Credits: From the credits of Big Hero 6:  Caffeinator

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  The Imitation Game  (2014) PG-13  Benedict Cumberbatch plays an English mathematician who helps break the Nazi code during World War II.  Cumberbatch could read the phone book on screen, and I would still go see that film but this film looks like it could be an Oscar contender.  The Imitation Game Website

Until Next Time!