The Gentlemen

My View: The Gentlemen (2019) R   Mickey (Matthew McConaughey) is the weed lord of England and wants to settle down with his wife, Rosalind (Michelle Dockery), and sell his drug empire. It won’t be an easy sell. Writer/director Guy Ritchie goes back to his roots when he used to do witty and gritty films like Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels (2000) and Snatch (1998). The film is a little too flashy and very complicated at the start, and it took me quite a while to warm up to its rather brash language and violence, but about halfway through the film, I really started to enjoy it. McConaughey isn’t given too much to do other than be super cool (which we know he is good at), but the rest of the cast just has a blast playing some fun and off-the-wall characters. Charlie Hunnam, playing McConaughey’s right-hand man, is perfect in the role, and Colin Farrell gives a hilarious performance of a coach of a gang of small-time gagsters slash boxers. The best performance is Hugh Grant playing a con-man who is trying to swindle everyone he deals with. Grant is hilarious, with a thick British accent and twinkle in his eye as he tries to swindle a big score. Not quite a home run but still a good time at the movies, I hope Ritchie keeps making movies like this one instead of dreck that he has done lately (Aladdin, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.).    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Gentlemen Website

My View:  The Last Full Measure (2019) R  Scott Huffman (Sebastian Stan) is given the task of investigating if thirty-four years after his death, Airman Willam H Pitsegnbarger Jr. (‘Pits’) is worthy of getting the nation’s highest military honor, for his actions on the battlefield. Huffman will discover that there are many secrets being hidden to Pits’ story. This is such a remarkable story that you want the film to be better than it is. With a cast that includes Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Plummer, Bradley Whitford, Ed Harris, William Hurt, Peter Fonda, Amy Madigan, and Diane Ladd, you would think that this film would just fly by, but instead, it drags as we keep going back to flashbacks to the day that Pitts died. There are a lot of talking head scenes as Vietnam vets anguish over that day, but the film never delivers the emotional punch that is needed to make this film worth watching.    My Rating: Cable    The Last Full Measure Website

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD / Blu-ray):  Gemini Man (2019)  PG-13    An over-the-hill hitman (Will Smith) takes on his worst nightmare, a younger clone of himself bent on killing him. Let's get right to what everyone will be talking about, the CGI younger Will Smith in the film. At times, the CGI does a great job and looks like a real person, but there are times, especially when we first meet the clone that looks fake and very animated. This takes away from the film, as you are consistently taken from the storyline or the action, looking at how well or not the film is carrying off this gimmick. I call it a gimmick because, as one of my fellow critics noted after the film screening, it would have been easier (and less costly) to cast a young actor in the part and then add makeup for the older version. The action is well done, but the storyline is weak, and the ending is just stupid and an easy out. Throughout the film, I kept asking, why did two-time Oscar winner Ang Lee want to do this film, and how could it be this bad directed by him.    My Rating: Cable    Gemini Man Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea): Gretel & Hansel (2020) PG-13   A young girl, Gretel (Sophia Lillis) leads her little brother, Hansel (Sam Leakey) into the woods in search of food and shelter. They come across a woman named Holda (Alice Krige) who claims that she wants to help the children, but Gretel senses that there is something evil about the woman. As of writing this, movie critics are not being offered a screening, never a good sign for a movie.    Gretel & Hansel Website

Forgotten Film: Bandslam (2009) PG   Will (Gaelan Connell) is a bit of a geek who's life revolves around music. He is recruited by Charlotte (Aly Michalka), who has put together a band to compete in the upcoming Battle of the Bands competition. Will knows something is missing from Charlotte’s band, and he finds Sa5m (Vanessa Hudgens) and adds her to the band, which instantly begins to gel. What I love about this film (besides the music which is catchy and fun) is how the film treats these teens like actual people, with real feelings and dreams. Hudgens and Michalka can sing, and Connell is perfect as the awkward kid who doesn’t think any girl would be interested in him. It’s a fun ride that reminds me a little of the fabulous 80s teen films that I fell in love with.   My Rating: Full Price    Bandslam Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Gentlemen: Crowd Voice Casting Assistant

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: The Rhythm Section (2020) R   Stephanie (Blake Lively) will go at any length to seek revenge against those who orchestrated a plane crash that killed her family. I am always interested to see what Blake Lively has picked for her next role.     The Rhythm Section Website

Until Next Time!

Black Water

My View:  Black Water  (2018)  R  A deep-cover operative named, Wheeler (Jean-Claude Van Damme), finds himself imprisoned in a CIA black op-site on a submarine. Kidnapping Wheeler will be a deadly mistake.I was looking forward to seeing Black Water because I thought putting Van Damme in tight quarters to fight in but there is too much talking in this film and not enough fighting. Dolph Lundgren is in his fifth film with Van Damme playing a fellow detainee, but fans of Lundgren are going to be disappointed as he doesn’t get into the action until seventy minutes into the film. The plot does have a few twists and turns, one which I didn’t see coming. I just wanted more action from this film and less talking.  My Rating: Cable   Black Water Info

In Case You Missed It (A movie just released on DVD/Blu-Ray):  Pacific Rim Uprising (2018)  PG-13   Jake Pentecost (John Boyega) teams with Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi) to lead a new generation of Jaeger pilots. Nate Lambert (Scott Eastwood), Jake’s rival and hacker, and Amara Namani (Cailee Spaeny), join the team when a new Kaiju threat rears up.  Unlike the first, this film doesn’t have heart. The characters are shallow, the dialogue is creaky, and the action sequences are confusing. The only thing that saves this movie is the performances of John Boyega, who is charismatic, and Cailee Spaeny, who does a phenomenal job, considering this is her first feature film. I just wish the two of them had better material to work with.  My Rating: Cable   Pacific Rim Uprising Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers but Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  The Meg (2018)  PG-13   Jonas (Jason Statham) must protect his family and fellow workers from a 70-foot shark while in a sunken submersible. We already have the Sharknado movies, why do we need this version?    The Meg Website

Forgotten Film:  Frailty  (2001)  R   A man named, Fenton (Matthew McConaughey), shows up at an FBI agent’s (Powers Boothe) office and tells the agent that he knows who did a series of serial killings that occurred in the area and have never been solved. The man begins to tell the story of his dad (Bill Paxton), who was visited by an angel and told to kill demons disguised as people. The movie flashes back to when he was a young boy, and we see how and why his father, with the help of his sons, killed the victims. The late Bill Paxton directed this psychological drama that adds a little horror to the story as it goes along. Paxton is brilliant in the part, creating a character that is terrifying but is also a loving father who thinks he is doing the right thing. Frailty is a movie that isn’t always easy to watch but is fascinating in its delivery.  My Rating: Full Price    Frailty Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Black Water:  Stunt Guard

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Whitney  (2018)  R  Documentary on the life and music of the immensely talented but troubled Whitney Houston. The director of the film, Kevin Macdonald, got two nominations for this project at the Cannes Film Festival.    Whitney Facebook Page

Until Next Time!

The Dark Tower

My View:  The Dark Tower  (2017)  PG-13  The last Gunslinger, Roland Deschain (Idris Elba), is locked in an eternal battle with Walter O’Dim (Mathew McConaughey), also known as the Man in Black, determined to prevent him from toppling the Dark Tower, which holds the universe together. With the fate of the worlds at stake, good and evil will collide in the ultimate battle as only Roland can defend the Tower from the Man in Black.  While not a hit out of the park, this film is watchable and sometimes enjoyable. The problem with this movie is it feels incomplete coming in at only 95 minutes in length. McConaughey is brilliant as the bad guy; he’s so good you want more of his character, and this film gives it to you. Idris Elba is does an outstanding job as the hero, the Gunslinger, and he has exceptional chemistry with Nicholas Hamilton, the young boy who is the key to defending the Dark Tower. I have not read the books, but after talking to a fellow critic who has, the film is very different from the first book and may upset fans of Steven King because it is so different. This isn’t a bad film. It’s just not the spectacle that you want.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Dark Tower Website

Indiefest:  Step  (2017)  PG  Documentary of the senior year of a girls’ high school dance team. The girls strive to make their dancing a success against the backdrop of social unrest in the troubled city.  This uplifting movie is one of the best films of the year. The film centers on three girls at a school whose mission is to have not only a 100 percent graduation rate, but also that every girl is accepted into a college. The three girls are very different. One is driven to get into Johns Hopkins, a second is distracted by a new boyfriend, and a third girl has never applied herself to school work and realizes that she has to do better in her senior year or she won’t fulfill her dreams. It’s a fascinating look at young women who are determined succeed, not only in high school but in life. The film hits all the right notes, and you just might clap at the end.  I know the audience that I saw it with did.  My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again   Step Website

My View:  Kidnap  (2017)  R  A mother (Halle Berry) is on a mission to save her son’s life after he is kidnapped from a park.  A note first: when I saw this film, the movie kept freezing for 10 to 15 seconds, so it made it very hard to judge the pacing. This is a one trick pony movie with Halle Berry’s character chasing after the people who kidnapped her son. It’s tough to keep a chase film going, especially when most of the movie is one car chasing another one. Some of the car chase sequences are not well done and are quite confusing. It’s a very shallow story, and it’s hard to watch Berry consistently go from crying to screaming and back to crying. I wish for the days where Berry was given a script where she could use all of her acting skill.  This just wasn’t one of those.    My Rating: Cable   Kidnap Facebook Page

My View:  Armed Response  (2017)  R  A team of special forces soldiers approach the designer of a high-tech military compound to investigate the disappearance of another team guarding the facility.   The compound, known professionally as a Temple, is an artificial intelligence powered facility designed for interrogating high-level prisoners.  Upon entering the Temple, the soldiers quickly find the earlier team horrifically slaughtered, but there is no evidence of who is responsible.  This is more of a psychological thriller than an action film, as Wesley Snipes only has one fight sequence in this movie, and it’s near the end. The cast features Colby Lopez aka WWE wrestler Seth Rollins, Dave Annable, and Anne Heche. The movie builds the tension well, and it has an intriguing ending. If you like thrillers and a bit of a horror movie thrown in, this could be your film.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Armed Response Website

Indiefest: Person to Person (2017)  The film follows a variety of New Yorkers as they work, live and play in the big city. I loved this movie about a bunch of New Yorkers living their lives. All the characters (there is a lot of them) are funny and strange and are just trying to find happiness in their lives. Some of the characters are interlocking but most are just part of the story. The standouts of the cast are Bene Coopersmith,  who is in search of a Charlie Parker rare album, Abbi Jacobson, who is working her first day on the job with a reporter played by Michael Cera, and Tavi Gevinson who plays a high school girl who is full of opinions and is just too cool for school. There are a few characters that aren’t developed enough but with such a large cast, it doesn’t really matter. Spend a little time with this quirky cast of characters as they live their lives in NYC.  My Rating: Full Price    Armed Response Info

Forgotten Film:  Gone in 60 Seconds (1974)  PG  Maindrian Pace (H.B. Halicki) and his gang are hired to steal 48 cars. They are successful until it gets to the last car, a supped up Mustang, because the police have been tipped off that the car was stolen. Maindrian is then chased by seemingly every cop in the greater LA area. This is a very low budget film (it was written and directed by the star), and some of the acting is horrible, but it has a 40-minute car chase that has to be seen.  This film was shot in the days before computers could animate everything, so every car crash you see in this film, and there are a lot of them, were done by stuntmen.  If you love car chase movies, this one is for you.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Gone in 60 Seconds Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Kidnap:  Biscuit Technician

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Ingrid Goes West  (2017)  An unhinged social media stalker moves to LA and figures out a way to become part of an Instagram Star’s life. Aubrey Plaza and Elizabeth Olsen lead the cast of this film, so you know that I am there.   Ingrid Goes West Facebook Page

Until next time!

Resident Evil: The Final Chapter

My View:  Resident Evil: The Final Chapter  (2017)  R  Alice (Milla Jovovich) is the only one to survive the last battle against the undead. Now, she must return to where it all began, The Hive in Raccoon City. The Umbrella Corporation is gathering its forces for one final battle against the only remaining survivors of the apocalypse. The sixth and hopefully last in the series starts out with plenty of action but never really delivers the sequences that you crave. The camera seems too close to the action, making all the fight sequences, and there are a lot of them, seem very uneven, rough and hard to follow. The film has way too many plot holes, and it seems that it forgets what damage has occurred to Alice (Milla’s character) to make things a bit easier for the story to continue. While the film does answer a major plot point that has been brewing almost from the start, I never really felt the closure of the series that I wanted. Even though it was shot in 3-D, save your money, as the technology was never utilized. Here’s hoping that such a fun game is rebooted in the near future and they spend a few more bucks for the special effects.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Resident Evil: The Final Chapter Website

My View: Gold  (2016)  R  Kenny Wells (Matthew McConaughey) has never had luck in life. Now he is pushing his bad luck as he teams up with a geologist (Edgar Ramirez) to try and find gold deep in the uncharted jungles of Indonesia.  Mathew McConaughey gives a riveting performance as the hard luck prospector who thinks his ship has finally come in. Unfortunately,  McConaughey is let down by a script that never can find its footing and editing that seems choppy and uneven. Bryce Dallas Howard is given very little to do as Kenny’s supportive girlfriend, mostly seen in scenes where she pats his hand and tells him he will win.  While there are few sparks up on the screen between Howard and McConaughey, there are quite a few in the bromance between McConaughey and Edgar Ramirez, who plays the geologist in charge of finding the location of the mine. The film comes alive when the two are interacting on the hunt for gold. The film kind of plods along, though, much like Kenny Wells hiking in the Indonesian jungle; it moves slowly and uneasily, stumbling to find its way in the impenetrable story-line.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Gold Website 

Indiefest:  Julieta  (2016)  R  Julieta (Emma Suarez) is about to move with her boyfriend from Madrid to Portugal. She learns that her daughter, who she has long been estranged, is alive and living in Switzerland with her husband and three children. Julieta decides to stay in Madrid with the hope that her daughter will contact her.  Part mystery, part drama, the film slowly reveals how and why the mother became estranged from her daughter.  Emma Suarez gives a remarkable performance as the mother who is willing to sacrifice her life to reconnect with her daughter.  Directed by  Pedro Almodovar (Volver, The Skin I Live In), the film kept surprising me both in narrative content and emotion. This is an exceptional film that will keep you interested in Julieta’s quest until the end.   My Rating: Full Price   Julieta Website

Indiefest:  Neruda  (2106)  R  Poet and Communist Senator Pablo Neruda (Luis Gnecco) gives a speech that criticizes President Gabriel Gonzalez Videla’s brutal anti-communist repression. The President calls for his arrest, and Neruda goes on the run, trying to evade the manhunt led by fascist Chief of Policía de Investigaciones Oscar Peluchonneau (Gael García Bernal). This is an incredibly dense, wordy film that I had trouble connecting to, almost from the start. Neruda is a poet, first, and politician, second, and because of this, he has a tendency to speak in poetic form, making the film feel that it’s one long poem. Even the narration, done by Gael Garcia Bernal, who plays a policeman who is trying to track down Neruda, speaks in very flowery and poetic dialogue. I did enjoy Bernal’s performance as the sad sack policeman who is full of self-importance and consistently makes the wrong decisions.  The film drags in several places, as Neruda travels to hide in houses of his supporters, making the film seem a little repetitious. I did enjoy the last ten minutes of the movie as Neruda goes on foot and horseback over the Andes to try and elude the policeman as he closes in on his prey.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Neruda Info

Forgotten Film:  Goodbye, Columbus  (1969) R   Neil (Richard Benjamin) has just graduated college and is trying to figure out his next move. He meets a beautiful girl, Brenda (Ali MacGraw), at a pool party. She is from a rich, Jewish family that revels in their wealth. Much to the dismay of her family, especially her mother (Nan Martin, Brenda starts dating Will because he isn’t her typical rich guy date. Soon the couple is in love but will their differences be too big for this couple to overcome?  The film is a funny and touching look at dating and how families can affect a relationship. MacGraw and Benjamin have great chemistry on the screen together, making their scenes feel real and passionate. I’ve not always been a big fan of MacGraw, but she is the best thing in this film. My favorite scene is at a wedding reception near the end of the film.  When you watch that scene, look for Bette Midler, Susan Lucci, Michael Nouri, and Jacklyn Smith as wedding guests.    My Rating:  Full Price   Goodbye, Columbus Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Gold: Snake Wrangler (no snakes appear in this film).

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  The Space Between Us  (2017)  PG-13  The first human born on Mars, a young man named Gardner (Asa Butterfield), travelPGto Earth for the first time.  There he encounters a street smart girl (Britt Robertson), and they go on an adventure to explore the world and find his father. The trailer looks cool, and Britt Roberson is one of my favorite up and coming actresses.   The Space Between Us Website

Until Next Time!

Pain & Gain

My View:   Pain & Gain (2013) R  Daniel Lugo (Mark Wahlberg) works as a personal trainer. He’s a fairly happy guy, but he wants the good life and he wants it now. So Daniel comes up with a sure fire plan to make all his dreams come true; just kidnap Victor (Tony Shalhoub), a wealthy client, and extort money from him. He enlists two of his bodybuilding friends (Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie) to help. So, what could go wrong? Uh, just about everything. I liked the first part of the film, which has a very stylized look, and Wahlberg can be very funny playing the earnest but somewhat dumb personal trainer.  Also, some of the scenes that set up why Lugo wants to do the kidnapping are funny. The scenes with Dwayne Johnson and Tony Shalhoub are well done and quite creative, but I hated the last third of the film where some very serious crimes are treated as though they are part of a cartoon plot. Michael Bay's (Transformers) over-the-top direction works for awhile in this film but after continually being blasted with the same images over and over, the film's style seems to get in the way of the storytelling.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Pain & Gain Website

My View:  Mud  (2013)  PG-13  Two teenage boys (Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland) encounter a fugitive (Matthew McConaughey) who persuades them to help him evade bounty hunters so he can get back his one true love (Reese Witherspoon). This was one of my favorite films of the 2013 Atlanta Film Festival, and Matthew McConaughey has another performance that will get him talked about for an Academy Award where he plays the slick-talking, likable Mud. But it's the performance of the two lead boys, Sheridan and Lofland that make this film so good. Sheridan has that presence on-screen that makes you think of the young performances of River Phoenix and Kevin Bacon as he has star quality and easy way that makes you want to follow his character anywhere he wants to go. Reese Witherspoon is somewhat wasted as the girl whom Mud wants so desperately to win back, though, her casting makes us instantly understand how she put such a spell on him. But it's Sheridan playing the troubled young man that you want to root for and hope that everything will turn out all right for him which makes Mud a film you should go see.     My Rating: Full Price    Mud Website

Indiefest:  The Company You Keep (2013)  R  Decades ago a radical student terrorist group named, “The Weather Underground,” set off bombs and robbed banks to try and force the American government to end the war in Vietnam. Some of the terrorists were caught, but others are still on the run. Now, a newspaper reporter (Shia LaBeouf) begins digging up the story after one of “The Weather Underground” members is caught. By the time the reporter is finished, a number of lives will have changed. I generally like Redford's films, but I felt almost as if the amount of stars in this film, such as Anna Kendrick, who plays an FBI agent, was a little like stunt casting, making it sort of a lets see how many stars want to work for Redford, and therefore prop up a script that has huge holes in it. The film moves along very slowly as if it doesn't want to reveal too much too soon. I enjoyed the scenes with Shia LaBeouf a little more than the scenes with Redford, as the LaBeouf scenes tended to have a lot more energy in them. But the film takes way too long to revel the real plot, and then the film creates a very unlikely ending which makes watching this film not the best of movie going experiences.    My Rating: Cable     The Company You Keep Website

Indiefest:  Arthur Newman (2013) R  Wallace Avery (Colin Firth) is not happy with his life. He’s lost a job he didn’t like, his ex-wife hates him, his son doesn’t want to do anything with him and his girlfriend (Anne Heche) isn’t crazy about him either. So, Wallace decides to go on a road trip to reinvent himself and start a new life as Arthur Newman. While on the road he meets Mike (Emily Blunt), who also wants to reinvent her life. It’s a trip that’s going to be a bumpy ride. I really enjoyed this film and loved the chemistry between Firth and Blunt, as we get to watch their friendship develop throughout the film. The films score really helps define the mood but doesn't go overboard in telling the audience just how they should feel. While this is a "road" picture, it's more about the people on the trip, not about where they are or where they are going. This is an enjoyable film and makes watching two actors worth the price of admission.    My Rating: Full Price   Arthur Newman Website

Forgotten Film:   Pumpkin (2002) R  Carolyn (Christina Ricci) is a vain, stuck up young woman who is obsessed with making sure that she and her sisters win Sorority of the Year. To impress the judges, she enlists her sorority to help train mentally and physically challenged athletes for the upcoming Challenged Games. Carolyn is teamed with Pumpkin (Hank Harris), a wheel chaired bound young man who may also be mentally challenged. Due to Pumpkin's compassion and humor, she finds herself falling for him, something that scares Carolyn, and she takes a long time to even contemplate a relationship with Pumpkin. Will she give up her family, friends and her sorority way of life to stay with him? The film has warmth and humor, and Ricci does a masterful job of at first being an unlikable character who changes into someone we can see has compassion and depth. While not a perfect film, this film's heart wins out in the end.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee     Pumpkin Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD):  The Impossible (2012)  PG-13  Based on a true story of a family who, while on vacation at a coastal resort in Thailand, are separated after a devastating Tsunami hits. Naomi Watts, in an Academy Award Nominated role, is breathtaking as the wife who risks everything to find her family under tragic circumstances. This film is heart breaking, at times, but is ultimately uplifting, as you see just how strong the human spirit is in times of unbelievable destruction.   My Rating: I Would Pay To See it Again    The Impossible Website

Weird Credits: From the credits of Mud: Boat Captain (by my count there were 12 boat captains listed)

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  The Great Gatsby (2013)  PG-13  Based on one of my favorite books, I was incredibly let down by the 1974 Robert Redford, Mia Farrow film. Let's see what director Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge!) can do. The great cast of Leonardo DiCaprio, Isla Fisher, Carey Mulligan and Tobey Maguire certainly is worth the price of admission.    The Great Gatsby Website

Until Next Time!

G. I. Joe: Retaliation

My View:   G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013)  PG-13 The G. I. Joe team is in a world of trouble as they have been framed as traitors – traitors to their own country. To make matters worse, Cobra’s own Zartan (Arnold Vosloo) is in power, impersonating the President of the United States. The Joes are going to need help getting their country back, so how about the original Joe, General Joseph Colton (Bruce Willis) joining back up with the team? Do not see this film in 3-D! The film was not shot in 3-D but converted later to the format, and combine that with the shaky-cam used in most of the action sequences, and it will be either sick to your stomach or headache time for you. Additional scenes with Channing Tatum were added, but these “Bromance” scenes with Dwayne Johnson seemed forced. The dialogue for most of the film is so bad that you will groan at some of the lines, but hey, you don’t go to a G.I. Joe film for the witty banter, you go for the action scenes, and there are plenty. I especially enjoyed the ninja battle via rappelling gear on the side of a huge mountain - fast and inventive. But Willis is mostly wasted as Gen. Joe Colton, and the plot becomes just one big mess, especially near the end, making the film just one loud explosion.     My Rating: Cable   G. I. Joe: Retaliation Website

My View:   The Host   (2013)  PG-13    Aliens have invaded the Earth and have taken over the minds and bodies of most of the population. Melanie (Saoirse Ronan) sacrifices herself to let her boyfriend and brother escape and allows an alien named, the Wanderer, to take over her body/mind.  But, to the alien’s chagrin, Melanie hasn’t given up. It turns out Melanie is sharing her body, mind and memories with the alien, an experience that will change both of their lives.  From the same novelist, Stephenie Meyer, who gave us the Twilight series, this film has much better acting and better dialogue than that series with the sparkly vampires. Saoirse Ronan doesn’t disappoint in the multi-role of Melanie and The Wanderer, portraying basically two roles in one body. The film is very typical of the Young Adult films with lots of dialogue and a female lead that is attracted to two very different young men (Jake Abel and Max Irons) whom she will have to choose between. The film is bolstered by the excellent supporting cast, especially William Hurt and Frances Fisher. Action fans will be slightly disappointed as the film is mostly about relationships and family, but there are a couple of good chase scenes. While not a great film, it’s not cringe-worthy like the Twilight films.     My Rating: Bargain Matinee    The Host Website

Indiefest:  NO   (2012)  R   Chile in 1988 is ruled with an iron fist by the dictator Augusto Pinochet. When increasing international pressure is mounted against the ruling government, Pinochet agrees to a national vote. A vote Yes means that he stays in power, and a vote No means democracy stands a chance in the country. A young ad executive (Gael Garcia Bernal) is asked to head a campaign against overwhelming odds to convince a country to vote NO. Bernal is the reason to see this film, as he gives an inspiring performance of the ad executive who risks his life for the democracy movement. It is an interesting film that gives you appreciation of the power of democracy and how people all over the world are fighting for the right of self-determination.    My Rating: Full Price    NO Website

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

#7 Worst Film

Monster a-Go Go  (1965)  PG  Production was started on this Black and White film in 1961 but was shut down half-way through and then started up again in 1964 using different actors for the same parts. I could try and tell you the plot, but it’s better that you only know one thing about this film - there isn’t any monster!    Monster a-Go Go Info

Forgotten Film:  The Tao of Steve   (2000)  R  Dex (Donal Logue) is an overweight, underachieving kindergarten teacher, who has incredible success with bedding women by using what he calls the “Tao of Steve," a philosophy based on the question, “What would Steve McQueen do?” At his ten-year college reunion, Dex meets Syd (Greer Goodman) , but all of his charms may not be good enough to get the girl of his dreams. The dialogue in this film is smart, witty, and the characters are complex and real. It’s a fun, romantic comedy that is easy to watch and Donal Logue plays the frisbee golf loving Dex to perfection.    My Rating: Full Price    The Tao of Steve Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD):   Killing Them Softly   (2012)  R   I did not like this film about a hit man (Brad Pitt) sent to find a couple of guys who robbed a mob-controlled poker game. I found the action was too few and far between which made the film seem like it was about uninteresting characters talking about nothing to each other.    My Rating: Cable    Killing Them Softly Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I’ve Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):   6 Souls ( 2013)  R  This film, about a forensic psychiatrist (Julianne Moore) who discovers that one of her patients is murdering people, just looks like a stinker. This film was made back in 2010 but is just being released now.  Never a good sign.    6 Souls Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Host:  Construction Medic

Coming Soon to a Theater Near You:   Mud (2013)  PG-13   One of my favorite films from the 2013 Atlanta Film Festival starring Matthew McConaughey in the title role, but it’s the two teen boys in the film, Tye Sheridan and Jacob Lofland, who make this film such a pleasure to watch.    Mud Website

Until Next Time!

Magic Mike

Thursday, June 28, 2012 6:52 PM

My View:  Magic Mike (2012) Mike (Channing Tatum) is the hot star of a male strip club and takes “The Kid” (Alex Pettyfer) under his tutelage to show him the lifestyle of partying, women and money. Mike, though, is about to meet his match in a woman (Cody Horn) who is unimpressed with his job or his lifestyle. I liked Tatum in this role.  He has a likeable quality that makes you want to root for him, and you can see why both men and women want to be his friend. Oh, and by the way, Tatum can dance. I loved Matthew McConaughey, who was picture-perfect as the slick talking, high energy club-owner / host.  I felt that Cody Horn wasn’t up to the part of being the romantic interest for Tatum, and I expected more from a Steven Soderbergh directed film, as I was left wanting more of a storyline and less of a floor show.   My Rating: Cable   Magic Mike Website

Indiefest: Your Sister’s Sister (2012) After the death of his brother, Jack (Mark Duplass) is in a dark place. To cheer him up, Jack’s friend, Iris (Emily Blunt), invites him to stay at the family island cabin. Things become interesting when Iris’s sister, Hannah (Rosemarie DeWitt), has a drunken night with Jack. I enjoyed this film which is mostly made up of conversations between the two sisters and Jack, with the chemistry working extremely well between Blunt and DeWitt.  The two actresses make us believe they really are sisters. Duplass is very funny as the depressed Jack who is secretly in love with Blunt’s character. This is the type of film where you want a sequel made just so you can see where the characters are later in life.    My Rating: Full Price   Your Sister's Sister Website

Indiefest: People Like Us (2012) After his estranged father dies, Sam (Chris Pine) finds out that he has a sister , Frankie(Elizabeth Banks), about whom he never knew. Now, as ordered in his father’s will, he must find his sister and give her $150,000, an amount of money he could desperately use, himself. Pine is first-rate in the role of the salesman who is always looking to make a deal. Michelle Pfeiffer brings her usual star quality to the role of Sam’s mom who knew about Frankie but never accepted her husband's daughter.  It's Banks, though, who makes this movie in her best role to-date as the damaged single mom who attends AA meetings and works two jobs so she can properly raise her son.    My Rating: Full Price   People Like Us Website

The 50 (A Movie From My Best/Worst Films of All Time)

#18 Worst Film:

Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster (1971) Considered the worst Godzilla film ever made (which is saying a lot), an alien monster who feeds on and spews out pollution starts attacking Tokyo. So, who comes to the rescue? Godzilla, of course! There is even animation and musical numbers in this film which even has a message that pollution is bad, and we must stop our polluting ways before another monster comes a calling.   Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster Info

Forgotten Film: Harry and Tonto (1974) Harry (Art Carney) is a widow living in an apartment building in New York with his cat, Tonto. When he finds out his building will be torn down, he decides to take his cat and go on a trip across the country. Along the way, Harry meets and interacts with a number of people, including a Native Indian chief (Chief Dan George), a runaway girl (Melanie Mayron) and a hitchhiker (Michael Butler) who likes to quote the bible. This is a wondrous character study, and Carney deserved the Oscar for Best Actor that he won in 1974.   My Rating: Full Price   Harry and Tonto Info

In Case You Missed it (A Film Just Released on DVD): The Artist (2011) The Artist Is a wonderful silent film that won the Academy Awards Best Picture last year. It’s a story of a dashing silent screen star who sees his career go downhill due to the advent of sound just as the girl he falls in love with becomes a rising film star.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   The Artist Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I’ve Only Seen in Trailers but Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  The Apparition (2012) A young couple are haunted by some sort of paranormal presence that feeds on their fear. Could it be that the couple is just being haunted by a bad horror film?   The Apparition Website

Weird Credits: From the credits of Your Sister’s Sister: Beer Graphics

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: The Queen of Versailles (2012) A documentary that follows a billionaire couple as they build one of the largest homes in the United States while the economy is tanking.   The Queen of Vesailles Website

Until Next Time!