The Angry Birds Movie

Family Faire:  The Angry Birds Movie  (2016)  Red (Jason Sudeikis) has an incident at kid’s birthday party and is sentenced by a judge to take anger management classes. There he meets the teacher, Matilda (Mya Rudolph), Chuck (Josh Gad), Bomb (Danny McBride) and Terence (Sean Penn), all of who soon go on an adventure with Red.  I hated this very unfunny and annoying movie. I didn’t like that several times there were very inappropriate adult puns uttered by the birds. The only thing going for this film is that the animation is very cool looking, and it was done with 3-D in mind. Let’s put it this way; I looked at my watch thinking the film had about 10 minutes left but discovered  it was only half way through. The film made me angry, angry enough to give the film the bird.    My Rating:  You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again   The Angry Birds Movie Website 

My View:  Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising  (2016)  Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly (Rose Byrne) are expecting their second child and need a bigger house.  The problem is they are never going to be able to sell their current house with the new neighbors next door, a hard partying sorority, led by Shelby (Chloe Grace Moretz). Mac and Kelly are going to need reinforcements, and Teddy (Zac Efron) is the man for the job.  I didn’t like the first one, as there were some funny parts, but that film never could keep its momentum. I feel the same about this film; I think mostly because I don’t like Mac and Kelly. Why should I root for them when I don’t like them? I did like Zac Efron’s performance, though.. He is consistently funny in the part of the un-grown-up frat boy. Efron is willing to make himself look ridiculous or stupid on the screen, and most of the time it works. I usually love Chloe Grace Moretz performances, but, to me, she mailed this one in. Do not take the kids as there is lots of drug use, a bit of nudity, cartoon-like violence and lots of cussing.   My Rating: Cable   Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising Website

Indiefest:  The Nice Guys  (2016)  In 1970’s Los Angeles, private eye Holland March (Ryan Gosling) must work with enforcer Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe) to find a missing girl. Along the way, they just might run into a few problems like stumbling onto a conspiracy that could get them killed. Co-written and directed by Shane Black, The Nice Guys is a laughed-filled, action-packed, good old-fashioned film noir mystery where Crowe, and especially Gosling, shine. Crowe plays the straight man to Gosling’s goofy Holland. Jackson is a part that isn’t easy to do, but Crowe plays off Gosling brilliantly, giving his character a world-weary menace. Gosling shows a talent for slapstick, bringing to mind Peter Seller’s Inspector Clouseau. Some of the best scenes in the film involve Gosling just falling, and he does it a lot…off roofs, down hills, and even across rooms. Black’s script, co-written by Anthony Bagarozzi, takes us on a very complex and funny adventure into the seedy world of bars, pornography, and, wait for it, car manufacturing. The dialogue is quick and witty with some great cultural references of the 70’s mixed in. Like Black’s under-appreciated 2005 film, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, The Nice Guys perfectly captures the quirky pulp fiction style of filmmaking, combined with impressive action sequences, sidesplitting comedy and superb performances from Gosling and Crowe.    My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again   The Nice Guys Facebook Page

Indiefest:  The Meddler  (2016)  A recent widow, Marnie (Susan Sarandon), needs a project to keep her busy, so why not be in every aspect of her single daughter’s (Rose Byrne) life? While surrounded by a supporting cast that includes Jason Ritter, Michael McKean, Lucy Punch, Cecily Strong and Jerrod Carmichael, it’s Susan Sarandon’s film, with a great deal of help from Byrne and Simmons. Sarandon is phenomenal as the big-hearted, well-meaning Marnie. Sarandon has one of those rare qualities that almost as soon as she appears on the screen we like her character and want her to succeed in whatever quest she is on. She plays well off Rose Byrne, making their characters back-and-forth banter feel natural. Sarandon has equally exceptional chemistry with Simmons, making their attraction seem unique. As with the recent films, I’ll See You in My Dreams and Hello, My Name is Doris, The Meddler gives us hope that Hollywood will continue this trend of making films about strong, older women and women who are re-inventing their lives for the better. I don’t know about you, but I could use some of Marnie’s advice right now.   My Rating: Full Price   The Meddler Website

Forgotten Film:  Cinderella Liberty  (1973)  A sailor (James Cann) is without a ship and money because the Navy has lost his papers. He meets a hooker (Marsha Mason) and her nine-year-old son (Kirk Calloway). They latch onto each other and things seem to be working until an old Navy buddy comes to town and shakes things up. This is a slightly flawed film (a little too by the books about the hooker with a heart of gold) but is worth watching because of the performance of Marsha Mason. Mason’s hooker is full of bluff, but we can see that below the surface she is full of doubt and fear.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Cinderella Liberty Info

Weird Credits:   From the credits of The Nice Guys:  Body Painter

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Weiner  (2016)  Documentary on disgraced New York Congressman Anthony Weiner’s campaign for mayor of NYC. I haven’t seen one bad review of this film. It’s won some pretty impressive awards already including the Grand Jury Prize for Documentaries at this year's Sundance Film Festival.   Weiner Info

Until Next Time!

The Identical

My View:  The Identical  (2014) PG Two Identical brothers are born in the 1930s to a poor family. One brother is given up to the local preacher (Ray Liotta) and his wife (Ashley Judd). The two brothers grow up not knowing about each other, and one becomes a famous entertainer and the other brother struggles with his love of music and his dedication to his family. He now must choose between his love of music and his father’s wishes for him to follow in his footsteps.  The biggest problem with this film is the music, and there is a lot of it. There are only original musical numbers in this film, and they sound like they were written by a Las Vegas lounge singer from the 1960’s.  I like Ray Liotta, who gives a very restrained performance as the preacher who loves his son. It’s amazing that we see Ray Liotta age throughout this film, but Ashley Judd doesn’t age at all.  Blake Rayne, who plays the two singers, is average as an actor and has a good voice but has almost no star power, and it shows on the screen.  My Rating: Cable  The Identical Website

Indiefest: The Last of Robin Hood (2014) R Errol Flynn (Kevin Kline), dashing Hollywood film star, meets an up-and-coming young woman, Beverly (Dakota Fanning). The two enter into a relationship, and Errol tries to land a big part in a film for his new girlfriend. Little does he know, Beverly, under the tutelage of her mother, Flo (Susan Sarandon), is working under a false birth certificate…her real age is 15.  Kevin Kline gives a great performance as Errol Flynn, and Susan Sarandon is equally as compelling as the ultimate stage mother.  The weak link in this film is Dakota Fanning.  She just doesn’t have the star power to hold her own with the other two actors.  I wish someone else had been cast in this role, like Chloe Grace Moretz, because Fanning brings down the scenes that she is in with her lack of energy on screen.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Last of Robin Hood Info

Indiefest:  Code Black (2014) This is a documentary on what goes on at the L.A. County General Hospital Emergency Room. Doctors in training are working in an environment that is more like a war zone hospital than an inter-city one. A word of warning - this documentary is hard to watch. It is filled with a number of scenes in the emergency room where you see lots of blood and surgeries.  There are also a number of people who die while on the table in the ER.  If you have a strong stomach, it’s an interesting and engrossing film showing just how tough it is to be a doctor in an ER.  The film follows a number of doctors as they make the transition from a building built in the 1930’s to a new, modern hospital.  Surprisingly, with the new hospital, the care of the patients  decreases.  If you enjoy the hospital based TV shows like “Greys Anatomy" or "ER" and want to see how a real hospital works, then see this film.  My Rating: Full Price  Code Black Website

Indiefest:  A Five Star Life (2014)  Irene (Margherita Buy) thought she had the perfect life. She gets to travel around the world evaluating five-star hotels.  Then she met Kate (Lesley Manville), and her world turned upside down.  I really enjoyed this Italian drama about a woman who lives a lonely life of travel.  She has a sister who has a family, and even her best friend is starting a family, but Irene is starting to feel there is more to life than just a job.  Margherita Buy gives a striking performance in the role, and the film goes to a number of exotic locations as Irene travels around the world.  It’s not an earth-shattering film, but one that I truly enjoyed.  My Rating: Full Price  A Five Star Life Info

Forgotten Film:  The Insider (1999) R Russell Crowe is brilliant in this film about a research chemist who worked for a tobacco company and goes on Sixty Minutes.  In the interview, at great expense to himself, he tells the truth that the CEO of the company knew that cigarettes can cause cancer and that his company added chemicals to make the cigarettes more addictive.  Great dialogue and even better performances by the whole cast make this film riveting to watch from the first minute. My Rating: Full Price  The Insider Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Identical: period hair stylist

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Tracks (2014) PG-13  A young woman (Mia Wasikowska) goes on an adventure to travel 1,700 miles across the desert of West Australia alone, with just four camels and her dog.  The trailer reminds me of one of my Forgotten Films, Walkabout (1971).  Tracks website

Until Next Time!

Tammy

My View:  Tammy (2014)  R   Tammy (Melissa McCarthy) loses her job and finds out her husband has been having an affair with a neighbor.  After deciding to hit the road, and with no money, she enlists her Grandma Pearl (Susan Sarandon) to go on a road trip to get away from her troubles. Pearl and the road are about to teach Tammy a few of life’s lessons.  This just isn’t a very funny film.  McCarthy and her husband, Ben Falcone (who also directed), wrote the script, but, instead of highlighting the comedic talent of McCarthy, it almost buries it under the weight of bad jokes and, at times, depressing material.  Most of the cast is wasted, including Susan Sarandon, who mostly acts drunk, and Mark Duplass, who seems lost in the part of a romantic interest for McCarthy.  Kathy Bates does infuse some energy into the film, but it is far too late in the script.  I have great admiration for most of McCarthy’s work (except Identity Thief), but this just drops the ball and never recovers.  It’s a sad thing when the outtakes, shown during credits, are the funniest things in the film. My Rating: Cable  Tammy Website

Family Faire:  Earth to Echo (2014) PG   Tuck (Astro), Alex (Teo Halm) and Munch (Reese C. Hartwig) are about to lose their neighborhood because a new highway may be built through it. After one of the gang finds a mysterious object that emits a road map on their cell phones, the boys decide to spend their last night finding out where the map leads. Little do they know they are about to go on an adventure of a lifetime.  This is an E.T. for the information age, as the boys use today’s technology to help out an alien from outer space.  Of the three main boys, Astro stands out from the cast and does a impressive job with the narration.  This film isn’t up to the standards of E.T., never quite getting that magical moment that you crave, but kids will enjoy all the action, and parents will enjoy a kid’s film that has some intelligence to it.  My Rating:  Bargain Matinee  Earth to Echo Website

My View:  Deliver Us From Evil (2014)  R   NY Police officer Ralph Sarchie (Eric Bana) investigates a series of mysterious crimes. He soon enlists the help of Father Mendoza (Edgar Ramirez), when Ralph realizes that the source of the crimes may be satanical in nature. Can the two men defeat the demonic forces that seem to be taking over the city?  This is more of a crime drama than a horror film.  Most of the scares are of the "gotcha" variety with very few out and out moments that make you jump.  Think of this as more of a possession type of movie - not what I was looking for and not what was advertised. 
  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Deliver Us From Evil Website

Indiefest:  Begin Again (2014) R   A down on his luck music executive, Dan (Mark Ruffalo), happens upon a bar where Greta (Keira Knightley) is performing. He convinces her that he will help her create an album using her music and his knowledge.  This is a film about how music can give people hope, joy and even purpose.  Knightley has a lovely voice and an excellent stage presence. There is a wonderful chemistry between Ruffalo and Knightley, which allows the two actors to create a working relationship on screen.  I loved the songs in the film.  One of the best is a song that Adam Levine, who plays Greta’s ex-boyfriend, sings in an attempt to win her back. The album that Greta and Dan record is done on the streets of New York, and the film perfectly captures the energy of the city.  If you love music, you will love this film that shows how music’s powerful effect on people can be. My Rating: Full Price  Begin Again Website

Forgotten Film:  The Fall (2008) R In 1915 Los Angeles, a young stuntman (Lee Pace) is hospitalized with broken legs after an accident on a movie set.  At the hospital, he meets a girl named Alexandria (Catinca Untaru) and begins to tell her a magical tale about a band of mercenaries who take on a bad guy by the name of Governor Odious.  As the story unfolds, the lines between reality and fantasy blur.  This is one of the most amazing visual films I have ever seen.  Shot over four years and without special effects, this film is magical in its appearance and with its storyline.  It’s a tale of hope and redemption that weaves a spell of storytelling for the delight of the audience.   My Take: Full Price  The Fall Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Earth to Echo:  blind stunt driver

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Magic in the Moonlight (2014) PG-13 A romantic comedy where an Englishman (Colin Firth) is brought into a situation to help solve a possible swindle.  Woody Allen is hit and miss these days, but I am willing to see it because of Emma Stone and Colin Firth.  Magic in the Moonlight Info

Until Next Time!