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!

Mama

My View:  Mama (2013)   Two young girls (Megan Charpentier, Isabelle Nelisse) are found in a remote cabin, apparently living by themselves for the last five years. The two orphaned girls are taken in by their uncle (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and his girlfriend (Jessica Chastain). Mysterious things start happening in the home, and the big question is are the girls causing the problems or did they bring something with them? The first 15 minutes of this film are truly scary, especially when we first meet the two girls after they have spent 5 years in the cabin by themselves, but the rest of the film can’t sustain that level of fright and rarely are there any other true scary moments. Chastian isn’t given much to showcase her talents, as she plays a character who doesn’t want to be in charge of the children. The end of the film is very disappointing and somewhat confusing, which makes the film just not very fun to watch. The film was originally a short, but maybe there isn’t enough material to make a full length flick, and it certainly feels that way.   My Rating: Cable   Mama Website

Indiefest: The Impossible (2013)   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, plays Maria, the mom who has given up being a doctor to raise her family. Ewan McGregor plays the father, Henry, who, when separated from his wife and oldest boy, risks his own life to find them once again. Watts is brilliant in the role of a woman who is determined to make sure that her oldest son (Tom Holland) survives the ordeal, even if it means risking her own life. The special effects are incredibly realistic and you get the full effect of what it would be like to be hit by a tidal wave of water and debris. This is an awe-inspiring film that keeps you not only on the edge of your seat, but also brings tears as you wonder how, and if anyone, can survive such tragic devastation.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   The Impossible Website

Indiefest: LUV  (2013) An 11 year old boy, Woody (Michael Rainey Jr.), plays hooky from school when his uncle Vincent (Common) decides to give him a lesson on how to be a man. But, it’s a tough world, especially if you are an ex-con like Vincent, which makes it even harder to start over. The film has an excellent supporting cast including Dennis Haysbert, Danny Glover and Charles S. Dutton. Common does an admirable job as the ex-con who’s gets in deeper and deeper into something that he may not survive. But it’s Michael Rainey Jr., as Woody, who makes this film enjoyable to watch, as he brings a presence to the screen that has to be seen to be believed.  My Rating : Bargain Matinee   LUV Website

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

#9 Worst Film

The Postman  (1997) Kevin Costner stars in this film about post nuclear war America. Since you will be bored out of your mind watching this film, watch for a small cameo by rocker Tom Petty. Will the mail get through? No one cared in 1997 when the film was released, and you shouldn’t now.    The Postman Info

Forgotten Film:  In the Heat of the Night (1967)  Not to be confused with the Carol O’Connor TV show from the late 80’s, this film is a classic murder mystery film with the setting in the Deep South. Sidney Poitier plays Virgil Tibbs, a Black police detective from Philadelphia who has the bad luck to be at a train station in Sparta, Mississippi just after a white businessman was murdered. Tibbs is arrested for the crime, based only on his race and the fact that he is new in town and has money. When the Police Chief in the town (played by Rod Steiger) learns that Tibbs is not only a policeman, but one of the finest detectives on the Philly force, he enlists Tibbs to help with the investigation. But now you have a Black man investigating the murder of a white man in a racist town. The film won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Steiger. That Poitier wasn’t even nominated was an injustice, as he is brilliant in the role of the smart and proud Tibbs. The film was shot on location and perfectly captures the nuances of the small town life in 1960’s Mississippi.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   In The Heat of the Night Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD): Frankenweenie (2012) I feel that children 6 and under shouldn’t see this film as it was a little scary and there are deaths in the film. My view was that you could only really enjoy this film if you were a big Tim Burton fan.  If you’re not a fan, you will probably be bored.   My Rating: Cable   Frankenweenie Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I’ve Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):   Knife Fight (2013) A political comedy about a strategist who is trying to get three very different candidates elected. The cast makes this film sound like it should be on TV, with Rob Lowe, Jennifer Morrison and Julie Bowen headlining . The big problem:  Audiences in the theatre won’t be able to change the channel.    Knife Fight Info

Weird Credits: From the Credits of Mama: Nightmare Concept Design

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Stand Up Guys (2013) A bunch of aging con men try to get the guys back together for one last con. Cast includes Al Pacino, Alan Arkin, Christopher Walken and Juliana Margulies. Hey, Christopher Walken doing a con, count me in!   Stand Up Guys Website

Until Next Time!