MOVIES ~ Any of ya'll seen any good (or shitty) movies in recent weeks/months? Post reviews, feedback, movie news, trailers, recommendations, etc ...

Spider-Man: Homecoming




Dont go into this latest film version of the iconic Spider-Man looking for a mournful and somber
Peter Parker / Spider-Man,this is a Spider-Man film with a BIG sense of humor.

Tom Holland does a very good job in his portrayal of Peter Parker / Spider-Man even channeling Michael J Fox in a few scenes.He and the screen writers Jonathan Goldstein,John Francis Daley Jon Watts,Christopher Ford,Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers( wow all of these cooks in the kitchen and they actually made a coherent script !!!!) have captured the wonder of a teenager ,even what an adult would feel if they had super powers.
They captured the feeling a teenager would have if he or she had a taste of a bigger world and wanted to leave the young adult world behind.
Michael Keaton was excellent as Adrian Toomes / Vulture,displaying all the the right amounts of intimidating menace.
There are great nods to pop culture,other Marvel legends,and the Marvel cinematic universe
Marisa Tomei as May Parker does a fine job,some good jokes about how much younger she is in this version.
The relationship between Liz Allan (Laura Harrier) and Peter had it's moments especially when
it focused on Peter's tug of war between having a life and being a hero,but ends up in such an awkward place IMO

The side characters got the short end of the stick in my opinion,they werent really fleshed out they would just say a line or two and they were gone
I would still like to see what they come up with for Zendaya's M.J(?) Michelle(?) character.

Some action sequences were fun and sleek,others were far to murky.

Anyone worried about this being a Marvel Team Up movie featuring Iron-Man shouldnt because his appearances are just enough to satisfy.

Im looking forward to part 2

Scale of 1-10 an 8
 
THE HERO






In The Hero Sam Elliott is Lee Hayden an actor at the twilight of his career and life
Elliott is perfect in the role never missing a beat as a man trying to make amends and peace with his life.
Laura Prepon is good as Charlotte a woman who walks into her life,at first i thought her character would be one note so it was a nice surprise that she wasnt.

There are also nice touches by Nick Offerman,Elliott's real life wife Katharine Ross and Krysten Ritter
It's cliched and padded at times but definitely worth watching

Scale of 1-10 a 7½


It Comes at Night







It Comes at Night is an ambiguous im talking ambiguous witha capital A !!
As the film begins a family of 3 have secluded themselves to the woods,out of fear of some plague.
One day another family of 3 comes a knocking and the fun begins.

I would say the ambiguity works for about 75% of the films running time as the tension and suspense is raised to edge of your seat levels,its aslo well acted by the entire cast.
The hisses and a couple of boo's from the audience i watched it with may indicate how many might feel about the films conclusion,i definitely had some problems with it,and word of mouth about it may definitely alter the volume of audiences curious about the film.


Scale of 1-10 a 7½



The Mummy






This 2017 The Mummy film is supposed to be the gateway to other Universal Pictures/Dark Universe monster mash franchises like Frankenstein and The Invisible Man but is this film's foundation strong enough for it to happen?

So what did i like about it.
The opening Mythology,Sofia Boutella as Princess Ahmanet nice blend of scary and beauty,some of the action sequences,the SFX,Russell Crowe chewing up some scenery,some nice dark turns,and Tom Cruise does his best with the script........

Ugh that script !! This is what you get when you have to many cooks in the kitchen....4 different writers,deliver something half baked with little seasoning.
It's uneven and jumbled.
There is absolutely no chemistry between Cruise and Annabelle Wallis as archeologist Jennifer "Jenny" Halsey
In fact the film makes a joke about any real romantic connection or even the characters caring about each other.
Jake Johnson was funny at first as Cruises sidekick but his character is turned into a grating, weird,recurring
nightmare.
The film trys to borrow some dark humor from An American Werewolf in London,that completely doesnt work
What's crazy is i still want to see what they come up with for the rest of The Dark Universe,but it's up to the ticket sales for The Mummy or maybe Universal will shell out the bucks for at least 2 more films despite how this first outing performs


Scale of 1-10 a 6½

It Comes at Night was the dumbest movie ever made. When it was over everyone in the theater was like WTF did I just watch? I want my money back. Just my two cents.
 
Enjoyed John Wick 2. Plot? What plot? This is an action, shoot-em-up & it delivers. We were having fun yelling out our favorite moments of the fight choreography, and trying to keep up with the body count as everyone was getting blasted.



:roflmao3::gun06::gun04:





http://www.slashfilm.com/john-wick-2-kill-count/








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War for the Planet of the Apes



I will start this review by saying this: Just give Andy Serkis a couple of Oscar's at the next ceremony!!

The third chapter in this Apes series is it's bleakest,but it's a thrill to watch and behold from the opening title sequence to the last shot.
The set up is riveting as Caesar, still seeks a peaceful compromise with any humans that have managed to survive over the past 15 years,but a brutal soldier named The Colonel wont hear of any peace and wants to wipe the apes out.

At it's core War for the Planet of the Apes is a revenge story and how revenge can alter a person's mindset completely,the evolvement of relationships,the importance of family,forgiveness and not generalizing.
The film is so relentlessly intense,rousing and suspenseful.
It captures all the elements of war:fear,loss and brutality.

The movie fortunately takes characters that could have been one note but are given depth.
Woody Harrelson as The Colonel,expresses his viewpoint of what has happened over the years
and how it has shaped him
Steve Zahn as Bad Ape,does have some humorous moments but i felt sympathy for him,as someone that has been disconnected from everything for many years.

The movie loses some of it's momentum by the time it reaches it's third act,with some drawn out exposition,aside from that this film closes one of the best trilogies i have ever seen on the big screen

Scale of 1-10 a 9
 
DUNKIRK




Overwhelmed by German troops Allied soldiers on the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk are being evacuated and their only way out is the English channel and while this evacuation is going on they must avoid airstrikes and torpedoes

Director and writer Christopher Nolan splits his film into three parts that switch in and out
throughout the film:The Mole,The Sea,and The Air.
The film grabbed me from the start and didnt let me catch my breath.
Scenes were filmed in such a way that made me feel i was on the beach,or boat the Allied soldiers were on.
The sound in this film is incredible,the futility of being in certain life and death situations
was right in my face.This was all coupled with a soul stirring score by Hans Zimmer.
The fear and mistrust is brilliantly displayed

All of that being said sometimes the sound of what people were actually saying at times was unintelligible.
There was a lack of character development with the exception of Mark Rylance as Mr Dawson, a mariner who attempts to help some of the the soldiers to safety,and Tom Glynn-Carney as Peter, his son.

This is a film that deserves to be seen on the big screen,do your best to see it in IMAX and 70MM.

Scale of 1-10 an 8½


Girls Trip




The trailers for this movie did not appeal to me ,i actually found them to be kind of obnoxious but word of mouth and the fact that the movie was in the capable hands of Malcolm D. Lee (Hey Malcolm im still waiting for The Best Man's Wedding !!)got me to buy a ticket.

Oprah like business woman Ryan Pierce(Regina Hall) is asked to be the keynote speaker at the annual Essence Music Festival.So she decides to bring her best friends along which include Queen Latifah as Sasha Franklin
Jada Pinkett Smith as Lisa Cooper and Tiffany Haddish as Dina

I laughed out loud several times during the movie.Haddish basically steals the movie as she was allowed to ad lib quite a bit.Not that the other actresses werent fun to watch,because they were and they all blended well together.It really felt like they were friends for years.
If you are not into sexual humor,or humor that involves bodily functions,you should sit this one out !!

Some turns in the movie were mega predictable and at times i felt like i was watching a promotional video for the Essence Music Festival.

Still its one of the better and well produced women behaving badly comedies out there.

Scale of 1-10 a 7½


Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets




Space agents Major Valerian and Sergeant Laureline must retrieve a rare space animal that harvest special, energy-containing pearls from the planet and use certain animals to duplicate objects.
Someone is out to destroy the animals and some fun and adventure ensues

I really have to applaud Director and writer Luc Besson and everyone involved in creating the creatures,aliens,and worlds that inhabit this film.
The entire movie looks flawless.It was fun to behold this world
Now i know some are saying Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevingne didnt fit into their roles and sure it doesnt always work and the script was clunky here and there but it wasnt terrible.

I also thought Rihanna as Bubble, a shapeshifting entertainer was pretty charming and absolutely beautiful.
I think the film side tracks itself a few times and loses some steam when i was being shown all of these wonderful things but wondered when the ultimate goal of the movie would be found again.
Definitely worth checking out on DVD



Scale of 1-10 a 7
 
DETROIT




I didn't want to see this film for a number of reasons.I have grown weary of seeing African Americans oppressed in film's.I heard from a number of people that this would be a watered down version of the nightmarish event that took place at the Algiers Motel incident during Detroit's 1967 12th Street Riot.
After listening to the accounts of several people that were present at the hotel,and their cooperation with the film's writer Mark Boal and Director Kathryn Bigelow,i had a change of heart.

This film stirred my soul,making me angry and sad at the same time.
The film plays out in 3 acts.The riots,the horrible hotel event,the the procedural trial.
Each contained such raw emotion it was overwhelming at times for myself and the audience i watched the film with.
High praise to all of the actors:John Boyega as Melvin Dismukes,Will Poulter as Philip Krauss,Algee Smith as Larry Reed,Jacob Latimore as Fred Temple,Jason Mitchell as Carl Cooper,Hannah Murray as Julie Ann,Kaitlyn Dever as Karen,Jack Reynor as Demens,Ben O'Toole as Flynn
The cowardice,the hate,and stupidity that lead to torture and death,not only rocked me emotionally as Bigelow immersed me in the scenes but i kept saying to myself :if only someone had the guts to do what was right,had not failed to be human,if people had handed down tougher punishments to certain officers,no one at the Algiers would have been beaten,berated,or murdered.

The film gives us the aftermath through Larry Reed who was completely broken by the events,and i think his story was the most haunting

My only problems with the film was the opening sequence which i felt was just thrown together and in the third act i did start to feel the films 2 hour and 23 minute run time.

Detroit is a movie that deserves to be seen.It really is a story that has been lost and i suggest that people seek out several documentaries about Algiers Motel incident during Detroit's 1967 12th Street Riot.
The film will definitely remain in my heart and soul but it's also one that i dont think i can watch again,because it's truly that disturbing.

Scale of 1-10 a 9

ATOMIC BLONDE



The plot for AB is mainly old hat spy stuff and hey it does take place in 1989.The film rests upon Charlize Theron's capable strong shoulders as Lorraine Broughton, a top-level MI6 field agent.
James McAvoy also does well as David Percival, an eccentric Berlin station chief who becomes an ally of Broughton
The action sequences are great some standing out more than others.
Some predictable turns and the pacing of the film connected to to many endings made the film lose points with me
Still a cool romp.

Scale of 1-10 a 7

THE DARK TOWER



Stephen King's epic novel series The Dark Tower has basically been condensed into a patchwork quilt in the film version
The story played out in a jumbled and rushed way to me.I did become kind of immersed in Jake Chambers story as he has visions of The Dark Tower which hulds the multi verse together,Roland Deschain The lone last of the Gunslingers,and Walter o'Dim, the Man in Black.
Idris Elba did his best with what he was given as Deschain.Tom Taylor was the most effective as Chamber's
I did enjoy some of the SFX and action sequences
Matthew McConaughey lazily portrays Walter o'Dim, the Man in Black as one of those lame TV or B flick characters,that walks around saying a line or two of threats before he offs you quickly
If you are a fan of the books or graphic novels skip this flick because it's a very basic fantasy action film forr the most part.

Scale of 1-10 a 6


KIDNAP




There are great abduction movies (Ransom and Breakdown) and then you have Kidnap.
It has that generic,paint by numbers vibe to it.No real suspense IMO,though the kid in peril thing worked for me a few times.This type of movie may have worked 20 years ago,but it forced me to believe that people are just blind to or dont care about whats going on around them.
Since the trailer for this flick gave away to much I was eager to see how Halle Berry was going to track down the abductors.After viewing it
I believe the rumor that Kidnap has been sitting on a shelf for 4 years
Scale of 1-10 a 4



THE EMOJI MOVIE



Started off semi funny and i enjoyed some of the references to well known apps and websites,but after awhile it started to feel like an 80 minute advertisement for apps.The characters became grating and obnoxious so much so i was glad some of them vanished for 15 minutes.This flick feels like a quick cash grab with low grade animation

Scale of 1-10 a 3
 
GOOD TIME




I definitely had a good time watching Good Time but the characters in the film are definitely not having a good time in this crazy mix of drama and humor.
After a bank robbery gone wrong, Constantine "Connie" Nikas (Robert Pattinson) desperately tries to raise $10,000 in bail money to free his mentally handicapped brother Nick Nikas(Ben Safdie).

This was an odd but highly watchable film.Directors Ben Safdie & Josh Safdie capture that 3 A.M semi quiet that New York City drifts to,as we travel down dark streets and hospital corridors with Connie.
This is all coupled with a pulsating score by Oneohtrix Point Never.
Pattinson is definitely a revelation in this one.Completely immersing himself in the role.
Jennifer Jason Leigh is great as his sugar mama lover.Taliah Webster as a young girl he uses.Ben Safdie who cast himself as Nikas also fully commits to his role.
Buddy Duress is absolutely terrific as another mixed up lost soul.Last but not least
Barkhad Abdi as a security guard who gets pulled into the drama.

At times the film reminded me of Buffalo 66 and i wondered if Pattinson decided to mimic Vincent Gallo
The film loses some of it's pace towards it's ending,other than that this was one of the most insane,involving and entertaining films i have ever had the pleasure of watching.

Scale of 1-10 a 9


WIND RIVER





Director & writer Taylor Sheridan hit's another one out of the park in this story about loss and murder
on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming.
I actually went in not knowing who the writer or director was,but i should have known when i found myself immediately becoming attached to the characters,and involved in their stories.

Jeremy Renner is great as Cory Lambert a Fish & Wildlife hunter who becomes a hunter of men.Definitely got a Clint Eastwood vibe from him,as he displays some wonderful moments of heartbreak,toughness and humor.
Elizabeth Olsen as FBI agent Jane Banner isnt given that much of a back story but she's quite good as a person
that shows passion and determination,and her own vulnerabilities.Gil Birmingham is great as Martin Hanson who is tough but also lost in his grief.Graham Greene is great as Ben a local reservation officer.

This is another moving,and involving story from Sheridan.I was engaged the whole time and just when i thought i had everything figured out the movie makes a complete U turn.
I felt the grief of the characters ,the distance and harsh conditions of Wyoming.
Beautifully shot and one of the best movies of the year.

Scale of 1-10 a 9


The Only Living Boy in New York



This story of secrets,love and seduction in New York City had such a great start and i found myself relating to the main character Thomas Webb.
The story of Thomas a recent college graduate who seeks the guidance of an eccentric neighbor as his life is upended by his father's mistress is interesting enough.
It's a movie that's frustrating to watch because it loses it's way and had so much promise.
Part Woody Allen sex comedy and heavy drama that's well acted by all involved but just fails as the story stumbles into something that doesnt ring true.

Scale of 1-10 a 5
 
PATTI CAKE$




Australian actress Danielle Macdonald has stated she has never rapped ,or performed before getting the role in PATTI CAKE$.
She could have fooled me because the verses flow from her mouth as if she has been rapping for years.

The story was familiar to me and i felt it borrowed a bit from films like 8 Mile and Hustle & Flow,but as i watched the character Patti AKA Killer P fantasize about being on stage ,while dealing with a hard drinking mother,ailing grandmother,work and put downs it's a story with it's own heart.
Patti is uplifted by a fellow rapper and friend Jheri (Siddharth Dhananjay) and finds a kindrid spirit in another musician Basterd (Mamoudou Athie )

The film is well acted by all involved it does have the cloud of indie hype hovering over it but in the end it's a very good story about striving for more in life,and trying to make big dreams a reality.

Scale of 1-10 an 8


Logan Lucky





Director Stephen Soderbergh returns to big screen films with Logan Lucky a hill billy version of his former Ocean's 11 films.
The heist involves getting a large amount of money from the vault at a North Carolina speedway during a major NASCAR event.

It definitely has a Coen Brothers vibe as we are introduced to eccentric and likeable characters,who have great banter between them
The cast which includes Channing Tatum, Hilary Swank, Seth MacFarlane, Katie Holmes, Katherine Waterston, Sebastian Stan, Riley Keough, Daniel Craig, Adam Driver, David Denham all bring their A game with Craig completely losing himself in his role and stealing any scene he's in

Im so happy the film didnt fall into cliches with the family drama in the film
It's fun watching the heist and what happens after as i watched things come together
The pacing slows up here and there and some things were far to coincidental at times.
In the end this was a fun southern fried romp and a cool return for Soderbergh.

Scale of 1-10 an 8


The Hitman's Bodyguard




I thought for sure this was just going to be a so so film in the end because of what was presented in the trailers that i felt were a bit lackluster.
Fortunately The Hitman's Bodyguard surpasses any of the dullness seen in the trailers.
Former C.I.A agent Michael Bryce (Ryan Reynolds) has to protect and get notorious hitman Darius Kincaid (Samuel L. Jackson) to court to testify against Vladislav Dukhovich(Gary Oldman) a ruthless dictator
Easier said than done because they share a terrible history and have tons of bad blood for each other
Plus henchman galore and turncoats seem to pop up everywhere.

Director Patrick Hughes let's Jackson and Reynold's do their thing which was a great decision.
Salma Hayek is great as Sonia Kincaid, Darius’s salty and tough wife.
The film excels when the two men have a few moments to catch their breaths and talk about their relationships and "war' stories,even the dramatic moments are very effective.

There is an odd shift in tones in the film at times ,there are plenty of 'buddy" cliches and predictable moments and the henchman actually get more screen time than the villain
Despite all of this i got a lot of laughs and a good time out of this one



Scale of 1-10 a 7½
 
HEY HF !!Yes that was the last of the good ones until mid September a lot of B flicks on the big screen as of late,im not really interested in IT or that new Reese Witherspoon flick



We're catching up on a few movies of late. Agreed re: B flicks, etc. Always keeping an eye out for anything that's potentially must-see.

Do you follow any good TV series? Any ones you're looking forward to new seasons for?
 
We're catching up on a few movies of late. Agreed re: B flicks, etc. Always keeping an eye out for anything that's potentially must-see.

Do you follow any good TV series? Any ones you're looking forward to new seasons for?

Im still watching :
PREACHER
HALT AND CATCH FIRE
ANIMAL KINGDOM

Fall series:
BLACKLIST
BLINDSPOT
SHADES OF BLUE
TIMELESS
 
IT





I'm not really into horror so I was going to bypass this movie but I got a free pass and time to kill so I gave it a look and I'm glad I did.
The cast did a wonderful job especially the child actors:
Jaeden Lieberher,Jeremy Ray Taylor,Sophia Lillis ,Finn Wolfhard,Wyatt Oleff,Chosen Jacobs and Jack Dylan Grazer
It was extremely scary at times coupled with some great SFX work
Bill Skarsgård as It / Pennywise was brilliant as the evil clown entity
Everything blended well the humor,horror and dramatic moments
They captured a lot of Stephen Kings touches.
My only problem was that the climax felt a little drawn out
IT is doing very well at the box office and deserves it

Scale of 1-10 an 8½


TRUE TO THE GAME





I had no idea this movie was coming out until I scanned what was new in theatres this weekend
I'm glad I bought a ticket and gave it a chance
Some of the themes were been there done that but I was entertained
High praise to cinematographer
I think the cast did a fine job,i enjoyed Nia Hill's salty screenplay
It was clichéd here and there sprinkled with some predictable results
But I enjoyed it for what it was
Scale of 1-10 a 7½

RIP Nelsan Ellis


UNLOCKED





This film felt like 4 slightly watered down episodes of Homeland
The cast gives it their all despite weak moments in the script
Especially Noomi Rapace, and John Malkovich who was very amusing
Toni Collette was really a bad ass in one scene and I said to myself someone should cast her in more action flicks
The first 40 minutes were really on point and suspenseful
But it falls in to some very predictable holes
Good for a slow Saturday night rental

Scale of 1-10 a 6½
 
Saw Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Men Tell no Tales Wed' evening. Enjoyed it. Always laugh at the movements and delivery from Depp. The innuendos in some of the quick scene exchanges. The ending was weak, but the action was fun, as expected. It's a popcorn movie - that's all it is supposed to be
 
Mother!




I guess one of the best things I can say about Darren Aronofsky film Mother is that it turned out to be completely different than what I was expecting.

You have a couple who seem to be in an isolated area he's focused on his writing,shes focused on fixing up their home,an uninvited guest shows up,followed by another and another and so on

I admire Aronofsky's unique vision and what he is trying to say and his interpretation of the subject matter the film focuses on.
All of the actors do a great job including:Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem,Ed Harris
& Michelle Pfeiffer

The film is visually stunning and there are some scenes that are truly nightmarish and that some may find off putting

I also recognized how pretentious the film could be at times and also repetitive and drawn out

I have my own opinions about the films theme and ultimate conclusion I actually see it as two different interpretations
I actually hope people see the film because I would love to see what their interpretations are

Scale of 1-10 a 7







AMERICAN ASSASSIN





Dylan O'Brien (glad he's back on his feet)as Mitch Rapp get's engaged to his girlfriend on a beach in Spain and soon after terrorists attack and his girlfriend is killed and he is wounded .18 months later he seeks revenge and in doing so attracts the attention of a government black ops group called Orion.

O'Brien does well in his role,but Keaton definitely outshines everyone

The action sequences were well choreographed.
Some scenes are very intense and definitely not for the faint of heart.

Some of the film felt recycled and predictable and im shocked it took four writers to come up with the script ,but I still enjoyed it for what it was.

Scale of 1-10 a 7½
 
Saw Baby Driver yesterday. The score/soundtrack is fun and delivers, as expected. Didn't enjoy the final 15 mins too much. Bit too over the top and Hollywood.

Saw the first 1/3rd of A Dog's Purpose and will continue watching it later this month. Looks good visually, we can all relate to dog/pet movies and it's fun to hear the narration from the dog's perspective. Has good pacing to it thus far.
 
Kingsman: The Golden Circle



Sequels are usually given a bigger budget.That means bigger SFX,more memorable characters,a suspenseful and edge of your seat script.Kingsman: The Golden Circle falls somewhere in the middle of the aforementioned.

After most of the Kingsman are taken out Gary "Eggsy" Unwin / Galahad(Taron Egerton)
and Merlin (Mark Strong) team up with the american branch of Kingsman called the Statesman to take on Drug Lord Poppy (Julianne Moore) and stop her unspeakable plans.

Egerton and Strong work well together,whether their scenes were comedic or dramatic.Moore definitely looks like she's having a good time
The additions to the cast: Jeff Bridges, Halle Berry, Channing Tatum,and Pedro Pascal are cool but mainly pushed to the sidelines

One of the best things about Kingsman: The Golden Circle is Eggsy trying to balance his personal and secret agent life because it plays out in some humorous ways.
The action sequences are mainly on point and fun.The script is super salty and at times inventive.

There are some predictable turns,i actually thought it was funny how the film kept dropping hints about something i figured out 30 minutes before the reveal.
Usually a villain has some type of interaction with the hero or heroes throughout the film,but this film oddly diverts from doing so for a long time

I like to think of the Kingsman movies being in a class of their own but some of this felt like borderline Austin Powers.

Fun but definitely not flawless

Scale of 1-10 a 7½


The Lego Ninjago Movie



About 15 minutes into The Lego Ninjago Movie i turned to my son and said hey this is Power Rangers !!
The similarities to PR are obvious but The Lego Ninjago Movie does manage to be charming and entertaining.
Lloyd Garmadon (Dave Franco) and his father villainous Lord Garmadon (Justin Theroux),have a Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader type of relationship. Lord Garmadon relentlessly attacks the city of Ninjago
and Lloyd defends it as the green Ranger....i mean.... Green Ninja along with his friends and fellow ninjas
Kai (Michael Pena), the fire ninja; Jay (Kumail Nanjiani), the lightning ninja; Nya (Abbi Jacobson), the water ninja; Zane (Zach Woods), the robotic ice ninja; and Cole (Fred Armisen), the earth ninja.

With the palyful sounds and noises it was kind of like watching a child at play as the film plays out,and thats part of it's charm.
There are a lot of great jokes and sight gags that really worked.
Good voice work from the entire cast.

This is another Lego film that has that jumbled look to it.There is so much going on on the screen at the same time.
There was a repetitive feel that set in as the film reached it's last 30 minutes.
The film has just enough to hold the attention of adults and kids,even though some may have a problem with the changes from the original TV series.



Scale of 1-10 a 7½
 
AMERICAN MADE





When i watched Cocaine Cowboys a few years ago,which was very engrossing to say the least ,i wondered about the people that made up the cartels,,who shipped the drugs,where did all of the money flow to?
Who made up the inner circles of The Medellín Cartel.Well each person's tale was more interesting than the next and Barry Seal was definitely included in that circle.

When i watched the trailer for American Made,i thought it was odd that it was being sold with such a humorous touch,since his story has some very harrowing edges,but thankfully all involved made it work.
First off Tom Cruise looks like he is having the time of his life in one of his best roles.He makes an amoral person likeable!!
Cruise actually flew the planes for some of the aerial sequences.He easily displays Seals,quick to jump to i cant do that,to becoming the go to guy for every shady job.
Domhnall Gleeson is great as C.I.A operative Monty Schafer,who hypes up,threatens,and disavows Seal in one breath.
Sarah Wright is wonderful as Barry's wife Lucy Seal.She is definitely not in agreement with her husband's dealings,but when you love someone you tend to look away,and i thought she portrayed this wonderfully.

The actors making up the heads of The Medellín Cartel Alejandro Edda as Jorge Ochoa
Mauicio Mejia as Pablo Escobar are intimidating and funny at the same time.

It's a crazy true story of how one man was used and pulled in different directions by the CIA,DEA,FBI and drug cartels.
The story is handled with a sense of humor around it's edges,even when it becomes very dark
and i appreciated that.
Doug Liman's direction is sharp and the script still manages to be suspensful even though i new the outcome.

Scale of 1-10 a 10


STRONGER




This is a more personal story than 2016's Patriot's Day which was the account of The Boston Marathon bombing.
This story of Boston Marathon bombing survivor Jeff Bauman,is relentlessly moving
We see the strength and struggles of Bauman's family as they try to cope with his unforseen circumstances I thought every actor was so natural in their roles.
This is a movie in which the raw emotion portrayed is almost overwhelming
Jake Gyllenhaal as Jeff Bauman and Tatiana Maslany as Erin Hurley, Bauman’s girlfriend give stunning performances
Whether they are displaying love and care or arguing it really comes off as genuine
I truly hope they both receive Oscar nomination's this year
Another great triumph of the human spirit film.


Scale of 1-10 a 10



FLATLINERS





The original Flatliners was very haunting with visuals that drew me in
The 2017 version was able to capture my attention in its first hour because of the quirks,humor and playfulness of the characters
It just fails to be nothing more than a paint by numbers horror/thriller film.

Everything just becomes more repetitive and drawn out
Nothing to run out to the theatre for. Wait for the DVD

Scale of 1-10 a 4


'Til Death to us Part






This ...uhhmm...film lost my attention after its first 30 minutes.
I was kind of shocked it took such a cheesy turn.With characters making the dumbest decisions i have ever seen in a movie !!!!!!!!
The writer should be ashamed of himself because he borrowed 70 percent
of it from a very popular 1991 thriller.
The acting and everything gets worse as the terribly paced film plods along.
Skip it wait for it to hit TV One or B.E.T

Scale of 1-10 a 3
 
BLADE RUNNER 2049




ABSOLUTELY NO SPOILERS !!!!,but i will say that i think Blade Runner 2049 is one of the most satisfying sequels ever !!
There's no BS in the plot or the script,i wasnt diverted to another story thread or mislead.
I had questions and i would say 90% of them were answered.

Ryan Gosling as K a brooding "blade runner" for the LAPD.
Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard got to show off his emotional range,and hey come on it's Harrison Ford.
Jared Leto as Niander Wallace had just the right amount of genius superiority.

The actresses in the film:Ana de Armas as Joi,Sylvia Hoeks as Luv, Robin Wright as Lt. Joshi,Mackenzie Davis as Mariette and Carla Juri as Dr. Ana Stelline give incredibly beautiful,intense,and intimidating performances.

Director Denis Villeneuve is just a directing master at this point,and couple him with Cinematographer Roger Deakins who's work is just astounding,they both raise each other's games.

This is a movie that engulfed me with it's story,visuals and sound....and oh the sounds...music and a score provided by Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch
uplifted me from my cozy IMAX seat.

My only problems with the film i thought a character(s) would have more depth and i did start to feel the films 2 hour and 44 minute running time

If you are a fan of the first Blade Runner film,whatever version you watched i highly doubt you will walk out of the theatre disappointed

Sclae of 1-10 a 9
 
BLADE RUNNER 2049




ABSOLUTELY NO SPOILERS !!!!,but i will say that i think Blade Runner 2049 is one of the most satisfying sequels ever !!
There's no BS in the plot or the script,i wasnt diverted to another story thread or mislead.
I had questions and i would say 90% of them were answered.

Ryan Gosling as K a brooding "blade runner" for the LAPD.
Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard got to show off his emotional range,and hey come on it's Harrison Ford.
Jared Leto as Niander Wallace had just the right amount of genius superiority.

The actresses in the film:Ana de Armas as Joi,Sylvia Hoeks as Luv, Robin Wright as Lt. Joshi,Mackenzie Davis as Mariette and Carla Juri as Dr. Ana Stelline give incredibly beautiful,intense,and intimidating performances.

Director Denis Villeneuve is just a directing master at this point,and couple him with Cinematographer Roger Deakins who's work is just astounding,they both raise each other's games.

This is a movie that engulfed me with it's story,visuals and sound....and oh the sounds...music and a score provided by Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch
uplifted me from my cozy IMAX seat.

My only problems with the film i thought a character(s) would have more depth and i did start to feel the films 2 hour and 44 minute running time

If you are a fan of the first Blade Runner film,whatever version you watched i highly doubt you will walk out of the theatre disappointed

Sclae of 1-10 a 9

I keep on hearing similar things...I might have to actually take my ass to see this one.
 
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