Film Reviews - what have you seen lately, what did you think?

[gingerlover]

Mowgli (Netflix) - This is the other Jungle Book movie directed by Andy Serkis. Has the voices of Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Benedict Cumberbatch to name a few. This one is a little more faithful to the actual book than the Disney one. You know most of the story so I am going to get right down to it.

This one is much darker than any of the others. I am glad I previewed this before letting my six year old watch it because I think there are a few parts that are not meant for small children. He liked the Disney version, but like I said it is much darker and not a lot of fun in it. There are no songs and dancing in this one. It also has one of the most WTF moments I have ever scene in a movie that kids are going to want to see. Not just a sad moment, but an actual I can't believe they did that at all moments. If you watch it you will know what it is and why it would destroy any young child watching it.

Long story short each parent can decide on this one if they want to let their kids watch, but I would say 10 and up (feel free to DM me for spoilers). I'm not kidding this moment is rough. I still can't get over that they put that in a movie with talking animals. Anyway the movie is ok. I would give it a 6/10. The effects of course are outstanding, the cast is great, but it just lacks something I can't really put my finger on. It might be the fact you care nothing about the kid. This was supposed to be released in theaters years ago before it went into special effects hell and was sold to Netflix so that might be part of it.

 

[gingerlover]

Aquaman - Snuck off to see this a few days ago to relax a little before the holiday crowd arrived. Lets get to it. The origin story is told through flashbacks through the movie other than the very beginning setting things up. Basically he has to stop his half brother from bringing war to the surface and has help from a few friends to try to find the trident of Atlantia. It's a super hero movie so expect some cliches. the effects are really cool at most parts, there are few where they look dated, but for the most part a really cool movie. The ending falls a little flat and is anticlimactic and cheesy at a few moments. Turn your brain off and see a few cool things.

Cast wise they did a good job. Not sure the material would have allowed for much more. Willem Dafoe is great in his role and Patrick Wilson plays a good villain. The woman that plays Mera is smoking hot, but at times I felt like they had stolen Black Widow from Marvel. Even Dolph Lundren did good in his role and was a great surprise. As for Jason Mamoa he is ok for this. Not sure who to better cast, but he's never going to be the greatest actor, but is good for when you can't get the Rock. He hits the humor well, but is limited. The biggest complaint is the lack of time Black Manta got, but the sequal, if it happens, is focused on him. His character has a lot of potential.

Not winning oscars, but is entertaining. If you waited for it to come out on video you won't miss much. 6/10.

 

[Detroitgator]

Aquaman - Snuck off to see this a few days ago to relax a little before the holiday crowd arrived. Lets get to it. The origin story is told through flashbacks through the movie other than the very beginning setting things up. Basically he has to stop his half brother from bringing war to the surface and has help from a few friends to try to find the trident of Atlantia. It's a super hero movie so expect some cliches. the effects are really cool at most parts, there are few where they look dated, but for the most part a really cool movie. The ending falls a little flat and is anticlimactic and cheesy at a few moments. Turn your brain off and see a few cool things.

Cast wise they did a good job. Not sure the material would have allowed for much more. Willem Dafoe is great in his role and Patrick Wilson plays a good villain. The woman that plays Mera is smoking hot, but at times I felt like they had stolen Black Widow from Marvel. Even Dolph Lundren did good in his role and was a great surprise. As for Jason Mamoa he is ok for this. Not sure who to better cast, but he's never going to be the greatest actor, but is good for when you can't get the Rock. He hits the humor well, but is limited. The biggest complaint is the lack of time Black Manta got, but the sequal, if it happens, is focused on him. His character has a lot of potential.

Not winning oscars, but is entertaining. If you waited for it to come out on video you won't miss much. 6/10.

Amber Heard has always been smokin' hot! Especially in The Joneses and 3 Days to Kill era... sickens me that she was soiled by Johnny Depp. :(

 

[gingerlover]

With the wife and kids out of town for a few days I was able to catch a few thanks to some free redbox codes and a gift card to AMC.

White Boy Rick - True story about a kid who was made an FBI informant at 14. They then cut him lose, but he enjoys the life to much and eventually gets busted for dealing. This is a wait for it to come to cable movie. It's ok, but at times boring and caught myself half paying attention. 5/10

The Predator - Every time they make one of these I think maybe they will get it right again finally, but as usual they continue to f*ck up what should be a very easy concept trying to make is super complicated with origin stories that are not needed along with Super Predators that look like a Battletoad. Basically the old predator crashes while on the run. They study him, he breaks out, and then the super predator chasing him comes along. Why is he running? The reasons for all of this along with revelations in the study are where this movie starts to go off the rails. Some of the performances are good, but overall this is a rent/wait for tv only. It has some cool stuff, but most of it you will just shake your head when you think of how good the original one was. 4/10

Bumblebee - Transformers were my thing growing up with GI Joe and TMNT coming after it. All has been bastardized in recent years, with most of the damage being done by Michael Bay thinking crapping on all the source material purposely is needed to make a good movie. The Transformers series have been hit or miss. While none are award winners a few of them have been descent, the battles are great, and they for the most part entertained. Then you had their designs that were just eyesores. However things might change if they use this as a soft reboot and don't force it in as a prequel.

This movie starts out on Cybertron during the war. Many of the big names from the original series are there and are all in their old school design (it was beautiful compared to the previous movies). The autobots escape with Bumblebee sent to protect earth. When he gets there a fight ensues and he is badly damaged losing his memory and voice in the process. Years later he is awakened by a girl who gets the car to try to fix up and they quickly bond while she finally has some one to open up to. The majority of the movie is their relationship and it is actually really good to go that route. The action scenes are really in the beginning and end but are both really good and the humor hits the right notes at the right times without having to resort to fart jokes like Bay did.

If they used this as a format to reboot the series it would be fantastic. That being said you could see that with Bay still as producer that he forced references to things that happened in his movies in meaning it leads to that sh*t show meaning Megatron is frozen on earth instead of being a badass. Other than that my complaint is they are determined to go with the whole he talks with the radio thing. That is a wrong they should have fixed. This is not an Oscar winner by and means, but is a fun movie you would enjoy with the entire family. 7.5/10

 

[NVGator]

Spider-man - Into the Spiderverse (2018)

Took the kids last night (son 9, big on Marvel; daughter 12 knows nothing of Marvel but wants to be an animator). Traditional disclaimer on myself - Marvel fanboy, but admit knowing nothing on Spider-men other than the common Spider-man; I also wasn't too keen on seeing an animated version, tbh. Also no boobs, go figure.

I came home exclaiming this is one of the best films I've seen in a LONG time. First the choice to do it with animation - an absolute must. The budget would gave been insane to pull this off as live action, given the story line and effects, so in that they made the right choice. With that choice, it limited somethings, but opened up a lot of other ones. First the opportunity to give it a comic book texture rather than a Pixar style smoothness. It took about 20min for me to adjust to blurred backgrounds (kept thinking it was a 3D effect intended where you don't where glasses, but it was intentional to match how comic books may not define the background distinctly and keep your focus on characters who remained clear and in focus). This also means there are action sequences and fights that get very comic-booky, which created sometimes a 'yeah, that fits this texture and story' and sometimes created a 'disappointing cheapness for a film'. All in all, it worked, and worked well. Sound track was a bit eclectic, IMO. Not themed like a collection of 80's songs in some movies - all were current artists and tracks, and all fit the scenes very well, but I don't see people buying the soundtrack - just the single tracks that appeal to them. Still, it was all good and apt for the scenes. For the story, in a nutshell Kingpin is trying to build a super collider that will pull multiple universes together so he can recover his family that he lost in this dimension. The first test of it has Goblin push Spider-man into it, resulting in a half dozen spider-men getting pulled into our dimension. Plot follows that the handful team up and try to get home while destroying the collider. Not too deep, not too shallow for a comic book story, but it's enough to support the 2h film (yes, 2h for animation - it's not just a kids film, though there were a ton of kids brought to it). The real meat of the 2h is actually filled with our central character, Miles Morales, a young teen who also gets bit by a spider and gains powers albeit slightly different than Peter Parker. The film really focuses on Miles, being a smart teen, discovering powers, meeting Peter Parker (who then dies and asks Miles to destroy the collider), discovering the other spider-men, coming of age and saving the day with the team. It does a very, very good job with characters - Miles in particular. Even if you know nothing of anyone beyond Peter Parker, you'll enjoy the cast of characters here. The concept of a multi-verse isn't too far fetched to grasp for younger audiences, keeping the story plausible, but all the spider-men come with their own uniqueness and how their dimension is different. I won't spoil the spider-men characters, but even the smallest (wtf kinda) versions have a few good lines and don't distract. You may recognize a few voices (Liev Shreiber as Fisk-Kingpin, Nicholas Cage as one of the smaller character spider-men, and Lily Tomlin as Aunt May who is actually a cool kick-ass rather than a naive old lady - there are others, but these stood out to me, though none storm through the screen, they fit nicely into their roles). With the parallel dimensions, we have Miles have an uncle issue (like Uncle Ben...hey, so did Luke Skywalker, hmmm). There are other parallels, as to be expected, as well as a few other villians thrown in that are not as expected from our traditional spider-man universe of one, but it all works. Highly recommend this one. 9/10 (I never give a 0 or a 10).

Took our 2 boys, 6 & 4.5, to see this today. It was badass. A little much for the 4.5 yo. He squirmed about halfway through till the end. The 6 yo liked it but I wasn’t a fan of some part.

Regardless, it kicked ass. I thought it was a little mature for the boys but all in all it was incredible.

 

[TLB]

Split (2016)

Less about Shamalan for me, as he has traditionally not been up to the hype, IMO. A little bit about following a trilogy storyline arc. A lot about seeing what James McAvoy brings to the role. For those unaware, the first story was Unbreakable (2000), where Bruce Willis believed himself to be impervious, and he consulted with Mr. Glass (Samuel L Jackson) who expressed belief certain people are born 'different' and capable of more than regular humans. Move ahead to this film, and we have McAvoy playing a person of 23 multiple personalities, one of which abducts 3 girls for some purpose. As the plot evolves, certain personalities take dominance, and are in prepration for a 24th, as yet undiscovered, personality of 'the beast'. Throughout, we focus on one of the girls, Casey Cooke (Anya Taylor-Joy) and how the different personalities present themselves to the girls and her in particular. Cut to the chase, the 24th personality arrives, and appears to 'change' McAvoy into another form of superhuman. I'll not ruin it with spoilers, but say it does set up well for the third film, Mr. Glass (2019) both with where it leaves the characters at the end of Split as well as the cameo put in at the end. Overall, very watchable, but not incredible. Great filming (light, colors, camera angles), good story (believable, up to you to believe the beast's abilities), and keeps your interest with suspense and small jumps throughout. Very little of a horror film, very much of a suspense film in the middle of a sequence...though it can stand well on it's own, if you can leave the open ending that was made for the last film. I'll give this one a 6.5/10, but McAvoy brings it up to an 8/10.


42 (2013)

The story of Jackie Robinson as played by Chadwick Boseman. For someone who doesn't love baseball, it was pretty good as the film focused primarily on his personal course through the minors, getting called up, and facing the racism of the era. The story made it clear, it wasn't his idea, but he was fully aware of what he was being asked to face and why, and what was expected of him in order to break down the color barrier. Actually, the second most dominant actor in the film is Harrison Ford as Branch Rickey, manager for the Brooklyn Dodgers asking Jackie to do this. Jackie's wife also plays a dominant role, but more as a reflection of his personal support system, that he wasn't alone and their discussions also offer the viewers a chance to take the wife's role in terms of hearing Jackie's inner thoughts and offering encouragement. The film has a few moments, like when Jackie loses it after being called names incessantly by rival ball coaches, and the subsequent support he garners from his team who had been mixed in wanting him there to that point. Of course, Ford shows up immediately after to remind him this is bigger than just himself, as a means of keeping focus for Jackie. The film closes with a nice reflection on many of the key persons in the true history. Film quality was good - showing the era with appropriate clothes, scenery, and cultural attitudes across the spectrum. Not a lot was done beyond propper setting, because ALL of the focus is on the story (not explosions, or aliens, or anything else). As such, it does a wonderful job of bringing history to life. The baseball scenes were limited primarily to mechanisms to progress the story, so they weren't distracting or annoying to non-baseball fans, but were an integral part of understanding where Jackie was emotionally and mentally at any given time, and why. Overall, I would recommend with 7.5/10


A Quiet Place (2018)

I was looking for a horror film, this wasn't it. There is a good attempt at suspense, but it ends up short and we're left with some potential that never delivered, IMO. The cast did well, making the most of the story and conveying it solidly. Base storyline is a new creature (alien?) has taken over the earth. These creatures have a mouth (lotta teeth) and exceptional hearing, but no eyes. They hunt by sound and as such the world has gone largely silent. There's a few kills in the film, but nothing bloody or gory. The film follows a family trying to survive in this world, consisting of mom, dad, teenage (deaf) daughter, a son about 9, and a son about 4. Dad is somehow very smart and is always tweaking hearing aides in an attempt to help his daughter. Inner turmoil occurs when one of the kids is killed by the creatures, and who feels the blame, but this is minor. Ultimately the film leaves a lot of questions - we never know why or how the aliens arrived, we just pick up with the fact they are here. We never understand why the dad is so smart, but seems to miss a few obvious things. And of course, the ending was cut where it was simply to save money and not 'show' what happens to them but gives you a decent enough idea. All in all, not a good film. Good acting, but poor on story, logic, believability, and general enjoyment as horror, suspense, or even sci-fi. 4/10.

 

[gingerlover]

Operation Finale - the movie with Ben Kingsley’s and Oscar Isaac about tracking down the mastermind behind the holocost in Argentina.

I was really disappointed in this. It’s not bad but with this story and cast could have been so much better. I would have gotten as much from a 1 hour special on the history channel. Very anticlimactic. 5/10.

 

[gingerlover]

watched "The Mountain Between Us"... was a high budget Hallmark kind of movie:

Agree. Sucks because Elba has become someone that I’ll watch in anything.

 

[TLB]

I do love some Elba films. :\ Everybody makes a few stinkers, though.

 

[ChiefGator]

With the wife and kids out of town for a few days I was able to catch a few thanks to some free redbox codes and a gift card to AMC.

White Boy Rick - True story about a kid who was made an FBI informant at 14. They then cut him lose, but he enjoys the life to much and eventually gets busted for dealing. This is a wait for it to come to cable movie. It's ok, but at times boring and caught myself half paying attention. 5/10

The Predator - Every time they make one of these I think maybe they will get it right again finally, but as usual they continue to f*ck up what should be a very easy concept trying to make is super complicated with origin stories that are not needed along with Super Predators that look like a Battletoad. Basically the old predator crashes while on the run. They study him, he breaks out, and then the super predator chasing him comes along. Why is he running? The reasons for all of this along with revelations in the study are where this movie starts to go off the rails. Some of the performances are good, but overall this is a rent/wait for tv only. It has some cool stuff, but most of it you will just shake your head when you think of how good the original one was. 4/10

Bumblebee - Transformers were my thing growing up with GI Joe and TMNT coming after it. All has been bastardized in recent years, with most of the damage being done by Michael Bay thinking crapping on all the source material purposely is needed to make a good movie. The Transformers series have been hit or miss. While none are award winners a few of them have been descent, the battles are great, and they for the most part entertained. Then you had their designs that were just eyesores. However things might change if they use this as a soft reboot and don't force it in as a prequel.

This movie starts out on Cybertron during the war. Many of the big names from the original series are there and are all in their old school design (it was beautiful compared to the previous movies). The autobots escape with Bumblebee sent to protect earth. When he gets there a fight ensues and he is badly damaged losing his memory and voice in the process. Years later he is awakened by a girl who gets the car to try to fix up and they quickly bond while she finally has some one to open up to. The majority of the movie is their relationship and it is actually really good to go that route. The action scenes are really in the beginning and end but are both really good and the humor hits the right notes at the right times without having to resort to fart jokes like Bay did.

If they used this as a format to reboot the series it would be fantastic. That being said you could see that with Bay still as producer that he forced references to things that happened in his movies in meaning it leads to that sh*t show meaning Megatron is frozen on earth instead of being a badass. Other than that my complaint is they are determined to go with the whole he talks with the radio thing. That is a wrong they should have fixed. This is not an Oscar winner by and means, but is a fun movie you would enjoy with the entire family. 7.5/10

Thanks for the review on Bumble Bee, I don't go to the movies much, but I might have to do so for it. Transformer animated stuff is closer to the original that movies. I generally can't stand those movies.

 

[gingerlover]

Thanks for the review on Bumble Bee, I don't go to the movies much, but I might have to do so for it. Transformer animated stuff is closer to the original that movies. I generally can't stand those movies.

I agree. The cartoon from the 80's and the subpar movie that came with it are what I got my six year old hooked on. He watches that thing constantly and has no desire to see any of the movies. This one however would capture his attention thanks to them using the designs from the 80s (for the most part). it is night and day compared to the other and I think them focusing on one character helped to set a much needed new tone. Like I said though we will see where they go with the sequels regarding this new format.

 

[gingerlover]

Beautiful Boy (Prime) - This is the movie with Steve Carell based on two separate books written by a father and son about the son's struggle with addiction. The cast also has some other familiar faces, but Carell and the guy that plays the son absolutely knock this out of the park.

Premise is that Steve Carrell has a son from his previous marriage and also two small children with his new wife. Him and his oldest have a great relationship, but one day starts to unravel when he discovers he has started doing heavy drugs. From there the movie is filled with the journey they go through. The bad times, the clean times, and then starting all over again and again and again. When Carrell realizes he is powerless to help it is a heartbreaking moment. I do believe this film got a lot of stuff right including the insight into his mind while high and how he hates himself and loves his family dearly, but can't stop.

This movie reminds me a lot of one of my cousins who is five years older than me. I was still young enough not to notice what was going on, but do remember the stories and just started getting old enough to be in the conversation when the really bad times hit. A lot of the scenes in the movie are things that I remember happening with them and the strain it put on my cousin, aunt, and uncle. The strain it puts on the marriage is also pretty accurate from what I remember. It's a rough subject but I felt this film was done amazingly. The soundtrack as well plays perfectly with what is going on and I feel adds to it.

If you have a kid, to think of going through this, or most people in general this movie is going to punch you in the gut. Like have your favorite comedy qued up to watch right after it hits that hard. I'm not sure why this isn't getting more award buzz, but maybe its just because this hits home a little for me. 8.5/10

 

[TheDouglas78]

The First Purge (2018) - As I have mentioned before I really, really enjoy the Purge movies. That being said, I have always wanted to see the story of the start of the purge. This was supposed to tell that story, and it had a lot of live up to in my (and wife's) eyes. Let me start off with saying it didn't. The movie starts out using staten island (spelling) as the initial test of the purge concept. The scientist Marisa Tomei (still pretty hot) did a study that said if people Purge they won't commit crimes, if given release. A lot of initial overhead to this movie (which didn't please the Mrses at all). The first purge was taken over by the New Founding Fathers, and we see what people doing during the purge until the government takes over (targeting lower income people). The movie was entertaining, but not where close to what I was expecting. You got to see the start of the purge and the start of the resistance (which was so obvious it was mind numbing). The movie is a decent watch, but no where close to the first three movies or most people's expectations of what it should be from the first three movies.

 

[TLB]

Beautiful Boy (Prime) - This is the movie with Steve Carell based on two separate books written by a father and son about the son's struggle with addiction. The cast also has some other familiar faces, but Carell and the guy that plays the son absolutely knock this out of the park.

Upon your recommendation, watched it this weekend. Felt like they gave a much more realistic view of addiction and it's impact upon the immediate family. I've not been that close to it myself, despite having a lot interaction with addicts over the years, so my connection to this subject may be better than others, but not as you've described for yourself. My take is that it wasn't like ripping the scab off and showing you fully how utterly painful and ugly it can get, but they certainly pulled it loose and caused a good bit of discomfort. My point, this was more 'real' than most other film attempts.

You're absolutely correct the film had other characters but it wholly focused on the father-son relationship, and both actors did excellent with the challenge. It was good to see Carell in a serious role, and he does admirably expressing the heartbreak, and the resignation when you accept what it is you cannot control. The son, whom I've not seen anywhere else, also does a very good job portraying that role - not knowing exactly why they do what they do, unable to change it despite best intentions, and recognition of the damage it causes but unable to do anything about it.

I wouldn't call this an utterly demoralizing film that leaves you with despair, but there isn't much 'uplifting' about it - it is all about the harsh reality of the situation. Solid, solid, film I'll agree 8.5/10

 

[TLB]

Other films recently:

The Bird Box (2018) <NETFLIX>

I thought I'd reviewed this, but am not seeing it. In a nutshell, all hype, not a lot worth watching. No boobs, no monsters, just following Sandra Bullock blindfolded as she tries to get 2 kids down a river to safety after the world goes insane. It tells it's story through flashbacks, which at times can get a little confusing. All in all, not worth it. 4/10.


Crush the Skull (2015) <AMAZON>

Horror - Comedy is the genre. Low budget California is the production. Come in with low expectations, and be somewhat surprised. Storyline is a hot girl and her Asian boyfriend are B&E thieves, going for their last job before retiring. The opening act involves this job going badly but has a fistful of funny moments along the way, it ends with the guy being arrested (third strike). Girlfriend gets him out by giving all their savings to some bad guy PLUS enlisting for another job. Last job, the team is girlfriend, her brother (an idiot who thinks himself a gang leader), his right hand (dumber idiot, and perhaps one of the funniest roles in the film), and the boyfriend who wants to come and make it work knowing there are idiots on the job. The job is to break into a remote house, but once in they realize they are locked in... and it is the home of a serial killer. As they try to escape, they find another captive, and are eventually almost saved by a cop, and ultimately some of them make it out. As for horror, there really isn't much. Perhaps better stated as gore, in that there are a few people who get stabbed, someone who get beheaded, and an acid-in-the-face. Not a lot of blood and gore by today's standards, but we're low budget...so. The comedy part, though, strikes a good note throughout. It's a B-move that knows it is a B-movie, and therefore the the comedy is a balance of cheesy, and playing on B-movie tropes. You'll groan as much as you chuckle. As for boobs, the lead is hot but we don't see much, the captive isn't as hot but shows a bit more (cleavage, but always clothed). All in all, it gets most reviews 2-4/10, but if you know what you're looking for and this is your taste, you can come away at 6/10. Kills some time, not a total waste.



What We Do in the Shadows (2014) <AMAZON>

A dark comedy out of New Zealand. Premise is there are vampires who live among us, and in today's world it makes sense for several to share the cost of where to live; so we have four of them sharing a house as flatmates. There is an annual ball, and a film crew has been allowed to run a documentary on this household in a lead up to the ball. So, we have an opening scene where three of them are having a flatmate meeting to discuss chores, and how one isn't doing the dishes, another complains that his couch is ruined and can the others put down newspapers when they have humans for a snack, please. It's a dark comedy, which feels nearly 5y old, but still holds up reasonably well (just tell yourself it feels a little off because it is from NZ). Still, all in all it does well to present the different characters, brings in a fifth vampire who disrupts the household, and his human friend Stu that all agree is pretty cool and should not be eaten. That's the heart of it (no pun intended). Decent kill of 90min (sorry, couldn't help myself), and would not say you really ought to see it but it's alright. 6.5/10 and no boobs.


A Further Gesture aka The Break (1997) <AMAZON>

IRA bomber escapes in a prison break, makes his way to NYC, falls for a Latin woman and her two Guatemalan exiles who are plotting a political assassination. He helps them out, but in doing so brings the FBI in on himself and a few others. This film really feels like something from the 90's, not too deep, not too rewarding. I don't recall much in the way of boobs (his girlfriend is rail thin, and I don't think they ever showed much). Other than having Steven Rea as the lead (do you really want him in a sex scene?), and a few scenes with Brendan Gleeson (you'll recognize him, but wouldn't know him), there isn't much here. Skip it. 2/10.



7 Psychopaths (2012) <AMAZON>

Let's start with the cast: Sam Rockwell, Colin Farrel, Christopher Walken,and Woody Harrelson. What more do you need? Well, a more cohesive story that didn't splinter would help, but perhaps that was part of the intended effect...I mean, there are 7 Psychopaths involved. Majority of the film centers on Rockwell as a dognapper, who works with Walken who returns the dogs for rewards. Farrel represents us, the audience, somewhat taken along by not knowing quite what to expect from those whom you thought were 'friends'. Woody plays our villain, and does it pretty much exactly as you'd expect him to do, so no surprises there nor any letdown. Farrel is writing a movie about Psychopaths, and his friend Rockwell is trying to help him, throwing out ideas left and right. One day, Rockwell takes Woody's dog, and Woody being the thug gangster that he is seeks to get his dog back, crossing paths with the God fearing Walken (and his wife), as well as Rockwell and Farrel. The film runs about 120m, and I'd say there is about 20-30 min in the middle that does it's best to lose you by going off in weird directions. It was almost as if they finished the film, had some time and budget left, so they just let the main characters go off in random directions with dialogue and story. One demerit for this wandering part, but they do bring it back together for the last act and get back on track. Ultimately, it felt a bit like Walken's was weaker than he should have been - but he still played the role as Walken would. Farrel was very much the weak side-kick, and I'd have expected much more from him but so be it. Woody was Woody, as I mentioned; and there is a nice scene with Olga Kurylenko in her underwear...and a scene they kept flipping to with a tall blond hooker in nothing but panties (boobs!), that helped. But Rockwell was the soul of the film and carried it as such. More funny moments than wtf? moments, for sure - so when the story tries to lose you, just enjoy the personalities, especially Rockwell. Plot is as I've outlined, but interwoven is scenes for proposed, or actual, psychopaths...and these all tie together in the end. All in all, an enjoyable ride. Not hitting it out of the park, but still a fun ride overall. 8/10

 

[Gatordiddy]

Other films recently:

The Bird Box (2018) <NETFLIX>

I thought I'd reviewed this, but am not seeing it. In a nutshell, all hype, not a lot worth watching. No boobs, no monsters, just following Sandra Bullock blindfolded as she tries to get 2 kids down a river to safety after the world goes insane. It tells it's story through flashbacks, which at times can get a little confusing. All in all, not worth it. 4/10.


Crush the Skull (2015) <AMAZON>

Horror - Comedy is the genre. Low budget California is the production. Come in with low expectations, and be somewhat surprised. Storyline is a hot girl and her Asian boyfriend are B&E thieves, going for their last job before retiring. The opening act involves this job going badly but has a fistful of funny moments along the way, it ends with the guy being arrested (third strike). Girlfriend gets him out by giving all their savings to some bad guy PLUS enlisting for another job. Last job, the team is girlfriend, her brother (an idiot who thinks himself a gang leader), his right hand (dumber idiot, and perhaps one of the funniest roles in the film), and the boyfriend who wants to come and make it work knowing there are idiots on the job. The job is to break into a remote house, but once in they realize they are locked in... and it is the home of a serial killer. As they try to escape, they find another captive, and are eventually almost saved by a cop, and ultimately some of them make it out. As for horror, there really isn't much. Perhaps better stated as gore, in that there are a few people who get stabbed, someone who get beheaded, and an acid-in-the-face. Not a lot of blood and gore by today's standards, but we're low budget...so. The comedy part, though, strikes a good note throughout. It's a B-move that knows it is a B-movie, and therefore the the comedy is a balance of cheesy, and playing on B-movie tropes. You'll groan as much as you chuckle. As for boobs, the lead is hot but we don't see much, the captive isn't as hot but shows a bit more (cleavage, but always clothed). All in all, it gets most reviews 2-4/10, but if you know what you're looking for and this is your taste, you can come away at 6/10. Kills some time, not a total waste.



What We Do in the Shadows (2014) <AMAZON>

A dark comedy out of New Zealand. Premise is there are vampires who live among us, and in today's world it makes sense for several to share the cost of where to live; so we have four of them sharing a house as flatmates. There is an annual ball, and a film crew has been allowed to run a documentary on this household in a lead up to the ball. So, we have an opening scene where three of them are having a flatmate meeting to discuss chores, and how one isn't doing the dishes, another complains that his couch is ruined and can the others put down newspapers when they have humans for a snack, please. It's a dark comedy, which feels nearly 5y old, but still holds up reasonably well (just tell yourself it feels a little off because it is from NZ). Still, all in all it does well to present the different characters, brings in a fifth vampire who disrupts the household, and his human friend Stu that all agree is pretty cool and should not be eaten. That's the heart of it (no pun intended). Decent kill of 90min (sorry, couldn't help myself), and would not say you really ought to see it but it's alright. 6.5/10 and no boobs.


A Further Gesture aka The Break (1997) <AMAZON>

IRA bomber escapes in a prison break, makes his way to NYC, falls for a Latin woman and her two Guatemalan exiles who are plotting a political assassination. He helps them out, but in doing so brings the FBI in on himself and a few others. This film really feels like something from the 90's, not too deep, not too rewarding. I don't recall much in the way of boobs (his girlfriend is rail thin, and I don't think they ever showed much). Other than having Steven Rea as the lead (do you really want him in a sex scene?), and a few scenes with Brendan Gleeson (you'll recognize him, but wouldn't know him), there isn't much here. Skip it. 2/10.



7 Psychopaths (2012) <AMAZON>

Let's start with the cast: Sam Rockwell, Colin Farrel, Christopher Walken,and Woody Harrelson. What more do you need? Well, a more cohesive story that didn't splinter would help, but perhaps that was part of the intended effect...I mean, there are 7 Psychopaths involved. Majority of the film centers on Rockwell as a dognapper, who works with Walken who returns the dogs for rewards. Farrel represents us, the audience, somewhat taken along by not knowing quite what to expect from those whom you thought were 'friends'. Woody plays our villain, and does it pretty much exactly as you'd expect him to do, so no surprises there nor any letdown. Farrel is writing a movie about Psychopaths, and his friend Rockwell is trying to help him, throwing out ideas left and right. One day, Rockwell takes Woody's dog, and Woody being the thug gangster that he is seeks to get his dog back, crossing paths with the God fearing Walken (and his wife), as well as Rockwell and Farrel. The film runs about 120m, and I'd say there is about 20-30 min in the middle that does it's best to lose you by going off in weird directions. It was almost as if they finished the film, had some time and budget left, so they just let the main characters go off in random directions with dialogue and story. One demerit for this wandering part, but they do bring it back together for the last act and get back on track. Ultimately, it felt a bit like Walken's was weaker than he should have been - but he still played the role as Walken would. Farrel was very much the weak side-kick, and I'd have expected much more from him but so be it. Woody was Woody, as I mentioned; and there is a nice scene with Olga Kurylenko in her underwear...and a scene they kept flipping to with a tall blond hooker in nothing but panties (boobs!), that helped. But Rockwell was the soul of the film and carried it as such. More funny moments than wtf? moments, for sure - so when the story tries to lose you, just enjoy the personalities, especially Rockwell. Plot is as I've outlined, but interwoven is scenes for proposed, or actual, psychopaths...and these all tie together in the end. All in all, an enjoyable ride. Not hitting it out of the park, but still a fun ride overall. 8/10

Great stuff.

I saw What We Do in the Shadows in one of those boutique theaters in Georgetown when it came out.
Couldn’t hear much of it due to the laughing around us, so I rewatched it recently. I really enjoyed this one, especially since I’m a big fan of Flight of the Conchords.

 

[Gatordiddy]

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (Netflix) - I know there are going to be some that disagree with me on this, but I thought this was absolutely terrible. The trailer made it look good, but those were the only good parts. Divided into 6 stories that come together toward the end. The problem I had is the stories that I liked ended extremely quickly while the stories I did not like took to long. For instance the one with James Franco is far to short. My other problem is that the Buster Scruggs story line was by the far the best and should have just been the whole movie. I could have watched that one for two hours without a complaint. The story with Buster 8/10 although it was far to short. The story with James Franco 7/10 and also to short. The rest of the 4 stories 3/10.

Agreed - I just watched this since I’m a Coen Bros fan.
I enjoyed most of it - but I have to agree that Tim Blake Nelson was great in the title role. Did you notice the brand of guitar he was playing? *

The “man in black” at the end of that segment had a familiar voice. Turns out he is the lead singer of Old Crow Medicine Show. And my wife in a parallel universe (Gillian Welch), wrote a few songs in the movie.
The Coens, as usual, had the best display of dialogue of the ‘olden days’.

All in all - in sum: 5.5/10.

*- Musicians who use Recording King guitars include Christian Letts of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Justin Townes Earle, John Fahey, Mark Spencer of Son Volt, Will Kimbrough, Lizzy Long, Caitlin Canty, Jonathan Devoto of The Matches, Rob McCoury and ...
Buster Scruggs.

 

[gingerlover]

Got to catch a few things the last week or two to catch up on.

Crazy Rich Asians - It's a chick flick with an all asian cast. Women may like this movie more, but there is nothing profound about this. It has the same story base as half of this type of movie and if it had been a white cast would have been panned as just another so so movie. I was actually surprised at how many stereotypes they used to get laughs, which are few but are funny when they happen. 4/10

Equalizer 2 - Not horrible, but I fell let down after how good I thought the first on was. There were some good moments, such as him mentoring a inner city kid, but most of the stuff regarding the main story you could see coming a mile away. The casting should give it away. You will be entertained, but could have been so much better. 6/10

The Last Laugh (Netflix) - Chevy Chase and Richard Dreyfus star. chase is a old talent agent that is considering the move to an retirement home. He meets one of his first clients there and they embark on one last tour to try and get him on the tonight show. Its your typical old guy road trip movie. Not the greatest. When I chose it I was just bored and it was the best looking choice. 4/10

The Upside - The movie with Kevin Hart and Brian Cranston. The Story of an unlikely friendship between two men who are trying to find purpose in their life again after both have different paths. They both help each other find the confidence they need to come back into the light so to say. the laughs are there, but are perfectly timed within the other parts of the movie. Cranston may be the funnier of the two at times and I didn't think Hart could pull a role like this off. Cranston however was fantastic all the while just using facial expressions to express his joy or heartache. Rounding out the cast is an always gorgeous Nicole Kidman and a few bit players you may or may not know. You can take the whole family, but younger kids will probably get bored with this. 7.5/10

The Punisher: Season 2 (Netflix) - Lets just say I hope this doesn't get the same treatment as the other Marvel shows because I really like this one. Starts out a little after the first season. There are two main storylines it balances between. One regarding the new threat this season and the other still dealing with Billy in the hospital after the ending of season 1. They do a nice job balancing the two and it moves a lot quicker this season with not as much dead time. The new villain is nice, but they should have explored his past some more. You even get a portion of an episode dedicated to Russian blackmailing and owning US politicians. That being said the last 20 minutes of the season are fantastic. 8/10

 

[Gatordiddy]

Finally saw Deadpool 2

Didn’t like it as much as the first one but damn, it was funny. 7/10

And - finally saw Solo (of the Han variety).
Didn’t love it or hate it. I liked the way they explained the back story of certain characters. Good overall. 6/10.

 

[TheDouglas78]

The wife and I played a little catch up this weekend...

Super Troopers 2 (2018): I really wanted to like this movie. The first movie not a masterpiece but it is just a funny movie that doesn't take a whole lot of brain power to enjoy. Basically, the guys were fired from their last job for the "Fred Savage Incident" and it's been a while since they were cops. The US government is taking back part of Canada, and they need a Highway Patrol Unit to cover the stretch of road until it's fully US soil and a real police force can take over (yes that bad). Similar to the last one they find someone smuggling in drugs, the US/Canadian rivalry is used as a plot point (poorly). It's a movie that feels like it is a decade too late. There are some funny moments, mixed in with a lot of why am I watching this type moments. Over all 4/10.

Threat Matrix Matrix: There are some tits, ass, and I believe some bush in the movie.
For the ladies, Ox, J, T and URG: some male ass and some Dong.

A Quiet Place (2018): Wife is a big horror fan, and hear so much good things about this movie. Lets start off with this is an hour and a half of my life I will never get back. The decision made by the parents in this movie and the rationale behind it is mind boggling. The first hour is a snooze fest, I understand they were setting up the world but god damn, I think you get it in the first 15 minutes. The last 30 minutes is a bunch of jump scares and what the fck are you thinking. It was derivative of so many other movies. The acting was decent even though the guy they plays the dad only ever plays two different characters Jim from the office and serious Jim. Overall 3.5/10.

Threat Matrix Matrix: Negative on the T&A


Oceans 8 (2018): Didn't think I was going to like this one. Thought it was another lets do a cheap rip off of an all male case with an all female case. The talent is hit and miss on this one. I'm a fan of some could do without others, but they all did their roles solidly through this flick. The story is similar to the other Ocean's movies, and this is a continuation to the Ocean's world. His sister who was screwed by her boyfriend is getting out of prison (very similar plot point). She gets a team together to rob some jewelry from the Met Gala. If you have seen the Ocean's movies you kind of know the rest. The movie wasn't as bad as expected, but it's not great either. Overall 6/10.

Threat Matrix Matrix: Negative on the T&A