Month: January 2013

Parker

Have you ever heard of a thief who has a code of ethics? “Don’t steal from those who can’t afford it and don’t hurt people who don’t deserve it”. “Parker” (Jason Statham) a professional thief lives by this code. But on his latest heist Parker’s crew double crosses him and steals his loot. The story unfolds from there…
The movie takes you from small town Ohio to West Palm Beach Florida to Chicago. There is lots of action and intrigue. The movie is very violent. Jennifer Lopez and Jason Statham together is a miss-matched pair. They are actually quite funny together.
“Parker” is not a great movie, but it’s definitely worth seeing for the entertainment factor alone.
A “B” movie with “A” list stars.

Broken City

“What a tangled web we weave when we are trying to Deceive!!” “Broken City” puts an interesting twist on a “Political Thriller”.

Mark Wahlberg plays ex-cop Billy Taggert who knows there is plenty of injustice in the city. After being double-crossed by the one and only Mayor (Russell Crowe) who happens to be the most popular guy in town; Billy has his hands full trying to prove the injustice, get revenge and redemption.

Billy’s endless pursuit almost gets him killed, but that isn’t going to stop him. The story unfolds from there…

There are several agendas that play out in this movie and that is what makes it interesting. Although there is plenty of suspense and intrigue, the movie could have had a more detailed ending. There were a couple of holes left unfilled. Things are not always as they seem.

The paid critics were “Luke-warm” about “Broken City”, but I felt it was pretty good. If you like Political Suspense Thrillers, this is your movie.

Gangster Squad

Set in 1949 Los Angeles, “Gangster Squad” is about the Brooklyn mob king Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn). Mickey Cohen runs the show in Los Angeles and he wants everyone to know it. He has judges and cops in his back pocket and believes he is untouchable, but along comes a few of LA’s finest that he doesn’t have in his pocket and they decide to form a squad to take Mickey and his gang down once and for all. The story unfolds from there…
This is based on a true story. The timeline is good, but the story is a bit choppy. Things bounce around a bit and at times don’t quite make sense. The ensemble of actors is good. The right people were picked. Sean Penn is very good as Mickey Cohen; although at times he does not come across as menacing as he should have.
I love Josh Brolin and he does an excellent job of leading the charge, but alas something is missing. The movie does not hold as much excitement as the previews lead you to believe.
The original opening date for this movie was September 2012, but it was moved to January 2013 and I am not sure why.
“Gangster Squad” will be good to watch on Blue-Ray or DVD. Wait for it unless you have nothing else to do.

Zero Dark Thirty

Finally!! “Zero Dark Thirty” opened in wide-release. I have known about this movie for over 7 months. It opened in limited release (NY & LA) in December 2012.

The movie needs no introduction. It’s about the events that led up to Osama Bin Laden’s ultimate demise. The movie is intense, chilling, brutal and mind boggling. There is no sugar-coating here. The actions and events are as real as it gets. The movie shows excellent timelines and is very well executed. Jessica Chastain is superb!! Two hours and thirty seven minutes go by quickly.

My only complaint is I wish the ending had been a few minutes longer.

Bravo to Director Kathryn Bigelow for giving us the real deal. The movie was worth the wait, hype and all of the Oscar nominations it received. If it does not win any Oscars I will be angry.

If you have a weak stomach, do not go see “Zero Dark Thirty”.

If you like Action, Suspense and Thrills this is YOUR movie.

Promised Land

The economic decline gives way to a big natural gas company who is trying to secure drilling rights in a small farm town. They send in their corporate sales partners Steve Butler (Matt Damon) and Sue Thomason (Frances McDormand) to sway each farmer to sell their land and move. But in swoops what is believed to be an environmentalist to try to sway the town’s folks from selling. The story unfolds from there…
The paid critics were “Luke-warm” about this movie, but I don’t think it’s bad at all. Matt Damon is an excellent actor. He will make you believe in his character. The movie is a bit slow, but all of the pieces do come together in a surprise ending.
If you are a Matt Damon fan “Promised Land” is worth a look.