Month: December 2014

Wild

“Wild” is another one of those movies that wasn’t on my “Watch List”. This movie opened in limited release several weeks ago and has slowly made its way into the top ten.

“Wild” is not for everyone, but if you have recently had some challenges in your life such as a failed marriage, or you have lost a loved one, then “Wild” is your movie.

Reese Witherspoon plays Cheryl, a woman who has lost her Mother to cancer and her marriage has ended. To try and eradicate the pain and anguish that she is feeling over the lost of her Mother and her failed marriage, Cheryl decides to hike more than 1000 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail. This movie shows the past trials, tribulations, heartache, pain and in the present the healing that Cheryl endures on this hike. The story unfolds from there…

This is a very well told story. It’s raw and to the point, although there is a lot of going back and forth showing events that occurred when Cheryl was a little girl, during her education years and during her marriage. You have to pay attention so that YOU can put the pieces together. The movie doesn’t really do that for you.

This is a 4 Star Movie!

Big Eyes

Though not on my original “Watch List”, “Big Eyes” is a very intriguing, entertaining and well acted movie.

Based on a true story, “Big Eyes” is about Art Fraud. A husband Walter Keane (Waltz) makes everyone believe he is a celebrated artist who trained in France, passes off his wife Margaret Keane’s (Adams) paintings as his own. The art world turns on its axis over the “Big Eyes” paintings, but when an art critic doesn’t buy into the hype, the storm that has been slowly building between Margaret and Walter Keane over her paintings comes to a head. The story unfolds from there…

“Big Eyes” is very entertaining and a very interesting story. The movie is very well paced. This is definitely a “Sleeper” among all the Holiday Blockbuster movies.

“Big Eyes” is opened in limited-release. It’s worth checking out.

This is a 3 1/2 Star Movie!

The Gambler (2014)

I love Mark Wahlberg. I think he’s a good actor, but this remake of the 1974 “The Gambler” that starred James Caan doesn’t quite cut it.

The movie drags for the first hour and twenty minutes. The best part is the last 30 minutes. It’s almost worth seeing just for the last 30 minutes, but the key word in my sentence is ALMOST!!

Mark Wahlberg plays Jim Bennett who is both a high Stakes Gambler and a Literary Professor at a local college. He borrows from a gangster (Michael K. Williams) and puts his own life up for collateral. Jim then pits the gangster against the operator of a gambling ring (Alvin Ing). The story unfolds from there…

I do have to say that the dialog for the gangsters was awesome. Their gift for gab was a lot more than I expected.

The 1974 version of “The Gambler” is available via Netflix. I believe that you will find more enjoyment watching that version.

This is a 2 Star Movie!

Into The Woods

“Into The Woods” is quite delightful and entertaining, although toward the end its dark roots that have hovered just below the surface throughout rise up.

“Into The Woods” is a modern play on several Grimm Fairy Tales, “Jack and the Beanstalk”, “Rapunzel”, “Cinderella” and “Little Red Riding Hood”. These Tales are all intertwined and tied nicely together. The stories explore the consequences of the characters wishes, quests and actions.

The movie is a nice mix of Broadway Musical and Big Screen Motion Picture. Meryl Streep is Awesome!!

“Into The Woods” is an appropriate Holiday movie.

This is a 3 1/2 Star Movie!

Annie (2014)

“Annie (2014)” is yet another take on the classic Broadway hit with a more contemporary look and feel.

“Annie (2014)” is a charming and delightful movie for the younger set.

The adult actors seemed off balance in a lot of the scenes. The singing was strained on some of the songs. Most scenes that contained Cameron Diaz were disjointed. She seemed out of her element.
Jamie Foxx is an excellent R&B singer, but not show tunes. Jamie appeared as if he were embarrassed in some of his scenes.

“Annie (2014)” is best left on Broadway where it belongs.

This is a 1 1/2 Star Movie!

Night At the Museum: Secret of the Tomb

“Night At The Museum: Secret of The Tomb” was more like “Chaos and Confusion at the Museum”.

Larry (Ben Stiller) embarks on a wild night-time epic adventure to try and save the magic before it’s too late.

There were a few funny, crazy scenes, some great music and it was great to see a lot of the familiar museum pieces from the previous installments and there are even a few new pieces, but this installment is clearly lacking and disjointed.

I am sure the stars had fun making this film, but it’s time for the museum pieces to go back to the “Still Life”.
The magic has clearly run its course.

This is a 2 Star Movie!

Top Five

“Top Five” plainly stated is Chris Rock “Stand-up in the Raw and on the Move”.

“Top Five” is about the “Show Business” bed being unmade. Chris Rock and his star studded cast blend comedy and seriousness with politics and everyday life situations from alcohol and drug use to romance, marriage and sex.

If you like Chris Rock in his stand-up comedy shows, you will like “Top Five”.

This movie is definitely not for anyone under the age of 17. There is strong profanity, strong sexual content, explicit nudity and crude humor throughout the movie.

This is a 3 Star Movie!

Exodus: Gods and Kings: The IMAX Experience

This epic adventure from Ridley Scott does not live up to the big shoes it has to fill from the classic source.

“Exodus: Gods and Kings” is a story of the leader Moses (Christian Bale) who dares to try and take on an Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses (Joel Edgerton). Moses will eventually lead over 600,000 slaves on a daring journey from Egypt. The story unfolds from there…

The cinematography is breath-taking. The camera angles are great. The visual effects are very good. Unfortunately that’s about as good as it gets. The dialog is a bit lacking. The story falls short of really gaining your complete attention.

“Exodus: Gods and Kings” just doesn’t live up to the classic source.

This is disappointing as I expected better.

This is a 1 1/2 Star Movie!

Fury (2014)

“Fury (2014)” is intense and definitely not for the weak at heart. You get war violence at its finest.  

It’s 1945 and there’s a Sherman Tank on the move behind enemy lines being commanded by Wardaddy (Brad Pitt) with his 5 man Platoon that contains a rookie. They are out manned and out gunned but that is not going to stop Wardaddy from making a final push at trying to bring the Nazi German Regime to its knees. The story unfolds from there…

“Fury (2014)” is gritty, grimy, brutal and very well crafted. This is a serious war movie with serious war violence. See it if you dare.

This is a 3 1/2 Star Movie!