Month: October 2015

BURNT

Bradley Cooper is Chef Adam Jones a celebrated 2 star Michelin Winner and celebrity among the Paris Restaurant scene. He loses everything because of his “Bad Boy” ways. In order for Adam to obtain his own kitchen again and win a third Michelin star he will have to clean up his act and leave his “Bad Boy” ways behind him. The story unfolds from there…

The story has bones, but starts off dis-jointed and continues throughout the movie. There are too many elements missing and you have to piece it all together yourself. That’s not why we go to the movies. We want the story to unfold and all of the parts to be there. We should not have to guess or assume anything.

“BURNT” is a bit funny and heart-warming, but is incomplete.

“BURNT” is best viewed on cable. It’s not worth the price of a DVD or Blue Ray.

This is a 1 1/2 Star Movie

Our Brand is Crisis

“Our Brand is Crisis” is in and of its self a “CRISIS”.

“Our Brand is Crisis” is a political satire that doesn’t quite hit its mark. Sandra Bullock plays Jane a political strategist who is enjoying semi-retirement until she is summoned to assist a team that goes down to a war-torn area in South America to help install a new leader. The story unfolds from there…

There are a few intense comedy moments, be hard hitting and have some meat, but unfortunately “Our Brand is Crisis” does not contain any strong elements to endear its self to the movie going public. Sandra Bullock is the best element in the movie.

“Our Brand Crisis” is best viewed on cable. It’s not worth the price of a DVD or Blue Ray.

This is a 1 Star Movie!

Steve Jobs

The “Steve Jobs” Biopic opened wide this weekend. I decided to give it look.

“Steve Jobs” details mostly behind the scenes events and conversations that took place during three iconic product launches. The small intimate look at the man Steve Jobs (Michael Fassbender) that you get mostly centers around constant confrontations that he had with a woman he had been involved with who had a daughter that she claimed was his. Steve Jobs denied that the child was his, but did eventually provide for the little girl and sort of be a parent to her.

Other elements centered round Steve Jobs being fired from Apple. There were flashbacks of conversations that were had among board members leading up to the unanimous decision to terminate Steve Jobs. You also get a glimpse back in time to where it all started from.

I found “Steve Jobs” to be a bit boring, but the story in and of its-self is fascinating. The movie will cause you to think of this American Icon in a different way. The movie does not spend much time on Steve Jobs brilliance, you are left to assume. Kate Winslet is awesome in her role as Joanna Hoffman, Steve Jobs’ Media Coordinator/Assistant.

This is a 3 1/2 Star Movie!

Bridge of Spies

“Bridge of Spies” is “Cold War Espionage at its finest!!”

It’s basically “we got spies”, “they got spies”. We got their spies, they got our spies. We want ours back, they want theirs back. Let’s make an exchange on a bridge. That is the simplest unabridged version. Here are the details.

“Bridge of Spies” is based on factual events. Tom Hanks is James Donovan an American attorney in a major NY law firm. He gets tasked with providing legal counsel for a man who was captured in the US believed to be a Russian Spy. The man is convicted and sentenced to 30 years in a Federal Prison.

On another front, the military has a U-2 Spy plane that can fly at 70,000 feet in altitude. The plane is deployed, but during the mission the American pilot is shot down over hostile territory during the Cold War and is taken prisoner.

Attorney James Donovan and a team of CIA agents go to Germany and Russia to negotiate the release of the American Pilot. The story unfolds from there…

“Bridge of Spies” is excellent. The only problem I had with the movie is that some times it dragged a bit.

This is a 4 1/2 Star Movie!

The Walk in 3D

“The Walk” is based on a true story about a young Frenchmen, Philippe Petit, and a cast of unlikely recruits who work together to help Philippe pull off the stunning act of hanging a wire between the two World Trade Center Towers so that Philippe can “walk” the wire.

After seeing a high wire act in Paris, a young Philippe Petit knows early on that he too wants to “walk” the wire. He spends all of his free time practicing to the annoyance of his Father. As time passes Philippe moves away from home in search of the perfect place to hang his wire. He performs to crowds on the streets of Paris.

While in the Dentist office Philippe sees a newspaper advertising the World Trade Center Towers. Philippe knows then that he must go to New York and hang his wire between the World Trade Center Towers. The story unfolds from there…

The first 45 minutes of the movie is just “Dead Space”. This causes a slow start which in turn causes you not to be able to get into the story right away. The last hour is when everything starts to come together and the story becomes interesting.

The Cinematography at times is stunning. The 3D aspects of the movie are very good. Brush up on your French because sometimes French is the dialog used.

This is a 3 ½ Star Movie

The Martian in 3D

I love Matt Damon!! In “The Martian” he does not disappoint!!

A team of NASA Astronauts are on a manned mission on Mars. While members of the team are out performing routine tasks a storm brews in the distance. A quick decision as to whether to stay or go is made in a snap. While packing up and trying to get everyone back to the Space Shuttle to take off, the storm blows some heavy metal debris toward the team members as they are trying to run. Astronaut Watney (Matt Damon) is struck and buried beneath a lot of red dirt and is believed to be dead.

The team takes off and heads back to their Satellite station “Hermes” where they report the tragic incident to NASA officials. A few hours later Astronaut Watney wakes up. He’s badly injured, but very much alive. He gets himself to the team housing quarters and tries to repair his wound. The story unfolds from there…

“The Martian” is nail biting suspenseful, intense, intriguing, entertaining and very well executed. The movie is also moving and of “Epic” proportion. At times the cinematography is breath-taking.

“The Martian” will remind you of Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar”.

This “Science Fiction Epic” should not be missed!

This is a 5 Star Movie!

Sicario

It’s Friday Night at the movies literally! I had to hop off a plane from Sacramento, CA and race to the theater to see “Sicario” because on Saturday it’s Matt Damon’s “The Martian”.

The war against drugs continues to escalate. A by the book FBI agent, Kate (Emily Blunt) is enlisted by an elite government task force official, Matt (Josh Brolin) to aid in the fight. The leader of the team is an enigmatic consultant with a dark past (Benicio Del Toro). The team sets out on a clandestine journey that takes them back and forth across the border between the US and Mexico.

Events that occur on the mission cause Kate to question everything that she believes in order to survive. She is not sure who can be trusted. The story unfolds from there…
“Sicario” is a Dark Saga that is ambitious. It gets the word across. It’s not black and white, but deals a lot in the “Gray Areas”. You see up close what the war on drugs really looks like. There is plenty of action, suspense and intrigue. It’s in your face bloody.

On a small front, “Sicario” reminds me of Steven Soderbergh’s 2000 hit “Traffic”.
“Sicario” is a must see!

This is a 4 1/2 Star Movie!