Month: August 2019

Angel Has Fallen in AMC Dolby

“Angel Has Fallen” is a good Action/Adventure flick with a tightly wound plot that unravels it’s self at the end.

Not everyone agrees with President Trumbull (Morgan Freeman) of the United States on his views about war and combat. Little does the President and his Security Detail know that the trouble maker is right in the President’s cabinet. When there is an Assassination attempt on President Trumbull, his best and most experienced Secret Service Agent, Mike Manning (Gerard Butler) is framed and ends up on the run. The story unfolds from there…

As I stated in my opening lines, “The plot is tightly wound”. You will scratch your head for a while trying to figure things out. Once it becomes clear everything goes downhill quickly.

There is lots of action, suspense and intrigue and some nice cinematography. There are times when the scenes will get on your nerves and you will want to wring your hands. That’s the reason “Angel Has Fallen” is not a 4 or 5 Star movie.

That being said, “Angel Has Fallen” is an enjoyable movie and still worth a look.

This is a 3 ½ Star Movie!!

The Angry Birds Movie 2

Although I did see/review the first installment, “The Angry Birds Movie 2” was not on my original “Watch List”, but after seeing a couple of deep trailers I decided to check it out.

The Flight-less Birds and Pudgy Pigs are back and they are taking their feud to a new level.
The Birds are unaware that a long time ago one of their own had a romance and left the bride behind. In present time the jilted Eagle who was left at the Alter, is planning and executing her revenge. Everyone is fair game. The story unfolds from there…

This installment is hilarious!! There is everything from “Speed Dating” to “Star-Crossed Lovers”.
Adults will get and understand the story, young children will not. While this is animated, it’s still plays for adults.
Next to “Toy Story 4” and “The Secret Life of Pets 2”, “The Angry Birds Movie 2” stands tall.

There is great cinematography and excellent special effects. There is a story, a plot and raw humor. What else do you need in an animated movie?

“The Angry Birds Movie 2” will offer comic relief and animation for those who need it.

This is a 3 ½ Star Movie!!

The Art of Racing in the Rain

“The Art of Racing in the Rain” is based on the best-selling novel by Garth Stein. The story is about a race car driver, Denny Swift (Milo Ventimiglia), who has a dog named “Enzo”. Together they go through the day to day of life as a Racer Car Driver and his dog. Denny soon meets a woman, Eve (Amanda Seyfried) who becomes the love of his life. Denny and Eve soon get married and life really starts. The story unfolds from there…

I did not read the book, but I thought the movie was pretty good. It held my attention and had many elements that are expected in a dramatic type of film. There are lump in the throat moments and teary eyed moments, but that is to be expected because this story brings those emotions to the surface. While there are a lot of things going on in the movie, one thing stand out, “A Man and his Dog” going through good times and bad times. A Dog is one of the most faithful friends a person can have.

The paid critics were not too high on “The Art of Racing in the Rain”, but I think it’s worth a look. The movie is about life and almost everything that is in the movie could happen in real-life.

This is a 3 ½ Star Movie!!

The Kitchen

Three Hell’s Kitchen Housewives soon find themselves husband-less because their husbands tried to rob a liquor store and failed. Once their husbands were sentenced to spent time behind bars, the three wives went about hatching their own plans to make money in Hell’s Kitchen. The story unfolds from there…

I had high hopes for “The Kitchen” when I first saw trailers of the movie, I thought wow this should be interesting.
My hopes were dashed only 20 minutes into the movie. The movie was dry and lifeless, almost listless. I found myself a bit bored.
There was no real back story. Each housewife had a story, but it never really came to the surface. Those stories should have come to the surface even for just a few scenes so you could understand the events that happened.

There is some suspense and intrigue, but not nearly enough to justify a $15 dollar movie ticket. I was very surprised given the cast in the movie, but it just goes to show that a great cast does not always translate into a great movie.

I say wait for cable for “The Kitchen”.

This is a 1 Star Movie!!

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw in AMC Dolby

Finally an entertaining movie!! I will admit I was a bit concerned when I first learned that the “Fast & Furious” Franchise was continuing. I tried to image what was coming next…
It’s great that they went back to the drawing board and figured out how to put out a new fresh installment/spin-off. I am a big fan of the “Fast & Furious” Franchise. I am glad they are back!!

This installment brings sworn enemies lawman Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and lawless outcast Shaw (Jason Statham) together when cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist Brixton (Idris Elba) gains control of an insidious bio-threat that could alter humanity forever. The usual bickering ensues between Hobbs & Shaw, but at the end of the day it’s all about saving the world and humanity. The story unfolds from there…

The movie has non-stop action, is extremely entertaining, funny at times and has some stupidly wild stunts. The kind of stunts that are “Don’t Try This at Home” type of stunts. The cinematography is fantastic!! Great camera angles put you right in the mix of the action. There is even some cool computer hacks. This is a good start to a “Fast & Furious” spin-off. I am sure we have not seen the last of Hobbs & Shaw.

This is a 4 Star Movie!!