Author: moviewarrior

I am an IT Professional who has loved the movie going experience since Kindergarten. My favorite Genres are Action, Suspense/Thrillers, Drama, Sci-Fi, Animation, Art House and Romantic Comedies.

The Nice Guys

“The Nice Guys” was not on my original “Watch List” The previews never really enticed me, but within the last week, I decided to give it a look…

“The Nice Guys” is a Detective/Police drama set in the 1970’s. It’s a throw-back to the times when comedy was slap-stick and funny.

Jackson Healy (Crowe) and Holland March (Gosling) end up teaming up to locate a supposed missing porn actress. There is a lot of confusion about whether she is really missing or already dead. As it turns out the missing porn actress is dead, but there is someone who looks like her. She is on the run. Healy and March have to find her before other people do. The story unfolds from there…
“The Nice Guys” is at times hilarious! It is a nail biter, suspenseful and entertaining. There are some crazy scenes and crazy stunts. Some scenes appear unedited. This is definitely an “R” rated movie that could easily pass for “X” rated in some scenes.
The sound track is awesome. It’s mostly Motown sounds from the 70’s.

As it turns out “The Nice Guys” is definitely worth a look!

This is a 4 Star Movie!

Money Monster

Lee Gates (George Clooney) is the brash financial pundit on a daily T.V. show called “Money Monster”. Lee gives advice on stocks and securities to buy and sell. People around the globe listen to him and act on his advice.

One stock (IBIS) that Lee urged people to invest in lost $800 Million dollars over night. Where did the money go…?

Truck Driver Kyle Budwell (Jack O’Connell) was an investor in IBIS who vows to get answers. He just lost his life savings of $60K.
Kyle shows up at the studio where “Money Monster” airs live every day. The story unfolds from there…

“Money Monster” is a well-directed, well-acted movie that plays better as a Hostage movie as opposed to a Wall Street flick. Wall Street and its internal dealings are not featured enough.

The movie does keep it moving, but there are spots that need more explanation. Everything is neatly tied up at the end, but the movie ends a bit too soon.

This is a 3 Star Movie!

Captain America: Civil War the IMAX 3D Experience

It’s Thursday Night at the movies with The Movie Warrior!

I previewed “Captain America:Civil War” this evening. All I can say is the movie is “EPIC!!”

They took the best parts of The Avengers and the best parts of Captain America, threw in Spidey (Spiderman), The Black Panther and Ant Man and you have got yourself an action-packed non-stop “Live Comic Book”.

There are so many characters and sub-plots that if you are a fan of the HBO hit Game of Thrones, you will be right at home. The movie keeps it moving and keeps it coming. The stories and plots are real life.

The special effects are awesome and the cinematography is great. The movie is a must see in IMAX. The 3D aspects are pretty good. I caught myself ducking a few times.

At the end of the day, “Captain America: Civil War” all boils down to friendship and conflicts and how to best solve them.

It looks as though the Blockbuster season is getting off to a great start!

This is a 5 Star Movie!

Mother’s Day

“Mother’s Day” is a star-studded Dramedy that doesn’t quite meet the mark.

There are five different dramedies going on simultaneously in “Mother’s Day”. Each drama all boils down to the Mother or lack thereof in each person’s life.
The movie definitely has its hilarious moments. At least three of the dramedies are down-right silly, but at the end of the day the movie is unfulfilling.

From a Comedic stand-point Jennifer Aniston holds her own. From a more serious stand-point Julia Roberts holds her own. The script seems flat and everyone else in the movie is running in place.

There have been other star-studded holiday movies such as “Valentine’s Day” and “New Year’s Eve”. “Mother’s Day” is the worst of the lot.

This is a 1 Star Movie!

The Huntsman: Winter’s War

I had modest expectations for “The Huntsman: Winter’s War”. Unfortunately the movie did not even come close to meeting modest expectations.

Continuing the twist on the fable Snow White, “The Huntsman: Winter’s War” is about the powerful evil siblings; Freya the Ice Queen (Emily Blunt) and her sister Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) and their plan to conquer the Enchanted Forest. The only people who can stop them are the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) and his secret lover Sara (Jessica Chastain). The story unfolds from there…

The special effects, cinematography and big name cast are all that “The Huntsman: Winter’s War” has going for it. The story is dis-jointed. Three strong female actresses are swallowed up in the script. Chris Hemsworth come across as being cocky and full of himself.
What a waste…Instead of a fairy tale, I felt like the movie was a nightmare.

“The Huntsman: Winter’s War” is definitely a forgettable sequel.

This is a 1 Star Movie!

Criminal

“Criminal” offers familiarity, but lacks cohesiveness.

Bill Pope (Ryan Reynolds) who is a CIA operative is kept alive so that his memories can be surgically implanted in a dangerous criminal (Kevin Costner) so that the CIA can use the knowledge to stop an International terrorist. The story unfolds from there…

The problem with “Criminal” is there is no basis or context for the actions and events that take place in the first 12 minutes of the film. The story does not start of right, so you are left to your own devices to try and figure out the “What’s”, the “Who’s” and the “Why’s”.

While “Criminal” isn’t great by any stretch of the imagination, it is better than the 2014 “3 Days to Kill” which also starred Kevin Costner.

“Criminal” will be an excellent watch on DVD or Blu-Ray.

This is a 2 Star Movie

Barbershop: The Next Cut

After 10 years we get a fresh new appointment at Calvin’s Barbershop on the South-side of Chicago.

The crew that we came to love is still there, but the shop has undergone a major change. Calvin’s is no longer a male only Barbershop. Calvin has a female partner and there are several chairs rented to female hair stylists.
The female hair stylists bring their own brand of hair fashion, drama and gossip.
All in all the shop is very lively. The conversations flow and the quips keep coming and are just enough to keep the customers coming in.

Calvin’s Barbershop becomes more than just a place to get a hair-cut, shave or shampoo. There is real crime and gang problems on the South-side of Chicago and Calvin is tired of the youth dying before they have a chance to grow up.

Calvin’s Barbershop devises a plan to orchestrate a cease-fire for 48 hours. The story unfolds from there…

“Barbershop: The Next Cut” is entertaining, funny, hilarious and at times preachy, but the movie does raise important questions after race, violence and sex.

“Barbershop: The Next Cut” is worth a look if for no other reason than the entertainment factor.

This is a 4 ½ Star Movie!

Hello, My Name is Doris

“Hello, My Name is Doris” is another one of those movies that wasn’t on my original “Watch List”. I did not know Sally Field had recently made a movie.

“Hello, My Name is Doris” is cute, light-hearted and entertaining. Sally Field makes this movie. If it had been anyone else, I don’t think they could have pulled it off.

Doris Miller (Sally Field) works as an account at a NY City firm. She meets the company’s new art director, John Freeman (Max Greenfield) and sparks fly-at least for Doris. Doris wants to impress John and get his attention.

Mean-while in Doris’s cluttered house she shared with her now deceased Mother, Doris searches the internet for a way to get John to notice her as a woman and not a co-worker. Not finding what she is looking for, Doris gets some “Dating Advice” from her 13 year old granddaughter. Soon Doris wins over John’s friends and she finds a new perspective on life. Her family and close friends are worried about her and this causes a rift between them.
The story unfolds from there…

“Hello, My Name is Doris” is a very entertaining comedy-drama. Academy Award winning actress Sally Field plays the role of Doris Miller wonderfully.

“Hello, My Name is Doris” is open in limited-release around the country. Check it out!

This is a 4 Star Movie!

Eye in the Sky

“Eye in the Sky” was not on my original “Watch List” and I did not know the movie existed until a couple of weeks ago, but WOW!! What a well-executed movie!!
“Eye in the Sky” is about the dealings and procedures that take place when a Drone Strike has been ordered. Everyone (Military, Political and Legal) evaluates and measures the possible collateral damage and loss of human life against the killing of identified international terrorists and suicide bombers. The story unfolds from there…

“Eye in the Sky” is an excellent movie. The suspense and Intrigue are “Off the Chain”!!

Helen Mirren as Col Katherine Powell was awesome!

There was never a dull moment throughout the movie. An excellent Drama that does produce some ambivalence at the end, but it goes with the territory.
I highly recommend “Eye in the Sky” for those who like Military films with Politics mixed in.

This is a 4 1/2 Star Movie!

Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice in 3D

“Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice” would have been a great story had it not had so much confusion and sub-plots that were not complete.

A young Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) continues to be haunted by the death of his parents. He has continued nightmares even as an adult.

Superman (Henry Cavill) saves the metropolis from a space invader, but because there are some unforeseen casualties and injuries to some citizens, Superman is perceived by some as a bad super hero.

Lois Lane (Amy Adams) is forever chasing a story. She has to be saved by Superman from the middle-east when a village she is in is raided and most of its people are killed. This incident turns out to be staged, but it will be some time before this comes to light.

Lex Luther (Jesse Eisenberg) is an insane, crazy entrepreneur who will stop at nothing to take over the Metropolis. Lex tries to lobby with the Senator to get an export license to import an unknown substance into the Metropolis, but the Senator won’t bite. Lex Luther plots his revenge on the Senator and others including Superman and Batman. The story unfolds from there…
Overpowering mini stories destroy the bigger story in “Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice”. It’s a scenario of “You can’t see the Forest for the Trees.” The movie is just plain incoherent, over the top and way to long for what was presented.

Ben Affleck makes a horrible Batman. Ben Affleck is brilliant BEHIND the camera and that is where he should stay. The villain (Lex Luther) in this story is not very convincing. Other aspects of the movie are passable, but a bad Batman and not convincing villain destroys the credibility of the movie.
The one and only bright spot in the movie is that you get a glimpse of the “Justice League” who will be appearing in their own story soon.

This movie should have never come to pass. Christopher Nolan’s Batman Trilogy was the best and nothing can diminish that.

This is a 1 Star Movie!!