Category: Drama

Deepwater Horizon

“Deepwater Horizon” is based on the true story about the worst oil spill in American History. The events are played out in the movie in painful fashion. Director Peter Berg really gives you an inside look at the good, bad and the very ugly of a horrific event.

As the events play out you will be on the edge of your seat. The tension mounts in pain-staking fashion. You will also be disgusted at how this all happened. Corporate (BP) greed takes center stage. Eleven lives were lost in this event. Those eleven lives were recognized at the end of the movie. The oil spill continued for 87 Days.

“Deepwater Horizon” is one of the better disaster movies. The movie is executed very well. The performances were awesome. There are many great panoramic views and the camera angles are mystifying. You won’t be bored.

If you can stand seeing a horrific event play out on the big screen, I say check out “Deepwater Horizon”.

This is a 4 Star Movie!

The Magnificent Seven (2016): The IMAX Experience

Remakes are never as good as the original upon which they are based, but the remake of the 1960’s The Magnificent Seven does a pretty good job. It’s pure “Pop Corn Entertainment”.

The cast is awesome. Think the “Wild, Wild West” of 1897 or better yet think “Gun Smoke”, “Dodge City” and Sheriff Matt Dillon.

The little western mining town, Rose Creek is under siege by a greedy tyrant named Bartholomew Bogue. He and his merry band of men over throw the town’s sheriff and his deputies. All of the town is in jeopardy, but one resident, Emma Cullen (Haley Bennett) and other desperate residents seek out the help of a Bounty Hunter who comes through town looking for one of his Bounties. The Bounty Hunter finds out he knows Bartholomew Bogue and agrees to help the town out. The story unfolds from there…

“The Magnificent Seven (2016)” does what it’s supposed to do. It provides great entertainment. There are no special effects, CGI’s or anything that would remotely remind you that we are in 2016. This is a good old-fashioned western. It’s not perfect, but the cast makes the movie worth watching. There is lots of western style violence, action and blood-shed. There is even a bit of comic relief.

If you like Westerns, you should enjoy “The Magnificent Seven (2016)”.

This is a 4 Star Movie!

Sully

“Sully” recounts the events that led up to US Airways Flight 1549 landing in the Hudson River. The flight’s destination was Charlotte, NC, but a “Bird Strike” hit the Airbus 320 Engines as it was climbing to reach its cruising altitude. The “Bird Strike” caused both engines to fail. The airplane was not able to make it to Teterboro or back to LaGuardia, so the next best option was to land in the Hudson River. The story unfolds from there…

The movie at times is a “Nail Biter”, but that is to be expected given what the movie is about. There is definitely some suspense and tense moments.

Tom Hanks gives a wonderful performance as Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger the Captain on US Airways Flight 1549.

This is actually a very well executed 96 minutes. The movie could have actually gone a bit longer as the ending was a bit strange. Kudos to Clint Eastwood. He still has the directing bug and he is excellent at it.

This is a 4 Star Movie!

Southside With You

Strong performances and great dialogue between Tika Sumpter and Parker Sawyer make this movie an interesting proposition, unfortunately the movie moves way too slow for the 1 hour and 24 minutes running time.

“Southside With You” is a day in the life of Michelle Robinson and Barack Obama before they became a couple. There are some political undertones, but nothing to sway you one way or another. You will get a glimpse of the Barack Obama we know today.

This movie would have played best on Lifetime or Hallmark. The movie is short, but it seems really long because of how slowly it moved. I actually nodded off once…

I say wait for “Southside With You” to arrive on Cable, DVD or Blue-ray.

This is a 2 Star Movie!

Hell or High Water

This is another edition of “Thursday Night at the Movies with The Movie Warrior”.

“Hell or High Water” is a Well-Executed Western about two brothers who are trying to save the family farm/ranch after their Mother dies. The farm has a reverse mortgage and other debt on it. The brothers rob several small town Savings & Loans in rural Texas.
A soon-to-be retired Texas Ranger, Marcus (Jeff Bridges) and his partner are called in on the case. With years of experience between them, they figure out which town and bank might be hit next and they camp out in the area. The story unfolds from there…

“Hell or High Water” is very good! The movie is well paced and keeps you entertained.
It’s a modern day cops and robbers but with a Western-Theme. The out-come is not necessarily predictable.

“Hell or High Water” is open in “Limited-Release”.

If you like Westerns, “Hell or High Water” should not be missed.

This is a 4 ½ Star Movie!

Independence Day: Resurgence: The IMAX 3D Experience

Have you ever gone to the movies and while you were waiting for the movie to start, you have second thoughts…? That was my dilemma today. If I could have gotten my money back I would have left the theater. I just had my doubts about seeing this sequel.

It’s 20 years since “Independence Day” and we have taken up residence on the Moon. We have a fully operational Space Station with astronauts and scientists manning the station. Flights to the moon are routine. The current president of the United States is a Woman. A HUGH celebration is in effect honoring the fallen of 20 years ago.

On the Moon, we mistaken a friendly arrival from another planet who comes to warn Earth that an Intergalactic war is about to take place and Earth is in trouble. We fire upon the friendly ship destroying everything but its messenger. Once we find out what’s about to happen it’s too late. The Alien Ship with the “Queen” as already entered Earth’s air space. The story unfolds from there…

Bottom line…”Independence Day: Resurgence” attempts to match the same “End-Of-The-World” urgency that its predecessor did. It falls far short of even coming close.

While the movie is visually appealing and the CGI and Cinematography are stunning, the rest of the movie, story and plot are missing.

“Independence Day Resurgence” is best viewed on Cable.

This is a 1 Star Movie!

Free State of Jones

It’s another edition of “Thursday Night at the Movies with The Movie Warrior”.

“Free State of Jones” is an Epic Civil War Satire based on factual events that occurred between 1862 and 1876.

Matthew McConaughey is Newt Knight a stubborn southern farmer who goes up against the Confederate Army. Over time Newt assembles an army of his own made up of free slaves, women and white men who defected from the army.

They fought against farmers losing everything to the Confederacy, slavery, the right to vote and any act that was unjust or unlawful during those times.
This is a big story to tell and it can’t be told in 2 hours and nineteen minutes. The movie jumps around a lot. There are actually 2 stories occurring simultaneously. There are many holes left unfilled.

This is the type of movie that has all of the elements that grate on my last nerve, “Racism”, “The N Word being used rampantly”, “The KKK running amok”, “Hangings, Lynching” and “People being beat with a whip”.

If you wish to stomach all of that, have at it!!

This is a 2 Star Movie!

Me Before You

“Me Before You” is a screen adaptation of the NY Times Best Selling Novel by Jojo Moyes. I actually read this book and it was a “page turner”. I could not put the book down.

“Me Before You” is about two people who are unexpectedly brought together. Louisa Clark (Emilia Clarke) a small town Englishwoman has lost her long time job at the Buttered Bun. She is the major bread winner in her family. Louisa goes down to the Job Employment Center to find work. She is sent out on an interview for a position as a companion to a paralyzed wealthy Englishman Will Traynor (Sam Claflin).

Louisa is hired by Will’s mother Camilla Traynor (Janet McTeer) on a 6 month contract.
Louisa starts immediately, but during her introduction to Will Traynor, Louisa has second thoughts. The story unfolds from there…

With the exception of a few parts in the book the movie stayed true to the main story. I found the movie entertaining, moving and thought provoking. I thought that Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin were great together.

The movie is a bit of a tear-jerker, but based on the story that is to be expected.
I think that “Me Before You” is a good movie and it deserves a look.

This is a 3 ½ Star Movie!

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!