Marvel’s Ant-Man: The IMAX 3D Experience

“Ant-Man” one of the founding members of Marvel’s The Avengers is brought to life on the big screen.

Master thief Scott Lang “Ant-Man” is called upon by his mentor Dr. Hank Pym to help protect the secret of behind the phenomenal Ant-Man suit.

With the ability to shrink to less than the size of a dime, gain extra-ordinary strength and speed, “Ant-Man” along with some of his closest friends (human and ants) device a plan to stop Dr. Pym’s secrets from not only being discovered and used for evil, but they must also save the world. The story unfolds from there…

The story starts off a bit slow, but soon becomes a runaway freight train and is very entertaining. The Cinematography is great!! The special effects are very cool. The movie is funny, clever and has plenty of action. The movie is better than I expected.

If you are going to see “Ant-Man”, it’s a definite must see in IMAX.

This is a 3 1/2 Star Movie

Self/less

“Self/less” is “Selfish”!! Its “Selfish” in its Execution and “Selfish” in its Delivery.

An extremely wealthy business man Damien (Ben Kingsley) is dying from some form of neurological cancer. He is offered a chance to undergo a form of radical treatment that transfers his consciousness into a healthy younger man.

Once the transfer takes place and the healthy young Damien (Ryan Reynolds) wakes up, is rehabilitated and starts his new life, all is not what it seems. As the younger Damien starts to uncover the mystery of the original older Damien, the secret society behind the treatment will stop at nothing to protect its cause.
The story unfolds from there…

This is one of the worst executed stories I have seen in a long while. It seems that the story is being made up as it moves along. There are so many miss-connected dots. The story does not flow at all. It starts off odd, gets odder as the movie continues and ends in strange fashion.
This is a movie that should have gone straight to video. Its not worth the money. In fact it probably should have been placed on the cutting floor.

It was a waste of Ben Kingsley and Ryan Reynolds acting abilities.

I do not recommend “Self/less”

Inside Out: Real 3D

“Inside Out” is a brilliantly executed animated movie about the emotions that live in all of us. The movie is centered on Riley, her Mom and Dad. The business of growing up can get a bit bumpy along the way.

Riley’s Dad gets a new job and has to up root the family to move from Minnesota to San Francisco. The challenges that this move represents to Riley causes her emotions to struggle with the day to day changes. The emotions live at Headquarters in Riley’s mind. Joy (Amy Poehler), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), Anger (Lewis Black), Fear (Bill Hader) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith).

At one point “Joy” and “Sadness are lost, so “Anger”, “Disgust” and “Fear” take over at Headquarters. The story unfolds from there…

“Inside Out” may be an animated movie, but it’s for adults as well as the younger set. I found myself in tears at one point because there were parts of the movie I truly can relate to my own childhood.

“Inside Out” is cute, funny, thought provoking, meaningful, touching and at times sad. The movie explores family challenges that occur in everyday life.

Check out “Inside Out”.

This is a 5 Star Movie!

Magic Mike XXL

I did not see the 2012 installment of “Magic Mike”. I thought it was cheesy, so I decided to skip it. After seeing an extended trailer I decided to give “Magic Mike XXL” a look.

All I can say is “Ooh La La!!! Eye Candy, Six-Packs and G-Strings Galore!!”

Mike (Channing Tatum) has given up the Stripper Life and owns his own Furniture making business in Florida. His old stripper friends come calling. They want to do one last blow-out show. With great reluctance Mike (Channing) agrees to join them, so they hit the road for Myrtle Beach.

What keeps “Magic Mike XXL” from being a 4 or 5 star movie is that the first 40 minutes is BORING!!

In comes Rome (Jada Pinkett Smith) and wow! The story picks up! From that point until the end you do not want to leave your seat!

Its sultry eye popping moves and G-Strings flying. The enticing dances are smooth and slick. “Magic Mike XXL” works really hard to keep it “R” rated, but with a little imagination it’s all “X” rated.
BTW…For you NFL fans, former NY Giants player Michael Strahan is in this movie. You will see him like you have never seen him before. I was shocked!!

“Magic Mike XXL” is definitely a “Chick Flick”. It’s all for the ladies. It’s definitely worth seeing even though the first 40 minute are a drag. The music is awesome!

I anticipate that “Magic Mike XXL” will do better than the $40 million opening weekend its 2012 predecessor enjoyed.

This is a 3 Star Movie!

Terminator Genisys: The 3D IMAX Experience

I can sum up “Terminator Genisys” in a couple of sentences…

It’s better than the two previous installments, but unfortunately it’s not as good as the first two installments.

“Terminator Genisys” is the same story only it’s being told with a time travel twist. The one intriguing element is that the time travel is done in the nude.
There are lots of explosions, action and gun fire. The best thing about the movie is Arnold Schwarzenegger. If he were not in this installment, it definitely would not be worth watching. His grin is hilarious.

The trailers made this installment look really interesting and worth seeing. Unfortunately the story is disjointed and there are two many sub plots that are not completed. This is the first of a new series of installments of this franchise. I am not sure where they are going from here, but I guess we will find out in a couple of years.

“Terminator Genisys” is best viewed on DVD or Blue Ray.

This is a 1 1/2 Star Movie!

Jurassic World: 3D The IMAX Experience

Finally the long awaited next installment in the Jurassic Park Series has finally arrived!!

“Jurassic World” is a thrilling ride!! It’s definitely edge of your seat entertainment. The cinematography and special effects are very good and there is a lot of action.

The absolute best elements of “Jurassic World” are actor Chris Pratt and the T-Rex’s. The remaining cast-of-characters are very underdeveloped. Bryce Dallas Howard appears to me as if she is afraid to act or show any emotion in the movie. The story is a bit sketchy. You are not really sure what the plot is.

Although the characters are from the famed writer Michael Creighton’s books, his stamp is not as apparent as in previous installments.
If you are a fan of the Jurassic Park franchise, by all means do see “Jurassic World”. It’s a definite must see in IMAX, but not 3D.

This is a 3 Star Movie!

Tomorrowland The IMAX Experience

“Tomorrowland” was not on my original “Watch List”. I wished I had left it that way…

“Tomorrowland” is about an idealistic former boy-genius and a optimistic teenage girl who has a scientific curiosity, they together embark on a dangerous adventure to a place somewhere in time between the past, present and the future known as “Tomorrowland”. They must find a way to unearth the secrets that threaten to destroy the present. The story unfolds from there…

The story starts off a mystery and remains a mystery throughout to the end. There are parts of the movie that show promise, but when the light starts to dawn, it dims quickly. The story is all over the place and never in one place. There is some nice cinematography and some interesting special effects but that’s about it.
George Clooney is very good in Dramatic, Political, Suspense type movies. He should stick to those.

I was not impressed with “Tomorrowland”. In fact I was bored and thought about leaving mid-way through, but decided to stay until the end so I could see how it finished. There was no real bright spot at the end either.

“Tomorrowland” is best viewed on cable. I would not spend money on the DVD or Blue Ray.

This is a 1 1/2 Star Movie!

Mad Max: Fury Road The IMAX Experience

“Mad Max: Fury Road” was not on my original “Watch List” as I am not a fan of the Classic Mel Gibson installments, but after I checked out some very early reviews, I decided to give it a look.

“Mad Max: Fury Road” is insanely crazy!! It’s explosive, It’s strange, but very entertaining.

Thirty years later here is the fourth installment in the Mad Max Franchise. Director George Miller takes things to a new level. It’s like Steam Punk meets The Cannon Ball Run which in turns meets a Road Derby.

“Mad Max: Fury Road” is thrilling, violent, and action packed. Dirt flies like never before. You won’t be bored. There are plenty of surprises. It’s also strangely weird!! If you are expecting a plot of some sort, forget it!! “Mad Max: Fury Road” is void of such elements as a Plot or Story. The movie is just non-stop craziness.
Charlize Theron is brilliant as “Imperator Furiosa”.

If you are a fan of the Classic Mad Max films, “Mad Max: Fury Road” is not to be missed.

This is a 4 Star Movie!!

Avengers: The Age of Ultron – The IMAX 3D Experience

They are back!! “Avengers: The Age of Ultron” is a good sequel, but not great! It does not compare to its predecessor.
Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) activates a dormant peace keeping program, but somewhere along the way things go awry and the team finds themselves involved in an epic battle to save the planet. The story unfolds from there…
What would have made this installment great is a better plot. The plot is very underdeveloped. Saving the world has now become a hard working job for The Avengers. Their latest nemesis Ultron gives the team all they can handle and more. Ultron is like an energizer bunny, he just keeps coming and coming.
There is lots of non-stop action, edge of your seat thrills and constant mayhem. There is even reason to laugh a bit. “The Age of Ultron” is a definite must see in IMAX, but 3D is not necessary.
If you are a fan of the Avengers then “The Age of Ultron” is a must see.

This is a 3 1/2 Star Movie!!

The Age of Adaline

“The Age of Adaline” is about a woman, Adaline Bowman (Blake Lively) who remains 29 years of age for 8 decades due to an accident. Although Adaline does constant research about her strange dilemma, she can find nothing in any medical journal.
So Adaline goes about living a solitary life because she is afraid of running into someone who might reveal her secret. A Chance meeting of a good looking philanthropist Ellis Jones (Michiel Huisman) reignites her passion for life and romance. Ellis invites Adaline to his childhood home for a long weekend to meet his parents (Harrison Ford and Kathy Baker), but it turns out that Ellis’s Dad is a man from Adaline’s past. The story unfolds from there…
The first part of the film is boring, this is due to the fact that Blake Lively sashays through her scenes as if she is on a runway. Once Helen Burstyn, Harrison Ford and Kathy Baker appear in the movie, things get interesting. Unfortunately they are not in the movie very much.
I can think of several other actresses (Anne Hathaway, Sandra Bullock or Julia Stiles just to name a few) who could have played the role of Adaline Bowman better.
With all of that being said, “The Age of Adaline” is still a “Date Night” movie.

This is a 2 1/2 Star Movie!