Tag: Julia Roberts

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!

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!

Secret In Their Eyes

“Secret in Their Eyes” is a “Spine Tingling Suspense Drama that doesn’t quite hit its mark”

A close knit group of FBI Investigators are torn apart when they find the daughter of one of the Investigators brutally murdered. Ray (Chiwetel Ejiofor) one of the Investigators, spends years trying to unravel and solve the case. He finds new evidence so he goes back to his old office and tries to piece everything together. He visits his old teammates Jess (Julia Roberts), Claire (Nicole Kidman) and Bumpy (Dean Norris) to get them on-board. The story unfolds from there…

Julia Roberts is awesome as the grieving Mother Jess. Beyond that the movie is just ok. I was expecting more given the fact that the cast are heavy weight stars. There is some sort of sexual tension between Ray and Claire, but nothing ever comes to light.

The story skips around a lot and there is a lot of back and forth showing events that occurred in the past. I expected more intensity that never materializes and the movie ends a bit too soon. This is actually a remake of an Argentinian Oscar winner.

“Secret in Their Eyes” is just ok. It’s one of those movies where if you don’t have anything better to do, go see it. Otherwise it can wait for cable.

This is a 2 Star Movie!

August: Osage County

Meryl Streep is “Brilliant” in “August:Osage County”

“August: Osage County” is about family dysfunction in the worst way. The strong willed woman of the Weston family have many issues. Family tragedy brings them together in the mid-west home that they grew up in, but after being together for a short time. Dark secrets come out that further divide them as a family. The story unfolds from there…
The movie is dark, very touching and at times very hilarious. It will definitely hold your attention. The cast is great together.

Meryl Streep deserves the Golden Globe nomination that she received for this movie.

Tracy Lett’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name debuted on Broadway in December 2007.