Movies in Review: "Bad Grandpa"

Oh how I love me some Johnny Knoxville. Yes I am a fan of his brand of funny. I enjoyed the trailer for Bad Grandpa because it was a switch from what his Jackass movies. I was looking forward to seeing him and the boy he had play his grandson. There was no way I was going to miss this movie because the trailer had me sold  with the pageant scene...lol...hilarious.

True to form, this movie is laugh out loud funny. The young actor who played Knoxville's grandson was hilarious, and a natural. Every scene was better with him in it. The stunts are as crazy as you would expect, although far toned down from those presented in any Jackass movie. My favorite scenes were the Pageant, Strip Club, and Diner scene...LMAO! Wow... the things this guy can get away with.

Lets be real...we all know these movies are nonsense, but if its funny, that's some nonsense I'd like to see. This movie is entertaining and you are guaranteed a laugh. I would recommend it...just because...B

Movies in Review: "The Counselor"

The trailer for this movie had very little appeal, it was the cast that brought me into the theater to see this movie. Brad Pitt is one of my favorite actors, as well as Fassbender, and I have a strange thing going for Bardem ever since seeing him in No Country For Old Men, a movie a enjoyed. Although the trailer made little sense, I was hoping it was a marketing ploy to draw people in. Unfortunately this was not the case...

This movie will leave you with so many unanswered questioned, you might find yourself more annoyed than anything. I was truly at a loss with this one. There was a point where I thought I had a clue, then the movie ended and I was lost again. The only consistent piece in this movie was a green truck that people were getting killed over. There is very little development anywhere else. I have no idea who the truck originally belonged to, who got the truck at the end, and what was Diaz's role in all of this.

Here are a few story lines that were too under developed. What was Rosie Perez put in the story for? I thought her character would have been more relevant, but ended up being a waste of time. Her son seemed more relevant to the story, but we only see him zipping by in a few scenes, with no dialogue. Can someone explain why Diaz went to a confessional?...so random. And who was Diaz working for, the gentleman at the end of the movie? Who was he? I enjoyed Pitt and a Bardem, but Pitt wasn't used nearly enough, and I wish I had a clearer understanding of Bardem and Fassbender's relationship.

This movie is real erotic, sometimes even a bit over the top. It's a little slow at the beginning, but picks up very well in the middle, and then totally flops at the end. I enjoyed the middle so much though that it has me on the verge of giving it a decent grade. Unfortunately there were more holes in the story leaving me unfulfilled...C-

Movies in Review: "12 Years a Slave"

Movies based from true stories are one of my favorite movies to watch. But the theatrical trailer for this movie had me readily anticipating it's release. With the outstanding cast, this movie looked like a winner. There was no doubt that I would get my monies worth for my ticket purchase. Hmmmmm...I feel like I owe them change, because I got way more than the money I paid.

If I could explain to you how powerful this film was, I think my heart would explode on this screen. Let me just tell you, I saw the movie more than 3 days ago, and my soul is still shaken by it. Chiwetel Ejiofor should be getting high praise and awards for his performance as Solomon Northup. The whole cast should for that matter. I have never in my life seen such a powerfully directed film. There are scenes that are purposely shot to take hold of your soul (ex. Plat hanging). I'm not gonna give you too much, but you might find yourself crying or screaming out loud at the subjects presented in the movie. Every scene is directed to capture an emotion. I honestly was exhausted, and in emotional pain when I left the theater.

This was by far one of the best movies I have seen this year. I would definitely say this is a MUST SEE, but this isn't for the faint of heart. Don't go to see this if you are an emotional wreck. I wouldn't recommend going to see it alone either because you might need a friend to help laugh you out of that angered state you may find yourself in. I loved it so much I would want to see it again, but this is one of those films that you only need to see once, and stays with you forever...A+

Movies in Review: "The Fifth Estate"

Hmmmmm...not sure why I stepped into the theater to see this one. I have never ventured to the WikiLeaks website, only heard about it on the news, and that wasn't even enough to get me to the site. I think I may have been caught up in the thrilling trailer (see...great marketing can go a long way). The trailer made the movie look more interesting than just the premise of the story. Oh, and I am a fan of Benedict Cumberbatch, so that may have had a little to do with it too...lol.

Well I should have went with my gut, because I didn't connect with this movie at all. Needless to say, most of the story was over my head. I'm not a news, or information/technology geek. As a matter of fact, too much information fries my brain. So I was basically sitting in the theater fried...lol. I understood very little of what was being said or going on. There were scenes that seemed to be intense, and I sat there wondering what the hell was everyone so tense about...smh...not my type of movie. The only comforting thing from this is that it isn't a lot of viewers type of movie, as it only made 1.7million in tickets sales its opening weekend, making it a box office flop.

I enjoyed Cumberbatch, but that's about it. This wasn't my type of movie, and the only thing I left the theater with was a headache. Please take my review for this film lightly, as I just could not get a grasp of it, to be fair...C-

Movies in Review: "Escape Plan"

I enjoy a good action movie, a Great action movie even better! When I watched the trailer for this film, I felt the story had great potential. It's was a bonus that I would also get to see Schwarzenegger and Stallone get their geriatric actions sequences on...lol. I can't say my expectations were high for this one, but I thought this movie would at least be interesting :).

I am happy to report that it met its mark on interesting...at least. The story of a man who breaks out of prison for a living, failed to impress with the plot of the movie. The opening scene was dry and almost had me leave the theater. I think I stayed because Curtis Jackson appeared playing an ex-con computer freak...that's funny.

The movie drags on for a little while longer, until Stallone's character meets up with Schwarzenegger, this is where the fun begins. I was surprised that I enjoyed Schwarzenegger as much as I did. this man has not lost his step. I would recommend Stallone to lay off the roids, because he looked ridiculous...smh. Other than that though, the pair were entertaining to watch. These two, unfortunately, were the only thing entertaining about this movie :(.

If you love action flicks and could care less about a decent plot, then this movie is right up your alley. I think this movie is fun to watch, but nothing you want to pay for. It will be just as entertaining from the comfort of your home...C-

Movies in Review: "Captain Phillips"

Tom Hanks can do nothing wrong in my book, and I would go see any movie he is cast to be in. With that being said, he was the only reason I went to see Captain Phillips. There was nothing really spectacular about the trailer in my opinion, except Hanks. As long as he was in it, I knew I wouldn't be totally disappointed. And I wasn't...at least not totally...

In my opinion, there was nothing really special about this story to make it into a 2+ hour movie. This story is more interesting for a book, than a big screen production. Nonetheless, it was still interesting to watch for the most part. The movie had a good pace at the beginning when we are introduced to Hanks character, and the Somali pirates. There were some nice suspense scenes that kept the film afloat, but the movie slowed down drastically once Captain Phillips and the pirates were on the life boats. The scenes until the climax at the end, consisted of yelling, some random gun firing, and Captain Phillips trying to reason ever so calmly with the pirates. This is where the movie could have used some sharp editing, and cut the running time for this movie by at least 25min...smh. It's not a good sign when you find yourself dosing off.

Hanks was great as Captain Phillips, and it is your investment in the outcome of his character that will ride this movie out until the end. The major climax scene at the end did have me on the edge of my seat. Things were getting super tense...lol.

I got exactly what I expected from this movie. It was decent enough, but the running time was its downfall for me. But overall it wasn't bad...B

Movies in Review: "The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete"

I'm sure many of you may have not heard of this movie. I think I saw the theatrical poster first, and then only saw the trailer for this film once. Honestly, the poster was enough to spark my interest for this movie, with the faces of Jeffrey Wright, Anthony Mackie, and Jennifer Hudson plastered on the front. The trailer only solidified it being a movie I had to see.

The young leads are played by two newcomers Skylan Brooks (Mister), and Ethan Dizon (Pete). The leads were perfectly cast because these two characters played off and complimented each other so well. Mister is uber resourceful, and a kid who knows the streets, while Pete is sweet and naive, both have vulnerabilities that may have you shedding a few tears. This hard knock life may prove to be a tear jerker for most of you, but you will also find yourself laughing and falling in love with these two.

Jennifer Hudson's role was small, but her performance was strong. Jeffrey Wright is always a great addition to any movie, playing any role, so you will never hear any complaints from me with his performance. Ummmmmm...Anthony Mackie...his look in this movie was doing it for me. Never seen this man look so fine (ok I know this has nothing to do with the movie...but I had to share ladies...lol) I loved him as the character Kris. It was the writing that really made these characters shine. It kept the movie "real", which I enjoyed the most. Jordin Sparks??? Couldn't figure out the relevance of her character, and thought her relationship with Mister was weird. Could have used more background on that part of the story. I also wasn't the happiest with the way the story ended...But anywho...

This movie was well written and performed. You will cringe at the obstacles these two young characters have to overcome, but feel joy with their strength and resilience. I had fun watching Mister & Pete, and I think you will too...B+

Movies in Review: "Gravity"

There was so much hype around this movie, but after seeing the trailer, I was only slightly intrigued. I think I only went to see the movie because it looked like a role I have never seen Bullock in. As a Bullock fan, I wanted her to do well. I had no clue how this story would play out as the trailer provides very little about the plot. All I could gather is that Bullock is lost in space, and had no idea how they could make a great story out of that. Well...a great story it was...Wow!

Let me first say that you can't go see this movie in anything less than 3D. I saw it in 3D, and wished I had bought a ticket for IMAX 3D. The visuals in this movie are half the experience in the film. The director did such a great job of putting the audience out in space with the characters. There were moments when I felt like I was weightless and out of oxygen...yeah it's like that. The story is very well written, I promise you won't want to leave your seat once it begins. Kudos Bullock, you did your thing. Clooney made the movie fun, and its funny I just realized the 1.5hrs only included them and the elements in space...lol.

Gravity sent me on a space adventure that gripped me. I felt a part of Dr. Ryan's whole experience. There is no way to experience this movie but on the big screen. Seeing it at home would be a waste. Go see this one while it's out. I want to see it again in IMAX 3D, and I rarely want to spend money to see a movie twice...lol...A+!

Movies in Review: "Runner Runner"

I had no interest at all in seeing this movie because Justin Timberlake was cast as the lead. It was Ben Affleck and Anthony Mackie who changed my mind. I was hoping with the addition of these two, the movie would at least be tolerable. Well I was right about tolerable...smh.

Ugh! How in the world does Justin Timberlake keep getting lead roles in movies? He is freakin awful. Unfortunately for this movie it wasn't only Timberlake's performance that failed, but almost everything else as well. The storyline for this movie was juvenile and felt like it was written from a crime-drama handbook. There was little to no character development. The action in the film was unbelievable, and the ending predictable.

So I guess I'm suppose to believe Timberlake's character would go all the way to Costa Rica to have a face to face with the guy who owns an on-line gambling site just because the site cheated him...come on! And even more unbelievable is that he is able to get his face to face by pulling a silly camera stunt!?...awful. I didn't get Timberlake's character. Was he suppose to be a tough, bad ass, because he walked the line on that and a kid out of water. If there was a stronger actor playing the lead, this movie probably wouldn't have been half as bad as it was.

Because of Ben Affleck, this movie is at the most, tolerable, but I can't give it anymore than that. Not the best film out now, so why bother. Catch a rental, or sneak into this one, Affleck at least makes it worth that...D+