Movies in Review: "Den of Thieves"

I love a good heist thriller, and with a cast like this it was hard not to expect something great. The trailer boasts strong bravado, which can be overpowering, but seemed to work in this trailer. I liked the "good" guy’s vs "bad" guy theme in the trailer. I was expecting great action and a story that would live up to what I loved so much in the trailer...and somewhat it did...

This film is very reminiscent of other great action heist thrillers like The Town, however failing to fully live up to it. It had everything going for it, but didn't have a cohesive story-line to keep it tight and in control. I love the actor O'shea Jackson Jr. is becoming, and I loved his character in this film. Curtis Jackson, along with Gerard Butler, and Pablo Schreiber provided the muscle and bravado. If you look past the impossibilities of this heist, it wouldn't be a bad movie. However, although some parts of the story are fairly decent, there a still plenty that will have you giving this film the side eye. The movie had a great build up, then towards the end started to take a nose dive for me. Although I loved the twist, it felt like a desperate move to save this film, which actually worked a little...lol.

I keep getting asked if this film is worth seeing. If you set your expectations a little low, I would say this movie is definitely entertaining to watch. However if you are expecting something extraordinary, you might find yourself leaving the theater a little disappointed like I did. The ending helped to boost my grading for this film, although the ending felt like desperation...C+

Movies in Review: "Proud Mary"

Okay...so I know I'm not the only one who thought the Proud Mary trailer was corny as hell, but was still willing to give this movie a chance JUST because our girl Taraji was starring in it. Or perhaps you knew what we all knew about this movie and decided not to even bother. I took my chances, just to see how Taraji's performance as a hitman worked. I was also hoping that the corny trailer was done purposely and the film actually had more and better to offer. My fingers were crossed on this one...

Ummmmmm...yeah...the film doesn't get much better than that trailer. Even the musical soundtrack failed this film. The best part about this movie was Taraji, who actually wasn't that bad as a hitman. Unfortunately she could not save the direction nor writing in this film. It is as corny as the trailer looks. The gun sequences were great, but character development was a bust. It was a train wreck following this story. I thought the young man Mary was protecting was cute and he and Taraji seemed to have a great connection on-screen. I think the action sequences were ok, but over the top and unbelievable, especially the car screen where Taraji's Maserati gets shot up. This scene is shown in the trailer having me believe that car may have been bulletproof, that would be the only reason Mary should have still been alive right? SMH...Mary was bad ass, but there is really no story here.

I'm a little embarrassed Taraji took this role. She's better than this film. Taraji definitely kicked ass, but other than that, there is nothing else to see here ~shrugs...D+

Movies in Review: "The Commuter"

Another Liam Neeson film huh? It seems that Neeson's latest films are trying to remake the experience and feel of the first Taken film. A film that was amazing, no one saw coming and took everyone by surprise. All his roles after this film seemed to be imitations, and not very good ones. When I watched the trailer for The Commuter, I felt the same way, and wonder why he keeps taking these roles. He's starting to get pigeon holed, and that's not a good thing, especially when he was a decent actor, but now is our geriatric action icon ~shrugs. The trailer for this film was ok, and I could take it or leave it as far as seeing it goes. It just so happens I didn't have much going on and gave it a go. My expectations for this film were about average, perhaps even lower, so how disappointed could I be right?

This film definitely took me a bit by surprise, especially towards the middle of the film. It had very good, but also annoying moments. I enjoyed the plot, although I don't think it played out well in some aspects. Vera Farmiga's character, and whoever she worked for had me shook. I was afraid of what she would do next. The buildup to how far she could reach was great for the movie. However things got a little dull with all the walking back and forth and trying to figure things outs Neeson's character was doing. The action sequences were great, but the reasons, and suspicions failed the film, and then the ending was the nail in the coffin. I was on a high only to have this film fall short on the ending. Are you telling me that's it? All of that for what? What happened to the important people Farmiga's character worked for...meh.

This movie is full of action and thrills, but by the time it ends you will feel like you went through all of this for what? One of the last scenes reminded me of another film that took place on a bus instead of a train. It felt like a great start without a clear view of the light at the end of the tunnel. I hate when movies end like this. To my surprise this film had a great deal of thrilling potential, but succumbed to its faulty script at the end...C-

Movies in Review: "The Post"

The trailer presented what looked like a riveting story with a cast to match. Yes The Post ranked high on my list to see. I love films based on real events, and loved the focus of this story. It is fun to see what is involved in some decisions that can affect so many. I expected nothing less than great performances from Hanks and Streep. My expectations were high for this one.

I knew I would like this film, but I did not expect to love it as much as I did. This move had a running time of over 2hrs and kept my attention for every minute. I think many journalists would love this film. The script and direction was amazing. The battle between journalism and the government had me on the edge of my seat. It was a battle that needed to happen, and it was a woman at the head of it all. It was purposely done to show where men placed women during 1971. The theme of the country being run and decisions being made by old white men was heavy in this film. What was also heavy was the theme that there were no other races around during this time...I digress...but ijs.

Although we all know how this story ends, seeing the work that went into it was so powerful. I have to point out my favorite part in the movie was the scene at the newspaper when they were preparing to print the story. A very intriguing and beautifully filmed scene. By the time this film ended my heart was settling from racing and I said "That was a good movie". I don't find myself saying that too often, but this film is a work of theatrical art and well worth seeing...A+

Movies in Review: "Molly's Game"

Although the trailer for this film wasn't riveting, I am a huge fan of Chastain, and I have love for Elba. So needless to say, I went to see this film based on the cast. My interest was also peaked by the favorable reviews it was receiving from critics and audiences. I didn't think the film would be bad, and I was definitely planning to see it. However I wasn't running to the theater. I don't know, perhaps it was just my personal mood, or the overload of films being released this holiday season. Who am I kidding...I think it had more to do with the 2.5 hr running time this movie had. Time is of the essence, and a film better be worth me losing almost 3hrs of it...lol.

I definitely did not doubt the performances, which were exceptional from Chastain and Elba. The film started out great. I loved the way it was directed, and how Chastain's character narrated throughout. Chastain is strong and beautiful on-screen and can held down every scene she was in. It was tough seeing men's lives crumble under the addiction of gambling...wow. I really applaud the story, however the running time could have been shortened. By the end the movie did feel like it ran longer than what was absolutely necessary...ijs.

If you are a fan of crime dramas, this is a film that delivers. Although I really enjoyed it, I would still say it's not anything I feel you need to run to the theater to see, unless you have 3 free hours on your hand. I do think you need to see it, but with its running time I know I probably would have enjoyed it better on a leisurely day on my couch...B+