Quick & Good Movie Reviews
These guys were trying to do something that never happened. All of the A list actors were just walking thru their scenes. This is true schlock of a movie. A waste of perfect good time. EXPEKT -O – METER Before 7.5 – After 3 > >...
Movies like this are the reason movie reviewers hang up their blogs. This a very a forgettable movie except for James Francos’ naked body being stuck in my head. I need a thought enema. It is terrible with the effect of making a mockery or anything we call terrible. Just pass on this. I have no idea why this talented crew took on this project. It is very strained entertainment. EXPEKT – O –...
WOW!!! A great one only comes around a few times a year. Give yourself a treat and see this movie. It has a broad spectrum of emotions that I do not remember ever being so tightly packed into a screen work. This one clicks on all levels. It has a spectrum from menacing to sweet tenderness and state secrets to simple humanity, with some great laugh lines sprinkled in. . There is also, of...
This is a wild and crazy screenplay that somehow made it to the screen. A bit of a miracle in itself. Where to start? See it, for one. It is wacky, crude, funny, unpredictable and has a lot of laugh lines. I mean belly laughs if you are twisted enough. Now you better know who I am. It has a great cast: Woody Harrolson, Francis Mcdormod, Sam Rockwell (one of my favorite bad guys)...
This is the story of Charles Dickens in 1843 and all of the torment he brought to himself and his family in mining “The Christmas Carol” story from himself. It was masterfully presented. Christopher Plummer plays Scrouge who became the Dickens muse in writing the story. It is brilliantly presented. They really made the story come to life. I walked out with a greater appreciation of life and all of it’s struggles. EXPEKT –...
This is Fun , Educational, and spectacular. It is the story on the Mexican day of the dead, La Dia de las Muertas. I learned many new things about this deeply rooted Mexican Holiday. I have been in Mexico and seen the decorated grave sites. This fun and up beat Disney animation movie brings the stories, rituals and beliefs of this holiday to life. I liked the POV and had a lot of fun...
This is a riveting story of a legally skilled lawyer on the ropes after his partner suddenly slips into a coma. The story has several unpredictable plot twists as this savante of a lawyer struggles to find his footing. It is expertly acted by Densel Washington and Collin Ferrell. I was completely drawn in by this story. It is a bumpy ride but one worth sitting through. EXPEKT – O – METER Before 7...
This is a quite quirky, coming of age story. It is told from the main characters point of view and narrated by her at times. It has a lot of humor in it, some innocence and a lot of teenage angst. It is a very viewable movie. It truly grew on me in an emotionally endearing way. The dad is a big teddy bear and the mom the combative one wanting the best for...
I was surprised how much I laughed during this movie. I was entertained. The writing and acting was more natural and less pratfallish than these usually come across. There is plenty of beef cake, gals with Mark Wahlberg and Mel Gibson playing father and son rolls. It is a goofy improbable story but there is a story and some cute scenes. EXPEKT – O – METER Before – 7 – After 7.5 > >...
This is a great little movie! It has enough intrigue, period touches and great acting to get two thumbs up from me. The all star cast brings this story to life with great flare. There is an upper crustliness to the whole story. The train is first class, when first class actually meant something. It is pre-cell phone so people actually talk with each other. It is fun to watch and have this mystery...
This is a surprisingly good movie for a Marvel Comics production. The crew is relaxed, jokey and obviously having fun in this sequel. The story is way far fetched but why not? After all, it is a comic book on film. It has a some laugh lines and many improbabilities but is none the less a super hero romp filled with plenty of surprises. Kate Blanched plays the “bitch from hell” part and does...
This is a portrayal via Woody Harrelson into the life of President Lyndon Banes Johnson and it is quite good. The way Harrelson plays Johnson is not from extreme likeness but more mannerisms. He captured something of the actual man in his swearing, his harsh, mannerisms, his dagger eyed stared and his folksy story telling. The production value is high and with Rob Reiner as director, the performances by all actors was top notch....
This is a wonderful romp of a story into the making of the much loved Winnie The Pooh story book. It was after WW1 And it seemed all of England had a frowny face on it. A well known British play write A.A. Milne took it on to turn that frown upside down. He did it by playing with his son in their 100 acre country estate. He spent his days harvesting the young...
This movie is a true story. It does a very good job of tracking an Iraq war returnee. He is in the war one day and back with his year later family the next. There is no transition team. His war memories and unresolved inner conflicts tear at him and his war buddies. They struggle and seek help from a slow motion VA outreach system as they wrestle inner daemons and try to be...
This was a disturbing Coen Brothers film. Typical of their movie style, it had surprising brutality that carried us from plot point to plot point. As it unfolds with constant unbelievability we are bouncing along a bumpy plot to a twisted ending that leaves several questions to back fill in out own imaginings. It is a very dark and improbable story that is typical for the Coen Brothers. Quirky, one could say, disturbingly quirky,...
Jackie Chan is back.This story takes us into a complicated story that reveals itself a layer at a time. The Jackie Chan character is after justice for the tragic death of his daughter. The layers are so intricate in this story that I do not want to spoil any of if for you. The dramatic tension is expertly managed to have us leaning into the next plot point with anticipation. This is a hallmark...
This is one of those movies that completely drawn you in. It is a true story that is very well told. It is about “The Granite Mountain Hot Shots”. They were in the news several years ago. They are an elite 20 man fire fighting team from Prescott, Arizona. They were trapped by a fast moving fire and 19 were killed. This is that story. It is excellently acted and a respectful tribute story...
This is a strongly written story of Bobby Riggs and Billy Jean King. They were locked into a war of words over women in athletics and their worth. It all culminated with a showdown tennis match, man against woman. It is a very well told story with many personal nuances of their lives. Emma Stone and Steve Carrel are the leads and they both convincingly embodied their characters. I understand they both had serious...
If you enjoy excessively long movies (2.43), that are dark, brooding, with plot points unsatisfactorily peeled back to reveal a big ‘so what’ and takes itself entirely too seriously, then this just might be for you. Great acting, wonderful set design and a fantasy sex scene we all have done at one time or another. His dream gal ( a true beauty ) is inhabiting his actual sex partner. Sound familiar? Just checking. All...
This was a slow dance through a very tightly formal period in the British upper encrustedness. It plays somewhat lightly as a story with some serious underpinnings that finally energy to upset the apple cart. Victoria becomes enamored or even smitten with an Indian who is a servant in a court function. He becomes her teacher. They travel together and spend many hours together. They enjoy each others company and he becomes her official...
This is a well acted and fascinating portrayal of a hidden part of our US national history. Tom Cruz plays Barry Seal (google him) who flew drugs, guns and Contras into and out of Central America starting in the 1950s. He made millions of dollars, shot aerial photos of Cuba and Central American rebel camps. He was a hero and a privateer. He was convicted of drug trafficking and let off with a light...
This movie is very slow moving to the points it wants to make. If you can stick with all of the parental – offspring angst, you might find a life lesson tor two in it. Ben Stiller plays his usual Jewish stumble bum competent and is almost tolerable to watch as he feels his way to finding a good college for his son. EXPEKT-O-METER Before 7 – After 6.5 > > >...
Jake Gillenhall portrays a guy who lost both legs during the Boston Marathon bombing. By focusing on how this single life was transformed, we take in the real life trauma of that historical event. It is well acted and compelling. We see how traumatic this event was and how many people are affected when a single person is traumatized. EXPEKT-O-METER Before – 7 – After 8 > >...
This is a fun romp of a take over of the world / save the world James Bondien slapstick hero journey. It starts with an over the top and clever car chase segment. We are off to the races of solving the diabolical chick about to amass an even larger fortune from her government sanctioned recreational drug distribution empire. We are taken on a big ride with all of the bells and whistles. It...
Mother Do not see this movie. It is a horror show, something like watching Trump tallies on election night. It is abhorrent, ugly, disgusting, bizarre, ridiculous and painful to watch. Two young girls were analyzing it for me as I walked out of the movie. They were enthusiastic at all of the metaphors in the movie. That just did not resonate with me. Yuck, ugliness on all fronts is what I have to say....
This is a must see movie. It is expertly acted. Charlie Sheen is the lead actor. Welcome back Charlie. It is a simple, yet dramatic story of 5 people stuck in a North World Trade Center elevator as an aircraft crashes into the South Tower. The elevator passengers freak out and ultimately bond to rescue themselves, with a little help from Whoopie Goldberg. It is an up close and personal account of the events...
Another story from actual like that plays quirkily well. This is a simple story of a stand up comic and part time Uber driver finding romance and his comedic voice. He is Pakistani. There are “traditional” complications with him liking a Caucasian girl. A lot of cultural complications. Then she gets sick, more complications from another direction. It is a story of diversity and resolutions where you might least expect them. It has a...
This is a romp of a movie. It is slow paced. It is shot and acted like a “B” movie. The wrap up of this story is BRILLIANT and well worth the tedium of many of the scenes. I kept asking myself: where is this all going? Maybe that was the plan of the crew. It works very well in a glance over the shoulder. :o) EXPEKT – O – METER Before 9 –...