Adult Beginners (2014)

Directed by Ross Katz
Written by Jeff Cox and Liz Flahive, based on the story by Nick Kroll
Starring Nick Kroll, Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale and Joel McHale

A young, narcissistic entrepreneur crashes and burns on the eve of his company's big launch. With his entire life in total disarray, he leaves Manhattan to move in with his estranged pregnant sister, brother-in-law and 3-year-old nephew in the suburbs - only to become their nanny.

The ambition of Nick Kroll in his first starring roll is well placed with this film. In a performance with more layers than I thought he was capable of displaying, this is a refreshing change of pace from his hilarious but over the top skit show. His dry line delivery worked for his character and made for some big laughs on my part, but it is definitely a humor that not everyone will enjoy.

Tragedy is the foundation for the laughter in this film. But it is also the base of the heart as well. There are so many elements of this story that are easy to connect with and throughout the movie I saw myself and my sister in Nick Kroll and Rose Byrne.

I can totally get behind the lesson of the importance of family in this movie. It is something that I learned very early on and see so many people struggle with every day. While it might not be a perfect movie, it certainly has it's charm. It's definitely worth checking out.

My Rating: 7/10

This Must Be The Place (2011)

Directed by Paolo Sorrentino
Written by Paolo Sorrentino and Umberto Contarello
Starring Sean Penn, Judd Hirsch, France McDormand and Eve Hewson

Cheyenne, a retired rock star living off his royalties in Dublin, returns to New York City to find the man responsible for a humiliation suffered by his recently deceased father during W.W.II.

In a role that seems to contradict itself, Sean Penn plays a quiet, mild-tempered former rock star who seems to be trying everything he possible can to not be a cliché. This alone makes for an interesting character, but the filmmakers try to add more, unnecessary elements to make the movie more deep than it needs to be.

The first act is remarkably engrossing. The mannerisms and voice of the character Penn created was an astonishing change from the norm. The study of who this rock star really was after all of the lights and cameras were away and after he grew out of his drug habits was worth making a full-length movie. But they didn't focus on that too long.

In an attempt to make a statement that had already been made in the first five minutes, the writers decided to add the element of a dying Father who was held at Auschwitz during WWII. This played less like a genius twist in the story and more like a cry for an award. The plot had already been set and with the destination not having changed at all, the entire middle forty-five minutes just seemed gratuitous.

Sean Penn gives a killer, toned down performance that rivals many of his other roles. It's just a shame that it is wasted on half of this film. Despite a few technical editing problems (that are more of a personal opinion), I really enjoyed the beginning of this movie. It felt a lot like a Coen Brothers film. But the last half just killed it for me. It was trying to be something it just simply wasn't.

My Rating: 5.5/10

The Cobbler (2014)

Directed by Thomas McCarthy
Written by Thomas McCarthy and Paul Sado
Starring Adam Sandler, Method Man, Steve Buscemi and Dustin Hoffman

Max Simkin repairs shoes in the same New York shop that has been in his family for generations. Disenchanted with the grind of daily life, Max stumbles upon a magical heirloom that allows him to step into the lives of his customers and see the world in a new way. Sometimes walking in another man's shoes is the only way one can discover who they really are.

Throughout the run-time for this movie, the entire thing feels like it was conceptualized to be a short film, but some Hollywood big-wig got a hold of it, slapped Adam Sandler's name to it and told them to stretch it out to forty-five minutes longer than it should be. Or perhaps they just added too much to the plot.

Rather than changing the focus of the movie as many times as they did, they should have kept to the plot of the first two acts. A cobbler finds that one of his machines has these magical powers, then uses said machine for his own advantage, but soon finds himself in over his head. 

Had they stuck to that script instead of making him use his powers for good in a completely convoluted and unnecessary way, this could have been a better movie. But they decided to over complicate things to the point where it felt like the director didn't know what it was about.

Regardless of all the problems I had with this movie, I feel we remember Adam Sandler movies as being worse than they are. Now I'm not talking about "Jack and Jill" or another painfully bad movie. But on average his movies are -- well, average. 

I feel that there is so much hate thrown towards them because they aren't as good as "Billy Madison" or "Happy Gilmore". Would I watch "The Cobbler" again? No, unless it was on TV and every other channel was some TLC reality series. But I wouldn't go so far as to say this was a terrible movie. It's just average.

My Rating: 5.5/10

Movie Trailer Tuesdays - 4/28/15

Area 51
Directed by Oren Peli
Three young conspiracy theorists attempt to uncover the mysteries of Area 51, the government's secret location rumored to have hosted encounters with alien beings. What they find at this hidden facility exposes unimaginable secrets.

Ugh…. UGH….. UGGGGGGHHHHHH…. This trailer is filled with cheap gimmicks and bad acting. I like the concept, but the execution seems to be half-assed. Modern horror/thriller movies have gone down the toilet with the found footage format. "Area 51" hits theaters May 15th.

The Visit

Directed by M. Night Shyamalan

Starring Kathryn Hahn, Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould and Peter McRobbie

A single mother finds that things in her family's life go very wrong after her two young children visit their grandparents.

Confession time: I've got a soft spot for M. Night Shyamalan.  I have at least enjoyed all of his movies. Doesn't necessarily mean I loved them, but I did enjoy watching them. Though it is undisputed that this will not be as good or even close to "Unbreakable" or "The Sixth Sense", I am looking forward to this. "The Visit" hits theaters September 11th.

Mr. Holmes

Directed by Bill Condon

Starring Ian McKellen, Milo Parker, Laura Linney and Hattie Morahan

An aged, retired Sherlock Holmes looks back on his life, and grapples with an unsolved case involving a beautiful woman.

I was about to post the original trailer I had seen and tear it apart. It wasn't a very good trailer. But I found this one which is a huge improvement from the last. This one actually gets me excited for the movie, and having the song "Nero" by Two Steps from Hell is a plus! Seriously, check it out. It's beautiful. Now I'm actually looking forward to seeing this. And that, my friends, is the power of editing! "Mr. Homes" hits theaters July 17th.

Pitch Perfect 2

Directed by Elizabeth Banks

Starring Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow and Hailee Steinfeld

After a humiliating command performance at Lincoln Center, the Barden Bellas enter an international competition that no American group has never won in order to regain their status and right to perform.

This trailer made me laugh. A bit too much, actually. Having seen the first one, although I'm not crazy about it, it's actually making me look forward to this one. And worse comes to worst, I get to watch Anna Kendrick for two hours. And that's enough for me. "Pitch Perfect 2" hits theaters May 15th.

Black Mass

Directed by Scott Cooper

Starring Johnny Depp, Dakota Johnson, Benedict Cumberbatch and Joel Edgerton

The true story of Whitey Bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of South Boston, who became an FBI informant to take down a Mafia family invading his turf.

Damn, Johnny Depp! You scary! This just jumped up to my most anticipated fall release. My buddy had the chance to work on this film and that's just an added bonus to go see it! GO see Johnny Depp completely lose his mind on September 18th.

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The Omen (1976)

Directed by Richard Donner
Written by David Seltzer
Starring Gregory Peck, Lee Remick, David Warner and Billie Whitelaw

Upon the death of his newborn son, an American Ambassador is persuaded into witching out his child for that of a mother whom died in birth. When the child grows up, the Ambassador begins to notice strange happenings surrounding his child. He soon finds that the child he has been raising may be the son of the devil himself.

Back in 2006, I saw the remake of this classic horror movie. Upon seeing the original, I realized that the  filmmakers took no liberties with the remake. It is more less a shot-for-shot duplicate. Everything from the infamous "It's all for you!" line to the scene in the graveyard in Italy, there are little to no differences.

There is something about the 39 year-old original that has a much creepier. It is a phenomenon that is hard to explain. Perhaps it is the technology or lack there of. Or maybe it's just the performances. The lack of my familiarity with the actors could have made it easier to suspend disbelief unlike witnessing Live Schreiber and Julia Stiles go through the same situations. I honestly cannot pinpoint it.

One thing that I do know is that Gregory Peck was not at the top of his game. Some scenes were good, but others were corny and overacted. He didn't absorb himself in the role like he did in "To Kill a Mockingbird".

I can't remember how many times I've said I'm not a horror movie fan. I don't dislike them. I just don't have a blind loyalty to them like so many people do. It takes a lot for me to like a horror. It takes even more for me to love one.

This did not impress me. But it did entertain me. I kind of felt like I was cheating a bit though. Because the remake is so similar to this one, I feel as though I had already seen it. I'm curious to know how I would have felt if I had only seen this one. I wonder if I would have had a better appreciation for it.

My Rating: 6/10

Shrink (2009)

Directed by Jonas Pate
Written by Thomas Moffett, based on the story by Henry Reardon
Starring Kevin Spacey, Mark Webber, Keke Palmer and Dallas Roberts

Unable to cope with a recent personal tragedy, LA's top celebrity shrink turns into a pothead with no concern for his appearance and a creeping sense of his inability to help his patients.

A humorous, yet dark mosaic of the protagonists patients' lives, this film does a great job of bringing out the comedy in tragedy. The lives of the characters are all connected through mutual loss, drug addiction and depression, yet somehow find themselves amidst the chaos.

Kevin Spacey is fantastic, as has come to be expected from the two-time Academy Award Winner. He continues to prove himself as an actor that makes other actors better. That fact is most apparent in the scenes he shares with Keke Palmer.

I wouldn't go far to say that the young actress isn't talented. I would just leave it at her inexperience. Before this film, she had yet to impress me. And even as the troubled student aspiring to become a filmmaker, she never wowed. But it was definitely an improvement from other roles.

With a very basic and overdone plot, this movie won't stick out above many others. It is relatively formulaic and easy to predict. But it is definitely not a waste of two hours. I enjoyed it thoroughly. It's entertaining. And in the end, that's all you really need from a movie.

My Rating 6.5/10

The Age of Adaline (2015)

Directed by Lee Toland Krieger
Written by J. Mills Goodloe and Salvador Paskowitz
Starring Blake Lively, Michiel Huisman, Harrison Ford and Ellen Burstyn

A young woman, born in 1906 is involved in a freak accident which renders her ageless. As decades pass, she finds herself staying exactly the same as she was. Soon, people begin to notice, causing her to have to live her life constantly on the run. But after a lifetime and a half, she meets a man who might be worth exposing her secret to.

Unlike the titular character, this film keeps no secrets. In an incredibly coherent and detailed way, the cause and effect of what Adaline experienced is explained with uninhibited clarity. With each passing life event, the audience is told exactly where the protagonist stands. However, this does cause the plot to be very predictable.

Regardless of the lack of mystery behind what will happen next, I found myself wanting my prognosis to come to fruition. Everything that happens to the character is what is best for the story. It is most certainly a crowd pleaser.

Arguably, the most engrossing scenes of the film are those in which Harrison Ford first meets (or re-meets) Adaline. He shows an incredible vulnerability unlike I have ever seen from him before. It was as if it wasn't the same man who is Han Solo or Indiana Jones. He was completely unrecognizable in his mannerisms.

The man playing Ford's younger counterpart was incredible as well. He captured the deep, rumbling voice that many of us are accustomed too as well as the slight fluctuations that made it undeniable that this was William (Ford's character) in his 20s.

Blake Lively had the poise and sophistication of an old soul, creating a completely believable characters of a 107 year-old stuck in a 28 year-old's body. She commanded each scene with a grace that was reminiscent of the stars in the golden age of Hollywood.

It is definitely a film you have to be in the right mindset to see. As is the standard with all romantic films, many scenes are cringe worthy and filled with sappy one-liners. But where romances fail, as in the story and acting (I'm looking at you Nicholas Sparks!), this film exceeds expectations.

My Rating: 7/10

Memories of Murder (2003)

Directed by Joon-ho Bong
Written by  Joon-ho Bong, Kwang-rim Kim and Sung-bo Shim
Starring Kang-ho Song, Sang-kyung Kim, Roe-ha Kim and Jae-ho Song

In 1986, in the province of Gyunggi, in South Korea, the countries first serial killer is on the loose. Having been deemed incompetent for the case, the rural towns two detectives find themselves being babysat by an investigator from Seoul. Their polar techniques cause them to bump heads and often create a stand-still in the case.

From the start, it was hard to tell if this was supposed to be a dark comedy or a drama with a lot of comedic relief. Regardless of the subject matter, it was easy to find humor in much of the movies first act. Whether that was intentional or accidental is unclear, but seeing as how the beginning of the films as dedicated to showing the incompetence of the towns Police Department, I would say it was intentional.

As time went on, it became increasingly dark. It was almost as if it had become a completely different movie. But it worked. It was a great display of the stress of finding a killer the longer an investigation goes on, thus providing some insight into why these men would go to any lengths to get answers.

The story is very intriguing. It's a similar story to other murder mystery movies, but the setting of South Korea in the 80s added for an unfamiliarity that kept it interesting even at it's dullest moments. The similarities made for an easy connection and the differences were an interesting study into the countries culture.

Director Joon-ho Bong ("The Host", "Snowpiercer") proves yet again that he has an extensive and diverse style that transcends genre. It is remarkable that he can make such a serious, realistic murder mystery such as this as well as a sci-fi, apocalyptic thriller like "Snowpiercer".

This is an engrossing film that will make you laugh your ass off and then have you hanging to the edge of your seat in a five minute span. It reminded me much of David Fincher's "Zodiac", in the sense that it was creepy, intense and humorous all at the same time. This is definitely one you should definitely check out.

My Rating: 8/10

There Be Dragons (2011)

Written and Directed by Roland Joffé
Starring Charlie Cox, Wes Bentley, Dougray Scott and Rodrigo Santoro

Arising out of the horror of the Spanish Civil War, a candidate for canonization is investigated by a journalist who discovers his own estranged father had a deep, dark and devastating connection to the saint's life.

A film about the Spanish Civil War that is not only in English, but plagued with terrible Spanish accents as well. A story that is so intriguing is filled with questionable choice that create an underwhelming film. It is obvious while viewing this, that it had the potential to be so much more than it turned out to be.

With a script fit for a Telemundo Soap Opera, forcing the performances of otherwise decent actors to become bland, it is seemingly impossible to connect or even care for most of the characters. It is undoubtedly epic in it's scale, but painfully melodramatic throughout most of the movie causing the intense and impressive scenes comedic to some degree.

There is so much wrong with this movie, yet despite that there is also a lot of substance and the foundation of a great movie, so it isn't all lost. I just feel that the director lost his bearing somewhere along the way. And it's such a shame, because the title is awesome. It deserves to be attached to a great movie.

My Rating: 5.5/10

Camp Takota (2014)

Directed by Chris and Nick Riedell
Written by Lydia Genner, Mamrie Hart and Michael Goldfine
Starring Grace Helbig, Mamrie Hart, Hannah Hart and Chris Riedell

With her personal and professional life in shambles, Elise ends up having to take a job as a counselor at her old summer camp. There, she reunites with two estranged friends who attended camp and never left. When the future of the camp is put in jeopardy, the three friends must band together to save it, changing the course of their lives forever.

The most apparent thing to me in watching this is that the writers and directors had no idea what demographic they were going for. The humor seemed to be intended for children or preteens. Yet much of the subject matter and dialogue seemed to inappropriate for people in that age group. The whole thing came off as a mash-up of two different scripts written for two separate demographics.

The acting was absolutely atrocious, which is understandable seeing as how the cast was lined with YouTube celebrities, who given their massive following, believe they can act. Every other element of the way it was filmed felt like a Disney Channel original movie, most notably the cinematography and the overall story arc.

While certain characters and situations did provide me with some chuckles, what this boils down to is not the movie itself. In retrospect, the one thing I am 100% certain about is that whatever demographic this was intended for, I'm not a part of it. So there is a strong chance that many other people would enjoy it. It just wasn't for me. I have no idea why Netflix recommended it to me.

My Rating: 4/10

Ex Machina (2015)

Written and Directed by Alex Garland
Starring Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander, Oscar Isaac and Sonoya Mizuno

A young programmer is selected to participate in a breakthrough experiment in artificial intelligence by evaluating the human qualities of a breathtaking female A.I.

An eerie and unsettling science fiction film, "Ex Machina" is quite a unique film. We have seen countless films about the dangers of artificial intelligence and robotic uprisings, but I cannot think of a single film that shows the beginning. With the distrust of robots many movie goers, or at least myself have gained from decades of robotic dystopian futures displayed in film, there is a tension caused not by the film itself, but a natural, internal tension we have been bred to feel with movies such as this.

In a film that I felt so sure of what was going on, I constantly doubted myself and would flip-flop between theories and the paranoia that the protagonist felt. Ava, the A.I. that the protagonist is hired to study, is so charming, yet creates a sense of unease that you can't shake no matter how smitten you are with her emotions.

The director did an magnificent job at creating doubt in the minds of the audience. With the remote setting, and the military-like fortress in which they reside imposed a feeling of claustrophobia, even when they were outdoors.

Films such as this are difficult to write about. There is so much to be said, but most of it is impossible to explain without giving away key information about the film. I guess I'll just end this with saying that this film is unreal.

My Rating: 9/10

While We're Young (2014)

Written and Directed by Noah Baumbach
Starring Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts, Adam Driver and Amanda Seyfried

A middle-aged couple find themselves stuck in older bodies when they feel young at heart. They attempt to counter this feeling by befriending a couple of twenty-somethings and changing their lifestyles to match that of their new found friends.

Having a familiarity with directer Noah Baumbach's work, I find that this is his most relatable, coherent and well thought out film to date. While his other films are plagued with characters who are depressed about where their life is at, yet refuse to try to change it, the characters in this film do the opposite.

Brilliantly comparing and contrasting the lives of the two generations, displayed for the audience is a showcase of situations in which we can see a little of ourselves and laugh together at how ridiculous we all really are.

What is surprising to me is the very rarely untold side of "millennials" which is the generations desire to connect face-to-face with people. Portrayed by the indie film industries go-to guy, Adam Driver, the aspiration to experience life without a screen in front of him is a refreshing change from the overplayed, long running joke that all young people are drones completely content with texting someone in the same room rather than speaking with them in person.

Engaging and honest, "While We're Young" is a movie that I feel is relatable for anyone over the age of twenty-one. It has a sense of maturity and reverence that is often lost in a film that compares generations and a necessary self-deprecating humor that enforces the fact that we're all just humans trying to live our lives.

My Rating: 9/10

Beginners (2010)

Written and Directed by Mike Mills

Starring Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, Mélanie Laurent and Goran Visnjic

A young man is rocked by two announcements from his elderly father: that he has terminal cancer, and that he has a young male lover.

This movie has so much substance and thematic elements to it, it's hard not to enjoy it. A story dealing with love, life, the history of civilization between generations and gay rights, it brilliantly links all of these themes together into one coherent and emotional story.

A man so unsure about his ability to love due to the unexpected news that his father was secretly homosexual over the past 44 years, Ewan McGregor captures the confusion and insecurity of his character in a powerful performance. Winner of the Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role at the 2012 Academy Awards, Christopher Plummer delivers a stellar rendering of a man finally content and confident enough to live as he is. The acting is undoubtedly the power behind this moving film.

Delightfully humorous and painfully honest, at it's core this is a film about the growth of acceptance of homosexuals over the decades and the trials they were put through during the mid-nineteenth century. It is as relevant today as it was three years ago, and I believe it will remain so for a while.

My Rating: 8/10

True Story (2015)

Directed by Rupert Goold
Written by Rupert Goold and David Kajganich, based on the memoir of Michael Finkel
Starring Jonah Hill, James Franco, Felicity Jones and Robert John Burke

When disgraced New York Times reporter Michael Finkel meets accused killer Christian Longo - who has taken on Finkel's identity - his investigation morphs into a game of cat-and-mouse.

A gripping, real life court case that builds in intensity as the story moves along is overshadowed by the distracting combination of Jonah Hill and James Franco trying to be serious at the same time. I am a big supporter of Jonah Hill and his transition to becoming a dramatic actor, but I feel the casting was poorly executed for this film.

Every scene in which the two are by themselves or with other actors are suspenseful and filled with great performances. But when the two share screen time together, every facial expression feels like a lead up to the reveal that this entire thing was a prank, thus turning the direction of the story on a dime and turning it into a raunchy comedy.

Not pictured: Seth Rogen sitting just off frame behind James Franco.

The film was well intended and the story was strong enough to keep me interested. But I can't help but feel that casting the two of them opposite of each other was a good idea. Had it been Jonah Hill and another actor or James Franco and another actor, or even two completely different actors, this could have been a much stronger movie. I love the effort to keep Jonah Hill's career moving. James Franco doesn't need it. He's already been established as a dramatic actor. 

Other than the casting, this was a great story. I don't know how much of it was actually factual in the true story, but it definitely kept me interested. This movie is worth checking out. Just try not to laugh when they're on screen together.

My Rating: 6.5/10

Unfriended (2014)

Directed by Leo Gabriadze
Written by Nelson Greaves
Starring Shelley Hennig, Moses Jacob Storm, Renee Olstead and Will Peltz

A group of online chat room friends find themselves haunted by a mysterious, supernatural force using the account of their dead friend.

This movie represents everything I hate about teenagers. Every single character is more deplorable than the next. They do things in the name of "popularity" and then act innocent and have no remorse until their lives are in danger.

I said it before in my review of "Tusk" and this is an even greater example of my point. Horror films today do not have likable characters. The thing that makes horror movies scary is caring about what happens to the characters. And to care about the characters you have to be able to connect with them. And to be able to connect with them, presuming everyone reading this is a decent human being, the characters have to be decent human beings. 

The characters in "Unfriended" have no redeemable qualities whatsoever. They are liars, bullies, cheaters, narcissists, backstabbers and degenerates. Every single thing that they do has no logical sense to it.

Your tears aren't fooling anyone, ya dumb ass!

It baffles me that this has such a high rating on Rotten Tomatoes. At 62%, it is well above what it should be. The only thing noteworthy about this movie is how it is all from the perspective of one computer screen. But that's been done before, and better. If anything, this movie gets points for being funny, because the death scenes were just SO bad!

My Rating: 3/10

Movie Trailer Tuesday - 4/21/15

The Overnight
Directed by Patrick Brice
Starring Adam Scott, Jason Schwartzman, Taylor Schilling and Max Moritt
Alex, Emily, and their son, RJ, are new to Los Angeles. A chance meeting at the park introduces them to the mysterious Kurt, Charlotte, and Max. A family "playdate" becomes increasingly interesting as the night goes on.

… I'm not quite sure about what I just watched. So a couple new to California inadvertently befriends a porn star couple? Interesting. Could be good. Could be bad. We'll see when it hits theaters June 19th.

Fantastic 4

Directed by Josh Trank

Starring Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Bell

Four young scientists achieve superhuman abilities through a teleportation experiment gone haywire. They must now use these abilities to save the world from an uprising tyrant.

This certainly reveals more of the plot than the first one. You all know how I feel about super hero movies. I'll see them, but I won't get excited for them. I'm just glad to see Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan getting their recognition. "Fantastic 4" hits theaters August 7th.

Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser

Directed by Fred Wolf

Starring David Spade, Christopher Walken, Adam Beach and Patrick Warburton

When happy family man Joe Dirt finds himself transported to the recent past, he begins an epic journey to get back to his loved ones in the present.

Yup. They made a second one. It is what it is. Nothing needs to be said. "Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser" hits theaters July 16th.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Directed by Zak Snyder

Starring Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams and Gal Gadot

Batman fights Superman… then eventually figure out a way to work together, I'm guessing.

There is no doubt in my mind that this movie will make money. But the quality is still up in the air. It really could go either way. But like I said for "Fantastic 4", I'm not bursting with anticipation. It's just another super hero movie that will be like all of the rest. See Batman fight Superman on March 25th, 2016.

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens

Directed by J.J. Abrams

Starring Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, Mark Hamill, Harison Ford and Carrie Fisher

It's "Star Wars" bitches!

Rather than use words, I'll just leave a link for my reaction.

Tune in next Tuesday for more trailers! If you have any suggestions for movies or even trailers to cover in next weeks installment, comment or message me on Facebook at:

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Set Fire to the Stars (2014)

Directed by Andy Goddard
Written by Andy Goddard and Celyn Jones
Starring Elijah Wood, Celyn Jones, Steve Mackintosh and Kelly Reilly

An aspiring poet in 1950s New York has his ordered world shaken when he embarks on a week-long retreat to save his hell raising hero, Dylan Thomas.

Based on a true story and filled with exerts from the poems of Dylan Thomas, this is one of the more beautifully written films I have seen. Unfortunately that is only because of the subject matter. In regards to the screenplay, it felt as though the writers would throw in a poem whenever they were out of ideas. They were, however, clever enough to make the poem being recited relevant to the scene.

It was apparent that the theme the director was trying to get across was feeling your emotions before you try to break them down and understand them. Being the life philosophy of Dylan Thomas (at least in this film), it attempted to explain why he would act out and had no filter. Rather than accomplishing this, it felt more like a cheap attempt to make this story that didn't really need to be told mean something.

The only real positive points about this movie are the poems, the reciting of said poems and the cinematography. Everything else just bored me. Had this been twenty minutes longer, I'm not sure if I could have finished it without taking a break. 

This movie has been getting very mixed reviews. The audience is almost perfectly split down the middle. So who know. You may love it. Check it out and let me know what you think.

My Rating: 5/10

The Last of the Mohicans (1992)

Directed by Michael Mann
Written by Michael Mann and Christopher Crowe, adapted from the 1936 Philip Dunne screenplay by John L. Balderston, Paul Perez and Daniel Moore, based on the novel by John Fenimore Cooper
Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe, Russell Means and Eric Schweig

When rugged frontiersman Hawkeye saves the Munro sisters - two newly arrived English settlers - from a Huron ambush, he and his adoptive father and brother end up in the midst of a battle between the British and the French for control of the American colonies.

Unequivocally epic and with an impressively large scale, this film does a great job at creating the world of the American frontier in 1757. It is believable right off the bat with the rural setting and the beautiful wilderness that the characters trek through.

Though it is expected for Daniel Day-Lewis to wow with his performance in no matter what movie he is in, I regret to say this is his least impressive performance that I've seen to date. That's not to say that he is bad. And I am not entirely convinced that it is his fault. The character seemed a bit dry and left much to be desired.

The story and writing provided us with many melodramatic moments you would expect to see only in a soap opera. But it felt more like a directing and editing problem than it did the performances of the actors involved.

Director Michael Mann has similar problems with most of his films. At times it feels he cares too much about the imagery and the immersive scale of the setting than he does the performances, which ultimately hurts the overall quality of the project.

Though the performances really worked against the enveloping cinematography, it is irrefutable that this is a good movie. Not as great as I would have hoped it would be. But it is certainly an impressive movie with many positive qualities. There is a reason many consider this a classic.

My Rating: 7/10

Swearnet: The Movie (2014)

Directed by Warren P. Sonoda
Written by Mike Smith, John Paul Tremblay and Robb Wells
Starring Robb Wells, John Paul Tremblay, Mike Smith and Pat Roach

Fed up with being censored in their post-Trailer Park Boys lives, the out of work stars/world-renowned 'swearists', Mike Smith, Robb Wells and John Paul Tremblay decide to start their own uncensored network on the internet.

Designed by the Trailer Park Boys for fans of the Trailer Park Boys, this movie doesn't try to be anything special. In fact, I'm 90% sure it was made specifically to announce the new seasons of "The Trailer Park Boys". It presents exactly what it promises. A lot of swearing and low brow, yet funny humor.

It didn't quite feel like a movie. It felt more like three or four episodes of a show played back to back. Each act ended in a similar manner, much like a sitcom would. Mike Smith would mess things up and then he would make things up by doing something completely selfless, only to go back around and ruin it by doing something selfish. It was quite repetitive.

I am confident that those viewers not familiar with the Canadian show will not enjoy this. To them it will come off as unnecessarily vulgar and depraved. But to those who have watched "The Trailer Park Boys" and are fans of the show, this is more or less the same thing, only the four stars are playing exaggerated versions of themselves. So if you haven't watched the show, stay clear of this movie. If you have, check it out! It's quite entertaining.

My Rating: 6/10

Tusk (2014)

Written and Directed by Kevin Smith
Starring Justin Long, Michael Parks, Haley Joel Osment and Genesis Rodriguez

When podcaster Wallace Bryton goes missing in the backwoods of Manitoba while interviewing a mysterious seafarer named Howard Howe, his best friend Teddy and girlfriend Allison team with an ex-cop to look for him.

I went into this movie completely expecting to hate it. But half-way through it, I was entranced by the ridiculousness and absurdness and the arguably poetic nature of the story. Then, Kevin Smith does what he does best and completely ruined it by dragging out jokes too long.

It started out so strong with the banter between the protagonist and the mad scientist to the point that I thought that maybe, just maybe, Kevin Smith finally discovered how to make a movie that wasn't about people smoking pot. Then, as fast as it built itself up, if not faster, it crumbled to pieces into a drawn-out and unfunny SNL skit where the audience is expected to laugh just because the actors have a silly voice.

Never have I ever seen a movie fall apart so quickly. It's almost as if the entire film was just a prank that did nothing but waste every ones time. If this is supposed to be a comedy, it's not funny. If this is supposed to be a horror movie, it's not scary. It just exists.

One important aspect of horror movies that today's filmmakers seem to forget is that you have to make your characters likable in order for us to connect with the terror they're being put through. "Tusk" is not the only example of this short coming, but it is definitely an offender.

I may not have started this movie with the hopes of liking it, but I definitely felt that urge at some point before the fifty-minute mark. Kevin Smith wrote, directed, produced and edited it. And unfortunately I feel the latter is where he was mistaken. Ultimately, he didn't know when to cut a scene and call it a day. Scenes that began phenomenally quickly dwindled into horrendous-ness.

My Rating: 3/10

The Angriest Man in Brooklyn (2014)

Directed by Phil Alden Robinson
Written by Daniel Taplitz, based on the film "The 92 Minutes of Mr. Baum" written by Assi Dayan
Starring Robin Williams, Mila Kunis, Peter Dinklage and Melissa Leo

A perpetually angry man is informed he has 90 minutes to live and promptly sets out to reconcile with his family and friends in the short time he has left.

Throughout the 83 minutes that this movie plays, the quality goes up and down from being bad, then flirting with the line of being good, only to fall back down again. It never fully satisfies with it's story telling.

Opening with a nice, picturesque scene of a family having a picnic, your image of the father is immediately shattered when they cut to him stuck in traffic 25 years later. It is obvious that this was done on purpose, but I felt that Robin Williams character never fully goes back to that original state of happiness, rendering the entire movie meaningless.

Why would you go to the hospital without a shirt?

With little humor and a lot of yelling, perhaps this film was made more for those who actually live in New York and could relate to the protagonists experiences. But to the rest of us, at least for myself, it fell flat.

That's the perfect word to describe this movie. It wasn't good or bad. It was just flat. Although some scenes peaked my interest and others pushed me away, my emotional connection with the film stayed the same throughout, never changing from the "Yeah… I'm watching a movie…" emotion.

The best part about the movie was seeing Robin Williams. Perhaps this is a new phenomena since his death, but it is quite enjoyable just to see him on screen. It's hard to miss him, even when he's yelling at everyone.

My Rating: 5/10

Child 44 (2015)

Directed by Daniel Espinosa
Written by Richard Price, based on the novel by Tom Rob Smith
Starring Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, Gary Oldman and Joel Kinnaman

A disgraced member of the military police investigates a series of nasty child murders during the Stalin-era Soviet Union. He finds their are many obstacles in his way due to the Soviet belief that there is no such thing as murder in a communist paradise.

Starting off strong, this movie wastes no time to get to the plot. With just enough character development in the beginning, the audience understands who exactly our protagonist, Leo Demidov, is and what he stands for.

At times, the plot is hard to follow and despite such a clear and concise prologue, many aspects of the story are missed in their delivery. There are times when I felt I knew exactly what was going on, only to find out I was completely wrong. And not because of an amazing plot twist.

There were other points in the story where I felt they used the setting of Soviet Russia as a scapegoat for many plot holes. The audience was just left to assume that every little thing that happened was due to the communist state.

"In Soviet Russia, Tom Hardys you!"

Though it's not without it's faults and it is certainly not the best movie I've seen even today, it is by no means a bad movie. It has a lot of great moments and honestly, I was quite intrigued throughout most of it. I just feel it could have been much more than it was. And perhaps it was, but was forced to be cut down by the studio.

My Rating: 6/10

Woman in Gold (2015)

Directed by Simon Curtis
Written by Alexi Kaye Campbell based on the life story of E. Randol Shoenberg and Maria Altmann
Starring Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds, Danil Brühl and Tatiana Maslany

Based on the true story of Maria Altmann, an octogenarian Jewish refugee, takes on the Austrian government to recover artwork she believes rightfully belongs to her family.

The inspiring true story of the emotional impact that the holocaust still has fifty years after the fact and the attempt to regain what was stolen from her family by the Nazis, this is a story you don't often hear regarding World War II. 

The vast scale of work that is art restitution was lightly touched by the 2014 film "The Monuments Men", but didn't have the emotional impact that this film had. "Woman in Gold" captures what inanimate objects can mean to humans simply based on the history with the people we love. It also captures how infuriatingly tedious and unjust the so-called "justice" system can be.

What seems like an open and shut case can be drawn out and be pushed onward ever so slowly simply because of the stubbornness of a few people, who, other than monetary gain, have no connection to the object whatsoever.

Using flashbacks of Nazi-occupied Vienna, this movie does a great job of breaking down the case at hand, and showing the audience what happened to the Bloch family as well as countless other Jewish families during World War II. To see not only the lives destroyed, but also the objects with intimate memories of their loved ones stolen by a hateful government and claimed to be owned by the state is heartbreaking.

This is truly an inspiring and heartwarming piece that shows almost equally the evil and the good that man can do. Sprinkled with light hearted humor and very charming characters, "Woman in Gold" is a film that I feel can touch the lives of everyone.

My Rating: 7.5/10

The Salton Sea (2002)

Directed by D.J. Caruso
Written by Tony Gayton
Starring Val Kilmer, Vincent D'Onofrio, Doug Hutchison and Peter Sarsgaard

After his wife is murdered, a man drifts into a world populated by thugs and speed junkies. He struggles to identify with both his past life and his new one, where danger lurks at every corner.

A perfect combination with equal parts Scorsese, Guy Ritchie, western and classic noir films, "The Salton Sea" is a dark thriller filled with great performances and writing. It perfectly captures the feel of those classic private detective movies, flipping it around and telling it from a junky/informant's perspective.

The most notable performance in this movie is hands down Vincent D'Onofrio as "Pooh-Bear". One thing that he continually proves is his ability to be intimidating and comedic simultaneously. As the nose-less, drug cooking murderer, he casts a shadow of unease and commands the screen with every scene. And just when you think he's going to go completely dark, he'll do something that changes the mode of the scene on a dime.

One thing that I couldn't take seriously was the relationship between Val Kilmer and Peter Sarsgaard's character. It reminded me much of the Frodo/Sam relationship from "The Lord of the Rings". There was this unintentional "will they, won't they" tension throughout. Somewhat ending with the Frodo character being surrounded the fiery death of Mordor.

"I'm your Sam!"

Overall, this was a decent, enjoyable movie. It's not without it's faults, but few movies are. But the noir-style writing, filming and editing of this film make it a unique modernization of a once lost genre. In that sense, it is a beautiful homage to an entire decade of cinema.

My Rating: 7/10

Danny Collins (2015)

Written and Directed by Dan Fogelman
Starring Al Pacino, Bobby Cannavale, Annette Bening and Jennifer Garner

An aging rock star decides to change his life when he discovers a 40-year-old letter written to him by John Lennon.

A film very loosely inspired by an actual event, it is a heart warming story of a man trying to right the wrongs he has committed to those he should have looked out for. With surprisingly funny performances from everyone involved, it proved all of my skepticism wrong very quickly.

Along with the humor, another thing I did not expect to come from this movie was the human aspect. In most movies involving rich celebrities trying to redeem themselves, the characters in question seem disillusioned and rude before they seek to better themselves. In "Danny Collins", the titular character is kind to strangers, friendly and never acts like a prima donna.

This is another one of those "filler" movies. It's not a film for the history books. But it's not one to simply look over. It's a nice, entertaining movie to watch in between the movies you are excited for. It's a refreshing, satisfying movie that is definitely worth a watch.

My Rating 6.8/10

The Dead Zone (1983)

Directed by David Cronenberg
Written by Jeffrey Boan, based on the novel by Stephen King
Starring Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams, Herbert Lom and Martin Sheen

At the peak of his life, a school teacher who is in love gets into a car accident after a perfect day. He wakes up from a coma five years later only to find he's lost his job and girlfriend. But he soon finds out that he has gained the ability to see the past, present and future of everyone he comes in physical contact with.

Yet another example of why Stephen King is the King of the horror/thriller genre, this movie grabs your attention early on and doesn't let go. Just when you think it's going to continue on the path it's on, it will take you off guard by taking a turn in another direction.

At first it seems as the entire movie will just be one long episode of "CSI". Although I was intrigues, I wasn't impressed with it. But before you know it, they solve the case and move on, turning into a soul searching film, asking the question, "if you know the future, should you change it?"

Oddly enough, this didn't feel like a Cronenberg film. Sure, it was one of his earliest movies, but it felt like it was made by entirely different director. That's not necessarily a bad thing. I was pleasantly surprised when I found out it was his movie. It's interesting to look at the evolution of a director's style, and this was close to the beginning.

"The Dead Zone" is a dark, brooding film that remains timeless, even after thirty-two years. I have found that that seems to be a trademark of Stephen King. No matter what time period his books and movies take place in, you can always find some way to relate to the characters.

My Rating: 7/10

Movie Trailer Tuesday - 4/14/15

Aloft
Directed by Claudia Llosa
Starring Jennifer Connelly, Cillian Murphy, Mélanie Laurent and Oona Chaplin
A struggling mother encounters the son she abandoned 20 years earlier.

I love this trailer. It plays like a beautiful montage with the poetic dialogue overlaying the incredibly soundtrack. While this movie definitely intrigues me, the ratings have been hit or miss. Maybe this will be one of those movies that half of the audience hates and the other half loves. "Aloft" does not have an expanded release date yet. But it does hit the Tribeca Film Festival on April 24th.



Survivor
Directed by James McTeigue
Starring Milla Jovovich, Pierce Brosnan, Emma Thompson and Dylan McDermott
A Foreign Service Officer in London tries to prevent a terrorist attack set to hit New York, but is forced to go on the run when she is framed for crimes she did not commit.

This just seems to be a standard action movie. It'll probably be fun, but without much substance. I am excited that "V for Vendetta" director, James McTeigue is taking the wheel with this though. It'll be a fun show at the movies. "Survivor" hits theaters May 29th.



Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
Starring Olivia Cooke, Thomas Mann, RJ Cyler and Nick Offerman
A teenage filmmaker befriends a classmate with cancer and sets off to make a film for her.

My God this looks fantastic. It's like "Fault in Our Stars" but with normal kids rather than annoying pretentious teenagers. I feel the filmmaking aspect of it is going to bring a lot of nostalgia for me. I'm looking forward seeing this on June 12th.



Terminator Genisys
Directed by Alan Taylor
Starring Arnold Schwartzenegger, Jai Courtney, Emilia Clarke and Jason Clarke
After finding himself in a new time-line, Kyle Reese teams up with John Connor's mother Sarah and an aging terminator to try and stop the one thing that the future fears, "Judgement Day".

HOLY FRICKIN' SPOILER BATMAN! Well, they just got rid of any emotional impact of finding out that John Connor has been turned into a Terminator. What I don't understand is why did they feel the need to expand on what the plot was? It's Terminator! People will see it regardless of what the plot is. And now they ruined the shock of finding out what's going on. "Terminator Genisys" hits theaters July 1st.



Ant-Man
Directed by Peyton Reed
Starring Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas and Hayley Atwell
Armed with a super-suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, con-man Scott Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.

Ugh… All these movies are beginning to look exactly the same. They feel so formulaic. Don't get me wrong. I'll see it! But I won't be waiting for this one. It's just beginning to feel like I've seen the same movie 1,000 times. "Ant-Man" hits theaters July 17th.

Tune in next Tuesday for more trailers! If you have any suggestions for movies or even trailers to cover in next weeks installment, comment or message me on Facebook at:

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