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

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

Directed by James Foley
Written by David Mamet, based on his play of the same name.
Starring Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Kevin Spacey, Ed Harris and Alan Arkin

An examination of the fast-paced, cut-throat nature of working in a real estate office.

Remarkable acting and superb writing run this movie. Without them, this film would be nothing. The story is not particularly interesting, unless you're big on sales. But the characters are just eccentric enough to keep you engaged throughout the whole movie.

I feel this would be more interesting to see as a play as it was originally intended. I found myself annoyed by all of the two-faced techniques of salespeople. Much like I do when I go to a car dealership. But that is not the fault of the film. It is the fault of the shit filled world that is competitive sales.

It's all about brass balls, apparently.

While this movie did infuriate me by reminding me how much I hate sales, I quite enjoyed it. As a fan of incredible acting and writing, there was nothing that would have made me dislike this movie. I just really hate sales and the people who work in sales. Scum of the Earth.

My Rating: 7/10