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Reviews
Whiplash (2014)
It's a 2 character movie. And they ain't buddies...
There are only 2 type of people who will enjoy WHIPLASH. Real Drummers and folk close to them, and masochists. How does a musician - any musician, actually - become the best that he can be? Practice, right? Obvious stuff. Well, that's kind of the theme of this movie. J. K. Simmons is a perfectionists band teacher dedicated to getting the best he can out of his college age jazz students. He 'is a DI' in the real sense of the term - totally reminded me of Drill Instructor I suffered under in the Marine Corps. His chosen student, Miles Teller, will become 'the greatest' jazz drummer ever or die trying. And that is JK's mission and the story. Add lots of foul language and physical abuse and way too much solo drumming and you've got this movie. Not fun too watch, not fun too listen too. Not much of an Academy Award worthy movie, really. And, the ending is not believable either...
God's Pocket (2014)
A Car Wreck worth watching...
God's Pocket is a place in purgatory that you may visit on the way to the eternal flames. No heroes here, none. Unless you give Mickey, Philip Seymour Hoffman's anti hero character the benefit of the doubt. At least he's trying to do good. I mean, hell, he's just trying to bury his dead son. Yea, he doesn't have the bucks to pay for the funeral, but he'll get it. Some way, some how. Because every parent's son deserves a decent funeral. Well, sorta. In this blue collar town where consuming vast quantities of alcohol and exchanging gossip is pursued as if Olympic events, everyone is dirty. Dirty as in adultery, thieving, lying. And, oh yea, blue collar dirty. John Turturro plays Mickey's buddy, Bird, who wants to help Mick, but has to fix his own money problems first. Money and the mob and, yes, dirty money. An interesting, dark story about life lived on the edges of survival. Life where joy is often found in the pain of others, Definitely NOT a feel good movie. The film has good acting, a twisted plot and a place that you would never want to visit. You might want to watch, though.
August: Osage County (2013)
Wanna 'catch' Clinical Depression? Watch this movie...
Meryl Streep is almost unrecognizable in this film. By design, she is made up to look old and sickly. It works, oh boy does it! Violet, Streep's character, is the matriarch of a family built on hate, and the love of hate. Talk about dysfunctional. This family is 'the mother' of dysfunction. Plot, think of The Big Sleep goes to Zombie Land. It's about the Watson family gathering at the family homestead in Osage County, Oklahoma in August, to bury and honor the family patriarch, Bev Watson, well played by Sam Shepard - in a cameo, plus a few scenes, role. It's a family of females come home to eat their young. Julie Roberts, as the eldest daughter, Barbara is bent on replacing her mom as the wickedest bitch in the clan. and, she almost pulls it off. In the end, Meryl triumphs, of course. I so wanted to stop watching about 30 minutes in, but didn't, because... Hmm, have you ever slowed down 'just to watch' when you saw a bad car wreck?
Mr. 3000 (2004)
Over paid, egocentric, pretty boy, Jock becomes Good Guy, in the end...
If you like baseball and you dislike preening, smug, rich whiny athletes, you should enjoy Mr 3000. If you're not a baseball fan, pass on this one. Not worth your time. The late Bernie Mac makes this movie work. He is 'Mr 3000' for most of the first half of the story. He struts. He preens. He sells himself as 'gods gift' to baseball and all things Stan Ross - his film name. From his car dealerships and restaurants to any and all baseball memorabilia that can make him another buck. He sells it, big time. The only thing he can't seem to sell. A place in baseball's Hall of Fame. A place he dearly wants and desperately seeks. After all. how can they deny him a place if he actually had a 3000 hit career? Well, there you go - **Plot Spoiler** - as it turns out he really doesn't have 3000. And here you have the 2nd half of the film / plot twist(ed)... Yea, he gets a chance to redeem himself / become a good guy / get in Hall of Fame / win the girl, in the last 45 minutes or so. And, it works, kinda. If you believe major league baseball would give a retired, fat, 47 yr old, bad-boy a 2nd chance, well, it is a Disney movie...
Olympus Has Fallen (2013)
USA Good / N Korea Bad - Die Hard 'White House' Wanna Be
We are not worthy. White House Down, with much the same plot and storyline, much, much better. WH gets All Blowed Up in both films. Die Hard kinda guy saves the day. Tons of graphic violence - fighting with fists and kicks and guns and knives and stuff. Military technology shown off in all its gory efficient killing detail. No saving grace with character development or buddy love that is credible. Morgan Freeman's talent is totally wasted in this B movie. Melissa Leo has the only worthy moment in the entire flick in the 5 minutes of kick ass defense of honor where she refuses to commit treason. Oh yea, USA, GOOD, Korea, BAD, North Korea, that is...
White House Down (2013)
USA Good / Bad Guys Die / Entertaining & Educational
*Spoiler Alert* Yep, The White House does 'get all BlowedUp'! *Spoiler Alert* But, not too worry, in the end, the good guys win. Fun movie to watch. Great special effects, heroic 'over the top' fight scenes, even some White House history included. Jammie Fox makes for a great President - yea, kinda like Mr Obama, but with much more humour. Finally, kinda a buddy movie. with Channing Tatum playing the tough under appreciated body guard / hero to Jamie's Mr. Prez. And, oh yea, Joey King, plays Emily, the 11yr old who saves the world with her 'flag twirling'. Seriously! She does. No deep messages here, other than, USA is a good country and it's OK to say so. 90 minutes of entertainment with a little blood and mayhem to balance the well scripted humour...
Brick Mansions (2014)
KungFu Motown
KungFu Motown with plenty of Bullet / Steve MqQueen car chases.
Plenty of foul language gangster gang banging action.
Cinematography of a once great city exposed in all it's current desolation is OK.
But, I found no reason to watch it beyond the 1st 20 minutes when this Detroit native was looking for glimpses of his childhood neighborhood. And hoping the story might catch his attention.
But, no. There was nothing there.
Bad characters, bad acting, bad plot, bad, bad, bad... And finally, of course, bad memories. Nope, you can't go back!
Broadchurch (2013)
Broadchurch, not for laughs...
Like a good mystery do you?
A British flavored mystery, as well?
Compelling characters, too?
On the dark side?
With a bit of humour?
Well, 4 out of 5 ain't bad!
No humour here. Not one bit. In the end that's what spoils it. At least spoiled it for me. Leaves a bad taste.
All the others bits compelled me to 'BlitzWatch' the damn thing. What, 8 plus hours of my life I'll never get back?
Did it once,won't do it again!
The Counselor (2013)
Traffic, wanna be...
I so wanted this to be good. Similar to 2000's Traffic in storyline and characters, but not in plot. A good guy makes a bad decision - for the money, don't you know - and pays for it in the end. Karma's a bitch.
Extremely disappointing character development, as well. There's nobody to like, except for JavierB, but just a little. And, Mr Pitt, of course. But he's just doing his usual, 'look at me, I'm Cool', thing.
Violence, if that's what you want, well, you got it here. Peckinpaugh would be proud.
First 40 minutes or so, very good. Thought it was going to out do Traffic. But, no. Not even close..
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
XXX rating, Why not?
True story about a rags to riches wall street scumbag / greedy / party loving aHole capitalist pig, Jordan Belfort! But, pretty boy DiCaprio manages to make the guy halfway likable.
And Scorsese, manages to produce a movie which I would classify as pornographic.
Absolutely over the top film that spends way to much time watching 'sexual antics' between men and women, mostly. Coupling, tripling, and yes, of course, orgies. Up close and personal, ad naseum. Add to that, plenty of drugs and booze and foul language 'up the wazoo' and the XXX easily follows.
Entertaining viewing for adults only...
The Honourable Woman (2014)
Trust me, it's not worth 8 episodes...
she is Honorable, but... Trust, you can't trust, anyone. opening credits for every episode for the entire series emphasize the fact. and guess what? absolutely true. nobody in this intricately written, deceptively deceptive, entirely 'negative' story about the Israel, Palestine problem is trustworthy. in addition, everybody is a bad guy, everybody. it's a downer, as well. not a happy or redeeming moment in all 8 episodes. none! i continued to watch it past the 3rd episode because i thought i might learn something new regarding the middle east and the argument for Palestine statehood.. Never happened. Great acting in a lost cause. Watch if you want to come down from a high and become totally depressed. GuaranDamnTeed...