The Oscars are this weekend, and maybe you want to take in a movie. There is slim choices to be sure, but there is something for everyone. let's look
Brand New
Gods Of Egypt
Here we go again. Another big CG, half video game half movie. This looks painfully like 300 from years ago, and even stars Gerard Butler. It's getting slaughtered by national critics, and looks amazingly unoriginal
Eddie The Eagle
Based on a true story from the Calgary Olympics of a British ski jumper that caused a real stink as his own bans him from competing. This is the story of his journey to the Olympics. Hugh Jackman again in a real heartfelt spring sports movie that has become his staple.
Out A Week
Race
Sports movie based on the true story of Clevelander Jessie Owens and his journey to Ohio State and his journey to his historic performance in the 1936 Olympics as he humiliated Adolph Hitler and his Nazi team. A story this important, and a true performance this amazing, certainly deserved a far better movie than this. Too long, badly cast, and fails to capture the importance of what was happening outside of sports.
Risen
Joseph Fiennes stars in the first Biblical type of movie out this Easter season. He is terrific as a non-believer in the resurrection. This is well told, non preachy, and really has no agenda. It lets you try to comprehend what is happening in front of you through the eyes of someone struggling to grasp the then, unbelievable. Well done, and quite entertaining. The star of this movie is the writing.
Also Out
Kung Fu Panda 3
The Revanent
Deadpool
The Witch
scott@wqmx.com
Friday, February 26, 2016
Sunday, February 21, 2016
MOVIE REVIEW - The Witch
Here comes a supernatural horror movie set long ago. The Witch, critics are loving it, audiences are ehh on it.
The Witch is a period piece dating back to the hysteria over the Salem Witch days. This large family is banished from the town they were living in, and strike out on their own to start a new life in seclusion. Then one by one the children start to disappear mysteriously. The parents begin to think their oldest daughter who is a teen, Thomison is a witch. Are they right? Being honest, who really cares?
This is a movie that supposedly is based on actual events, and diaries, with quoted dialogue from records uncovered. The problem is, the spoken words are so thick with dialect and old language styling it is very difficult to understand fully what is being said. Plus, much of this is simply rehashing dialogue that has already been spoken time and time again.
This is supposed to be compelling, and scary but it's not. It's simply fatiguing and borderline arduous to get through at times, with no real payoff that many will be satisfied with. The sets and costuming are great though as it does propel you back to a time we seldom go to in the movies. But it can't save it. The language barrier, the lack of payoff and the insanely irritating music is too much to overcome.
The Witch. Not so good.
The Witch is a period piece dating back to the hysteria over the Salem Witch days. This large family is banished from the town they were living in, and strike out on their own to start a new life in seclusion. Then one by one the children start to disappear mysteriously. The parents begin to think their oldest daughter who is a teen, Thomison is a witch. Are they right? Being honest, who really cares?
This is a movie that supposedly is based on actual events, and diaries, with quoted dialogue from records uncovered. The problem is, the spoken words are so thick with dialect and old language styling it is very difficult to understand fully what is being said. Plus, much of this is simply rehashing dialogue that has already been spoken time and time again.
This is supposed to be compelling, and scary but it's not. It's simply fatiguing and borderline arduous to get through at times, with no real payoff that many will be satisfied with. The sets and costuming are great though as it does propel you back to a time we seldom go to in the movies. But it can't save it. The language barrier, the lack of payoff and the insanely irritating music is too much to overcome.
The Witch. Not so good.
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
MOVIE REVIEWS - Out This Week
Three new flicks came out this week. They are all very different kinds of movies, and let's take a look a them right now.
Deadpool
This is an amazingly creative and funny satire of so many kinds of movies that makes for a really fun time at the movies. This stars Ryan Reynolds as a reluctant "superhero" of sorts created out of the X-Men mold. This is funny with tons of action, and is done so well, it is a refreshing comic book movie that clearly breaks free from all the rest.
Deadpool is a parody of superhero movies in general, but also on X-Men, the people that watch these movies and a generation at-large without being offensive or insulting. The fantastic action sequences are fun to watch, and the time between them is well spent too. The use of music in the story telling is incredible, and that starts from the first frame.
Being fair, this is a strong R rated movie, with some graphic violence at times, but it is basically cartoonish. Reynolds and supporting cast a wonderful and really carry the day.
Deadpool. This is must see escapism. Well done!
How To Be Single
Many times going into a movie with low expectations is a good thing. This looks bad on the surface, but this actually is a nice surprise. This stars Rebel Wilson, Dakota Johnson, and Leslie Mann in the story of three single women, all very different in today's contemporary New York City. This is a comedy, and delivers many more laughs through truth than gags and bits.
This in many ways is spot on target with how people this age view dating, and relationships in general. This does take time to develop some nice characters and does put you in their world nicely. Up front, this is not perfect and does make a few really bad decisions that don't make this better, just more crass. This is squarely targeted at young women, but it doesn't wade so far out in the estrogen pool, that it turns off men. There is some good humor here, but more than anything, there is truth.
Rebel Wilson is overused and not as funny as she thinks she is. Johnson is always good in those reluctant lover roles, and Leslie Mann, is just flat out a funny woman and fun to watch on screen.
How To Be Single. Nice surprise.
Zoolander 2
It's been fifteen years since the original, and they should have left well enough alone. Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, and Will Farrell reprise their roles along with a list of about 100 cameos (which is impressive) but it can't save this really horrible flick. They even drag along the wonderful Penelope Cruz, and it still falls flat. For some reason they still think making fun of the fashion industry is funny. It's not.
To recap. This just isn't funny. It isn't anything except ill-advised and insanely dated.
scott@wqmx.com
Deadpool
This is an amazingly creative and funny satire of so many kinds of movies that makes for a really fun time at the movies. This stars Ryan Reynolds as a reluctant "superhero" of sorts created out of the X-Men mold. This is funny with tons of action, and is done so well, it is a refreshing comic book movie that clearly breaks free from all the rest.
Deadpool is a parody of superhero movies in general, but also on X-Men, the people that watch these movies and a generation at-large without being offensive or insulting. The fantastic action sequences are fun to watch, and the time between them is well spent too. The use of music in the story telling is incredible, and that starts from the first frame.
Being fair, this is a strong R rated movie, with some graphic violence at times, but it is basically cartoonish. Reynolds and supporting cast a wonderful and really carry the day.
Deadpool. This is must see escapism. Well done!
How To Be Single
Many times going into a movie with low expectations is a good thing. This looks bad on the surface, but this actually is a nice surprise. This stars Rebel Wilson, Dakota Johnson, and Leslie Mann in the story of three single women, all very different in today's contemporary New York City. This is a comedy, and delivers many more laughs through truth than gags and bits.
This in many ways is spot on target with how people this age view dating, and relationships in general. This does take time to develop some nice characters and does put you in their world nicely. Up front, this is not perfect and does make a few really bad decisions that don't make this better, just more crass. This is squarely targeted at young women, but it doesn't wade so far out in the estrogen pool, that it turns off men. There is some good humor here, but more than anything, there is truth.
Rebel Wilson is overused and not as funny as she thinks she is. Johnson is always good in those reluctant lover roles, and Leslie Mann, is just flat out a funny woman and fun to watch on screen.
How To Be Single. Nice surprise.
Zoolander 2
It's been fifteen years since the original, and they should have left well enough alone. Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, and Will Farrell reprise their roles along with a list of about 100 cameos (which is impressive) but it can't save this really horrible flick. They even drag along the wonderful Penelope Cruz, and it still falls flat. For some reason they still think making fun of the fashion industry is funny. It's not.
To recap. This just isn't funny. It isn't anything except ill-advised and insanely dated.
scott@wqmx.com
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
MOVIE REVIEW - New This Week
Couple of new flicks this week - here's a quick look.
The Choice
These Nicholas Sparks novels - to the movies are really getting pathetic. Can we just stop? No matter what new coat of paint you splash on these things, they still all look and are the same. This has some fresh faces, but the same formula, set in the same area, with the came cameraman, and the same music seemingly. I am not a stick in the mud, and I love a nice love story, but can we just stop with the dying terminally ill, and the someone is left behind thing?
Doesn't this guy ever get tired of writing the same book over and over again? Yeah I know he's driving the Brinks truck every day, but this is getting embarrassing. Watching this from start to finish is like swallowing a croquet mallet - sideways. Just stop please. Undoubtedly will be one on worst of lists at years end.
The Choice. Make any other choice but seeing this trash.
Hail, Caesar!
The Coen Brothers are some of my favorite film makers. This is an opposite movie. One the critics will love and the fans will not. It generally works in reverse. This is a pretty clever Hollywood spoof of the golden age of Hollywood, with characters and story lines based on real people, but not real people. It makes fun of itself, and has moments of real fun in its humor, its performances and its amazing choreography. But it won't make it with fans.
There is just not enough here to get you through. This has a star studded cast and there's nothing wrong with the performances. The story is silly and hard to follow at times. And there will just not be enough fans and historians to get 90% of the jokes and gags. Luckily, this checks out at about 90 minutes and puts many out of their misery.
Coen Brothers = Great. Hail, Caesar = ehh.
The Choice
These Nicholas Sparks novels - to the movies are really getting pathetic. Can we just stop? No matter what new coat of paint you splash on these things, they still all look and are the same. This has some fresh faces, but the same formula, set in the same area, with the came cameraman, and the same music seemingly. I am not a stick in the mud, and I love a nice love story, but can we just stop with the dying terminally ill, and the someone is left behind thing?
Doesn't this guy ever get tired of writing the same book over and over again? Yeah I know he's driving the Brinks truck every day, but this is getting embarrassing. Watching this from start to finish is like swallowing a croquet mallet - sideways. Just stop please. Undoubtedly will be one on worst of lists at years end.
The Choice. Make any other choice but seeing this trash.
Hail, Caesar!
The Coen Brothers are some of my favorite film makers. This is an opposite movie. One the critics will love and the fans will not. It generally works in reverse. This is a pretty clever Hollywood spoof of the golden age of Hollywood, with characters and story lines based on real people, but not real people. It makes fun of itself, and has moments of real fun in its humor, its performances and its amazing choreography. But it won't make it with fans.
There is just not enough here to get you through. This has a star studded cast and there's nothing wrong with the performances. The story is silly and hard to follow at times. And there will just not be enough fans and historians to get 90% of the jokes and gags. Luckily, this checks out at about 90 minutes and puts many out of their misery.
Coen Brothers = Great. Hail, Caesar = ehh.
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
MOVIE REVIEW - The Finest Hours
Sometimes this time of the year can lead to some really bad movies in theaters. But The Finest Hours is not among them. This is a darn good movie.
National critics have been marginal on this one, and quite frankly I don't get it. This is based on a true story from 1952, and a story you don't know that's told quite nicely. It's the story of a very daring Coast Guard rescue of 32 guys trapped on an oil tanker that has been ripped in half by a winter time hurricane off the Massachusetts coast. This movie breaks between the rescue on land, and the dire situation on the ship. As well as taking the time to develop some characters involved. In short, this is not Oscar winning, but few are. But this is really pretty good.
This stars Chris Pine who I think is simply becoming more of a star every year. This also stars Casey Affleck, Eric Bana and a nice supporting cast that bring this to life. Being honest, there just isn't a lot to not like here. Being tough on this is just looking for something to criticize, in a season at the movies where there is not lack of really deserving cinematic targets to hit way harder than this.
This is exciting, and very well done at times. The scenes on the ship and the rescue are very compelling and extremely well done. Terrific sets, and costuming too take us back very comfortably to 1952. In a time of year where there are a dozen dogs at the theater, this is way above the bar. This makes you feel good, and makes you proud there are still good, strong stories to tell of our neighbors who do incredible things. And this made the theater clap at the end.
The Finest Hours. Pretty darn good.
National critics have been marginal on this one, and quite frankly I don't get it. This is based on a true story from 1952, and a story you don't know that's told quite nicely. It's the story of a very daring Coast Guard rescue of 32 guys trapped on an oil tanker that has been ripped in half by a winter time hurricane off the Massachusetts coast. This movie breaks between the rescue on land, and the dire situation on the ship. As well as taking the time to develop some characters involved. In short, this is not Oscar winning, but few are. But this is really pretty good.
This stars Chris Pine who I think is simply becoming more of a star every year. This also stars Casey Affleck, Eric Bana and a nice supporting cast that bring this to life. Being honest, there just isn't a lot to not like here. Being tough on this is just looking for something to criticize, in a season at the movies where there is not lack of really deserving cinematic targets to hit way harder than this.
This is exciting, and very well done at times. The scenes on the ship and the rescue are very compelling and extremely well done. Terrific sets, and costuming too take us back very comfortably to 1952. In a time of year where there are a dozen dogs at the theater, this is way above the bar. This makes you feel good, and makes you proud there are still good, strong stories to tell of our neighbors who do incredible things. And this made the theater clap at the end.
The Finest Hours. Pretty darn good.
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