Self/Less

In this provocative psychological science fiction thriller, an extremely wealthy man (Ben Kingsley) dying from cancer undergoes a radical medical procedure that transfers his consciousness into the body of a healthy young man (Ryan Reynolds). But all is not as it seems when he starts to uncover the mystery of the body’s origin and the organization that will kill to protect its cause.

I was worried going in to this one that it would be one of those high concept ideas of a movie that would fall flat in the end.  Happily, I was wrong.  The movie wasted no time with an unnecessary story build up and got right to the procedure that you are already familiar with from the trailer.  The movie did a nice build with some good twists and turns and played out very well without the letdown that I was afraid of.  

I would recommend people checking this movie out.  It's not a must see or anything but it is a pretty good watch.

Dope

in Dope, Malcolm (Shameik Moore) is carefully surviving life in a tough neighborhood in Los Angeles while juggling college applications, academic interviews, and the SAT. A chance invitation to an underground party leads him into an adventure that could allow him to go from being a geek, to being dope, to ultimately being himself.

This movie was entertaining in so many ways.  First - it was funny as hell watching the kid in truly awkward situations and working his way through them.  Second - the soundtrack was AWESOME!!!  Seriously.  I felt like I was back in high school/college the whole time watching this movie.  Third (and probably most important), was that it showed how someone can really rise above a situation with smarts regardless of the cards that they are dealt or where they are in society more or less.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  It really was a surprisingly enjoyable movie on many levels.

Max

A precision-trained military dog, Max serves on the frontlines in Afghanistan alongside his handler, U.S. Marine Kyle Wincott. But when things go terribly wrong on maneuvers, Kyle is mortally wounded and Max, traumatized by the loss of his best friend, is unable to remain in service.  Shipped stateside, the only human he seems willing to connect with is Kyle’s teenage brother, Justin, so Max is adopted by Kyle’s family, essentially saving his life. But Justin has issues of his own, such as living up to his father’s expectations for him; he isn’t interested in taking responsibility for his brother’s troubled dog. However, Max may be Justin’s only chance to discover what really happened to his brother that day on the front, and with the help of a tough-talking young teen, Carmen, who has a way with dogs, Justin begins to appreciate his canine companion. Justin’s growing trust in Max helps the four-legged veteran revert back to his heroic self, and as the pair race against time to unravel the mystery, they find more excitement—and danger—than they bargained for. But they each might also find an unlikely new best friend…in each other.

I was terrified to see this movie because I thought for sure it would be traumatizing on a Marley & Me level.   I'm going to go ahead and spoil this - it's not!   Thank the lord!!!  This was just a really great family film.  And to say that this would be any pet lover's ideal movie is an understatement.

I would definitely recommend people with kids see this.  Not the little, little ones but the ones old enough to learn from the morals and family dynamics shown in it.

Minions

The story of Minions begins at the dawn of time. Starting as single-celled yellow organisms, "Minions" evolve through the ages, perpetually serving the most despicable of masters. Continuously unsuccessful at keeping these masters--from T. rex to Napoleon--the Minions find themselves without someone to serve and fall into a deep depression. But one Minion named Kevin has a plan, and he--alongside teenage rebel Stuart and lovable little Bob--ventures out into the world to find a new evil boss for his brethren to follow. The trio embarks upon a thrilling journey that ultimately leads them to their next potential master, Scarlet Overkill (Sandra Bullock), the world's first-ever female super-villain. They travel from frigid Antarctica to 1960s New York City, ending in mod London, where they must face their biggest challenge to date: saving all of Minionkind... from annihilation.

For the record - I'm a huge fan of the Minions so there really was no way that I could find this movie as anything but great.  They kept it super short and sure you pretty much see most of the movie just by watching the various trailers and marketing for the movie, but who cares.  They are cute, a completely original and non-Disney created entity (a real rarity when you think about it) and are funny as hell.  They don't even speak English yet are totally understood and entertaining.  And the very end of the movie was probably the best part of the whole thing.  

I couldn't possibly recommend this movie more.  This is very entertaining and funny for kids and adults and they are not remotely close to being tired or played out.  And I for one hopes that they never are.

Terminator Genisys

When John Connor (Jason Clarke), leader of the human resistance, sends Sgt. Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back to 1984 to protect Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) and safeguard the future, an unexpected turn of events creates a fractured timeline. Now, Sgt. Reese finds himself in a new and unfamiliar version of the past, where he is faced with unlikely allies, including the Guardian (Arnold Schwarzenegger), dangerous new enemies, and an unexpected new mission: To reset the future…

This movie started out awesome.  It was in the future post Judgement Day, the robot stuff was cool, it was when the first terminator and Reese travelled back in time and they actually recreated the same scenes from the first one.  But then it fell off the rails.  Sarah Conner was there waiting for Reese.  Huh?  And an older version of the original terminator was there waiting for the other one.  Huh?  Wait, that terminator was there because one was sent back in time during Sarah's childhood to protect her (shown via flashback) and has been with her all along and she calls him Pops.  WHAT THE F . . . .!?!?!?!  Then they spent a ton of time talking about how time travel effected all of this.  Any time that you have to explain your story so much via dialogue you have failed.  This is supposed to be a Terminator movie not a lame ass version of Interstellar.  The acting from everyone was so atrocious that it made Arnold Oscar worthy but the running joke was that he was too old.  Again . . . . WHAT!?!  And I'm not even going to touch on their big twist and how simply the nonsensical thing could be prevented.

I would not recommend anyone bothering with this.  Unless you want to angrily rant about it like me.  It's a waste of time and a huge disappointment.

Ted 2

Seth MacFarlane returns as writer, director and co-star of Ted 2, Universal and Media Rights Capital's follow-up to the highest-grossing original R-rated comedy of all time. Joined once again by star Mark Wahlberg, MacFarlane produces the live action/CG-animated comedy alongside Bluegrass Films' Scott Stuber, as well as John Jacobs and Jason Clark.

I was not as big of a fan of the original as most were.  To be fair, I didn't see it when it first came out.  A couple of weeks went by with me hearing how great it was and I think it kind of ruined the movie for me.  That all being said, I found this one to be much funnier than the first one.  I was straight out belly laughing numerous times during this movie.  Without the story telling, they were really able to let the one liners fly and just ride the chemistry between the actors/voices.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  It was raunchy as hell at times and lots of drugs jokes but I thought the movie was hysterical.

Inside Out

Growing up can be a bumpy road, and it’s no exception for Riley, who is uprooted from her Midwest life when her father starts a new job in San Francisco. Like all of us, Riley is guided by her emotions – Joy (Amy Poehler), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith). The emotions live in Headquarters, the control center inside Riley’s mind, where they help advise her through everyday life. As Riley and her emotions struggle to adjust to a new life in San Francisco, turmoil ensues in Headquarters. Although Joy, Riley’s main and most important emotion, tries to keep things positive, the emotions conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house and school.

Pixar has produced excellence yet again.  I was so excited about this movie since seeing the trailer for it. It reminded me of this show called Cranium Command at Epcot Center in Disney World.  You were watching a day in the life of a pre-teen from the inside with over the top personalities playing the different parts of the body.  Hans & Franz were the heart.  Norm from Cheers was the stomach.  Bobcat Goldthwait was the adrenal glands.  It was a short little movie but I would go out of my way to see it every trip to Disney.  This movie was very similar to that but focused on the different emotions instead of areas of the body.   The emotions were perfectly voice casted.  The story was tight and adorable on every level.  There were plenty of laughs and choke up scenes for both children and adults.  More importantly than anything this movie is going to help so many children psychologically.  Children that see this movie are going to understand so much better now to deal with their emotions and parents are going to have an excellent tool to help them do so or refer to,

I absolutely recommend this movie to everyone.  It is a very smart, funny, emotional and possibly educational movie for both kids and adults.  Outside of that Cars sequel this is another link in the long chain of Pixar's legendary level of excellence.

Jurassic World

This is a new sci-fi terror adventure set 22 years after the horrific events of the original Jurassic Park.

Do you really need any more of a synopsis than that?   This was easily the best sequel of them all to the original.  It had that same epic/event feel to it.  It had the same types of characters.  It had those same holy sh$t dinosaur moments.  Where the first sequel was a failed attempt at a continuation and the second one was a short but enjoyable adrenaline dinosaur chasing romp, this was a recreation of the original with the park officially being opened 20 years later and things going bad with the dinosaurs.  There were plenty of shout outs and references to the original that made the connection even better.

I would definitely recommend everyone checking this out.  It's what popcorn movies are all about.

Insidious Chapter 3

The newest chapter in the terrifying horror series is written and directed by franchise co-creator Leigh Whannell. This chilling prequel, set before the haunting of the Lambert family, reveals how gifted psychic Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) reluctantly agrees to use her ability to contact the dead in order to help a teenage girl (Stefanie Scott) who has been targeted by a dangerous supernatural entity.

This movie makes a lot more sense to me now that I just read above that it was a prequel.  I watched the whole thing thinking that it was  a sequel and thought it was pretty lame that the only connection was the psychic lady.  And while it definitely makes more sense knowing this - was this franchise in need of a prequel?  Feel like they should have just continued the franchise instead?  That being said - the movie was okay.  They did a great job with the sight scares.  Definitely better than the last one.  But again - there was really no need for a prequel story and I wasn't really invested in the characters and there struggle.

I would somewhat recommend people checking this out - as long as they are aware it's a prequel.  It's got good scares and they show the other world well even if the story was lacking.

Spy

Susan Cooper (McCarthy) is an unassuming, deskbound CIA analyst, and the unsung hero behind the Agency’s most dangerous missions. But when her partner (Law) falls off the grid and another top agent (Statham) is compromised, she volunteers to go deep undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer, and prevent a global disaster. Written and directed by Paul Feig, the comedy also stars Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale, Allison Janney, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, and Miranda Hart.

Let me first say that I am a HUGE fan of Melissa McCarthy.  I think she is honestly one of the funniest people in the world.  That being said - maybe I'm a little biased but I really enjoyed this movie.  She was great.  Jason Statham was hysterical.  Seriously.  I was shocked.  Rose Byrne was great too.  The way that all of them played off McCarthy was so funny on every level.  The action was good.  The pacing was good.  Usually a two hour comedy tends to run out of gas but this movie definitely didn't.

I would absolutely recommend this movie for people looking for a laugh.  It definitely delivers.

San Andreas

After the infamous San Andreas Fault finally gives, triggering a magnitude 9 earthquake in California, a search and rescue helicopter pilot (Johnson) and his estranged wife make their way together from Los Angeles to San Francisco to save their only daughter. But their treacherous journey north is only the beginning, and when they think the worst may be over…it’s just getting started.

This movie is exactly what you would expect it to be.   Lots of crazy effects.  Lots of unnecessary was-was family drama to fill out the breaks in the devastation.  But it's of course much easier to deal with because they put The Rock in there.  There really isn't much else to say about it.

If you like disaster flicks like this, this movie will not disappoint.  There is plenty of chaos from all different angles and is enjoyable on that level.  You should check it out.  If this isn't your cup of tea - you should obviously pass.

Aloha

A celebrated military contractor (Bradley Cooper) returns to the site of his greatest career triumphs – the US Space program in Honolulu, Hawaii – and reconnects with a long-ago love (Rachel McAdams) while unexpectedly falling for the hard-charging Air Force watchdog (Emma Stone) assigned to him. In play is a complex satellite system being launched by an enigmatic billionaire with suspicious intentions (Bill Murray).

I have always been a huge fan of Cameron Crowe.  He does such a great job with relationships in all of his movies.  He is able to develop characters so quick and well and create attachments to them for the audience.  This movie was no different and had an amazing cast.  Emma a Stone is awesome as always and there is a scene between Bradley Cooper and John Krasinski that was priceless.  The only thing that took away from this movie was that there was too much of the Hawaiian politics going on.  I get that it was an important part of the story but it was so far secondary to the relationships in the movie that it took away from the good stuff of the movie.

I still enjoyed the movie very much.  I would definitely recommend any fans of Cameron Crowe's previous efforts checking this out.  The cast really is worth the price of admission alone.

Tomorrowland

From Disney comes two-time Oscar winner Brad Bird's riveting, mystery adventure Tomorrowland, starring George Clooney. Bound by a shared destiny, former boy-genius Frank (Clooney), jaded by disillusionment, and Casey (Britt Robertson), a bright, optimistic teen bursting with scientific curiosity, embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space known only as Tomorrowland. What they must do there changes the world--and them--forever.

The reason I fell in love with going to the movies was because I loved getting caught up in what was going on onscreen and being transported to a different world or going for an amazing ride.  Sure there are plenty of movies that you can go to an incredibly enjoy nowadays but they are all adaptions of well known material, sequels or rehashings.  It's so rare that anything that feels original comes along anymore.  It's even rarer that a studio will commit to a movie so much that they don't give you the whole movie in the trailer.  I went into this movie not really knowing what it was about.  I was afraid that they didn't show you a lot because the movie wouldn't be that good, but I was beyond pleasantly surprised.  This movie was awesome.  The storytelling, the score, the action, the chemistry between the actors, all of it. 

I give this movie the stamp of must see.  I am shocked at how much I loved this movie and really wish that Hollywood would have the creativity to make more old school movies like this.  

Poltergeist

Legendary filmmaker Sam Raimi and director Gil Kenan contemporize the classic tale about a family whose suburban home is haunted by evil forces. When the terrifying apparitions escalate their attacks and hold the youngest daughter captive, the family must come together to rescue her before she disappears forever.

Holy disappointment.  I thought that this movie was going to be creepy as hell.  Especially the damn clown and tree parts that made me lose massive amounts of sleep when I was younger.  However, this was another shining example of how the crazy abilities of special effects that exist today do not necessarily translate into making movies scarier.  The simpler way of showing things way back when made the original scary as hell.  Like lose sleep kind of scary.  This one had zero effect on me like that.  

I wouldn't really recommend people rushing to check this out.  It's very disappointing.  It's very rushed.  And it's all about the effects instead of the slow build of fear and then the real scares.

Mad Max: Fury Road

Haunted by his turbulent past, Mad Max believes the best way to survive is to wander alone. Nevertheless, he becomes swept up with a group fleeing across the Wasteland in a War Rig driven by an elite Imperator, Furiosa. They are escaping a Citadel tyrannized by the Immortan Joe, from whom something irreplaceable has been taken. Enraged, the Warlord marshals all his gangs and pursues the rebels ruthlessly in the high-octane Road War that follows.

Wow!  Just plain wow!  This movie was nuts.  Like straight up adrenaline on the screen.  I think there was maybe a total of ten minutes out of the two hours where the movie wasn't amped up and going 100mph.  The action was insane.  The casting was perfect.  I love Tom Hardy more and more every movie he does.  This movie was done so well that you feel like you are there in that world.  I had that same feeling from when I used to play GTA III after watching this where leaving the theater I was ready to drive like they were.  

I absolutely loved this movie and recommend everyone check it out.  It is super violent but is one hell of an awesome ride and excellent filmmaking for the kind of movie it was.

Pitch Perfect 2

The Barden Bellas are back in Pitch Perfect 2, the follow-up to summer 2012’s smash hit. The comedy will be helmed by Elizabeth Banks, co-star and producer of "Pitch Perfect," and produced by Paul Brooks, Max Handelman and Banks. Writer Kay Cannon returns to the team to pen the next chapter.

Pitch Perfect is probably one of my favorite movies ever.  To say that my expectations for this were sky high would be an understatement.  And while there was no way this could have been better than the original, this movie was a great sequel to it.  They took what made the first movie funny and gave you more of it.  They continued to mock themselves.  The random one liners were still hilarious.  And how can you ever go wrong with more Fat Amy?  

I would absolutely recommend people checking this out.  It's a great sequel with tons of laughs.  I think I liked the music better in the first but they still delivered greatly in this one.

Ex Machina

Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson), a programmer at an internet-search giant, wins a competition to spend a week at the private mountain estate of the company's brilliant and reclusive CEO, Nathan Bateman (Oscar Isaac). Upon his arrival, Caleb learns that Nathan has chosen him to be the human component in a Turing Test—charging him with evaluating the capabilities, and ultimately the consciousness, of Nathan’s latest experiment in artificial intelligence. That experiment is Ava (Alicia Vikander), a breathtaking A.I. whose emotional intelligence proves more sophisticated––and more deceptive––than the two men could have imagined.

This movie was very well done from an artistic filmmaking perspective.  There was a great build towards the climax and Oscar Issac continues to shine as an actor.  This was exactly what psychological sci-fi should be.  The only knock is that it definitely dragged at points and hurt the overall momentum.

I would recommend people check this out.  It's absolutely not a mainstream movie, but it is a good watch for those able to appreciate these kinds of movies.

Hot Pursuit

Cooper (Reese Witherspoon) is a second generation police officer who is known as a bit of a screw-up, but when a federal witness and his wife Daniella (Sofia Vergara) need to be moved into witness protection, she’s called upon to guard Daniella as they go on the run from a crime boss and corrupt cops.

This movie was pretty disappointing.  The trailer looked really funny and I thought that this would be a good pairing for a comedy.  Unfortunately, it just kind of missed its mark.  There were a couple of laughs here and there but without the hook to get you fully into the movie there were not nearly as many as I had hoped for.  

I would very lukewarmly recommend this movie to people.  It's not the worst thing I've seen but it's not nearly as good as I expected it to be.  It ends up being a somewhat decent watch with some scattered laughs.

Avengers: Age Of Ultron

Avengers: Age of Ultron is the epic follow-up to the biggest Super Hero movie of all time. When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth's Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure. 

I went into this movie worried that this would be like the Transformers sequels with a ton of crap thrown on the screen with little to no substance.  Thankfully I was wrong.  The movie was very entertaining.  Good but not too much action.  Great banter between the characters.  Good character development of the ones that don't have their stand alone franchises.  And lots and lots of fun.  I would only make two knocks against this one.  First, a lot of the story was super rushed.  As great as Ultron was, it was like you blinked and there he was hating the world.  Second, there was some major lacking of continuity from Iron Man 3 to this movie.  Tony Stark went from being done with being Iron Man and destroying all his robots to being with the Avengers and having newly developed robots.

Regardless of those two knocks, I would absolutely recommend people checking this out.  It is a great  summer popcorn movie.  I would have it somewhere in the 4-6 range if ranking all the Marvel movies since Iron Man.

The Age Of Adaline

After miraculously remaining 29 years old for almost eight decades, Adaline Bowman (Blake Lively) has lived a solitary existence, never allowing herself to get close to anyone who might reveal her secret. But a chance encounter with charismatic philanthropist Ellis Jones (Michiel Huisman) reignites her passion for life and romance. When a weekend with his parents (Harrison Ford and Kathy Baker) threatens to uncover the truth, Adaline makes a decision that will change her life forever.

This was a beautifully told story.  I realize how wussy that sounds but it really does apply to this movie.  I loved the way that the first ten minutes had a narrator going over what was happening.  It felt perfect.  Then the narrator would return a couple of times throughout the movie and again it just felt so right from a storytelling format.  The love story definitely hooked you and Blake Lively did a great job of showing the several different emotions involved with her not aging.

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.  It was a great story with an excellent way of it being told.

The Gunman

An adaptation of Jean-Patrick Manchette's "The Prone Gunman." Sean Penn stars as Jim Terrier, an international operative who is betrayed by the organization he worked for, and must go on the run in a relentless game of cat and mouse across Europe.

This movie was a really good watch.  How did this not get a wider a better promoted release?  Sean Penn was great in the Liam Nesson Taken-ish role and Javier Bardem is awesome in anything he does.  The fight scenes were great and they would go from 0 to 60 so fast.  There might have been a little too much dramatic talky talky at times but it was still enjoyable.

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.  It's a good action movie.  Unfortunately it was in and out of theaters pretty fast after minimal advertising.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2

After six years of keeping our malls safe, Paul Blart has earned a well-deserved vacation. He heads to Vegas with his teenage daughter before she heads off to college. But safety never takes a holiday and when duty calls, Blart answers.

If I'm being realistic, this is definitely on the list of sequels that will surely be questioned for being made forever.  Is it stupid?  Yes.  Is it formula?  Of course.  That being said, if you find Kevin James funny and you liked the first one despite its same level of stupidity and formula - I'm sure you will like this one too.

Again, I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed the first one.  Same kind of laughs and same kind of corniness.  If that one wasn't for you, then you shouldn't touch this one either.

Unfriended

Ushering in a new era of horror, Unfriended unfolds over a teenager's computer screen as she and her friends are stalked by an unseen figure who seeks vengeance for a shaming video that led a vicious bully to kill herself a year earlier.

It was a decent idea and shown well using social media and an absurd amount of computer attachment and usage of the current generation.  Honestly - it made me feel really old because of the massive a.d.d. that it seems the whole generation has.  Anywho - the problem with the movie was that there really wasn't much of a fear element.  You just kind of watched it play out in a completely formula way.  It was a very short movie so it ended up being okay.

I would somewhat recommend people checking this movie out.  It might be more entertaining/scary for this generation since they can probably identify with it all more. Otherwise, it was a decent premise but not too scary.

The Water Diviner

Starring Russell Crowe, The Water Diviner is an epic adventure set four years after the devastating battle of Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I. Australian farmer Connor (Crowe) travels to Istanbul to discover the fate of his sons, reported missing in the action, where he forges a relationship with the beautiful Turkish woman (Kurylenko) who owns the hotel in which he stays. Holding on to hope, and with the help of a Turkish Officer, Connor embarks on a journey across the country to find the truth about the fate of his sons.

Not going to sugarcoat it at all.  This movie was a straight up snooze fest.  I made it about 45 minutes into it and I couldn't have been less interested if I tried.  There really was no hook whatsoever.  The plugged was pulled.

I obviously wouldn't recommend anyone wasting their time with this.  It's 45 minutes I wish I had back and I couldn't imagine wasting a full two hours on it.

It Follows

For 19-year-old Jay (Monroe), the fall should be about school, boys and weekends at the lake. Yet, after a seemingly innocent sexual encounter she suddenly finds herself plagued by nightmarish visions; she can't shake the sensation that someone, or something, is following her. As the threat closes in, Jay and her friends must somehow escape the horrors that are only a few steps behind.

This was easily one of the most original horror movies I've seen in a very long time.  Its so simple and so different.  And they didn't rely on any usual horror movie cheesiness for scares.  It was all done with amazing camera work and a really creepy tension inducing score.  I would go so far as to say that this was an artsy horror movie with how legitamitely well made of a movie it was.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  I'm a pretty big fan of scary movies and this one was one hell of a great mind screw.  You will leave this movie asking people if they see creepy people around just to make sure you are not losing it.

Furious 7

Continuing the global exploits in the unstoppable franchise built on speed, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson lead the returning cast of Furious 7. James Wan directs this chapter of the hugely successful series that also welcomes back favorites Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Elsa Pataky and Lucas Black. They are joined by international action stars new to the franchise including Jason Statham, Djimon Hounsou, Tony Jaa, Ronda Rousey and Kurt Russell. 

I will be the first person to admit that I LOVE these kinds of movies.  If you are looking for a well done piece of film - this is not the movie for you.  If you enjoy crazy roller coaster rides and pretty much shutting your brain off and enjoying it - these movies are the best.  Sure the 2nd and 3rd entries were eeehhhh at best but the rest have been the dictionary definition of popcorn movies.  Crazy over the top action.  Cheesy acting and dialogue.  A story that is really not all that important.   Lots of laughs sprinkled in. And a love of the characters that have grown throughout all the movies on the audience.  This entry is right on par with the others.  Probably not as good as Fast Five (my personal favorite one) but its definitely up there.  This entry did take it to a whole other level though.  Along with the action, comedy between the characters and what they always do - they did the most amazing job of heartstring pulling at the end of the movie regarding Paul Walker's death.  I won't spoil how they did it.  I will say that they do NOT kill his character off but say goodbye to him in one of the classiest things I've ever seen in a movie and pretty much left the whole theater sniffling or sobbing like they were watching a Nicholas Sparks movie.  

I would absolutely recommend people checking this movie out.  It is another phenomenal entry in what is probably one of my favorite movie franchises and one that I would be okay with them continuing to go on with.  That's pretty impressive seven movies in.  

Home

When Earth is taken over by the overly-confident Boov, an alien race in search of a new place to call home, all humans are promptly relocated, while all Boov get busy reorganizing the planet. But when one resourceful girl, Tip, (Rihanna, who also contributes a song) manages to avoid capture, she finds herself the accidental accomplice of a banished Boov named Oh (Jim Parsons). The two fugitives realize there's a lot more at stake than intergalactic relations as they embark on the road trip of a lifetime. Based upon the novel "The True Meaning of Smekday" by Adam Rex.

I wanted to like this movie.  I wanted it to be the kind of animated movie that is just as enjoyable for the adults as it is for the kids.  Unfortunately, it wasn't.  I found myself bored at numerous points and the laughs that I expected from the trailer just were not there.  Jim Parsons did a good job voicing the character and basically just being Sheldon.  I could have done without Rihanna voicing the girl lead and every song being sung by her.  It's like she got a whole album release from this movie.  

Its not that the movie was bad.  It was decent.  And the kids that it was made for will probably still love it.  It's just not as enjoyable for the adults as I had hoped it would be.

Get Hard

When millionaire hedge fund manager James (Will Ferrell) is nailed for fraud and bound for a stretch in San Quentin, the judge gives him 30 days to get his affairs in order.  Desperate, he turns to Darnell (Kevin Hart) to prep him for a life behind bars.  But despite James’ one-percenter assumptions, Darnell is a hard-working small business owner who has never received a parking ticket, let alone been to prison.   Together, the two men do whatever it takes for James to “get hard” and, in the process, discover how wrong they were about a lot of things – including each other.

You have to go into a movie like this with pretty simple expectations.  It's a bunch of simple jokes and will probably run a little bit longer than it should since it's more of a SNL skit than a full length movie.  And that's exactly what you get.  There were a couple of really good laughs but not nearly enough to warrant the whole story.  Plus they did the obligatory storyline putting some heart into it that usually tones down the laughs.  

I would still somewhat recommend people checking this out.  The two leads are funny and play very well off of each other.  Just don't expect the funniest movie of all time and you should be happy with the end product.

Insurgent

Insurgent raises the stakes for Tris as she searches for allies and answers in the ruins of a futuristic Chicago. Tris (Woodley) and Four (James) are now fugitives on the run, hunted by Jeanine (Winslet), the leader of the power-hungry Erudite elite. Racing against time, they must find out what Tris’s family sacrificed their lives to protect, and why the Erudite leaders will do anything to stop them. Haunted by her past choices but desperate to protect the ones she loves, Tris, with Four at her side, faces one impossible challenge after another as they unlock the truth about the past and ultimately the future of their world.

This movie might have actually been better than Divergent simply because you can tell how much more money was put into the production value of it.  The movie just looks better.  The scenery is better.  The effects are better.  Everything just pretty much looks cleaner overall.  The movie continues the story from the first one so if you liked it or the books - you will surely like this movie.  The biggest thing that they were able to pull off was how much of this movie took part in the world of the simulations.  I had big doubts about this when reading the book but they pulled it off incredibly well.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  It's a great young cast and an enjoyable story to watch play out.

Run All Night

Brooklyn mobster and prolific hit man Jimmy Conlon (Neeson), once known as The Gravedigger, has seen better days. Longtime best friend of mob boss Shawn Maguire (Harris), Jimmy, now 55, is haunted by the sins of his past—as well as a dogged police detective who's been one step behind Jimmy for 30 years. Lately, it seems Jimmy's only solace can be found at the bottom of a whiskey glass. But when Jimmy's estranged son, Mike (Kinnaman), becomes a target, Jimmy must make a choice between the crime family he chose and the real family he abandoned long ago. With Mike on the run, Jimmy's only penance for his past mistakes may be to keep his son from the same fate Jimmy is certain he'll face himself…at the wrong end of a gun. Now, with nowhere safe to turn, Jimmy just has one night to figure out exactly where his loyalties lie and to see if he can finally make things right.

Let's call it like it is.  This movie is basically Taken 4.  Instead of a badass Ex-CIA or whatever he was in Taken, Liam Nesson is a drunken ex-hitman for the mob who will stop at nothing to protect his son.  That being said, I liked this movie more than either of the Taken sequels.  The cast was great all around, especially Ed Harris.  The movie was a little longer than it had to be but it was still an enjoyable enough ride with good badass acting to keep you entertained.

I would recommend people checking this out.  It was a good watch - especially if you like these kinds of movies.

Focus

Will Smith stars as Nicky, a seasoned master of misdirection who becomes romantically involved with novice con artist Jess (Margot Robbie). As he's teaching her the tricks of the trade, she gets too close for comfort and he abruptly breaks it off. Three years later, the former flame--now an accomplished femme fatale--shows up in Buenos Aires in the middle of the high stakes racecar circuit. In the midst of Nicky's latest, very dangerous scheme, she throws his plans for a loop... and the consummate con man off his game.

This was a pretty good movie.  I absolutely loved the first half.  It was very well paced.  The intensity of the risks taken and the gambling was so well developed.  They did a great job of developing the two lead characters and the supporting ones.  Gears shifted a little bit about halfway through the movie and that slowed the pacing down a lot but the chemistry between the two leads kept you interested and the movie ultimately did play out well.

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.  It's a very enjoyable ride even with the gear shift halfway through.  Will Smith has still got it.

The DUFF

Bianca (Mae Whitman) is a content high school senior whose world is shattered when she learns the student body knows her as ‘The DUFF’ (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) to her prettier, more popular friends (Skyler Samuels & Bianca Santos). Now, despite the words of caution from her favorite teacher (Ken Jeong), she puts aside the potential distraction of her crush, Toby (Nick Eversman), and enlists Wesley (Robbie Amell), a slick but charming jock, to help reinvent herself. To save her senior year from turning into a total disaster, Bianca must find the confidence to overthrow the school’s ruthless label maker Madison (Bella Thorne) and remind everyone that no matter what people look or act like, we are all someone’s DUFF.

This was a pretty cute movie.  You know the story and it's been done so many times already but it was still enjoyable based on the lead and mostly her delivery of sarcasm and wit.  You know very well how things are going to play out but you still can't help but root for the lead because she really is such a likable character. 

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  It's not a must see movie by any means but it is an enjoyable watch.

Cinderella

The story of Cinderella follows the fortunes of young Ella (Lily James) whose merchant father remarries following the death of her mother. Eager to support her loving father, Ella welcomes her new Stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and her daughters Anastasia (Holliday Grainger) and Drisella (Sophie McShera) into the family home. But, when Ella’s father unexpectedly passes away, she finds herself at the mercy of a jealous and cruel new family. Soon, she is forced to become their servant, disrespected, covered in ashes and spitefully renamed Cinderella. Yet, despite the cruelty inflicted upon her, Ella will not give in to despair nor despise those who mistreat her, and she continues to remain positive, determined to honor her mother’s dying words and to “have courage and be kind.”  When Ella meets a dashing stranger in the woods, unaware that he is really the Prince (Richard Madden) and not merely Kit, an apprentice at the palace, she believes she has finally found a kindred soul. It appears her fortunes may be about to change when the King (Derek Jacobi) summons all maidens in the kingdom to attend a royal ball at the palace, raising Ella’s hopes of once again encountering the charming Kit. Alas, her Stepmother forbids her to attend and callously destroys her dress.  Meanwhile, the calculating Grand Duke (Stellan Skarsgård) devises a plan to thwart the Prince’s hopes of reuniting with Ella and enlists the support of the devious Stepmother. But, as in all good fairy tales, help is at hand. Soon, a kindly beggar woman (Helena Bonham Carter) steps forward and, armed with a pumpkin, a few mice and a magic wand, changes Cinderella’s life forever.

Sorry for the unnecessarily long synopsis.  Are you not already aware of the story of Cinderella?  Anywho, this was a decent live action telling of the classic animated story.  There were definitely times where the pacing could have definitely been better to avoid so many dragging parts, but it was still watchable/enjoyable.  I will say that I missed the talking mice since they were my favorite part of the movie.  Who wouldn't mis Gus-Gus?

I would somewhat recommend people checking this out.  It's not a must see by any means but it was a decent watch.

Chappie

In the near future, crime is patrolled by an oppressive mechanized police force. But now, the people are fighting back. When one police droid, Chappie, is stolen and given new programming, he becomes the first robot with the ability to think and feel for himself. As powerful, destructive forces start to see Chappie as a danger to mankind and order, they will stop at nothing to maintain the status quo and ensure that Chappie is the last of his kind.

Neil Bloomkamp is becoming one of my more favorite directors.  District 9 was awesome.  Elysium was great.  I had high expectations for this movie and tried to not get too excited out of fear of it ruining the movie for me.  But it still delivered.  The story was great and managed put a lot of heart into an action/sci-fi movie and there were a ton of laughs.  One could break it down and say this was an updated version of Short Circuit and that is somewhat accurate, but this is nowhere near as kid friendly.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  It's a fun ride and a well developed story.  Only complaint is the level of weirdness with everyone's hair.  What is that all about?

Kingsman: The Secret Service

Based upon the acclaimed comic book and directed by Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class), Kingsman: The Secret Service tells the story of a super-secret spy organization that recruits an unrefined but promising street kid into the agency's ultra-competitive training program just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius.

Matthew Vaughn is so good at making fun action movies.  Sure the violence and language tend to push these to being rated R but it's totally worth it.  This is a movie made for teenage boys but done well enough that grown ups can appreciate the guilty pleasure that it is.  Samuel L Jackson is at his over the top best.  Colin Firth is surprisingly badass.  The side characters are entertaining as hell.  It was just a whole lot of over the top fun.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  It was a lot of fun and almost Tarantinoesque with its witty banter and crazy violence.