Star Trek Beyond

Star Trek Beyond, the highly-anticipated next installment in the globally popular Star Trek franchise, created by Gene Roddenberry and reintroduced by J.J. Abrams in 2009, returns with director Justin Lin (The Fast and the Furious franchise) at the helm of this epic voyage of the U.S.S. Enterprise and her intrepid crew. In "Beyond," the Enterprise crew explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a mysterious new enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for to the test.

I was never a huge fan of Star Trek growing up.  Star Wars was pretty much my religion.  I never watched any of the Star Trek shows but did see the movies.  They were not bad but they just always seemed too sci-fi for my tastes.  When JJ Abrams reintroduced Star Trek to movie theaters a few years back with a great, young cast he made me a fan.  I have enjoyed both films that he did and I enjoyed this one alot too.  It had a lot of great actions, great laughs with characters bickering and great visuals throughout - especially the space attack scenes that looked amazing.  It was very well paced and was an enjoyable ride overall.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  It was a very fun movie and I continue to be surprised that I can refer to myself as a Star Trek fan now.

Ghostbusters

Thirty years after the original film took the world by storm, Ghostbusters is back and fully rebooted for a new generation. Director Paul Feig combines all the paranormal fighting elements that made the original franchise so beloved with a cast of new characters, played by the funniest actors working today. Get ready to watch them save the world this summer!

It goes without saying that this movie was probably the most scrutinized in advance movie of all time.  Any time that you are "rebooting" one of the most beloved movies of all time you are going to go through that.  Ghostbusters is probably one of my favorite movies of all time and I was beyond skeptical about them being able to pull this off.  I was fine with the all woman cast and I'm actually a huge Melissa McCarthy fan and love Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones on SNL too.  I've never been a big fan of Kristen Wiig so that was lowering my expectations for this alot too.  Regardless - all of the knocking of the movie in advance ended up being wrong as this movie was actually good.  Not great - but good.  It didn't destroy the movie or whatever that they were all women.  I was fine with that.  My only real complaint was that Melissa McCarthy was kind of wasted by playing the straight character.  She could have delivered much bigger laughs in the Bill Murray-ish part as opposed to the Dan Aakroyd one.  And Kristen Wiig was the exact disappointment that I expected.  It was like they both played the Dan Aakroyd part honestly.  Kate McKinnon was easily the best part of the movie and stole every scene she was in.  Leslie Jones was good.  The cameos were all good.  Again - the movie was good.  Not great - but good.  And the bottom line is that this movie is more for the next generation not ours.  My niece who is 10 years old saw this movie with us and watching her reaction to it all was exactly how I remembered reacting to the original one.  She was crazy scared at the ghost like parts but loved the movie overall and was talking so excitedly about it.  That is what Ghostbusters is all about.

Pretty sure that most people are going to see this regardless of my review.  It was a good watch.  The knocking of it ended up being unwarranted.  The women were funny.   It could have been better but it was still enjoyable and the new generation will undoubtedly love this movie.

Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates

Hard-partying brothers Mike (Adam Devine) and Dave (Zac Efron) place an online ad to find the perfect dates (Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza) for their sister's Hawaiian wedding. Hoping for a wild getaway, the boys instead find themselves outsmarted and out-partied by the uncontrollable duo.

This movie had me belly laughing so many times throughout the movie.  I am a big fan of all four of the leads at this point - including Zac Efron who really is following the Justin Timberlake career path of going from teen heartthrob to becoming really damn funny.  The chemistry between the four leads was awesome and the real hidden gem is the sister of Mike & Dave who does a great part of basically being tortured in many different ways throughout the movie.  

I would absolutely recommend people seeing this.  The movie is pretty raunchy at times but is probably the funniest movie of the summer so far regardless.  The chemistry between the actors/actresses was simply that great.

The Secret Life Of Pets

For one bustling Manhattan apartment building, the real day starts after the folks on two legs leave for work and school. That’s when the pets of every stripe, fur and feather begin their own nine-to-five routine: hanging out with each other, trading humiliating stories about their owners, or auditioning adorable looks to get better snacks. The building’s top dog, Max (voiced by Louis C.K.), a quick-witted terrier rescue who’s convinced he sits at the center of his owner’s universe, finds his pampered life rocked when she brings home Duke (Eric Stonestreet), a sloppy, massive mess of a mongrel with zero interpersonal skills. When this reluctant canine duo finds themselves out on the mean streets of New York, they have to set aside their differences and unite against a fluffy-yet-cunning bunny named Snowball (Kevin Hart), who’s building an army of Ex-Pets abandoned by their owners and out to turn the tables on humanity…all before dinnertime.

My friend was spot on when he said that this was pretty much a pets version of Toy Story.  I still enjoyed the movie very much and there was plenty of laughs throughout.  The characters were great and definitely will catch on tremendously with kids that see this movie.  But it really was the same story and everything as Toy Story.  

I would still definitely recommend people checking this out.  It was a fun watch and is pretty much a must for anyone with kids.  Although I thought that the movie would be funnier than it was it was still very much enjoyable.  

The Legend Of Tarzan

It has been years since the man once known as Tarzan (Skarsgård) left the jungles of Africa behind for a gentrified life as John Clayton III, Lord Greystoke, with his beloved wife, Jane (Robbie) at his side. Now, he has been invited back to the Congo to serve as a trade emissary of Parliament, unaware that he is a pawn in a deadly convergence of greed and revenge, masterminded by the Belgian, Captain Leon Rom (Waltz). But those behind the murderous plot have no idea what they are about to unleash.

This was a slightly different take on the traditional Tarzan story.  The raised by apes stuff was all in flashback form with the movie taking place after the whole going back to civilization thing.  He is going back to his roots after adjusting to the world.  That different take along with Christoph Waltz being such a great villain made this movie much more enjoyable than I expected.  I'm not saying this was a great movie or anything.  It was beyond predictable and pretty formula across the board but it wasn't as bad as a movie as critics made it out to be. 

I would somewhat recommend people checking this movie out.  It's not a must watch and there are definitely better options out there.  But it's a pretty good watch and different take on the Tarzan story and nice to see Skarsgard finally get his shot at leading man status.

The Purge: Election Year

It’s been two years since Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo) stopped himself from a regrettable act of revenge on Purge Night. Now serving as head of security for Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell), his mission is to protect her in a run for president and survive the annual ritual that targets the poor and innocent. But when a betrayal forces them onto the streets of D.C. on the one night when no help is available, they must stay alive until dawn…or both be sacrificed for their sins against the state.

It's really strange to say how smart these movies are.  They take the shock/gore genre and inject it with an actually thought out governmental story line that combined with the psychological mind screw of thinking about the premise and make a legit good movie even with the crazy over the top gore and violence.  To think that this franchise is now three movies deep and that they are actually getting better/smarter is an even more impressive accomplishment.  

I would absolutely recommend anyone who is a fan of the previous entries check this out. It's a good watch just like the other two and manages to take your brain to a place imagining that this world actually exists.  Just remind yourself afterword that it doesn't so you don't kill someone in the parking lot on your way to the car.

The BFG

The BFG (Mark Rylance), while a giant himself, is a Big Friendly Giant and nothing like the other inhabitants of Giant Country. Standing 24-feet tall with enormous ears and a keen sense of smell, he is endearingly dim-witted and keeps to himself for the most part. Giants like Bloodbottler (Bill Hader) and Fleshlumpeater (Jemaine Clement) on the other hand, are twice as big and at least twice as scary and have been known to eat humans, while the BFG prefers Snozzcumber and Frobscottle. Upon her arrival in Giant Country, Sophie, a precocious 10-year-old girl from London, is initially frightened of the mysterious giant who has brought her to his cave, but soon comes to realize that the BFG is actually quite gentle and charming, and, having never met a giant before, has many questions. The BFG brings Sophie to Dream Country where he collects dreams and sends them to children, teaching her all about the magic and mystery of dreams.  Having both been on their own in the world up until now, their affection for one another quickly grows. But Sophie’s presence in Giant Country has attracted the unwanted attention of the other giants, who have become increasingly more bothersome.  Sophie and the BFG soon depart for London to see Queen Victoria (Penelope Wilton) and warn her of the precarious giant situation, but they must first convince the Queen and her maid, Mary (Rebecca Hall), that giants do indeed exist. Together, they come up with a plan to get rid of the giants once and for all.

This was a very cute movie.  It had that special kind of a feel to it.  You could tell that this was a Spielberg movie made for kids.  It had that feel.  Visually, the giant scenes were amazing.  Especially the ones where he was roaming the streets and hiding.  It was done so fluidly.  You couldn't help but get hooked by the friendship between the little girl and the giant and wanting to see how the story would play out.  

I would definitely recommend people with children taking their kids to check this out.  It's a very good family watch that will unfortunately probably get buried because of being released between two huge animated movies this summer.

The Shallows

In the taut thriller The Shallows, Nancy (Blake Lively) is surfing alone on a secluded beach when she is attacked by a great white shark and stranded just a short distance from shore. Though she is only 200 yards from her survival, getting there proves the ultimate contest of wills. It’s "Jaws" for a new generation.

This movie was pretty damn entertaining and creepy.  Sure it's not believable in so many ways, but just turn off your brain and enjoy a great shark movie.  This could easily serve as this generation's Jaws.  There were the same number of creepy shark coming visuals to make you jump and the movie was the perfect length for this kind of source material.

I would definitely recommend that anyone who was interested in seeing this do so.  It was a fun, scary movie that will probably have a negative effect on me swimming in the ocean for a while. 

Free State Of Jones

Directed by Gary Ross, and starring Matthew McConaughey, Free State of Jones is an epic action-drama set during the Civil War, and tells the story of defiant Southern farmer, Newt Knight, and his extraordinary armed rebellion against the Confederacy. Banding together with other small farmers and local slaves, Knight launched an uprising that led Jones County, Mississippi to secede from the Confederacy, creating a Free State of Jones. Knight continued his struggle into Reconstruction, distinguishing him as a compelling, if controversial, figure of defiance long beyond the War.

This movie couldn't really decide what it wanted to be.  It had you hooked right off the bat because it put you in the middle of a Civil War battle.   It looked gritty and realistic.  Then Newt decided to walk away from the war and the whole being on the run and forming the rebellion thing was great.  But then out of nowhere the movie went back and forth between some court case years later and the events of the rebellion.  This pretty much ruined the movie for me because I no longer felt like I was watching a Civil War version of Braveheart that I was surprisingly liking but it was half wannabe Braveheart and half wannabe A Few Good Men.  It made the movie very choppy and disconnected the audience from the hook it had created.

I wouldn't really recommend people checking this out.  It started off pretty good but then just kind of spiralled into a boring, when will this end type of movie. 

Independence Day: Resurgence

We always knew they were coming back. After Independence Day redefined the event movie genre, the next epic chapter delivers global spectacle on an unimaginable scale. Using recovered alien technology, the nations of Earth have collaborated on an immense defense program to protect the planet. But nothing can prepare us for the aliens’ advanced and unprecedented force. Only the ingenuity of a few brave men and women can bring our world back from the brink of extinction.

Wow!  This movie was off the charts awful.  Like I expected garbage but what I got was like hot steaming garbage that was covered in a massive layer or poop.  It was literally that bad.  I loved Independence Day.  I remember seeing that and it feeling like an event.  You couldn't help but get hooked and enjoy the crazy ride.  This sequel to that is downright insulting and should never have been made.  It had nothing in it that made the first movie awesome except for the pointless returning characters.  But even they were awful because they were just there and pushed on you.  If they were trying to hook the next generation of viewers, those viewers have no idea who these characters are or why what they are saying should be considered funny.  The new characters were even more forced.  Will Smith said no to the movie (Side note - probably should have pulled the plug on this right then and there) so you kill his character off in memorial and have his son be a fighter pilot now?  UGH!!!   A huge part of what made Independence Day a successful movie was because it was us (current world society) verses them.  This movie took place 20 years later - which would make it the current time period we are in but the world had made much more sci-fi related advances and we were fighting them with their technology.  This pretty much caused an immediate disconnect with the audience that was the root of the first one's event feel.  And the ending?  All I will say is that the main action scene at the end was a huge mother alien chasing a school bus full of kids.  Yes.  You read that right.  That was the finale chase.  School bus vs alien.  

I would only recommend people seeing this to take in how god awful it was.  It is easily the worst movie of the year so far and will go down as one of the sequels that absolutely should never have been made.   

Central Intelligence

Central Intelligence follows a one-time bullied geek who grew up to be a lethal CIA agent (Johnson), coming home for his high school reunion. Claiming to be on a top-secret case, he enlists the help of the former “big man on campus” (Hart), now an accountant who misses his glory days. But before the staid numbers-cruncher realizes what he’s getting into it’s too late to get out, as his increasingly unpredictable new friend drags him through a world of shoot-outs, double-crosses and espionage that could get them both killed in more ways than he can count.

I had sky high hopes for this movie due to the pairing of The Rock and Kevin Hart.  I'll admit that the movie didn't meet those expectations but there were still a ton of laughs.  The Rock really can't do anything wrong as far as I'm concerned.  He just makes everything better.  The chemistry between him and Kevin Hart was awesome and there was something about his doofiness at times in this movie that seriously cracked me up.  The movie was paced well and had solid supporting characters.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  It's not wire to wire laughs like I had hoped, but it was still plenty funny enough to be worth the trip to theaters.

Finding Dory

Finding Dory reunites Dory with friends Nemo and Marlin on a search for answers about her past. What can she remember? Who are her parents? And where did she learn to speak Whale?

I was afraid of Pixar giving this the mailing it in treatment of Cars 2 as opposed to the Toy Story sequels and Monsters Inc prequel.  Happily - that was not the case.  While the move was nowhere near the greatness of Finding Nemo, it was still a great ride with lots of laughs, emotions and new characters.  This one definitely felt more forced when compared to the natural progression of Finding Nemo but the story was still good and the pacing was great.  As with all Pixar movies, the film was just as enjoyable for the adults as it was for the kids that take them.

I would absolutely recommend this movie to everyone.  It's a great ride with characters you are used to and flawlessly introduced new ones.

The Conjuring 2

Reprising their roles, Oscar nominee Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson, star as Lorraine and Ed Warren, who, in one of their most terrifying paranormal investigations, travel to north London to help a single mother raising four children alone in a house plagued by malicious spirits.


I thought that the first movie was a decent watch but nothing to bother seeing again.  This one came across as much better than that one.  There was much higher levels of creepiness to this one.  The story was much more straight forward and it made the movie much more enjoyable.  Can't really say too much more without giving stuff away.   But I definitely jumped more times during this one and was much more hooked by the story that was playing out than the original.

I would definitely recommend this movie to fans of scary movies.  This was a very enjoyable watch and the two leads are perfect for this kind of a movie.

Now You See Me 2

The Four Horsemen [Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Lizzy Caplan] return for a second mind-bending adventure, elevating the limits of stage illusion to new heights and taking them around the globe. One year after outwitting the FBI and winning the public’s adulation with their Robin Hood-style magic spectacles, the illusionists resurface for a comeback performance in hopes of exposing the unethical practices of a tech magnate. The man behind their vanishing act is none other than Walter Mabry [Daniel Radcliffe], a tech prodigy who threatens the Horsemen into pulling off their most impossible heist yet. Their only hope is to perform one last unprecedented stunt to clear their names and reveal the mastermind behind it all.


I was a big fan of the first movie.  I wasn't sure that it necessitated a sequel but it was a very enjoyable movie if you just shut your brain off and enjoy the ride.  This movie was pretty much more of the same.  They replaced Isla Fisher flawlessly.  The chemistry was all still there and the filmmaking style with the magic tricks itself was still great.  Daniel Radcliffe was a great addition and was pretty enjoyable to watch in the villain role too.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  If you liked the first, you will definitely like this one.  You do have to be able to just enjoy instead of overanalyzing it.  If you do - you probably won't enjoy it as much.

Me Before You

Based on the critically acclaimed, bestselling novel by Jojo Moyes, New Line Cinema’s and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures’ Me Before You stars Emilia Clarke (“Game of Thrones”) and Sam Claflin (“The Hunger Games” series), under the direction of Thea Sharrock, making her feature film directorial debut. 

Wow!  Fewer movies I've ever seen have been more sad than this one.  It was a great story with amazing chemistry between the two leads.  The development of their relationship really hooks you but makes it all that much harder to watch it play out.  No spoilers but be prepared to cry.  The theater I saw it in was sold out and it was basically a group sobfest.  

I'd recommend people checking this out.  It was a great movie.  Just be prepared to cry.  A lot. 

Warcraft

Legendary’s Warcraft is a 3D epic adventure of world-colliding conflict based upon Blizzard Entertainment’s globally-renowned universe. 


I was never really into this stuff or World Of Warcraft or Dungeons & Dragons or whatever.  So I was minimally excited at best to see this.  I was actually thrilled to see it show up online so I didn't have to go to theaters time or schedule wise.  It was a decent watch and had some pretty cool special effects and cinematography.  The action scenes were pretty cool too.  But that is pretty much all I have to say about it.

Again - I'm probably not the best reviewer of this because it's not really my thing.  I thought it was pretty cool battle CGI effects but that was it.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows is the sequel to the 2014 hit film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  The film is based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters created by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman.  

This was an enjoyable sequel.  There was plenty of action.  There were plenty of laughs.  They did a great job of introducing the characters.  The only problem was that it was way too much CGI.  The movie was really at its best when it was not action scenes because then there was just way too much happening on the screen - especially at the end.

I liked the movie and would recommend people checking it out.  Even though it's too much at times it's still a very fun watch - especially if you like TMNT.

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping

Universal Pictures’ Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is headlined by musical digital-shorts superstars Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone, collectively known as The Lonely Island. The comedy goes behind the scenes as singer/rapper Conner4Real (Samberg) faces a crisis of popularity after his sophomore album flops, leaving his fans, sycophants and rivals all wondering what to do when he’s no longer the dopest star of all.


I thought this movie was funny as hell.  The mockumentary style was great.  The cameos throughout were great.  The songs were hysterical.  I had to download the soundtrack right after seeing it.  The movie had a perfectly short running time too.  I love The Lonely Island and still found this movie to be very funny with those high expectations.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  Tons of laughs throughout the movie.  

Alice Through The Looking Glass

Alice Through the Looking Glass reunites the all-star cast from the worldwide blockbuster phenomenon, including: Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Mia Wasikowska and Helena Bonham Carter along with the voices of Alan Rickman, Stephen Fry, Michael Sheen and Timothy Spall. We are also introduced to several new characters: Zanik Hightopp (Rhys Ifans), the Mad Hatter’s father and Time himself (Sacha Baron Cohen), a peculiar creature who is part human, part clock.  Alice Kingsleigh (Wasikowska) has spent the past few years following in her father’s footsteps and sailing the high seas. Upon her return to London, she comes across a magical looking glass and returns to the fantastical realm of Underland and her friends the White Rabbit (Sheen), Absolem (Rickman), the Cheshire Cat (Fry) and the Mad Hatter (Depp), who is not himself. The Hatter has lost his Muchness, so Mirana (Hathaway) sends Alice on a quest to borrow the Chronosphere, a metallic globe inside the chamber of the Grand Clock which powers all time. Returning to the past, she comes across friends – and enemies – at different points in their lives, and embarks on a perilous race to save the Hatter before time runs out.


This movie was very much like the first one.  All scenery but not a lot of substance.  Visually the movie was just as great as the first one, but there just fails to be a big enough hook for you to care.  It feels very much like an unnecessary and forced sequel.   I thought the first one was decent but this one would be just okay or maybe even worse.  It's funny that Alice In Wonderland is the movie that started Disney turning all their animated classics into live action movies but the two Alice movies are probably the worst ones.

I would not recommend people bothering with this movie.  It's really not worth the time or money.  It's sad to see how far Johnny Depp has fallen.

The Darkness

From the director of the cult classic, Wolf Creek, Greg McLean, comes the supernatural thriller The Darkness.  As a family returns home from vacation at the Grand Canyon, they innocently bring home a supernatural force that preys off their own fears and vulnerabilities, threatening to destroy them from within, while consuming their lives with terrifying consequences.

This movie was a decent watch.  There was a good enough level of creepiness to keep you interested in the movie.  The son with autism was played excellently.  To be honest he pretty much carried the movie.

I would somewhat recommend thriller or scary movie fans checking this out.  It was a decent enough watch and was definitely better than I expected.

X-Men: Apocalypse

Following the critically acclaimed global smash hit X-Men: Days of Future Past, director Bryan Singer returns with X-Men: Apocalypse. Since the dawn of civilization, he was worshipped as a god. Apocalypse, the first and most powerful mutant from Marvel’s X-Men universe, amassed the powers of many other mutants, becoming immortal and invincible. Upon awakening after thousands of years, he is disillusioned with the world as he finds it and recruits a team of powerful mutants, including a disheartened Magneto (Michael Fassbender), to cleanse mankind and create a new world order, over which he will reign. As the fate of the Earth hangs in the balance, Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) with the help of Professor X (James McAvoy) must lead a team of young X-Men to stop their greatest nemesis and save mankind from complete destruction.

I will say first that I liked this movie more than I thought I would.  I had pretty low expectations based on the trailers because it looked like they were making the same mistakes with the first X-Men trilogy.  Too many mutants.  Making Magneto a secondary villain.  And marketing wise - showing Jennifer Lawrence in human form much more than the blue Mystique form was annoying the hell out of me.  And all three of those things definitely did bother me about the movie, but compared to Last Stand (aka X-Men 3), this movie at least had a story instead of rambling along and just throwing some mutants on the screen.  In fact, it might have had too much story.  This movie was 2 1/2 hours long plus all the previews.  And you felt it.  The story of Apocalypse had to be developed/explained.  Then they had to get you up to date on where the mutants we are familiar with were.  Then they had to introduce you to the new ones.  At one point - the bad guys were just chilling on a mountain top for a good half hour of the movie so the story could play out . . . . . and then you got the crazy and chaotic conclusion with all the mutants fighting.  

I would still recommend this movie to people even though it sounds like I had mostly negative things to say.  It wasn't nearly as smart or good as First Class or Days Of Future Past, but it was still a good watch and brought some good mutants into the fray for moving forward with the franchise.   

The Nice Guys

Russell Crowe (Gladiator) and Ryan Gosling (The Big Short) star in Silver Pictures’ action comedy The Nice Guys, from director Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang). The Nice Guys takes place in 1970s Los Angeles, when down-on-his-luck private eye Holland March (Gosling) and hired enforcer Jackson Healy (Crowe) must work together to solve the case of a missing girl and the seemingly unrelated death of a porn star. During their investigation, they uncover a shocking conspiracy that reaches up to the highest circles of power.

I have always been a fan of Shane Black's movies.  Especially the ones that he writes and directs them.  He has a great talent of creating chemistry between characters with endless witty banter back and forth that you leave the theater thinking that you are old friends with these people.  The chemistry between Crowe and Gosling was off the charts and entertaining as hell. There were a couple of times with the story where you would ask yourself where the hell was this going but then you would not care because you were enjoying these two so much.  Especially Gosling.  His character was hysterical.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  Its very entertaining, has great pacing and the characters chemistry is definitely worth the time and full of laughs.

Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising

Now that Mac (Rogen) and Kelly Radner (Byrne) have a second baby on the way, they are ready to make the final move into adulthood: the suburbs. But just as they thought they’d reclaimed the neighborhood and were safe to sell, they learn that the new occupants next door are a sorority even more out of control than Teddy (Efron) and his brothers ever dreamed of being. Tired of their school’s sexist, restrictive system, the unorthodox ladies of Kappa Nu have decided to start a house where they can do whatever the hell they want. When Shelby (Moretz) and her sisters, Beth (Kiersey Clemons) and Nora (Beanie Feldstein), find the perfect place just off campus, they won’t let the fact that it’s located on a quiet street stand in their way of parties as epic as the guys throw. Forced to turn to the one ex-neighbor with the skills to bring down the new Greeks next door, the Radners—alongside best friends Jimmy (Ike Barinholtz) and Paula (Carla Gallo)—bring in charismatic Teddy as their secret weapon. If he can infiltrate the sorority and charm his way through it, the thirtysomethings will shutter the Kappas’ home. But if they think that their neighbors are going down without a fight, they have severely underestimated the power of youthful ingenuity and straight-up crazy.

I think that I might have enjoyed this one more than the first one.  Without the need for character introductions and what not, they jumped right to the laughs and it made the movie better overall.  There were a couple of moments in this where I was completely belly laughing.  These actors play so perfectly well off of each other and I think that there is a super bright future for Beanie Feldstein as she stole pretty much every scene that she was in.

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.  It was full of laughs.  Definitely raunchy and times and very drug use centric so be warned but it was very funny. 

The Angry Birds Movie

In the animated comedy, The Angry Birds Movie, we'll finally find out why the birds are so angry. The movie takes us to an island populated entirely by happy, flightless birds – or almost entirely.  In this paradise, Red (Jason Sudeikis), a bird with a temper problem, speedy Chuck (Josh Gad), and the volatile Bomb (Danny McBride) have always been outsiders. But when the island is visited by mysterious green piggies, it’s up to these unlikely outcasts to figure out what the pigs are up to. 

When I first heard that they were doing this movie, my first thought was that they are about 2-3 years too late.  Then I wondered if the app/game was really worth turning into a movie.  I'm not saying that the movie was great or must see but I will admit that it was not too late to make the movie as the game and all the birds quirks stuck with the adults that played it and the kids are still very much into it.  I will also admit that it was worth turning into a movie.  It actually gave you more of a background to the birds whole story than the game ever did.   

I would sort of recommend people checking this out.  It's not a must see by any means but it was a pretty decent watch and the nieces I took to see it loved it.  It's a decent family trip to the movies to kick off the summer. 

Money Monster

In the real-time, high stakes thriller Money Monster, George Clooney and Julia Roberts star as financial TV host Lee Gates and his producer Patty, who are put in an explosive situation when an irate investor who has lost everything (Jack O'Connell) forcefully takes over their studio. During a tense standoff broadcast to millions on live TV, Lee and Patty must work furiously against the clock to unravel the mystery behind a conspiracy at the heart of today's fast-paced, high-tech global markets.

This was a very enjoyable and well done movie.  The pacing was perfect and that is very necessary for a movie like this.  It pretty much hit the ground running, did minimal story/character building because it wasn't that necessary and doing it on the fly would make the movie more intriguing anyway.  Sure there are many points throughout where you question the validity of something like this happening but if you just let go and enjoy the ride it was a great, tense story.  It's also a shining example of why I don't do any sort of investing or stock trading and probably never will.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  It was a very enjoyable watch with a perfect running time to keep you on the edge of your seat and wanting to know how it will play out.

Captain America: Civil War

Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War finds Steve Rogers leading the newly formed team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. But after another incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability, headed by a governing body to oversee and direct the team. The new status quo fractures the Avengers, resulting in two camps—one led by Steve Rogers and his desire for the Avengers to remain free to defend humanity without government interference, and the other following Tony Stark’s surprising decision to support government oversight and accountability.

WOW!!!  Marvel has done it yet again.  This movie was awesome.  The philosophical differences on a system of accountability (which is the main story) was phenomenally established and developed.  It really made you think and understand both sides and will cause many people to debate which side they are on. Each of the heroes got plenty of screen time and moments to shine both action wise and story wise.  The new characters were excellently introduced and held their own.  Honestly, they stole most of the scenes they were in with already established characters.  There were several moments whether it was an action scene or a big reveal that had me and the rest of the audience saying oh my god out loud.  The pacing was so good that when they got up to the huge fight between everyone I was shocked that two hours had pretty much flown by.  There really only is one knock I would make is that this felt like a middle movie that should be continuing but there are no other Captain America movies scheduled as of now and the way the story goes without spoilers wouldn't really make sense carrying over to the next Avengers movie which isn't for two years.  Just seemed weird.  

I would absolutely recommend everyone checking this out.  It was an amazing movie and not just from a comic book standpoint.  It was an awesome all around movie.

Mother's Day

Mother's Day is the latest star studded ensemble comedy from director Garry Marshall ("Pretty Woman," "Valentine's Day"). Bringing together Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson and Julia Roberts along with Jason Sudeikis, it's a celebration of mothers everywhere. This big-hearted comedy invites us all to enjoy the laughter, tears and love as three generations come together in the week leading up to Mother's Day.

Holy crap this movie was all over the place!  I know that these movies have all the intersecting stories that come together but this one was just too much.  There was so much stuff crammed into the four separate families that when they did intersect or crossover it was total chaos with too much stories.  Adding to this was the two old ladies sitting behind us giving a play by play just made the whole movie crazier and more laughable.

I wouldn't recommend people bothering with this movie.  It's way too muddled with overstuffed family sitcom storylines and feels like silly car accidents happening over and over again.

Barbershop: The Next Cut

It’s been more than 10 years since our last appointment at Calvin’s Barbershop. Calvin (Ice Cube) and his longtime crew, including Eddie (Cedric the Entertainer), are still there, but the shop has undergone some major changes. Most noticeably, our once male-dominated sanctuary is now co-ed. The ladies bring their own flavor, drama and gossip to the shop challenging the fellas at every turn. Despite the good times and camaraderie within the shop, the surrounding community has taken a turn for the worse, forcing Calvin and our crew to come together to not only save the shop, but their neighborhood.

Not really sure that another sequel to this franchise was necessary.   It's not that the movie was bad.  It was a decent watch and pretty much more of the same from the other entries. And they added to it the important message of everyone just needing to get along and stop the violence.  

I would somewhat recommend people checking this out.  Maybe it was a good idea to use this franchise for a new generation and to deliver the intended message, but it really is one of those movies that is just sort of there.

Keanu

Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, a.k.a. the hugely popular comedy duo Key & Peele, star as Clarence and Rell, two cousins who live in the city but are far from streetwise. When Rell’s beloved kitten, Keanu, is catnapped, the hopelessly straight-laced pair must impersonate ruthless killers in order to infiltrate a street gang and retrieve the purloined feline. But the incredibly adorable kitten becomes so coveted that the fight over his custody creates a gang war, forcing our two unwitting heroes to take the law into their own hands.

This movie was pretty much exactly what you would think it was from the trailer.  Some pretty good laughs but overall a huge waste of time.  The cat's cuteness and the two guys playing parts out of place can only go so far.  I think that Key & Peele are hilarious and they do their best but this is really stuff made more for skit shows than a full length movie.

I wouldn't recommend anyone bothering to see this movie.  It's not worth the time or money.  I really just saw it so that I could get out of the house for a little bit.  Otherwise, this would have fallen though the cracks - rightfully so.

Green Room

Green Room is a brilliantly crafted and wickedly fun horror-thriller starring Patrick Stewart as a diabolical club owner who squares off against an unsuspecting but resilient young punk band. Down on their luck punk rockers The Ain't Rights are finishing up a long and unsuccessful tour, and are about to call it quits when they get an unexpected booking at an isolated, run-down club deep in the backwoods of Oregon. What seems merely to be a third-rate gig escalates into something much more sinister when they witness an act of violence backstage that they weren't meant to see. Now trapped backstage, they must face off against the club's depraved owner, Darcy Banker (Stewart), a man who will do anything to protect the secrets of his nefarious enterprise. But while Darcy and his henchmen think the band will be easy to get rid of, The Ain't Rights prove themselves much more cunning and capable than anyone expected, turning the tables on their unsuspecting captors and setting the stage for the ultimate life-or-death showdown.

This movie was a pretty good premise with a seriously claustrophobic vibe that they tried to capitalize on to make the movie super intense.  It worked at times but at times completely failed which was disappointing.  I really want to love this movie and I ended up thinking that it was pretty decent instead.  Not sure if I let expectations get in the way or if it just could have been better.  It was crazy violent and gruesome at points but the suspense could have definitely been more intense.

I would somewhat recommend this movie for people.  Its absolutely not a must see.  It's a decent watch for horror movie/suspense movie fans but some of the stuff is really pretty gruesome.