Triple 9

In Triple 9, a crew of dirty cops is blackmailed by the Russian mob to execute a virtually impossible heist. The only way to pull it off is to manufacture a 999, police code for “officer down”. Their plan is turned upside down when the unsuspecting rookie they set up to die foils the attack, triggering a breakneck, action-packed finale filled with double-crosses, greed and revenge.

This was a pretty good dirty cop movie.  The cast was awesome and the back and forth between the team members and the lack of trust playing out developed slowly but surely keeping you hooked throughout the movie.  

I would recommend people checking this out.  It's a fun and tightly paced ride with a really good collection of actors.

Gods Of Egypt

In this spectacular action-adventure inspired by the classic mythology of Egypt, the survival of mankind hangs in the balance as an unexpected mortal hero Bek (Brenton Thwaites) undertakes a thrilling journey to save the world and rescue his true love. In order to succeed, he must enlist the help of the powerful god Horus (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) in an unlikely alliance against Set (Gerard Butler), the merciless god of darkness, who has usurped Egypt's throne, plunging the once peaceful and prosperous empire into chaos and conflict. As their breathtaking battle against Set and his henchmen takes them into the afterlife and across the heavens, both god and mortal must pass tests of courage and sacrifice if they hope to prevail in the epic final confrontation.

Wow.  This was garbage.   Even the usual production value of movies like this were garbage.  No special effects or set production could save this.  How were these actors in this?  Total crap.

I would definitely not recommend anyone waste a single minute watching that.  Again - this was crap.

The Choice

When feisty medical student Gabby Holland moves in next door to perennial ladies’ man Travis Shaw, it sends them both on a romantic journey neither ever dreamed possible. Travis has always believed a serious relationship with a woman would cramp his easygoing lifestyle, while Gabby is all set to settle down her long-term boyfriend—until an irresistible attraction between the unlikely couple upends both of their well-planned lives. After a whirlwind courtship, Gabby and Travis wed and build a family together, making every decision hand-in-hand until one of them is forced to make the most important choice of their life alone. A poignant and life-affirming celebration of love, marriage and family that explores the most heart-wrenching question of all: how far would you go to keep the hope of love alive?

This was a textbook Nicholas Sparks movie.  Unlikely love story where just when everything seems too good to be true, something majorly dramatic traumatic happens and heartstrings are pulled.  This one was more watchable than I thought it would be and the heartstrings were not pulled too much which made the movie a decent watch.

I would lukewarmly recommend this movie to people.  It wasn't bad but it wasn't great.  It's just kind of floating inbetween.

Pride & Prejudice & Zombies

A zombie outbreak has fallen upon the land in Jane Austen’s classic tale of the tangled relationships between lovers from different social classes in 19th century England. Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet (Lily James) is a master of martial arts and weaponry and the handsome Mr. Darcy (Sam Reilly) is a fierce zombie killer, yet the epitome of upper class prejudice. As the zombie outbreak intensifies, they must swallow their pride and join forces on the blood-soaked battlefield.

The version I watched was a bootleg with choppy sound, but I really don't think it would have mattered.   This movie was just a time period variation of a zombie movie and it was pretty blah.  Part of the allure of the zombie stuff is the thought of it actually happening so putting it in this time period takes that away and leaves you with no hook.  It's just boring.

I wouldn't recommend anyone bothering with this movie.  I'm usually a fan of zombie stuff but this movie really is just kind of there.

Deadpool

Based upon Marvel Comics’ most unconventional anti-hero, Deadpool tells the origin story of former Special Forces operative turned mercenary Wade Wilson, who after being subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, adopts the alter ego Deadpool. Armed with his new abilities and a dark, twisted sense of humor, Deadpool hunts down the man who nearly destroyed his life.

This movie was awesome.  It was the R rated comic book movie that everyone wanted.  It mocked itself openly.  It mocked comic books openly.  It mocked Hollywood openly.  It didn't take itself seriously and still delivered on every level.  Great action.  Great writing.  Great back and forth story telling.  Great acting since Ryan Reynolds was basically born to play this part.  And there is the possibility of X-Men tie-ins too.

I absolutely recommend people checking this movie out.  It is ALOT of fun.  It's definitely a comic book movie for adults but it was awesome.

The Witch

Set in New England circa 1630, The Witch follows a farmer who get cast out of his colonial plantation and is forced to move his family to a remote plot of land on the edge of an ominous forest rumored to be controlled by witches. Almost immediately, strange and unsettling things begin to happen-the animals turn violent, the crops fail, and one of the children disappears, only to return seemingly possessed by an evil spirit. As suspicion and paranoia mount, everyone begins to point the finger at teenage daughter Thomasin. They accuse her of witchcraft, which she adamantly denies...but as circumstances become more and more treacherous, each family member's faith, loyalty, and love will be tested in shocking and unforgettable ways.

Let me start by saying that this movie was filmed in a specific way that made you weirded out from the start.  It was as if we were there and watching this family in their regular day to day life and should not be seeing what we were seeing.  Not sure if that makes sense or not but it did give the movie a certain kind of allure to it.  Unfortunately it failed to capitalize on that and the movie pretty much failed.  There were definitely a few scary moments and lots of creepiness but the whole audience pretty much groaned in disappointment when the credits started.  

I wouldn't recommend anyone seeing this.  It was a great filming style but not much more than that.

Zoolander 2

The original 2001 film about a dimwitted male super-model turned wannabe spy earned $60.8 million worldwide. The beginning of the movie is set 10 years later, and Derek & Hansel are literally forgotten. Nobody even knows who they are, so they have to re-invent themselves. Stiller said that Will Ferrell's Mugatu would be back, if the actor is up for it. "If Will says yes, he definitely has to be a part of it. To me, Mugatu is one of the classic screen villains of all time."

This is definitely one of those did we really need a sequel to this movie situations.  Zoolander was what it was - an SNL like skit idea that was expended to a movie.  There are some good laughs but no real need to expand on this as a continuing story.   There were some decent laughs throughout the movie but nothing that warrants a need to see it.  

I wouldn't really recommend anyone bothering with this.  It could have been worse but it wasn't all that good and ultimately there was just no need for a continuation to the Zoolander story.

Norm Of The North

A polar bear of many words, Norm’s greatest gripe is simple: there is no room for tourists in the Arctic. But when a maniacal developer threatens to build luxury condos in his own backyard, Norm does what all normal polar bears would do…he heads to New York City to stop it. With a cast of ragtag lemmings at his side, Norm takes on the big apple, big business and a big identity crisis to save the day.

This was one hell of a lame January animated movie release for the sole purpose of miling parents of their money on a holiday weekend.  It was only 90 minutes long but still felt about 80 minutes too long.

I would not recommend anyone wasting their time with this.  And for the record - my 10 year old niece said the same thing.

Fifty Shades Of Black

If you got hot and bothered by Christian Grey, wait until you get a load of Christian Black! Brought to you by Marlon Wayans and the comedy team behind the "A Haunted House" franchise, "Scary Movie," and "White Chicks," comes a parody like you've never experienced before. Get ready for an erotic spoof comedy as "Fifty Shades of Black" takes you through a maze of hard, rough, and pre-mature encounters from inside of Mr. Black's playroom.


This movie was awful.  I've always managed to find something redeeming or laugh worthy in spoof movies.  I've always been a big fan of Marlon Wayans.  But this movie was just plain awful.  I watched it with an ewwww face on pretty much the entire movie.

I wouldn't recommend anyone bothering with this.  It was garbage and a total waste of time.

Dirty Grandpa

Jason Kelly (Zac Efron) is one week away from marrying his boss’s uber-controlling daughter, putting him on the fast track for a partnership at the law firm. However, when the straight-laced Jason is tricked into driving his foul-mouthed grandfather, Dick (Robert De Niro), to Daytona for spring break, his pending nuptials are suddenly in jeopardy. Between riotous frat parties, bar fights, and an epic night of karaoke, Dick is on a quest to live his life to the fullest and bring Jason along for the ride. Ultimately, on the wildest journey of their lives, “dirty” Grandpa and his uptight grandson discover they can learn from one another and form the bond they never had.

This movie had me dying.  The comedy and dialogue was off the charts vulgar but was so damn funny.  Robert DeNiro was hysterical and Zac Efron was also great at playing the straight guy.  I really did not expect to enjoy this movie or laugh nearly as much as I did.  One of DeNiro's better and funniest stuff in a while.

I'd absolutely recommend people checking this out.  Again - very vulgar but still incredibly enjoyable.

Kung Fu Panda 3

In 2016, one of the most successful animated franchises in the world returns with its biggest comedy adventure yet, "Kung Fu Panda 3." When Po's long-lost panda father suddenly reappears, the reunited duo travels to a secret panda paradise to meet scores of hilarious new panda characters. But when the supernatural villain Kai begins to sweep across China defeating all the kung fu masters, Po must do the impossible—learn to train a village full of his fun-loving, clumsy brethren to become the ultimate band of Kung Fu Pandas!

The original Kung Fu Panda is probably one of my favorite animated movies of all time.  It was one of those classic Dreamworks or Pixar animated movies where the humor was there for the adults and the kids love it too.  The second one was decent but nothing that I would repeatedly watch like the original.  It seemed more like a straight to dvd movie.  This entry was MUCH better than the last one.  This was a much better sequel and much more in line with all the things that made the original so awesome.  The humor was crisp and the characters both old and new were great.  The pacing of the movie was perfect with a run time of barely 90 minutes.

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.  It's a great watch and the parents can enjoy it as much as the kids.   

The Boy

The Boy is a frightening thrill ride directed by William Brent Bell (The Devil Inside) starring Lauren Cohan (The Walking Dead). Greta is a young American woman who takes a job as a nanny in a remote English village, only to discover that the family’s 8-year-old is a life-sized doll that the parents care for just like a real boy, as a way to cope with the death of their actual son 20 years prior. After violating a list of strict rules, a series of disturbing and inexplicable events bring Greta’s worst nightmare to life, leading her to believe that the doll is actually alive.

I am shocked at how much I ended up enjoying this movie.  I will be the first to admit that I had zero expectations for it based on the trailer but it was definitely done creepy enough to keep you interested and you are all in for the payoff by the time it comes around.   This is a prime example of Hollywood being able to do more than enough with a little premise as opposed to usually having this crazy over the top and detailed premise and failing to deliver.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  Like I said - I'm shocked at how much I enjoyed this movie and it was actually one of the better creepy/scary movies to come out in a while.

The 5th Wave

In the new film The 5th Wave, four waves of increasingly deadly attacks have left most of Earth decimated. Against a backdrop of fear and distrust, Cassie (Chloë Grace Moretz) is on the run, desperately trying to save her younger brother. As she prepares for the inevitable and lethal 5th wave, Cassie teams up with a young man who may become her final hope – if she can only trust him.

This is a movie that is attempting to capitalize on the teen novel craze that has brought us The Hunger Games and Divergent series.  It failed miserably.  The movie started out pretty decent and the effects of the first few "waves" were cool.  But then it just went to crap.  I don't know if you can put it on Moretz being not as good as Jennifer Lawrence or Shainne Woodley, but it was just seriously lacking any quality once the special effects stopped.  

I wouldn't recommend anyone bothering with this movie.  It's a pretty big waste of time and I seriously doubt that it will do well enough to warrant making a series out of it.

Regression

Minnesota, 1990. Detective Bruce Kenner (Ethan Hawke) investigates the case of young Angela (Emma Watson), who accuses her father, John Gray (David Dencik), of an unspeakable crime. When John unexpectedly and without recollection admits guilt, renowned psychologist Dr. Raines (David Thewlis) is brought in to help him relive his memories and what they discover unmasks a horrifying nationwide mystery.

This seems like it could have been a good movie but the hook and the payoff just were not there.  I was not remotely pulled in to be interested in the developing story and the payoff didn't really deliver.  A great movie comes with both of those.  A movie can be good with at least one of them but this movie kind of dropped the ball with both and ended up being a movie that is just kind of there.

I wouldn't really recommend people bothering with this movie.  Again - it is pretty much just there and you have forgotten all about it the day after seeing it.

13 Hours

13 Hours presents, for the first time ever, the true account of the events of September 11, 2012, when terrorists attacked the US State Department Special Mission Compound and a nearby CIA station called the Annex in Benghazi, Libya. A team of six American security operators fought to repel the attackers and protect the Americans stationed there. Those men went beyond the call of duty, performing extraordinary acts of courage and heroism, to avert tragedy on a much larger scale. This is their personal account, never before told, of what happened during the thirteen hours of that now-infamous attack.

Let me say first that with this being a Michael Bay movie, there is of course a lot of heart string pulling that could definitely be seen as over dramatic building up to the attacks.  However, I was very much okay with it in this movie.  It played incredibly well and I thought this movie was awesome.  I thought that the six soldiers were perfectly cast and I thought John Krasinski was great in a totally different role than he usually plays.  The movie did a great job of portraying the overall confusion in Benghazi and didn't just show things from one point of view.  I don't remotely pretend to be knowledgable about history or current affairs so I can't vouch for any of that accuracy.   But it seemed very much like you were there with them fighting your way through it all.

I would absolutely recommend people checking this movie out.  It was an awesome watch leaving you with lots of adrenaline and appreciation for the people that protect our country.

Ride Along 2

Kevin Hart and Ice Cube lead the returning lineup of Ride Along 2, the sequel to the blockbuster action-comedy that gave us the year's most popular comedy duo. Joining Hart and Cube for the next chapter of the series are director Tim Story, as well as Cube's fellow producers—Will Packer, Matt Alvarez and Larry Brezner—who will produce alongside Cube.

This is basically just more of the same from the original.  If you enjoyed that one than you will probably enjoy this one.  It really comes down to if you like Kevin Hart or not.  It was totally formula in every way with a couple of decent laughs throughout.

I would somewhat recommend this movie to people.  It's not awful.  It's not great.  It's a decent comedy sequel.

The Forest

Rising with terrifying grandeur at the base of Mt. Fuji in Japan, the legendary real-life Aokigahara Forest is the suspense-filled setting of the supernatural thriller. A young American woman, Sara (Natalie Dormer), journeys there in search of her twin sister, who has mysteriously disappeared. In the company of expatriate Aiden (Taylor Kinney), Sara enters the forest having been well warned to “stay on the path.” Determined to discover the truth about her sister’s fate, Sara will have to face the angry and tormented souls of the dead that prey on anyone who dares come near them. These malevolent spirits lying in wait for Sara at every turn will plunge her into a frightening darkness from which she must fight to save herself.

This movie was poop.  Just straight up poop.  It started off super slow and never picked up when they got to the actual forest.  There were no good scares and the story (or lack of) was garbage.  I held out hope that there would be some sort of redemption in the end but it just got worse.  

I would not recommend anyone wasting 90 minutes of their life on this.  It really was garbage.

The Ten Best Movies Of 2015

Honorable Mention - The Hateful Eight
It was tough to leave this off the top ten, but I really enjoyed a couple of over the top blockbusters more and Tarantino spent way too much time ranting in the stage coach before getting to the cabin where the movie really kicked into high gear.

10 - Furious 7
Was this a well done movie?  No.  Was it even the best of the Fast & Furious movies?  No.  But was it a movie that had the audience cheering out loud and clapping.  YES!!!  I love movies like this.  It's what makes the franchise so awesome.  Totally over the top in every way but one hell of a ride and so much fun.  Add in the amazing send off and paying respects to Paul Walker - and this movie made the cut for me.

9 - Avengers: Age Of Ultron
Another mega-franchise that had the audiences cheering and oohing and aahing.  Was it as good as the first one?  Not at all.  But they introduced some newbies, honored the repeating ones, had a great story and was another amazing entry in the Marvel cinematic universe.

8 - It Follows
This was one of the better and more original creepy/scary movies to come along in a long time.  You couldn't help but get completely hooked and keep your eyes on the screen.  The usual horror movie stuff was absent and it was still creepy as hell.

7 - Inside Out
Pixar has struck gold again.  This was a perfectly voice casted movie that provides some of the greatest teachable moments for parents with their kids regarding emotions and maybe even more importantly adults coming to terms with some of their own surpressed feelings.

6 - Room
This movie was awesome simply because it was a completely different take on your textbook kidnapping movies.  It wasn't about the actual kidnapping or the rescue.  Those parts really didn't even matter in this movie.  This was all about dealing with being in captivity for both an adult and a child and then the two of them dealing with the real world after the fact.  Original and very well done.

5 - Mad Max: Fury Road
Wow!  This movie was like straight testosterone on screen and ALOT of it.  This movie hit the ground running and didn't let up on the gas at all.  Yet they still managed to develop characters and tell a story at the same time.  One of the better reboots to come along in a very long time.

4 - The Gift
This movie barely got a wide release.  and that is a shame.  This was a great psychological thriller.  You get totally sucked into the movie right from the start and leave wondering if their were any people in your past that you may have wronged and if you have anything to worry about.  Take into account that this movie was directed by one of its starts - Joel Edgerton and that just makes it all much more impressive.

3 - Tomorrowland
I know that this movie was pretty much poorly received and that is a shame.  This was a great fantasy/imagination movie and struck a major chord with me.  Movies like this are why I got so into movies to begin with.  You pay your money, get your popcorn, settle in and go for a crazy ride to a totally different world for a couple of hours and enjoy it.  This movie was exactly that for me.

2 - The Revenant
This was one of the grizzliest movies I've even seen.  Besides the blatant and realistic violence, the filming style pretty much takes you right there and you feel like you are going through the same trials that Leonardo DiCaprio is.  And the bear attack scene?  Pretty much the craziest scene I've even seen on film.  No clue how they filmed this without him actually getting attacked by a bear.  Add in Tom Hardy's acting and this movie would have easily been the number one of the year if it wasn't for . . . . . . .

1 - Star Wars: The Force Awakens
This is the movie that I have waited 32 years ago.  Forget the prequels.  Pretend they never happened.  This movie felt like a Star Wars movie.  This movie felt exactly like seeing those others in theaters.  The new characters were introduced flawlessly and you immediately love them.  The returning ones each got their moment for applause . . . . . you can't help but geek out when a whole sold out audience reacts in unison like that!  And I'm already dying to see more of the new generation moving forward.  I have watched this movie 6 times (4 in theaters) in the last two weeks and I am totally ready for viewing 7.

The Ten Worst Movies Of 2015

Dishonorable Mention - The Last Witch Hunter
How does Vin Diesel take his mega-stardom from the Fast & Furious movies and make this?  How was this a good idea?

10 - The Visit
This could have been a legit creepy movie.  M Night Shyalalalalalalaman might have finally got his redemption.  Instead he went with the stupidest ending with a feces scene that I'm still cringing typing about 3 months later.

9 - American Ultra
This was basically an idea that some stoners had on a couch and somehow got made into a movie.  This would have struggled as a SNL skit much less a full length movie.

8 - The Water Diviner
Pretty sure that this was the snoozefest of the year.  I can barely remember anything about it since it was so damn boring.

7 - Hot Tub Time Machine 2
Did this really necessitate a sequel?  If so - wouldn't you want to go all out to get your lead back from the original?  Doomed from the start.

6 - The Transporter Refueled
Another franchise question.  It was a somewhat decent franchise if you like the senseless action type of movies.  The star leaves.  You want to reboot it?  Was the world dying for a Transporter reboot with a no name lead?

5 - Hitman: Agent 47
See the above thoughts on senseless franchise rebooting.

4 - The Boy Next Door
So beyond formula and ridiculous.  This would have been a nonsensical episode of a television procedural.

3 - Magic Mike XXL
Despite the subject matter - the first movie was actually pretty funny at times and a somewhat decent watch.  This was just an excuse to get money from male stripper starved women and had no substance whatsoever.

2 - The Ridiculous 6
This was a made for Netflix movie from Adam Sandler.  It was so god awful I just kind of sat there with a disgusted look on my face for the first half before pulling the plug.  Why would Netflix sign a deal with him for crap like this?

1 - Mortdecai
I can't believe that anything with Johnny Depp in it could ever be this bad.  I mean it was seriously God awful.  Hopefully he has hit rock bottom at this point and get back on track because something like this should be illegal.

The Big Short

When four outsiders saw what the big banks, media and government refused to, the global collapse of the economy, they had an idea: The Big Short. Their bold investment leads them into the dark underbelly of modern banking where they must question everyone and everything. Based on the true story and best-selling book by Michael Lewis and directed by Adam Mckay, The Big Short stars Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Brad Pitt.

This movie was very well directed and acted.  I won't even remotely pretend to have any sort of understanding of banking, or mortgages or any of the things that this movie was about.  But that being said - they still managed to keep me hooked to the movie because of the acting and the directing.  Steve Carrell was especially great playing a character that is pretty much the total opposite of what he usually plays.  The movie exposes a lot of the corruption and no sense of morality that exists in the banking world and is sure to be mentioned several times during award nominations.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.  It was a great watch with awesome acting, direction and pacing of the story.  The only bad part of the movie is that it leaves you hating the corruption that you know exists already even more than you did before you watched the movie.

Anomalisa

Charlie Kaufman's first stop-motion film about a man crippled by the mundanity of his life.

This was one weird ass movie.  I only watched it because it had been nominated for Best Animated Film of the year.  Had no idea what it was about or anything.  The stop-motion animation was definitely cool.  The weird thing was seeing it used for regular life.  Usually this would be for a silly over the top animation movie.  But it was just an old man's interactions with people . . . . . and then there was the sex scene.  So weird.  In a strange way it kept your attention just because of that.

I don't know that I would actually recommend anyone checking this out.  It was a very weird watch.  Interesting but weird.  Again - I only watched it because of its nomination and that it showed up online while I had some down time to watch.  

Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Road Chip

Through a series of misunderstandings, Alvin, Simon and Theodore come to believe that Dave is going to propose to his new girlfriend in Miami…and dump them. They have three days to get to him and stop the proposal, saving themselves not only from losing Dave but possibly from gaining a terrible stepbrother.

This was pretty much exactly what you would expect.  More of the same from the first three movies.  It's silly.  They sing hit songs.  Kids like it.  Wash, rinse, repeat.  The nieces liked it and I enjoyed watching them enjoy it.  

I'd recommend this movie to families.  It's pretty simple fun for the kids that doesn't take up too much of your time.

Trumbo

The successful career of 1940s screenwriter Dalton Trumbo (Bryan Cranston) comes to a crushing end when he and other Hollywood figures are blacklisted for their political beliefs. Trumbo (directed by Jay Roach) tells the story of his fight against the U.S. government and studio bosses in a war over words and freedom, which entangled everyone in Hollywood from Hedda Hopper (Helen Mirren) and John Wayne to Kirk Douglas and Otto Preminger.

This was a great autobiographical movie.  It did a great job of taking you back to that time period and establishing what the mentalities were like back then.  Bryan Cranston continued doing an amazing job at anything he decides to do.  The man is golden.  His performance in this is guaranteed to get him several year end nominations.  

I would recommend people checking this out.  It was a very good watch with great acting across the board.

Brooklyn

Brooklyn tells the profoundly moving story of Eilis Lacey (Saoirse Ronan), a young Irish immigrant navigating her way through 1950s Brooklyn. Lured by the promise of America, Eilis departs Ireland and the comfort of her mother’s home for the shores of New York City. The initial shackles of homesickness quickly diminish as a fresh romance sweeps Eilis into the intoxicating charm of love. But soon, her new vivacity is disrupted by her past, and Eilis must choose between two countries and the lives that exist within.

You can tell why this movie got such good reviews.  Especially the acting of Saoirse Ronan. She did a great job of showing the conflict between the two worlds and how they both pulled at her during very difficult times in her life.  This is not a mainstream great movie, but in its artsy way - it is worthy of the acclaim it has received.

I would recommend the artsy movie fans check this one out.  It was very well done and acted and will likely get several nominations for award season.

By The Sea

By the Sea follows an American writer named Roland (Pitt) and his wife, Vanessa (Jolie Pitt), who arrive in a tranquil and picturesque seaside resort in 1970s France, their marriage in apparent crisis. As they spend time with fellow travelers, including young newlyweds Lea (Laurent) and François (Poupaud), and village locals Michel (Arestrup) and Patrice (Bohringer), the couple begins to come to terms with unresolved issues in their own lives. 

This movie was snoozefest city.  I kept watching thinking that it would get better because of Jolie & Pitt but it did not.  It was basically the same conversations over and over again about their marriage on the fritz.  With no emotional hook, I couldn't have cared less about the characters or their marriage.

I wouldn't recommend anyone wasting time with this.  It's pretty much an extremely melodramatic waste of time.

Daddy's Home

Daddy's Home follows a mild-mannered radio executive (Ferrell) who strives to become the best stepdad to his wife’s two children, but complications ensue when their freewheeling and freeloading real father (Wahlberg) arrives, forcing him to compete for the affection of the kids.

This movie had some decent laughs throughout but was all very formula and forced for the most part.  There is definitely good chemistry between the two leads just like there was in The Other Guys but where that movie was more open with the things that they could do playing off of each other, this movie kind of kept them in too small of a box I think.  There was one scene towards the end of the movie that totally made up for it though.  I was literally crying from laughing at that point.  

I would somewhat recommend people checking this out.  Like I said - there are some laughs but not nearly as many as you would expect.  It was a decent watch though.

Spotlight

Starring Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, Brian d’Arcy James and Stanley Tucci, Spotlight tells the riveting true story of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Boston Globe investigation that would rock the city and cause a crisis in one of the world’s oldest and most trusted institutions. When the newspaper’s tenacious “Spotlight” team of reporters delves into allegations of abuse in the Catholic Church, their year-long investigation uncovers a decades-long cover-up at the highest levels of Boston's religious, legal, and government establishment, touching off a wave of revelations around the world. Directed by Tom McCarthy, Spotlight is a tense investigative dramatic-thriller, tracing the steps to one of the biggest cover-ups in modern times.

This was an excellent movie about reporters.  The build throughout the movie as they investigated the story was awesome.  The subject matter and findings of their investigations were mind blowing and brought you even more in to the movie and the workings of the reporter team.  They did a great job of showing a lot of different mentalities and approaches to it all.  

I would absolutely recommend that people check this movie out.  It was really great watch.

Carol

In an adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s seminal novel "The Price of Salt," Carol follows two women from very different backgrounds who find themselves in an unexpected love affair in 1950s New York. As conventional norms of the time challenge their undeniable attraction, an honest story emerges to reveal the resilience of the heart in the face of change. A young woman in her 20s, Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara), is a clerk working in a Manhattan department store and dreaming of a more fulfilling life when she meets Carol (Cate Blanchett), an alluring woman trapped in a loveless, convenient marriage. As an immediate connection sparks between them, the innocence of their first encounter dims and their connection deepens. While Carol breaks free from the confines of marriage, her husband (Kyle Chandler) begins to question her competence as a mother as her involvement with Therese and close relationship with her best friend Abby (Sarah Paulson) come to light.

Every year there is always a movie with massive critical acclaim that I see and know that its a well done movie and what not but am more or less kind of bored by it.  This was that movie for me this year.  I know it was well done.  I know that it had some great acting.  And the lesbian love affair was honestly done so well that you really felt that they were madly in love and not just forcing it.  The capturing of the time period and how things were viewed was the strongest part of the movie.  But with all that being said - the movie ultimately was just kind of there for me.

Anyone who wants to see the movies that end up being nominated for awards should definitely see this because I have no doubt that it will be.  It was a very good "artsy" movie but I was not too hooked by it.

Room

Kidnapped at the age of 17, a young woman (Brie Larson) has been raising her five-year-old son Jack (Jake Tremblay) in the garden shed where they’re kept by their kidnapper. For his entire life, that room is the only world Jack has known, so when his mother finally plans their escape, Jack is thrust into a world he’s never experienced while his mother has to deal with other repercussions of her decision.

This was an awesome movie.  This was a completely different and expanded look at people being held in captivity.  Usually it's all about the kidnapping, the fear of being held captive and the searching for the people.  This was about the mother accepting her life in captivity and taking care of her son and the five year old son not knowing any better.  The whole first half of the movie is them inside a room the size of a shed.  The second half of the movie is them dealing with the outside once they are freed.  Again, usually any kidnapping/captivity story ends with the escape or rescue.  You never see the crazy levels of psychologically adjusting to it all.  

I definitely recommend people checking out this movie.  It was very well done and different and is one of the better movies to come out this year.

The Hateful Eight

In The Hateful Eight, set six or eight or twelve years after the Civil War, a stagecoach hurtles through the wintry Wyoming landscape. The passengers, bounty hunter John Ruth (Russell) and his fugitive Daisy Domergue (Leigh), race towards the town of Red Rock where Ruth, known in these parts as "The Hangman," will bring Domergue to justice. Along the road, they encounter two strangers: Major Marquis Warren (Jackson), a black former union soldier turned infamous bounty hunter, and Chris Mannix (Goggins), a southern renegade who claims to be the town’s new Sheriff. Losing their lead on the blizzard, Ruth, Domergue, Warren and Mannix seek refuge at Minnie's Haberdashery, a stagecoach stopover on a mountain pass. When they arrive at Minnie's, they are greeted not by the proprietor but by four unfamiliar faces. Bob (Bichir), who's taking care of Minnie's while she’s visiting her mother, is holed up with Oswaldo Mobray (Roth), the hangman of Red Rock, cow-puncher Joe Gage (Madsen), and Confederate General Sanford Smithers (Dern). As the storm overtakes the mountainside stopover, our eight travelers come to learn they may not make it to Red Rock after all . . . 


I've always been a huge fan of Tarantino.  Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs are easily two of my favorite movies of all time.  But there are good and bad parts to Tarantino Films.  Both were totally on display in this movie.  The good - crazy violence, time jumping storytelling and banter between characters in intense situations.  This was off the charts awesome once everyone was in the cabin.  The bad - banter between characters in non-intense situations.  This was basically the first 45 minutes or so of the movie.  It was way too much character development through conversation and I just wanted the movie to get to the good stuff.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  It was a very enjoyable watch but it dragged a lot for the first third of the movie and definitely could have been shorter.

The Danish Girl

Inspired by the true story of Danish painter Einar Wegener and his wife, this tender portrait of a marriage asks: What do you do when someone you love wants to change? It starts with a question, a simple favor asked of a husband by his wife on an afternoon chilled by the Baltic wind while both are painting in their studio. Her portrait model has canceled, and would he mind slipping into a pair of women's shoes and stockings for a few moments so she can finish the painting on time. Of course, he answers. Anything at all. With that, one of the most passionate and unusual love stories of the twentieth century begins.

Pretty sure Eddie Redmayne will win the Oscar for Best Actor for this movie.  I don't understand the need for transgender stuff to be rammed down everyone's throats.  Don't get me wrong.  I'm all for everyone being able to choose their lives and what not.  I'm just not a fan of it being all out there in the media and what not.  Live your life - not the headlines.  Regardless, this movie was a great portrayal of how someone struggled with feeling this way and how to go about living it out.

This was a very well acted movie and will surely receive a lot of award recognition in the next couple of months.  I'd recommend anyone interested in artsy award nominated fare like this checking it out.  It's a pretty good watch.

The Revenant

Inspired by true events, The Revenant is an immersive and visceral cinematic experience capturing one man’s epic adventure of survival and the extraordinary power of the human spirit. In an expedition of the uncharted American wilderness, legendary explorer Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is brutally attacked by a bear and left for dead by members of his own hunting team. In a quest to survive, Glass endures unimaginable grief as well as the betrayal of his confidant John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy). Guided by sheer will and the love of his family, Glass must navigate a vicious winter in a relentless pursuit to live and find redemption. The Revenant is directed and co-written by renowned filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu.

Damn!  This movie was amazing.  The way it went back and forth between super quiet and calm to total and violent chaos kept you from ever getting too comfortable.  The bear attack scene might be one of the craziest things I've ever seen on film.  And the filming style makes you feel like you are right there.  Leonardo DiCaprio was awesome as always.  This might be his best performance honestly.  And Tom Hardy continues to become the man.

I absolutely recommend that everyone check this out.  It's an amazing movie and definitely one of the best ones of the year.

Concussion

The film is based on the David vs. Goliath journey of Dr. Bennet Omalu, the forensic neuropathologist who made the first discovery of football-related brain trauma in a pro player and fought to bring awareness to the public. In his search for the truth behind the devastating malady, Omalu’s quest humanizes the price paid by professional athletes in Impact sports but also by people who challenge the status quo as it exposes the political, cultural and corporate interests that fuel the business of sports.

This was a great autobiographical movie.  Will Smith's performance was top notch.  The movie did a pretty good job of showing how the NFL's current concussion protocol has come about and how they wouldn't listen at first.  For all of the controversy surrounding the movie making the NFL a look bad, I think that a lot of the film's punches were pulled and a lot of stuff was just referred to instead of actually shown.  Still a great watch though.

I would recommend people check this out.  It's not a must see but Will Smith's performance is great and the movie is an enjoyable watch.

Joy

Joy is the wild story of a family across four generations centered on the girl who becomes the woman who founds a business dynasty and becomes a matriarch in her own right. Betrayal, treachery, the loss of innocence and the scars of love, pave the road in this intense emotional and human comedy about becoming a true boss of family and enterprise facing a world of unforgiving commerce. Allies become adversaries and adversaries become allies, both inside and outside the family, as Joy’s inner life and fierce imagination carry her through the storm she faces. Jennifer Lawrence stars, with Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper, Edgar Ramirez, Isabella Rossellini, Diane Ladd, and Virginia Madsen. Like David O. Russell’s previous films, Joy defies genre to tell a story of family, loyalty, and love.

David Russell did yet another great job with this movie.  He has an uncanny way of portraying the most dysfunctional families but make you totally identify with them in every way.  The movie really is about Joy though and her determination to succeed.  Usually movies like this become very heart string pulling and melodramatic but this movie doesn't end up like that.  You really enjoy watching Joy's rise with nothing but doubters around her.  It was a very feel good movie that was not done in the usual or formula way feel good movies are done.

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.  It was very enjoyable watch and further entrenched Jennifer Lawrence as the go to actress of this generation.  

Legend

From Academy Award winner Brian Helgeland (L.A. Confidential, Mystic River) comes the true story of the rise and fall of London’s most notorious gangsters, Reggie and Ron Kray, both portrayed by Tom Hardy in an amazing double performance. Legend is a classic crime thriller taking us into the secret history of the 1960s and the extraordinary events that secured the infamy of the Kray twins.

Tom Hardy has been one of my favorite up and coming actors for the longest time.  This movie only further solidified it.  He played both characters very well and the movie had a certain level of intensity from beginning to end every time that Hardy was on screen as one of the brothers.  There was some pacing issues and the movie did drag a bit at parts but all together, it was a pretty badass movie about gangsters and Tom Hardy did an amazing job.

I would definitely recommend people checking this one out.  It was an enjoyable watch although a little longer than it needed to be.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be set 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi.

Dear JJ Abrams,

You made me instantly fall in love with your new characters.  I cheered out loud when I saw my old friends arrive.  You spared us the nonsensical amount of CGI that the prequels drowned in.  Naysayers will mock that this movie was pretty much a clone of the original Star Wars and in a lot of ways that I'd definitely true.  But I am okay with that.  I actually think that was what was necessary here.  I laughed much more than I expected.  I cried like a little bitch.  I sat on the edge of my seat just like I did with the original trilogy.  You have made the 8 year old boy who has been waiting 32 years for this and the 40 year old man who finally got to see it incredibly happy.  Thank you so very much, sir!

Does it really matter if I recommend this movie or not.  You will all see it regardless and if you don't - shame on you!!!  It was amazing.  Was already a huge JJ Abrams fan but he pretty much has now become a film making God to me.

Sisters

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler reunite for Sisters, a new film from Pitch Perfect director Jason Moore about two disconnected sisters summoned home to clean out their childhood bedroom before their parents sell the family house. Looking to recapture their glory days, they throw one final high-school-style party for their classmates, which turns into the cathartic rager that a bunch of ground-down adults really need.

This movie was funny as hell.  There is no denying the chemistry between Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.  They were meant to be together and they played perfectly off of each other.  You found yourself both emotionally attached to their stories and laughing your ass off at their misadventures at the same time.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  Huge laughs and great chemistry between the two leads.

Point Break

In the fast-paced, high-adrenaline Point Break, a young FBI agent, Johnny Utah (Luke Bracey), infiltrates a cunning team of thrill-seeking elite athletes – led by the charismatic Bodhi (Édgar Ramírez). The athletes are suspected of carrying out a spate of crimes in extremely unusual ways. Deep undercover, and with his life in imminent danger, Utah strives to prove they are the architects of this string of inconceivable crimes. The film is replete with the most daring athleticism ever seen in a motion picture. These action adventure feats are performed by elite athletes representing the world’s best in class in big-wave surfing, wingsuit flying, sheer-face snowboarding, free rock climbing, and high-speed motorcycling.

Why?  Just why?  Why redo a classic movie.  I'm not saying Point Break was an all time great movie but it was definitely one of my all time favorites even though it was extremely cheesy at times and massively over acted.  Not only did this one insult me by being made but they tweaked it to be about extreme sports criminals instead of surfers.  That was the one part they should have changed.  Even worse, some of the lamest scenes and lines from the original were kept the same.  How do you keep those but alter the rest?  Come on!!!

I wouldn't recommend anyone bothering with this.  There are much better options out there and this is not worth your time or money.