Inside Llewyn Davis

 

LLewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac) is at a crossroads. Guitar in tow, huddled against the unforgiving New York winter, he is struggling to make it as a musician against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, some of them of his own making. Living at the mercy of both friends and strangers, scaring up what work he can find, Llewyn's misadventures take him from the baskethouses of the Village to an empty Chicago club on an odyssey to audition for a music mogul and back again.

This is one of those movies that I feel was just way too overhyped by the critics.  I've never been too big of a fan of the Coen Brothers work and it seems like they could take a dump on film and throw it on a screen and critics will say it's one of the best movies of the year.  It's not that I didn't enjoy the movie.  Honestly, I liked this one more than most.  It was a simple movie following one man's struggles.  Was there a point?  Not really?  Was the acting top notch?  Not really.  It was a decent watch about trying to break through in the music business.  That's it.  None of this should have been nominated for best picture nonsense.  I'll never understand the Coen Brothers obsession.

I would somewhat recommend this movie.  It is a decent watch and kept my attention more than I thought it would to be honest.  I didn't find it remotely as great at the critical acclaim its been getting though.  But then again - I rarely do with the Coen Brothers.

Dallas Buyers Club

 

Matthew McConaughey stars in Dallas Buyers Club as real-life Texas cowboy Ron Woodroof, whose free-wheeling life was overturned in 1985 when he was diagnosed as HIV-positive and given 30 days to live. These were the early days of the AIDS epidemic, and the U.S. was divided over how to combat the virus. Ron, now shunned and ostracized by many of his old friends, and bereft of government-approved effective medicines, decided to take matters in his own hands, tracking down alternative treatments from all over the world by means both legal and illegal. Bypassing the establishment, the entrepreneurial Woodroof joined forces with an unlikely band of renegades and outcasts - who he once would have shunned - and established a hugely successful buyers club.  Their shared struggle for dignity and acceptance is a uniquely American story of the transformative power of resilience.

This is easily Matthew McConaughey's best role in his career.  He was so physically and mentally into this role and it showed.  It was weird going back to the start of AIDS and how ignorant all the thinking was and seeing his character deal with it.  Then it was even better to watch this person adjust to the cards he had been dealt and to completely change his ways and accept people that he otherwise would have had nothing to do with.  It was also amazing how dedicated he was to saving himself and others around him and wouldn't accept any government red tape answers of no. 

I would absolutely recommend that people check this movie out.  It is a great story with awesome acting.  You really get hooked by it all and rooting for him and him bypassing the system to help others.

Blue Jasmine

 

Blue Jasmine is the story of the final stages of an acute crisis and a life of a fashionable New York housewife. 

I have never really been a fan of Woody Allen movies.  I can't really put my finger on it.  They just tend to not interest me.  The one thing that he does incredibly well though are character studies.  And this was a prime example of him at his finest.  Cate Blanchett's character in this movie is an upper class houswife who's phony life comes crashing down around her and you watch her try to struggle with accepting it and moving on while there is something clearly off about her.  She deserves all the accolades she has gotten from critics as her acting is phenomenal.  The weirdest part is that you go back and forth between not liking her and hoping that she is able to work through everything and come out okay. 

I would recommend people check this out.  It's not a must see by any means, but it is a great character and Woddy Allen's character portrayal at its finest.

All Is Lost

 

Robert Redford stars in All Is Lost, an open-water thriller about one man's battle for survival against the elements after his sailboat is destroyed at sea.  The film is a gripping, visceral and powerfully moving tribute to ingenuity and resilience. Deep into a solo voyage in the Indian Ocean, an unnamed man (Redford) wakes to find his 39-foot yacht taking on water after a collision with a shipping container left floating on the high seas. With his navigation equipment and radio disabled, the man sails unknowingly into the path of a violent storm. Despite his success in patching the breached hull, his mariner's intuition, and a strength that belies his age, the man barely survives the tempest.  Using only a sextant and nautical maps to chart his progress, he is forced to rely on ocean currents to carry him into a shipping lane in hopes of hailing a passing vessel. But with the sun unrelenting, sharks circling and his meager supplies dwindling, the ever-resourceful sailor soon finds himself staring his mortality in the face.

This movie was one of the quietest intense movies ever.  There really is no speaking in it and all emotions are shown via Redford's facial expressions and body demeanor.  I have never been a fan of being on the water and this movie is a prime example why.  The playing out of his experience continues to get dreary and drearier and it is a real testament to Redford's silent action and the direction of the film that at no point do you get bored of it.

I would recommend people checking this movie out.  It is very well made and acted and has one hell of a hook to it that doesn't let go even though every part of it is so simple.

Enough Said

 

A divorced and single parent, Eva (Julia Louis Dreyfus) spends her days enjoying work as a masseuse but dreading her daughter's impending departure for college. She meets Albert (James Gandolfini) - a sweet, funny and like-minded man also facing an empty nest. As their romance quickly blossoms, Eva befriends Marianne (Catherine Keener), her new massage client. Marianne is a beautiful poet who seems "almost perfect" except for one prominent quality: she rags on her ex-husband way too much. Suddenly, Eva finds herself doubting her own relationship with Albert as she learns the truth about Marianne's Ex. Enough Said is a sharp, insightful comedy that humorously explores the mess that often comes with getting involved again.

This movie was like a 5 or 6 episode of a television show on dating.  Great characters.  Great chemistry.  And a really funny development spiraling out of control for the Julie Louis Dreyfus.  As much as I loved The Sopranos, I thought that James Gandolfini was overhyped after his passing.  This movie showed me how wrong I was as he really had such a great on screen presence and aura about him outside of being Tony Soprano and I will actually miss him more now after seeing this movie.

I would definitely recommend people checking out this movie.  It's a very cute and touching movie about how things so simple can be made so difficult when we get in our own way. 

August: Osage County

 

August: Osage County tells the dark, hilarious and deeply touching story of the strong-willed women of the Weston family, whose lives have diverged until a family crisis brings them back to the Midwest house they grew up in, and to the dysfunctional woman who raised them.

This is one of the most melodramatic/soap opera like movies I have ever seen and I would probably have hated it if it wasn't for the awesome acting by everyone involved.  Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts were awesome in the two leads and they all contributed to portray family disfuntion at its finest.  It was also great to see how this was turned from a play to a movie.  When watching it, you start to realize that almost every scene in the movie happened around the dinner table which was probably the focus of the play on stage.  There were also lots of huge laughs that I wasn't really expecting going in and the movie as a whole would have been much more enjoyable with those along with the excellent acting if the drama wasn't so heavy. 

I would somewhat recommend people checking this movie out.  Like I said - it's a very well acted story about family but there is barely any major subject matters that this family doesn't deal with on some level and its just a bit too much all together.

Her

 

Set in Los Angeles, slightly in the future, Her follows Theodore Twombly, a complex, soulful man who makes his living writing touching, personal letters for other people. Heartbroken after the end of a long relationship, he becomes intrigued with a new, advanced operating system, which promises to be an intuitive entity in its own right, individual to each user. Upon initiating it, he is delighted to meet "Samantha," a bright, female voice, who is insightful, sensitive and surprisingly funny. As her needs and desires grow, in tandem with his own, their friendship deepens into an eventual love for each other. From the unique perspective of Oscar-nominated filmmaker Spike Jonze comes an original love story that explores the evolving nature and the risks of intimacy in the modern world.

This was one weird movie.  Two things kept it afloat.  First is the commentary on society's dependence/love of their technological gadgets.  As silly or crazy as this movie seemed at times, you had to think to yourself how connected you are in today's world to your device/devices.  His reaction at one point when he thinks it's broken and "she" is gone is so spot on to how people react when their phone is broken.  The other thing is that Joaquin Phoenix just goes so all in with all his movies.  As quirky and weird as the whole thing was - he kept you interested because of how deep his portrayal of this role was. 

I would somewhat recommend this movie to people.  I wouldn't agree with the critics putting this at the top of the year lists and what not.  Great acting by Phoenix but not a must see movie by any means.

Lone Survivor

Based on The New York Times bestselling true story of heroism, courage and survival, Lone Survivor tells the incredible tale of four Navy SEALs on a covert mission to neutralize a high-level al-Qaeda operative who are ambushed by the enemy in the mountains of Afghanistan. Faced with an impossible moral decision, the small band is isolated from help and surrounded by a much larger force of Taliban ready for war. As they confront unthinkable odds together, the four men find reserves of strength and resilience as they stay in the fight to the finish.  Mark Wahlberg stars as Marcus Luttrell, the author of the first-person memoir, whose book has become a motivational resource for its lessons on how the power of the human spirit is tested when we are pushed beyond our mental and physical limits. Starring alongside Wahlberg as the other members of the SEAL team are Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch and Ben Foster.

Wow!  This was an amazingly real feeling movie.  It was equal parts adrenaline pumping madness and tough as hell to watch.  The four main performances were amazing and knowing that this was all based on a true story makes me have even more respect than I already did for the US armed forces.  I have not been this blown away by a war movie since Black Hawk Down and I feel very much the same way right now as I did then.  

This movie should be seen by all.  Like I said - it is not an easy watch.  But it is an amazing cinematic  portrayal of our soldiers in a major crisis and a testament to their courage and resilience.

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones

This spin-off from the "Paranormal Activity" series focuses on a Latino family.

As you can tell from that joke of a synopsis, this was pretty much just another Paranormal Activity movie.  It had the same home video look/filming.  It had the same slow but creepy build.  It had the same rapid set of scare shots at the end.  But then they did some weird thing with a mystery door that somehow brought you back to the first movie and then the movie quickly ended after that.  Rarely have I heard a theater say what the hell out loud like they did at the end of this one.

Although anyone who is a fan of these movies is going to see this regardless, I wouldn't really recommend anyone bothering to waste their time with this.  It was just more of the same with a very annoying and nonsensical ending that didn't have anything to do with the overall story.

The Ten Best Movies Of 2013

Honorable Mention - Star Trek Into Darkness
JJ Abrams is such an amazing director that he has managed to turn me into a full blown Star Trek fan with this movie and his first one.  The story and action were awesome.  And Bendict Cumberbach put forth a truly career launching performance.

10 - The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug
Much like the first part of The Hobbit last year this was an awesome movie.  I actually liked it a lot more than the first part and the dragon stuff was amazing.  I was very nervous that they would screw the pooch on that one, but they didn't at all.  This movie is still nowhere near Lord Of The Rings level though.

9 - 42
They did such a good job of portraying the racism that Jackie Robinson faced that it was literally uncomfortable to watch it at times.  They did a great job of telling the whole story from lots of different points of view and it featured what might be one of Harrison Ford's greatest acting performances in his career.

8 - Fast & Furious 6
This was the best popcorn movie of the year.  Sure all of it was over the top just like everything else in this franchise but few franchises get me this pumped watching them.  Not as good as the fifth entry but probably the second best of the 6 behind that one.

7 - Captain Phillips
Tom Hanks finally showcased is awesome acting ability again.  This was a very intense movie and he did such a great job of showing that tension physically since so much of the movie was him and his captors crammed in a little emergency boat.  You felt the journey of this character throughout the whole ordeal.

6 - Catching Fire
Wow!!!  This was so much better than the first installment in every way.  It looked better.  The action seqences were better.  The acting by all the awesome supporting actors was highlighted more.  Sure it ended in a frustrating Empire Stikes Back kind of way but I can't wait for the next installment. 

5 - Monsters University
I was very afraid of this movie after how Pixar/Disney really mailed it in with Cars 2 a few years back but this movie was great.  And it pulled off a rarity of making a prequel that works.  This is probably the best one I've ever seen outside of X-Men: First Class and it was great how they showed you all the characters that you were already familiar with while introducing great new ones too. 

4 - The Wolf Of Wall Street
This is one of those movies that was so wrong in so much of the stuff that they put on screen but they did such a great job of showing how completely out of control this lifestyle was and the cost that came with it eventually.  Leonardo DiCaprio's drugged out of his mind scene might be one of the funniest scenes I've ever seen in my life. 

3 - Oldboy
This movie blew my mind.  And I knew the basic outline of it and what not.  But it was so intense and was such a total mindscrew for the main character and the viewers from beginning to end.  I still can't believe that Spike Lee made this movie.  It kills me that this didn't get a wider release and practically nobody saw this.

2 - The Butler
I am by no means a history buff so when a movie comes along and makes me care about historical stuff that speaks volumes.  This movie did just that.  And the presidential terms that this butler lived through made this almost like a Forrest Gump trip though White House history.  Great performances thoughout the movie and an amazing look at family dynamics through changes in society was spot on.

1 - Gravity
This is one of those years where I could go with the best made movie or what is a once a decade movie going experience.  While this movie was very well made, I'm giving it the number one spot based on what an amazing experience this was at the movies.  I was skeptical at best about this movie keeping my attention for the duration of it but based on the ticking clock before the shrapnel did another orbital rotation you were stuck holding your breath and bracing for the craziness to happen all over again.  This is only the third movie that I would say was worth seeing in 3D since the whole price jacking con job started.  Visually it took this movie to a whole other level.

The Ten Worst Movies Of 2013

Dishonorable Mentiion - The Curse Of Chucky

This was a straight to DVD movie but that doesn't excuse blatantly beating a dead horse.  Why is Hollywood so unable to leave things alone?  I literally watched the whole movie with an annoyed look on my face.

10 - Scary Movie 5
This could basically be explained by the same comments above except this one got a wide release in theaters.  Please stop making these.

9 - The Hangover Part III
It kills me how the first one is one of the funniest movies ever and this one was so God awful.  The only positive of this movie was how disappointed people were by the second one causing them to pass on this one.  I wish I was one of them.

8 - The Last Stand
Arnold needs to stick to Expendables movies.  Trying to pump out 80s type movies and not in a mocking way is just insulting.  The ship has sailed, fella.

7 - Bullet To The Head
Stallone - please see the above notes to your buddy, Arnold.

6 - Getaway
First of two entries on the list from Selena Gomez.  This movie was an awful extension of a driving video game.  How was Ethan Hawke in this?  And every time Selena Gomez spoke I wanted to throw my soda at the screen.

5 - Texas Chainsaw 3D
As if the movie getting relaunched or rebooted or repackaged for the 700th time, they decided to add in the most absurd twist ever.  Leatherface is just misunderstood and reacting to bullying.  WHAT!?!?!  Writers sat in a room and said "yeah, let's go with that"?  Unreal.

4 - The Haunting In Connecticut 2: Ghosts In Georgia
This movie wasn't even a sequel.  It had no connection to the first one outside of the sequel.  I kept waiting for a connection and it never happened.  Why the 2?  Just call it Ghosts In Georgia!

3 - The Last Exorcism Part II
Unlike the above movie, this one was connected to the first but nothing happened.  It's an exorcism movie and there was maybe one scene where the possessed girl bugged out.  On top of that there were no legit actors in it and it looked like a couple of high school kids made it.  Worst part was that the movie pretty much just ended in the middle of a scene.  The audience collectively yelled WHAT?

2 - Carrie
Another movie that I don't understand the need to remake or do sequels to.  But I thought maybe they could modernize the movie and maybe it would be decent.  But they didn't.  They literally remade the movie.  What the hell is the point of that!?!?!?  I didn't even bother finishing the movie and pulled the plug halfway through.

1 - Spring Breakers
It has been like 8 months and I still cannot for the life of me figure out why critics loved this movie so much.  The only reason I made it to the end was thinking that it had to get better.  It never did.  James Franco would have been great if this movie was a comedy since the role was ridiculous.  Selena Gomez was awful.  Everything about it was awful.  Honestly, the movie is so bad that I expected the cast at the end to be on screen laughing at the audience for wasting their time and money.  To boot, I will never be able to say Spring Break again without saying it like James Franco's character.

The Wolf Of Wall Street

Revered filmmaker Martin Scorsese directs the story of New York stockbroker Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio). From the American dream to corporate greed, Belfort goes from penny stocks and righteousness to IPOs and a life of corruption in the late 80s. Excess success and affluence in his early twenties as founder of the brokerage firm Stratton Oakmont warranted Belfort the title "The Wolf of Wall Street."

Wow!!!  This was a hell of a long movie.  That's really the only knock I can make against it though.  The movie had amazing performances across the board.  Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill were amazing.  You kept going back and forth between despising them and wanting for them to come out on time.  The build up from the bottom up and the downward spiral from there was amazingly directed.  And the laughs?  I had no idea that this would end up being one of the funnier movies of the year between the way the friends talk to each other and a scene of DiCaprio's drug use that might be one of the funniest scenes ever.  This is easily one of the best movies of the year.

I would absolutely recommend people checking this out.  But it is over three hours long so be warned.  Also - the R rating is because of ALOT of drug use and nudity.  But it really is an incredible movie across the board.

The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty

Ben Stiller directs and stars in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, James Thurber's classic story of a day-dreamer who escapes his anonymous life by disappearing into a world of fantasies filled with heroism, romance and action. When his job along with that of his co-worker (Kristen Wiig) are threatened, Walter takes action in the real world embarking on a global journey that turns into an adventure more extraordinary than anything he could have ever imagined.

I really enjoyed this movie.  I like that they kept it artsy and simple instead of making it all cartoonish and over the top.  Ben Stiller actually kept this movie real, simple and down to earth while visually stunning with the daydreams and then Walter Mitty's actual travels.  For anyone who has zoned out into daydreams and has a great imagination, this is a great movie.  I was so invested in the movie that the ending really hit me and sent me into a daydream about my life and realizing the daily rewards and what not.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  It's a great ride in the life of an imaginative daydreamer.  Please be advised that the movie is done in a very artsy style and that it is not a textbook mainstream movie.

Walking With Dinosaurs

For the first time in movie history, audiences will truly see and feel what it was like when dinosaurs ruled the Earth. Walking With Dinosaurs is the ultimate immersive, big-screen experience. Recent discoveries and a breakthrough in technology will introduce new and unique dinosaurs that are more real than ever before and put moviegoers in the middle of a thrilling prehistoric adventure, where an underdog dinosaur triumphs against all odds to become a hero for the ages.

This movie was more of an entertaining documentary than a movie.  But it was like a documentary geared towards kids for the most part.  The dinosaur voices were all done in a narrative format.  The look of the movie was great and felt real and dinosaur fans should absolutely love it.   There really isn't much I took away from it other than the good overall look of it.  Why this was the only family/kids movie that opened for Christmas is baffling.

Outside of huge dinosaur fans, I wouldn't really recommend people checking this out.  It's not necessarily bad but it's just kind of there and there are much better options out there.

Grudge Match

In Grudge Match, De Niro and Stallone play Billy "The Kid" McDonnen and Henry "Razor" Sharp, two local Pittsburgh fighters whose fierce rivalry put them in the national spotlight. Each had scored a victory against the other during their heyday, but in 1983, on the eve of their decisive third match, Razor suddenly announced his retirement, refusing to explain why but effectively delivering a knock-out punch to both their careers. Thirty years later, boxing promoter Dante Slate Jr., seeing big dollar signs, makes them an offer they can't refuse: to re-enter the ring and settle the score once and for all.  But they may not have to wait that long: on their first encounter in decades, their long-festering feud erupts into an unintentionally hilarious melee that instantly goes viral. The sudden social media frenzy transforms their local grudge match into a must-see HBO event. Now, if they can just survive the training, they may actually live to fight again.  

This movie is pretty much exactly what you saw in the trailer.  There are age jokes and assorted laughs.  The movie is incredibly formula in every way and they go out of their way to pull every possible heart string that they can.  However, the movie is still enjoyable across the board and you care about how it's going to all play out knowingly for the characters and you find yourself rooting for everyone.

I'd somewhat recommend people checking this movie out.  It's a decent watch but there are definitely better choices.

47 Ronin

In 47 Ronin, after  a treacherous warlord kills their master and banishes their kind, 47 leaderless samurai vow to seek vengeance and restore honor to their people. Driven from their homes and dispersed across the land, this band of Ronin must seek the help of Kai (Reeves), a half-breed they once rejected, as they fight their way across a savage world of mythic beasts, shape-shifting witchcraft and wondrous terrors.  As this exiled, enslaved outcast becomes their most deadly weapon, he will transform into the hero who inspires this band of outnumbered rebels to seize eternity.

I went into this expecting an either hit or miss movie.  It could end up being a wannabe Kung Fu movie with a horribly miscast Keanu Reeves or it could end up being a well told story with great action.  Happily it was much more of the latter.  I really liked this movie.  The characters and their relationships to each other were very well developed and the action scenes were great.  The most shocking part of it all was that Keanu Reeves was not remotely miscast and was perfect for this role.

I would absolutely recommend people checking this out.  It was a very enjoyable movie in every way.  Very surprising.  Probably one of the bigger ones of the year.

Black Nativity

 

In a contemporary adaptation of Langston Hughes' celebrated play, Black Nativity follows Langston (Jacob Latimore), a street-wise teen from Baltimore raised by a single mother, as he journeys to New York City to spend the Christmas holiday with his estranged relatives Reverend Cornell and Aretha Cobbs (Forest Whitaker and Angela Bassett). Unwilling to live by the imposing Reverend Cobbs' rules, a frustrated Langston is determined to return home to his mother, Naima (Jennifer Hudson). Langston embarks on a surprising and inspirational journey and along with new friends, and a little divine intervention, he discovers the true meaning of faith, healing, and family.

This is a textbook heart string pulling holiday drama about family.  The characters work out all their issues since its holiday season and through the trials of the son/grandson.  The music was actually pretty good but outside of that, it was just overdramatic blah blah.

I wouldn't really recommend people watch this.  Its not that its awful, but more that you have seen something very similar to this 1000 times before.  This time there is just singing involved.

American Hustle

A fictional film set in the alluring world of one of the most stunning scandals to rock our nation, American Hustle tells the story of brilliant con man Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale), who along with his equally cunning and seductive British partner Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) is forced to work for a wild FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper).  DiMaso pushes them into a world of Jersey powerbrokers and mafia that's as dangerous as it is enchanting.  Jeremy Renner is Carmine Polito, the passionate, volatile, New Jersey political operator caught between the con-artists and Feds. Irving's unpredictable wife Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence) could be the one to pull the thread that brings the entire world crashing down.

This movie was great.  David Russell basically combined his casts from The Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook and none of them missed a beat.  Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence were awesome as always.  Amy Adams continues to get better and better with every movie she does.  And Christian Bale?  What else can be said about how great this guy is.  Just the body transformation he went through for this film is mind blowing like what he has done with past roles.  The story was very interesting and watching it all play out was a great hook.  The only knock I could make against this movie is how long it was.  There was no need for this movie to be nearly three hours.  They could have easily trimmed this down.

Regardless of it being too long, I would still absolutely recommend this movie.  It will be on most top ten lists by the end of the year and is sure to get many award nominations, deservedly so.

Saving Mr. Banks

When Walt Disney's daughters begged him to make a movie of their favorite book, P.L. Travers' "Mary Poppins," he made them a promise - one that he didn't realize would take 20 years to keep. In his quest to obtain the rights, Walt comes up against a curmudgeonly, uncompromising writer who has absolutely no intention of letting her beloved magical nanny get mauled by the Hollywood machine. But, as the books stop selling and money grows short, Travers reluctantly agrees to go to Los Angeles to hear Disney's plans for the adaptation.  For those two short weeks in 1961, Walt Disney pulls out all the stops. Armed with imaginative storyboards and chirpy songs from the talented Sherman brothers, Walt launches an all-out onslaught on P.L. Travers, but the prickly author doesn't budge. He soon begins to watch helplessly as Travers becomes increasingly immovable and the rights begin to move further away from his grasp.  It is only when he reaches into his own childhood that Walt discovers the truth about the ghosts that haunt her, and together they set Mary Poppins free to ultimately make one of the most endearing films in cinematic history.

This was a very well done movie and while it eventually got to the happy ending, this was not a light and fluffy Disney movie by any means.  The back story of the author's childhood was tough at times. However, the back and forth jumping in the timeline to explain the much deeper levels of Mary Poppins was amazing storytelling.  It definitely keeps the viewer hooked and wanting to know why PL Travers was the way she was.  Tom Hanks was great at Walt Disney but the best acting of the movie by far was Emma Thompsen and Paul Giamatti as her driver.

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.  It is great storytelling on a couple different levels and has some really good acting.

A Madea Christmas

Madea gets coaxed into helping a friend pay her daughter a surprise visit in the country for Christmas, but the biggest surprise is what they'll find when they arrive. As the small, rural town prepares for its annual Christmas Carnival, new secrets are revealed and old relationships are tested while Madea dishes her own brand of Christmas Spirit to all.

I had hoped to find the whole Madea thing funny again after it had gotten so stale during the last couple of entries.  And it had a couple of moments but overall, it was just as bad.  The side story was overly dramatic as always.  And how in the hell Larry The Cable Guy is in a Tyler Perry movie is totally beyond me.

I would not really recommend anyone watching this.  I was a huge fan of Madea at the start.  I still found it funny for the first four or five films but it has definitely run its course now and needs to be shelved for a while, if not permanently.

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

With the 70's behind him, San Diego's top rated newsman, Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell), returns to the news desk in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.  Also back for more are Ron's co-anchor and wife, Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), weather man Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), man on the street Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd) and sports guy Champ Kind (David Koechner) - All of whom won't make it easy to stay classy while taking the nation's first 24-hour news channel by storm.

This is pretty much more of the same from the first one.  The funny thing is that  I left the theater after the first one thinking it was stupid and so not funny.  It wasn't until repeated viewings that I realized how damn funny and quotable it was.  That whole experience helped this movie to be more funny at first viewing.  But like I said, it's pretty much more of what was funny in the first.  That material combined with the mocking of news casting evolution provided lots of huge laughs.  

I'd absolutely recommend this movie for anyone that enjoyed the first one.  The characters are all still great and you will be laughing throughout the movie.

Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom is based on South African President Nelson Mandela's autobiography of the same name, which chronicles his early life, coming of age, education and 27 years in prison before becoming President and working to rebuild the country's once segregated society. Idris Elba stars as Nelson Mandela.

This is one of those movies that would probably be great for a history buff, unless they see it as propaganda like one point of view history.  I am in no way, shape or form a history buff so I can't really touch on all that stuff and didn't really fully embrace the movie.  I definitely enjoyed it and thought it was well told and well paced around a great performance by Idris Elba.  

I would somewhat recommend the movie.  It's one of those movies that I know is well done and I enjoy it but probably would have enjoyed it more if I were more connected to history and what not.

The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug

 

Having survived the beginning of their unexpected journey, the Company continues East, encountering along the way the skin-changer Beorn and a swarm of giant Spiders in the treacherous forest of Mirkwood. After escaping capture by the dangerous Wood-elves, the Dwarves journey to Lake-town, and finally to the Lonely Mountain itself, where they must face the greatest danger of all - a creature more terrifying than any other; one which will test not only the depth of their courage but the limits of their friendship and the wisdom of the journey itself - the Dragon Smaug.

This is as tough of a movie to review as the first part of The Hobbit last year.  It's an excellent movie.  Visually amazing at all points.  The dragon was pulled off masterfully by Peter Jackson.  The addition of Legolas and the female elf brought a lot more action into the movie.  Comparing it to the first part, I definitely enjoyed this one more because it didn't have the massive amount of development in the beginning that part 1 had.  However, just like the first part there was NO REASON for this movie to be almost three hours long.  And the majorly difficult part of reviewing this is that is nowhere near the league of the Lord Of The Rings trilogy.  Those movies are second only to the original Star Wars trilogty for me and these movies seem so much below par compared to them.  Yet, they are still very enjoyable and incredibly well made movies.

I would definitely recommend this movie just like I would recommend the first part.  Its a great ride and an awesome movie just expect it to be on par with the first part of the Hobbit and you will be satisfied.  If you are looking for Lord Of The Rings level, it is still not there.

Out Of The Furnace

 

Russell Baze (Christian Bale) has a rough life: he works a dead-end blue collar job at the local steel mill by day, and cares for his terminally ill father by night. When Russell's brother Rodney (Casey Affleck) returns home from serving time in Iraq, he gets lured into one of the most ruthless crime rings in the Northeast and mysteriously disappears. The police fail to crack the case, so - with nothing left to lose - Russell takes matters into his own hands, putting his life on the line to seek justice for his brother.

There was something about this movie that kept me hooked and made me want to like this movie.  I liked the characters and thought that the acting across the board was great.  Unfortunately, the movie never really came fully together.  It took way to long to get fully moving.  More disappointing was that once the characters got built up to a certain point they just kind of stopped and left things unanswered.  Woody Harrelson's character is still annoying me now because I felt like I was left waiting for more to be put into the development of it instead of him being a douche just because he's a douche. 

I wouldn't really recommend people checking this out.  Its not that the movie was bad.  It ended up a decent watch but it ended up just kind of being there instead of being a fully developed story of simple but complex at the same time characters.

Homefront

Homefront is an action movie about a widowed ex-DEA agent who retires to a small town for the sake of his 10-year-old daughter. The only problem is he picked the wrong town.

This was pretty much another textbook Jason Statham movie.  He's a guy trying to avoid conflict but when the conflict catches up to him and pushes him to far, he destroys everyone.  The only difference is that James Franco is pointlessly cast as the bad guy.

If you like Statham's movies, I'm sure you would like this too.  If not, I'm sure you have no intention of watching it.  

Oldboy

Oldboy is a provocative, visceral thriller that follows the story of an advertising executive (Josh Brolin) who is abruptly kidnapped and held hostage for 20 years in solitary confinement. When he is inexplicably released, he embarks on an obsessive mission to discover who orchestrated his bizarre and torturous punishment only to find he is still trapped in a web of conspiracy and torment.

WOW!!!  This movie was one hell of a crazy mindscrew.  The quick story progression pretty much takes you along on the ride that Josh Brolin's character goes on.  And it is one of the most insane and twisted rides viewers could go on.  Seeing what he was put through for twenty years prior to being turned loose.  The craziness that happens after he gets released only takes it to any even higher level due to the insanity of the puppet master that has been controlling him all along.  I will not ruin how it all plays out for anyone that wants to see this but the reveals that come along the way just get more and more twisted and make the movie better and better. 

I would absolutely recommend people checking this movie out.  It's a rough watch because it is so extremely twisted and there is some pretty intense violence but if you can handle this, the movie is one hell of a awesome ride.

Frozen

Walt Disney Animation Studios presents Frozen. When a prophecy traps a kingdom in eternal winter, Anna (Kristen Bell), a fearless optimist, teams up with extreme mountain man Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and his sidekick reindeer Sven on an epic journey to find Anna's sister Elsa (Idina Menzel), the Snow Queen, and put an end to her icy spell. Encountering mystical trolls, an amazing and comedic snowman named Olaf, Everest-like conditions and magic at every turn, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom from destruction.

This was another great entry in the line of Disney princesses.  And I love that for once they made it about more than one with the sister angle.  There wasn't really a bad guy/girl in this movie.  That made it very different and fresh.  As always, Disney movies like this are usually dictated by the comedic side characters and Olaf the snowman pretty much carried this one.  I liked most of the songs but hated how they were scripted into the movie like dialogue.  The two or three main ones could have been really good, classic Disney songs but they were woven into the characters talking to each other and kind of took away from that.

I would recommend people checking this movie out.  It's worth the time and money.  Adults will absolutely enjoy it as much as the kids. 

The Book Thief

Based on the beloved bestselling book, The Book Thief tells the inspirational story of a spirited and courageous young girl who transforms the lives of everyone around her when she is sent to live with a new family in World War II Germany.

This was a great movie told about Nazi Germany in one of the more light hearted ways considering the subject matter.  It was all basically through the eyes of a child and it put a different perspective on everything and really hooked you in.  Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson were great as the adopting parents and the girl was perfectly cast with her innocent look.  There were times where I felt the movie was too simple or too fluffy considering what was happening, but they still had you hooked and you cared about all the characters and what they were going through.

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.  I thought it would be better and maybe it's level of greatness might have been effected by that but I still enjoyed it very much.

The Best Man Holiday

After nearly 15 years apart, Taye Diggs, Nia Long, Morris Chestnut, Harold Perrineau, Terrence Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Monica Calhoun, Melissa De Sousa and Regina Hall reprise their career-launching roles in The Best Man Holiday, the next chapter to the film that ushered in a new era of comedy. When the college friends finally reunite over the Christmas holidays they will discover just how easy it is for long-forgotten rivalries and romances to be ignited.

This was another movie where exactly what you see in the trailer is what you get.  Group of friends and couples each battling their own issues or demons with laughs along the way.  Don't get me wrong some of the laughs were great and some of the drama was very heart touching, but its just more of the first movie that I never considered to be sequel worthy.  I feel like these actors can accomplish so much more instead of playing the same stereotypical roles over and over again.

I would somewhat recommend people checking this movie out.  It's a very watchable movie but its just a blatant retread of stuff that we've already seen.

Catching Fire

Catching Fire begins as Katniss Everdeen has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark. Winning means that they must turn around and leave their family and close friends, embarking on a "Victor's Tour' of the districts. Along the way Katniss senses that a rebellion is simmering, but the Capitol is still very much in control as President Snow prepares the 75th Annual Hunger Games (The Quarter Quell) - a competition that could change Panem forever.

This movie was awesome.  I had high hopes for it since I thought that this book was the best of the series and they completely met them.  This movie served as a perfect "Empire Strikes Back" to the series where it amped up the overall story while developing the characters and their relationships more and more.  The action was great and it even looked better than in the first one.  You could noticeably see the budget difference due to the first one's success.  

I would definitely recommend everyone checking this movie out.  Fans of the book are going to see it regardless but even non-readers should really check these movies out.  Even though its based on a young adult novel, the story is really good and has so many different layers to it that viewers of all ages can enjoy it as it all plays out.

Delivery Man

Delivery Man stars Vince Vaughn as affable underachiever David Wozniak, whose anonymous donations to a fertility clinic 20 years earlier resulted in 533 children. David must now embark on a journey that leads him to discover not only his true self but also the father that he could become.

If you saw the trailer for this one then you saw the movie.  There really was nothing more of substance to it.  They tried to pull a bunch of heartstrings that didn't work.  The only guy that was funny was Chris Pratt who plays his friend/lawyer.  He was also the only funny part of the trailer.  I wanted so desperately to find Vince Vaughn amusing again, but it just didn't work.  Like not at all.  I was bored pretty much the whole time and only laughed 3 times - none of which were from him.  

I wouldn't recommend anyone wasting their time with this movie.  It's formula in every way and you can just decide how you liked the movie from watching the commercial since there is nothing more that it brings to the table.

Last Vegas

Starring four legends like you've never seen them before, Last Vegas tells the story of Billy, Paddy, Archie and Sam (played by Academy-Award winners Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Kline), best friends since childhood. When Billy, the group's sworn bachelor, finally proposes to his thirty-something (of course) girlfriend, the four head to Las Vegas with a plan to stop acting their age and relive their glory days. However, upon arriving, the four quickly realize that the decades have transformed Sin City and tested their friendship in ways they never imagined. The Rat Pack may have once played the Sands and Cirque du Soleil may now rule the Strip, but it's these four who are taking over Vegas.

This was a very, very enjoyable movie about friendship and growing old.  The movie is pretty much just as formula as you would have expected from the trailer, but the four actors all provide plenty of laughs and their friendship portrayed onscreen was completely believable since they all played off of each other so well.  My biggest fear going in to this was that it would turn out to be a dramedy with someone's health becoming an issue or something.  My fears were not answer and this comedy didn't swerve down that road.

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.  It really was a lot of simple fun at the movies and I liked it very much.

Free Birds

In this adventurous buddy comedy for audiences of all ages, two turkeys from opposite sides of the tracks must put aside their differences and team up to travel back in time to change the course of history - and get turkey off the Thanksgiving menu for good.

This was a surprisingly entertaining movie.  I usually don't have really high hopes for animated movies that don't come from Disney, Pixar or Dreamworks animation but this one felt like it did.  The story was simple and flowed.  The main characters as well as the side characters were perfectly crafted and developed.  And most importanly the humor was there in abundance.  That made this animated movie just as much fun for the adults as the kids.

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.  Nice, short movie with plenty of laughs.  If you have children they are guaranteed to love it.

Thor: The Dark World

Thor: The Dark World continues the big-screen adventures of Thor, the Mighty Avenger, as he battles to save Earth and all the Nine Realms from a shadowy enemy that predates the universe itself.  In the aftermath of Thor and The Avengers, Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos...but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith returns to plunge the universe back into darkness.  Faced with an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.

Thor has managed to surprise me yet again.  I liked this movie a lot and I actually think its one of the better Marvel era sequels.  It didn't just redo the original story.  It expanded Thor's world and used all the characters to make you hooked into what was a VERY sci-fi movie.  Loki was of course back and was once again the best part of the movie.  He stole every scene he was in and the movie picked up tremendously when he was on screen.  The story, tempo and side characters were all great.  And even though the new villains were basically explained by the opening narration, I still thought that they were great too.

I would absolutely recommend any Marvel fans checking this out.  It's a great continuation of the Thor and Marvel universe stories.

12 Years A Slave

12 Years a Slave is based on an incredible true story of one man's fight for survival and freedom. In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty (personified by a malevolent slave owner, portrayed by Michael Fassbender), as well as unexpected kindnesses, Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon's chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist (Brad Pitt) will forever alter his life.

This was one of those amazing and beyond emotional movies about a period of time (12 years obviously) in a man's life.  The trials and tribulations of this man showed the absolute worst and best in fellow human beings.  There were numerous beyond uncomfortable scenes of slavery and phenomenal acting throughout the movie.  This movie will absolutely end up on most top ten lists at the end of the year and get a bunch of Oscar nominations.  The only knock I would make against this movie is that there were too many of the artsy staring off deep in thought type of moments.  Outside of that it was an amazing movie.

I would absolutely recommend everyone checking out this movie. The realistic gruesomeness is rough to watch at times but the movie was excellent.

Ender's Game

In the near future, a hostile alien race called the Formics have attacked Earth. If not for the legendary heroics of International Fleet Commander Mazer Rackham (Ben Kingsley), all would have been lost. In preparation for the next attack, the highly esteemed Colonel Hyrum Graff (Harrison Ford) and the International Military are training only the best young minds to find the future Mazer.  Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield), a shy but strategically brilliant boy, is recruited to join the elite. Arriving at Battle School, Ender quickly and easily masters increasingly difficult challenges and simulations, distinguishing himself and winning respect amongst his peers. Ender is soon ordained by Graff as the military's next great hope, resulting in his promotion to Command School. Once there, he's trained by Mazer Rackham himself to lead his fellow soldiers into an epic battle that will determine the future of Earth and save the human race.

I thought this was a really good movie in terms of sci-fi standards.  They did a great job of taking you to the world where the story took place in.  You felt connected to the story and the characters and you were definitely interested in where it would take you.  I also liked the tapping of the children as our potential soldiers/generals based on how they were able to see things develop during battle.  It's a pretty direct link to first person video games and online play that really have taken our younger generations to a different way of seeing things based on their "game play".  I can't really do into too much detail without giving away certain things that deliver quite well as the movie plays out.  I wish that I would have read the book or books that this is based on because I feel I would have enjoyed it even more. 

I would recommend this movie to fans of sci-fi.  Its definitely not a movie for all because of its specific subject matter, but it is an enjoyable watch for its target audience.

Bad Grandpa

86-year-old Irving Zisman is on a journey across America with the most unlikely companions, his 8-year-old Grandson Billy in Bad Grandpa. This October, the signature Jackass character Irving Zisman (Johnny Knoxville) and Billy (Jackson Nicholl) will take movie audiences along for the most insane hidden camera road trip ever captured on camera. Along the way, Irving will introduce the young and impressionable Billy to people, places and situations that give new meaning to the term childrearing. The duo will encounter male strippers, disgruntled child beauty pageant contestants (and their equally disgruntled mothers), funeral home mourners, biker bar patrons and a whole lot of unsuspecting citizens.

This movie was split in half for me.  I loved the prank scenes like always.  Some were simple and the reactions to them made me laugh my ass off.  These were the types of things that I always loved about Jackass.  Some were a little gross and/or sexual but they were much more tame than usual so I even enjoyed those.  The only bad thing about the movie is that instead of a series of pranks, they tried to make it an overall legit movie about the grandpa bonding with the son.  So any time they were on that track, I found myself bored and just wanting them to get back to pranks becuase these two characters are already established as fictional masters of prank.  Why would I feel any sort of emotional connection to their "story"? 

I would still recommend anyone that likes the Jackass show/movies check this out because there are some really big laughs in it.  Just be warned that this is a lot more like Dictator with Sasha Baron Cohen where the "story" of the movie gets annoying inbetween the laughs.

Machete Kills

Danny Trejo returns as ex-Federale agent Machete, who is recruited by the President of the United States for a mission which would be impossible for any mortal man - he must take down a madman revolutionary and an eccentric billionaire arms dealer who has hatched a plan to spread war and anarchy across the planet.

Just like the first movie, this is one of those it is what it is movie.  In terms of those 70s grind house type movies, this is great.  Totally over the top acting with really cheesy story and action.  If you like those types of  movies, I'm sure you will enjoy the filming style and silliness of it all.

I would only recommend this to people that specifically enjoy these types of movies.  If you don't or have not seen any movies of this "genre", I don't think you should touch this movie with a ten foot pole.

Escape Plan

One of the world's foremost authorities on structural security agrees to take on one last job: breaking out of an ultra-secret, high-tech facility called "The Tomb." Deceived and wrongly imprisoned, Ray Breslin (Sylvester Stallone) must recruit fellow inmate Emil Rottmayer (Arnold Schwarzenegger) to help devise a daring, nearly impossible plan to escape from the most protected and fortified prison ever built.

This is yet another throw back wannabe 80s action movies from two guys that really need to let go.  This movie is formula from beginning to end. You could walk out of the theater for like 20 minutes and come back and I guarantee you that you didn't miss anything and can still be well aware of where the story is and is going to go.  Stallone was much better in this than Schwartzenegger but its just sad watching these guys trying to hold on.  I've said it before and I'll say it again - The Expendables was only good because they didn't take themselves serious and were very tongue in cheek about the movies that they made a career out of.  When they attempt to take themselves seriously - it ends up just being painful.

I wouldn't really recommend anyone checking this out.  Even those of you that are big fans of throwback 80s movies will probably still find this movie dull, forced and formula. 

Carrie

A reimagining of the classic horror tale about Carrie White (Chloe Grace Moretz), a shy girl outcast by her peers and sheltered by her deeply religious mother (Julianne Moore), who unleashes telekinetic terror on her small town after being pushed too far at her senior prom. 

Yeah - this is pretty much total garbage.  I was never that big a fan of the original movie or any of the pointless remakes or sequels to it.  This was probably the worst of them all because I would think that a modern version of this story could at least look better.  But no.  They thought it would be better to make it look 1970s like.  Ugh.

Don't see this.  Don't ever see this.  Total waste of time.

Captain Phillips

Captain Phillips stars Tom Hanks in the true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years.

This was a really intense movie.  The direction kept you on the edge of your seat the whole time and it was great to see Tom Hanks back in a role that you could really get behind and care about.  Even knowing how the story was going to play out because of it being a true story didn't remotely make you more comfortable with how the story was playing out simply because the level of intensity and especially the filming style in the cramped space of the life boat thing. 

I absolutely recommend people checking this movie out.  It's definitely one of the best movies of the year and a great return to true prominence for Tom Hanks as far as I'm concerned.

Runner Runner

Princeton grad student Richie (Justin Timberlake), believing he's been swindled, travels to Costa Rica to confront online gambling tycoon Ivan Block (Ben Affleck). Richie is seduced by Block's promise of immense wealth, until he learns the disturbing truth about his benefactor. When the FBI tries to coerce Richie to help bring down Block, Richie faces his biggest gamble ever: attempting to outmaneuver the two forces closing in on him.

Was this movie beyond predictable at every turn?  Absolutely.  Did it follow the nice, pretty path where the protagonist beats the antagonist?  Absolutely.  Was it still somewhat enjoyable?  Yes.  Granted if you go into this with any kind of high expectations, you will be disappointed.  I did not so it ended up being a pretty decent watch.  Timberlake was his usual charismatic self and Ben Affleck was pretty entertaining as the over the top "bad" guy. 

I wouldn't outright recommend this movie for everyone.  There are definitely better movies out there that you could be seeing.  However, this wasn't a total waste of time . . . . . with your expectations being in check.

Gravity

Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) in command of his last flight before retiring. But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone--tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they have lost any link to Earth...and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left. But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space.

This was one of the most stunning visual movies I've ever seen.  The way that it was filmed made it feel as if you were out in space with Sandra Bullock.  The pacing of the movie between being out in space all alone and the beyond intense scenes of action when the orbiting shrapnel attacked the satellites made you go back and forth between total desperation and sitting on the edge of your seat.  And even though this movie was so well done artistically, they didn't get wrapped up in an overdone running time.  The movie was a perfectly paced/timed 90 minutes and the end result was easily one of the best movies of the year.

I would absolutely recommend everyone checking this out.  It is pretty much a must see and a truly excellent job of film making in every way. 

Battle Of The Year

Battle of the Year is an international dance crew tournament that attracts all the best teams from around the world, but the Americans haven't won in fifteen years. Los Angeles Hip Hop mogul Dante (Alonso) wants to put the country that started the Sport back on top. He enlists his hard-luck friend Blake (Holloway), who was a championship basketball coach, to coach his team. Armed with the theory that the right coach can make any team champions, they assemble a Dream Team of all the best dancers across the country. With only three months until Battle of the Year, Blake has to use every tactic he knows to get twelve talented individuals to come together as a team if they're going to bring the Trophy back to America where it started.

This is a textbook underdog movie with dancing.  It's pretty much Step Up 5 with an all guy dance crew.  You have the troubled but excellent coach dealing with demons and a cast of guys that either have to work really hard, are crazy talented but need to embrace the team and Yada yada yada.  It's formula in every way.  Some of the dance scenes were pretty impressive but the movie really isn't anything to write home about.

I really wouldn't recommend anyone bothering with this movie.  If you saw the trailer, you saw the movie.

Rush

Set against the sexy and glamorous golden age of Formula 1 racing, Rush portrays the exhilarating true story of two of the greatest rivals the world has ever witnessed—handsome English playboy Hunt and his methodical, brilliant opponent, Lauda. Taking us into their personal lives on and off the track, Rush follows the two drivers as they push themselves to the breaking point of physical and psychological endurance, where there is no shortcut to victory and no margin for error. If you make one mistake, you die.

This felt at times like a Formula One version of Days Of Thunder.  You saw how the two drivers grew up professionally and personally on two very different paths.  The back and forth between them was great and even though the movie was advertised so heavily about Chris Hemsworth, the actor that played Lauda was more enjoyable and I found myself rooting for him much more.  The intensity of the racing scenes was great and the camera work was amazing at points. 

I would recommend people check this movie out.  It's not a must see by any means but it was a very enjoyable character drama.  I have never been a racing fan but I would have to think that if it got me into it that any racing fans would love this movie.