Selma

Selma is the story of a movement. The film chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition. The epic march from Selma to Montgomery culminated in President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories for the civil rights movement. Director Ava DuVernay's "Selma" tells the story of how the revered leader and visionary Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (David Oyelowo) and his brothers and sisters in the movement prompted change that forever altered history.

This was a great movie.  Amazing performances across the board and the way that the story was told and played out was great.  Movies this well done make you really feel like you were there for these historical events - both the good and bad.  It also is the type of movie that is so well done this should be used for educational purposes and to open those ignorant eyes that still remain closed.

I would absolutely recommend people checking this movie out.  It is an excellent watch and really takes you back to that point in time.

Inherent Vice

Inherent Vice is the film adaption of a Thomas Pynchon novel. When private eye Doc Sportello's ex-old lady suddenly out of nowhere shows up with a story about her current billionaire land developer boyfriend whom she just happens to be in love with, and a plot by his wife and her boyfriend to kidnap that billionaire and throw him in a loony bin... well, easy for her to say. It's the tail end of the psychedelic '60s and paranoia is running the day and Doc knows that "love" is another of those words going around at the moment, like "trip" or "groovy," that's being way too overused—except this one usually leads to trouble. With a cast of characters that includes surfers, hustlers, dopers and rockers, a murderous loan shark, LAPD Detectives, a tenor sax player working undercover, and a mysterious entity known as the Golden Fang, which may only be a tax dodge set up by some dentists... Part surf noir, part psychedelic romp - all Thomas Pynchon.

I watched this movie for about an hour.  I wanted to like it.  I wanted to be hooked by it.  But I just wasn't except for one very random and hilarious scene.  It was just Joaquin Phoenix going from ten minute babbling conversation to them minute babbling conversation and I just don't have time for that.  Especially considering that the movie had another 90 minutes to go.

I would not really recommend anyone wasting their time with this.  Maybe it got better but I'm totally okay with never knowing.

American Sniper

From director Clint Eastwood comes American Sniper, starring Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history.  But there was much more to him than his skill as a sharpshooter. U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle is sent to Iraq with only one mission: to protect his brothers-in-arms. His pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and, as stories of his courageous exploits spread, he earns the nickname "Legend." However, his reputation is also growing behind enemy lines, putting a price on his head and making him a prime target of insurgents. He is also facing a different kind of battle on the home front: striving to be a good husband and father from halfway around the world. Despite the danger, as well as the toll on his family at home, Chris serves through four harrowing tours of duty in Iraq, personifying the SEAL creed to "leave no man behind." But upon returning to his wife, Taya Renae Kyle (Sienna Miller), and kids, Chris finds that it is the war he can't leave behind.

WOW!!!  This movie was awesome.  Very intense.  Very real.  Very honest.  I've always liked Bradley Cooper but his acting was more impressive in this than in anything he has done prior.   I knew it was a true story but due to my blissful ignorance didn't know the details.  Wish I did now because I was floored at the end of it.  This movie did such an amazing job of capturing the truly selfless soldier that protects and serves our country.  If I were to go back and adjust the Best of 2014 movies, this would make the top three.

I could go on and on about how great this movie.  Instead you should just go see it.  I give it my must see stamp.

The Woman In Black 2: Angel Of Death

When a group of orphaned children are forced to move from their home in London, caretakers Eve (Phoebe Fox) and Jean (Helen McCrory) bring everyone to the desolate and eerie British countryside. 40 years after Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe) left, this supernatural horror film introduces this new group to the now abandoned Eel Marsh House; an odd but seemingly safe location. It isn't long before Eve starts to sense that this house is not what it appears to be as the children in her care begin to disappear. As their house of safety becomes a house of horrors, Eve enlists the help of a handsome pilot (Jeremy Irvine) to help investigate what is happening. Eve soon discovers that it may not be a coincidence that she has come to reside in the house inhabited by the Woman in Black.

I remember liking the first one but not too much else about it when sitting down to watch this one.  I remembered the set up of where the house was.  I remembered why a room was all beat up.  But that was it.  That being said, this pretty much felt like a stand alone movie using the same set and idea of the creepy lady.  No further explanation of her was given.  It was just a bunch of scary sight gags and really nothing more.

I wouldn't really recommend anyone wasting their time with this.  It's one of those just kind of there kind of  "scary" movies.

Whiplash

Andrew Neyman is an ambitious young jazz drummer, single-minded in his pursuit to rise to the top of his elite east coast music conservatory. Plagued by the failed writing career of his father, Andrew hungers day and night to become one of the greats. Terence Fletcher, an instructor equally known for his teaching talents as for his terrifying methods, leads the top jazz ensemble in the school. Fletcher discovers Andrew and transfers the aspiring drummer into his band, forever changing the young man's life. Andrew's passion to achieve perfection quickly spirals into obsession, as his ruthless teacher continues to push him to the brink of both his ability-and his sanity.

Wow!  This was amazing acting by both JK Simmons and Miles Teller.  You know what you are going to get with JK Simmons and he was phenomenal in this.  He was absolutely vicious yet you find yourself glued to his every action and word.  Miles Teller continues to develop into one of, if not the, best up and coming actors in Hollywood.  This kid, who has been so great at comedy to date, left all the laughs out of this one and performed on the same excellent level as Simmons.  The back and forth between them as the movie progressed was amazing.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.  Both of these actors should get acknowledged with award nominations and this movie will probably go down as the best kept secret of 2014.  

Birdman

Birdman or "The Unexpected Virtue Of Ignorance" is a black comedy that tells the story of an actor (Keaton) – famous for portraying an iconic superhero – as he struggles to mount a Broadway play. In the days leading up to opening night, he battles his ego and attempts to recover his family, his career, and himself.

This was a great movie.  Actually, let me backtrack for a second.  This is not remotely the "mainstream" audience type movie that it ended up getting pushed at.  This is an artsy film that is a textbook example to be used in filmmaking classes and what not.  Taking it for that - it is a great movie.  The actors do great (how could you go wrong with Edward Norton and Emma Stone) and it was awesome to see Michael Keaton in this especially being reminded of the satire of him having played Batman so long ago. The filming style of the movie with it being a single motion camera following the cast around through the backstage area provided such a hook to this and really captured the craziness that goes on with the sort of stage show that they were doing.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this out as long as you don't go into it thinking you are going to see a basic Hollywood drama.  It's both bigger than that and smaller than that at the same time.  

Top Five

Pulsing with the rhythm of his greatest stand-up, Chris Rock's Top Five takes things to the next level, reveling in the high and the low, and blending a star-studded comedic romp with an irresistible romance. Top Five digs under the surface of show business, politics, rap, and the exigencies of being black and famous today - holding it all up to the light in the way only Chris Rock can. Mingling echoes of Woody Allen and Dick Gregory with the energy of Kanye West and Jay Z, Top Five is an original and radically new kind of American movie. Written, directed by, and starring Chris Rock, Top Five tells the story of New York City comedian-turned-film star Andre Allen, whose unexpected encounter with a journalist (Rosario Dawson) forces him to confront the comedy career--and the past--that he’s left behind.

This movie was pretty much wrongly advertised.  I thought that this was almost like a documentary about comedians.  I had no idea that it was a fictional character with some comedians playing themselves.  The fictional portion of the story although somewhat based on actual comedians was very well developed with the banter back and forth and made the movie a much more enjoyable and funnier watch than I thought it would be.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  Again - I expected something totally different and this ended up being a much better movie than I thought it would.  

Paddington

Paddington tells the story of the comic misadventures of a young Peruvian bear (voiced by Ben Whishaw) who travels to the city in search of a home. Finding himself lost and alone, he begins to realize that city life is not all he had imagined - until he meets the kindly Brown family who read the label around his neck that says "Please look after this bear. Thank you," and offer him a temporary haven. It looks as though his luck has changed until this rarest of bears catches the eye of a museum taxidermist.

This was a very cute family movie.  Really not much more to say about it.  It is more for younger aged kids and has a bit of a scary beginning before sticking to the cute and cuddly for the remainer of the movie.  

I would recommend families checking this out.  Especially with younger kids.  It's a good watch with lots of laughs for them and you can pretty much enjoy it as well.

The Ten Best Movies Of 2014

Honorable Mention - The Book Of Life
I have always been a big fan of animated movies.  I honestly tend to look forward to the ones that look good more than regular movies.  This one didn't strike me as one that I would particularly enjoy.  I didn't even bother to check it out in theaters.  I watched a bootleg of it online and was so hooked that I tried to find a cleaner copy of it and watch it again.  Great story.  Different animation and great music.  Biggest surprise of the year for me.

10 - It's a Tie!!!  X-Men: Days Of Future Past and The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies
Both of them are excellent entries in these excellent franchises.  The Hobbit: Battle Of The Five Armies brought about great closure to that trilogy and was the best paced of those three movies by far.  X-Men: Days Of Future Past did an amazing job of combining the two casts from both generations of the franchise.  I couldn't leave either of these movies off the list.

9 - Guardians Of The Galaxy
Marvel is officially like that person that seems to always perform or come through better when heavily doubted.  This movie seemed like the toughest sell that they had taken on by far.  Not only did they do it well but it became the biggest movie of the year.  They took a tree that only says one word, a wrestler and a relative unknown lead actor and knocked this one out of the park.  Very impressive.

8 - Chef
This movie reminded me how great of an actor John Favreau is.  He is just as talented of an actor as he is a director.  And this movie gave such an awesome take on the balance between loving your work/career and being part of a family or a good parent.  It was incredibly simple and one of the better watches of the year.

7 - Earth To Echo
Another movie that I loved because of how simple it was.  This movie had minimal effects and a bunch of unknown kids as the cast yet felt more like an event movie like E.T. or the old school "event" movies than overdone special effects monsters like Transformers 17.  I wish that they would make more movies like this than the big budgeted and repetitive nonsense.

6 - Gone Girl
Read the book and loved it.  Add that to the fact that David Fincher doesn't make bad movies and I couldn't wait to see this movie.  And it definitely met my expectations.  It did justice to the holy crap moments from the book and definitely left people uncomfortable after it was over and talking about the what if type line of thinking inspired by it.

5 - Edge Of Tomorrow
This is easily the best kept secret of the year.  On the surface, it is a sci-fi movie with lots of special effects and Tom Cruise that pretty much tanked at the box office.  Yet - I have not heard a single person that did see the movie say that they didn't think it was great or even better than that.  I have no idea how word of mouth didn't help this movie more.  I thought it was awesome.  The chemistry between Tom Hanks and Emily Blunt was great and the Groundhog Day like part of the story provided lots of laughs to go along with the action and drama.

4 - The Judge
I'm sure that this is the movie that people will see on my list and tilt their head like a confused dog.  I can't really put my finger on it but I absolutely loved this movie.  I thought the performance were great.  I thought it was awesome to see Downey Jr play more of a normal guy role.  And I felt like all the family dynamics in it felt so incredibly real.

3 - How To Train Your Dragon 2
I will probably never have a bigger emotional connection to a movie or movie franchise than I do to this one. The first one is definitely one of my favorite movies of all time.  And this one did not disappoint at all.  The animation was just as breath taking.  The characters were just as well developed and entertaining and Toothless will always be an amazing movie version of my J-man.  

2 - Unbroken
This movie was amazing from beginning to end.  It was a great showing of the human spirit and mentality of never giving up.  Add in that this movie was directed by Angelina Jolie and its just that much more impressive.  The movie was so well done in every way and should end up winning lots of awards for 2014.

1 - Captain America: The Winter Soldier
This movie was amazing on so many levels.  One - I think it was so much better than the original.  Two - it had the perfect balance of amazing action and amazing story development.  Three - it would be an amazing movie even  if it wasn't a comic book movie.  Part of what made The Dark Knight series so awesome was that they were amazing movies that happen to have the comic book connection/character.  This movie was just like that and it is right up there with The Avengers as the best movies that Marvel has created.

The Ten Worst Movies Of 2014

Dishonorable Mention - Dumb And Dumber To

I can't believe that I waited as long as I did for this movie and it was this craptastic.  Especially after the trailer provided such hope.  It is just sad to watch this attempt to recapture one of the funniest movies ever.

10 - Vampire Academy

This is another grasping hope at continuing the Twilight obsession.  Please let go already.  Even trying to inject some humor to the tired formula that has been beaten to death will not help.  Let . . . . . it . . . . . .go.

9 - 3 Days To Kill

Kevin Costner couldn't just do a normal badass hitman movie and try to become Liam Nesson-ish?  They had to add in the whole dad trying to connect with his daughter in a somewhat comical way too?   End result = poop.

8 - Transcendence

How could a movie that looked like Inception starring Johnny Depp be this bad?  Remember when Johnny Depp meant that a movie was automatically awesome?  That ship has clearly sailed and this movie was such a wannabe version of Inception that it was insulting and ended up boring as hell.

7 - Legends Of Oz: Dorothy's Return

There is nothing that I hate more than when studios just throw some crappy animation movie out there that parents will have to bring their kids to and second guess if having the children was worth having to sit through crap like this.  Don't just take the families money.  Give them something to actually watch!

6 - The Grand Budapest Hotel

I'm sorry.  I just don't get Wes Anderson's movies.  I find them repetitive and annoying instead of cinematic masterpieces.  Every year he puts a movie out that ends up on most critics best of the year lists while he is on my worst of list.  

5 - The Legend Of Hercules

Another gratuitous January release of a crappy testosterone movie when nothing else is out to try and scrape up some money.  This was only watchable due to how bad it was.

4 - A Walk Among Tombstones

This is the winner of false advertising of the year.  The movie was advertised as a Taken like movie with Liam Nesson kicking ass and what not.  There was no ass kicking.  He was some sort of a detective and the movie was nothing but him interviewing people.  Not cool.

3 - Son Of God

Is it sacareligious to have this movie on the list?  I really don't care since this movie was so awful.  This movie was so lame that it made the ones from the 70s or 80s about JC that I would have to watch in religion class seem amazing. 

2 - Pompeii

This was a two hour excuse to use special effects to show a volcanic eruption.  That is literally it.  And keep in mind that the eruption doesn't happen until 2/3 or 3/4 through the movie.  It was so painful to get to that point that you actually end up enjoying watching the characters dying.  

1 - A Million Ways To Die In The West

It's so sad to give this the worst of 2014 tag but it went all out to earn it.  I'm a huge fan of Seth McFarlane.  Family Guy is one of my favorite shows.  I loved Ted.  I think the guy is talented as hell.  But this movie was such absolute garbage.  I couldn't even make it through the whole thing.  It's one thing to rely on bathroom humor for laughs but to actually show a man having the shits in a hat will lead to me automatically yelling out loud "I'm out" and heading for the door.

The Imitation Game

In The Imitation Game, Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Alan Turing, the genius British mathematician, logician, cryptologist and computer scientist who led the charge to crack the German Enigma Code that helped the Allies win WWII. Turing went on to assist with the development of computers at the University of Manchester after the war, but was prosecuted by the UK government in 1952 for homosexual acts which the country deemed illegal.

I've said it a million times before.  I'm not really a history buff so movies like this one have to be really good to keep my attention and what not.  This movie was really good because I was totally into it throughout.  The performances were great.  The story and character development was great and they did a good job of mixing the two major plot points together that you were equally intrigued about the creation/use of the machine and the lingering punishment of the lead due to the absurd prosecution of homosexuality in that time period.  I am pretty sure that this movie will be up for several awards when the 2014 announcements are made.

I would absolutely recommend people checking this movie out.  It is a well done and very enjoyable telling of historical events.

Big Eyes

Directed and produced by Tim Burton, Big Eyes is based on the true story of Walter Keane (Christoph Waltz), who was one of the most successful painters 1950s and early 1960s. The artist earned staggering notoriety by revolutionizing the commercialization and accessibility of popular art with his enigmatic paintings of waifs with big eyes. The truth would eventually be discovered though: Keane's were actually not created by him at all, but by his wife, Margaret (Amy Adams). The Keanes, it seemed, had been living a lie that had grown to gigantic proportions. "Big Eyes" centers on Margaret's awakening as an artist, the phenomenal success of her paintings, and her tumultuous relationship with her husband, who was catapulted to international fame while taking credit for her work.

This was a very well told movie featuring great performances by the two leads.  There really isn't much else to say about the movie though.  It wasn't really a story that "needed" to be told.  The movie is what it is.  True story that is told well.  The weird thing was that this was probably the most normal Tim Burton movie ever.

I would kind of recommend people checking this movie out.  It's got great acting but isn't a must see by any means.  It's a decent watch but ultimately is just kind of there.

Unbroken

Angelina Jolie directs and produces Unbroken, an epic drama that follows the incredible life of Olympian and war hero Louis "Louie" Zamperini (Jack O'Connell) who, along with two other crewmen, survived in a raft for 47 days after a near-fatal plane crash in WWII—only to be caught by the Japanese Navy and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp. Unbroken brings to the big screen Zamperini's unbelievable and inspiring true story about the resilient power of the human spirit. Starring alongside O'Connell are Domhnall Gleeson and Finn Wittrock as Phil and Mac—the airmen with whom Zamperini endured perilous weeks adrift in the open Pacific—Garrett Hedlund and John Magaro as fellow POWs who find an unexpected camaraderie during their internment, Alex Russell as Zamperini's brother, Pete, and in his English-language feature debut, Japanese actor Miyavi as the brutal camp guard known only to the men as "The Bird."

Wow!  This is easily one of the best movies of the year.  I expected it to be well done but it actually exceeded my expectations.  When they were in flight, you felt like you were in the tight confines of the plane.  It just felt so real.  And it continued through the rest of the movie with you feeling like you are with the main character on this brutal and incredible journey.  And there is simply no way that you can't be amazed by the characters strength and fortitude.

I would absolutely recommend people checking this movie out.  It's a lock to make my top ten for the year list.

The Gambler

Jim Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) is a risk taker. Both an English professor and a high-stakes gambler, Bennett bets it all when he borrows from a gangster (Michael Kenneth Williams) and offers his own life as collateral. Always one step ahead, Bennett pits his creditor against the operator of a gambling ring (Alvin Ing) and leaves his dysfunctional relationship with his wealthy mother (Jessica Lange) in his wake. He plays both sides, immersing himself in an illicit, underground world while garnering the attention of Frank (John Goodman), a loan shark with a paternal interest in Bennett's future. As his relationship with a student (Brie Larson) deepens, Bennett must take the ultimate risk for a second chance...

This was a fun watch.  Wahlberg's acting was great enough to keep you hooked and wanting to see how it all plays out.  The best part of the movie was his interaction with the multiple casino bosses and bookies.  John Goodman stood out the most and every time his character spoke with Wahlberg was the best scenes in the movie.

I'd recommend people checking this out.   There is no rush.  It's not a must see or anything, but it's an enjoyable watch.

The Interview

In the The Interview, Dave Skylark (James Franco) and his producer Aaron Rapoport (Seth Rogen) run the popular celebrity tabloid TV show 'Skylark Tonight.' When they discover that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is a fan of the show, they land an interview with him in an attempt to legitimize themselves as journalists. As Dave and Aaron prepare to travel to Pyongyang, their plans change when the CIA recruits them, perhaps the most unlikely candidates, to 'take out' Kim Jong-un.

I'm going to leave my political thoughts about the making of this movie and all the chaos that has ensued over the last month out of the review.  The only thing I will say is that it is things like this movie and the marketing of it that make the rest of the world hate the U.S.  Moving on - the movie in itself was actually pretty funny.  James Franco was great as the over the top personality and I usually don't like him all that much.  The banter between him and all other characters made the movie.  

I am torn on recommending the movie.  On one hand it was very funny.  But on the other hand this is a movie that has contributed to all sorts of controversy, propaganda and self-righteousness that I find frustrating and annoying as hell.  Why couldn't they have just used a made up world leader with a similar name and appearance?  Foolish.

Into The Woods

Into the Woods is a modern twist on the beloved Brothers Grimm fairy tales, intertwining the plots of a few choice stories and exploring the consequences of the characters' wishes and quests. This humorous and heartfelt musical follows the classic tales of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel—all tied together by an original story involving a baker and his wife, their wish to begin a family and their interaction with the witch who has put a curse on them.

This was a great movie.  The music was great throughout and they took some breaks from constantly singing but we're able to switch right back to it.  These are the kinds of musicals I like the most.  The interlocking of the four stories was done so well and it was entertaining as hell seeing all these characters you are familiar with interacting with ones from other stories.

I would definitely recommend people checking this out.  It really is a very fun trip to the movies.

The Babadook

Six years after the violent death of her husband, Amelia (Essie Davis) is at a loss. She struggles to discipline her 'out of control' 6-year-old, Samuel (Noah Wiseman), a son she finds impossible to love. Samuel's dreams are plagued by a sinister monster he believes is coming to kill them both. When a disturbing storybook called 'The Babadook' turns up at their house, Samuel is convinced that the Babadook is the creature he's been dreaming about. His hallucinations spiral out of control and as he becomes more unpredictable and violent, Amelia is genuinely frightened by her son's behavior. But when Amelia begins to see glimpses of a sinister presence all around her, it slowly dawns on her that the thing Samuel has been warning her about may be real.

This was a creepy ass movie.  The kid was creepy.  The mom freaking out was creepy.  The scenes with the creature were simple as opposed to other movies and that in turn made it creepy.  I liked this movie a lot.  It was similar to the first Grudge and Ring movies and was very well written/developed.

I would definitely recommend people, especially horror fans, checking this movie out.  It was much better than I expected it to be.

Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb

Get ready for the wildest and most adventure-filled Night At the Museum ever as Larry (Ben Stiller) spans the globe, uniting favorite and new characters while embarking on an epic quest to save the magic before it is gone forever.

Is this really a franchise with three installments?  Was there really a need for another Night At The Museum?  What more can be done with these movies.  Based on watching this . . . . Nothing.  This is pretty much a retread of the two previous installments and more of the same shennanigans.  Sure there are parts that make you laugh a bit - especially if you found the first two funny.  But there really is nothing more of value than that.  It was also very sad seeing Robin Williams on the big screen for the last time.

I wouldn't really recommend anyone wasting their time with this.  There are much better options out there right now than this blatant retread.

The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies

From Peter Jackson comes The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, the third in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and the Company of Dwarves. Having reclaimed their homeland from the Dragon Smaug, the Company has unwittingly unleashed a deadly force into the world. Enraged, Smaug rains his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town. Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure, Thorin sacrifices friendship and honor to hoard it as Bilbo's frantic attempts to make him see reason drive the Hobbit towards a desperate and dangerous choice. But there are even greater dangers ahead. Unseen by any but the Wizard Gandalf, the great enemy Sauron has sent forth legions of Orcs in a stealth attack upon the Lonely Mountain. As darkness converges on their escalating conflict, the races of Dwarves, Elves and Men must decide – unite or be destroyed. Bilbo finds himself fighting for his life and the lives of his friends in the epic Battle of the Five Armies, as the future of Middle-earth hangs in the balance.

This movie was just as good as the other Hobbit movies.  In fact, I think that this one was actually paced a lot better than the previous two chapters.  I still have to say that both this movie and all three parts of The Hobbit while great and completely entertaining are not close to the same level of the Lord Of The Rings trilogy.  I don't know if it was just that it was one book that was stretched out to three segments or what, but it was just missing that LOTR level of awesomeness.  Still great.  Just not as great.  We're not talking Star Wars prequels from the original differences.  I would watch the Hobbit movies again unlike the Star Wars prequels (except for certain parts).  It's just not as good as LOTR.  I laugh every time I review one of these because I just say the same thing for all three.  

I would still recommend people checking this out.  It was very entertaining and paced much better.  Plus it's not 3 hours long like most of the other entries. 

Wild

In Wild, director Jean-Marc Vallee ("Dallas Buyers Club"), Academy Award winner Reese Witherspoon ("Walk the Line") and Academy Award nominated screenwriter Nick Hornby ("An Education") bring bestselling author Cheryl Strayed's extraordinary adventure to the screen. After years of reckless behavior, a heroin addiction and the destruction of her marriage, Strayed makes a rash decision. Haunted by memories of her mother Bobbi (Laura Dern) and with absolutely no experience, she sets out to hike more than a thousand miles on the Pacific Crest Trail all on her own. Wild powerfully reveals her terrors and pleasures - as she forges ahead on a journey that maddens, strengthens, and ultimately heals her.

This was one of those movies that get graded based on the performance of its lead since they are going to be the only thing on the screen for huge chunks of time.  Like Tom Hanks in Cast Away or Will Smith in I Am Legend.  Reese Witherspoon's performance was definitely as good as those and that made this movie and her journey an excellent watch.  You felt like you were there with her and felt all the same emotions and pain.  The way that they told her backstory in flashback form depending on what was going on during her escapade kept you very interested and wanting to know more.

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.  It was a great work of storytelling with an incredibly wide range of emotions.  Reese Witherspoon will surely get nominated for several awards because of this performance - and rightfully so.

Exodus: Gods And Kings

From Ridley Scott ("Gladiator," "Prometheus") comes the epic adventure Exodus: Gods and Kings,,the story of one man's daring courage to take on the might of an empire. Scott brings new life to the story of the defiant leader Moses (Christian Bale) as he rises up against the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses (Joel Edgerton), setting 600,000 slaves on a monumental journey of escape from Egypt and its terrifying cycle of deadly plagues.

I had pretty high hopes for this movie based on the great visuals in the trailer and the quality of talent Involved.  I figured with the PG-13 rating it would be more watered down and there could only be so much of that "epic" feel to it.  It was even less so though.  There were really only two major battles.  The opener was decent and the ending was great but most of the stuff between - and there was A LOT of time inbetween - was lots of dialogue and deep thought close ups.  The pacing was very off and it made this movie drag and feel even longer than it actually was.

I wouldn't really recommend people rushing to check this out.  I was hoping for something maybe like Troy in terms of an "epic" movie and got something much more like Kingdom Of Heaven.

Still Alice

Alice Howland, happily married with three grown children, is a renowned linguistics professor who starts to forget words. When she receives a diagnosis of Early-Onset Alzheimer's Disease, Alice and her family find their bonds thoroughly tested. Her struggle to stay connected to who she once was is frightening, heartbreaking, and inspiring.

This was a clear reminder of how good of an actress Julianne Moore can actually be.  She used to be amazing but then pretty much decided to mail it in for years.  She was great in this and so was the rest of the cast.  The family members different reactions to her disease and the progression of it felt so genuine. And watching her deteriorate was very tough and terrifying to imagine going through.

I would absolutely recommend people checking this out.  It's a great movie with great acting across the board that should end up getting considered for end of year awards.

Mr. Turner

Mr. Turner explores the last quarter century of the great if eccentric British painter J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851). Profoundly affected by the death of his father, loved by a housekeeper he takes for granted and occasionally exploits sexually, he forms a close relationship with a seaside landlady with whom he eventually lives incognito in Chelsea, where he dies. Throughout this, he travels, paints, stays with the country aristocracy, visits brothels, is a popular if anarchic member of the Royal Academy of Arts, has himself strapped to the mast of a ship so that he can paint a snowstorm, and is both celebrated and reviled by the public and by royalty.

Not even going to waste too much time here.  If there is one kind of movie that it would have to be incredibly amazing it is these old English type of movies.  They just bore the hell out of me.  I tried to pay attention but I just couldn't care enough.  

I'm sure that the acting was good and that the story was interesting to people that like these kinds of movies but I am not one of them.

Annie

A Broadway classic that has delighted audiences for generations comes to the big screen with a new, contemporary vision in Annie.  Academy Award nominee Quvenzhané Wallis ("Beasts of the Southern Wild") stars as Annie, a young, happy foster kid who's also tough enough to make her way on the streets of New York in 2014. Originally left by her parents as a baby with the promise that they'd be back for her someday, it's been a hard knock life ever since with her mean foster mom Miss Hannigan (Cameron Diaz). But everything's about to change when the hard-nosed tycoon and New York mayoral candidate Will Stacks (Jamie Foxx) – advised by his brilliant VP, Grace (Rose Byrne) and his shrewd and scheming campaign advisor, Guy (Bobby Cannavale) – makes a thinly-veiled campaign move and takes her in. Stacks believes he's her guardian angel, but Annie's self-assured nature and bright, sun-will-come-out-tomorrow outlook on life just might mean it's the other way around.

I had the lowest of expectations for this movie.  I hate the remakes of movies like this.  Rarely are they any good and are usually huge insults to fans of the original.  I'm not sure if it was the low expectations or just the lightness of the movie and it's acknowledgement at times orpf they original it was remaking but I shockingly ended up liking this movie.  The singing was better than expected - especially the kid.  The overacting of Cameron Diaz was nowhere near Carol Burnett in the original but was still entertaining.  And the bottom line is that they hook you and you care how it will all play out even though you already know.  

I would actually recommend people checking this out.  It's a great family movie and is actually a decent version of the movie for a new generation even if it's not nearly as good as the original.

Horrible Bosses 2

Fed up with answering to higher-ups, Nick, Dale and Kurt decide to become their own bosses by launching their own business in Horrible Bosses 2. But a slick investor soon pulls the rug out from under them. Outplayed and desperate, and with no legal recourse, the three would-be entrepreneurs hatch a misguided plan to kidnap the investor's adult son and ransom him to regain control of their company.

I loved the first movie and thought it was one of the more underrated comedies to come out the last couple of years.  This sequel was pretty much more of the same. The casting makes this movie just like the original.  The chemistry between the three leads is amazing and just makes their friendships so believable and hilarious.  Mix in the return of Jennifer Aniston in her most different role ever and random scenes with Kevin Spacey and Jamie Foxx and you get plenty of laughs throughout.

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.  It's got lots of laughs and anyone that liked the first one will like this too.

Foxcatcher

Based on true events, Foxcatcher tells the dark and fascinating story of the unlikely and ultimately tragic relationship between an eccentric multi-millionaire and two champion wrestlers. When Olympic Gold Medal winning wrestler Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) is invited by wealthy heir John du Pont (Steve Carell) to move on to the du Pont estate and help form a team to train for the 1988 Seoul Olympics at his new state-of-the-art training facility, Schultz jumps at the opportunity, hoping to focus on his training and finally step out of the shadow of his revered brother, Dave (Mark Ruffalo). Driven by hidden needs, du Pont sees backing Schultz's bid for Gold and the chance to "coach" a world-class wrestling team as an opportunity to gain the elusive respect of his peers and, more importantly, his disapproving mother (Vanessa Redgrave). Flattered by the attention and entranced by du Pont's majestic world, Mark comes to see his benefactor as a father figure and grows increasingly dependent on him for approval. Though initially supportive, du Pont's mercurial personality turns and he begins to lure Mark into an unhealthy lifestyle that threatens to undermine his training. Soon du Pont's erratic behavior and cruel psychological game-play begin to erode the athlete's already shaky self-esteem. Meanwhile du Pont becomes fixated on Dave, who exudes the confidence both he and Mark lack, knowing that these are things even his money cannot buy. Fueled by du Pont's increasing paranoia and alienation from the brothers, the trio is propelled towards a tragedy no one could have foreseen. 

Every year there is always a movie that receives massive amounts of critical praise and you know that it's an amazing film from an acting and artistic standpoint but I just find myself not enjoying it that much.  Foxcatcher is that movie for me this year.  I was very excited to see it because of all the reviews and the actors involved but I just was not into this movie.  Or at least the first two hours of it.  It definitely got my attention at the end but by that point I was in the mind frame of thinking of other things I could be doing instead.  

Again - it's not a bad movie.  I know that it was a very well made movie with great acting.  I just was not into it.  There is always one like this a year.  Hopefully this is the only one.

The Penguins Of Madagascar

Super spy teams aren't born…they're hatched. Discover the secrets of the greatest and most hilarious covert birds in the global espionage biz: Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private. These elitists of the elite are joining forces with a chic undercover organization, The North Wind. Led by handsome and husky Agent Classified (we could tell you his name, but then…you know), voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch. Together, they must stop the villainous Dr. Octavius Brine, voiced by John Malkovich, from destroying the world as we know it.

Through all the Madagascar movies, I was never really a fan of the main characters.  It was the supporting characters that were funny as hell.  Especially the Penguins.  They were my favorites and made me crack up.  Their cartoon was awesome and equally hilarious.  This movie is no different.  The Penguins are still hilarious and the witty writing for the new characters got plenty of laughs too.  It's nowhere near up to par animation or story wise as top notch animated movies that have become the norm but you just don't care because the laughter is what you are going to this for.

I'd definitely recommend people checking this movie out.  It's fun for people of all ages and a perfect short escape for this time of year.

Mockingjay - Part 1

The Hunger Games continues to set the world on fire with The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, which finds Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) in District 13 after she literally shatters the games forever. Under the leadership of President Coin (Julianne Moore) and the advice of her trusted friends, Katniss spreads her wings as she fights to save Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) and a nation moved by her courage. 

This movie wasn't really as good as the first two entries but that was to be expected.  A - The book wasn't as good as the first two.  B - It's a movie split in half that really doesn't have to.  C - This one is totally different from the other two in terms of subject matter.  There are no more games which was the best part of the previous two movies.  This one is more about rebelling against the government and in all honesty - this was nothing but a set up for the real story from the third book which will be out next Thanksgiving.  All of that being said - it is still an enjoyable watch and compared to previous "Part 1's" that have been put out in the recent past this one is definitely better than those.  

My recommendation on this one really doesn't matter.  You are either going to see it because you are into the series or you are not.  I enjoyed it.  Not as much as the others but I completely expected that going in.  It was still a great watch though.

The Theory Of Everything

Starring Eddie Redmayne (Les Misérables) and Felicity Jones (The Amazing Spider-Man 2), this is the extraordinary story of one of the world’s greatest living minds, the renowned astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, who falls deeply in love with fellow Cambridge student Jane Wilde. Once a healthy, active young man, Hawking received an earth-shattering diagnosis at 21 years of age. With Jane fighting tirelessly by his side, Stephen embarks on his most ambitious scientific work, studying the very thing he now has precious little of – time. Together, they defy impossible odds, breaking new ground in medicine and science, and achieving more than they could ever have dreamed. The film is based on the memoir "Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen," by Jane Hawking, and is directed by Academy Award winner James Marsh (Man on Wire).

This movie featured extraordinary acting across the board.  Both of these young actors in the lead are worthy of Academy Awards.  The direction was also phenomenal and the telling of the story and the progression of his disease and their lives together is perfectly paced and keeps your attention even if you are aware of how it will all play out.

I would definitely recommend that everyone check this movie out.  It is definitely one of the better movies to come out this year and is going to be a leading contender for many awards by the time they are all said and done.

Beyond The Lights

Beyond the Lights is the story of Noni, the music world's latest superstar. But not all is what it seems, and the pressures of fame have Noni on the edge - until she meets Kaz Nicol, a young cop and aspiring politician who’s been assigned to her detail. Drawn to each other, Noni and Kaz fall fast and hard, despite the protests of those around them who urge them to put their career ambitions ahead of their romance. But it is ultimately Kaz's love that gives Noni the courage to find her own voice and break free to become the artist she was meant to be.

This was a good love story and different due to the careers that these two have.  And with how much spotlight is put on the lives of music superstars, it was a good portrayal into all of that.  There just wasn't enough of a hook to really keep me locked in to the movie and what not.

I wouldn't really recommend people checking this out.  At least not at movie theater prices and stuff.  This is more of a catch on tv type of show when you are just taking it easy and have time.

Dumb And Dumber To

Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels reprise their signature roles as Lloyd and Harry in the sequel to the smash hit that took the physical comedy and kicked it in the nuts: Dumb and Dumber To. The original film’s directors, Peter and Bobby Farrelly, take Lloyd and Harry on a road trip to find a child Harry never knew he had and the responsibility neither should ever, ever be given. 

I tried to keep my expectations low for this movie.  It's pretty much 15-20 years too late and the opportunity to make this anywhere near the level of the original expired a long time ago.  There were parts of the trailer that cracked me up and I hoped that they wouldn't be the funniest parts of the movie but they were.   There were still some laughs scattered in it but nowhere near enough and the movie was a major disappointment.

Unfortunately, I wouldn't recommend anyone bothering with this movie.  It was nothing but a lame attempt at catching the hilarity from a 20 year old movie.  Not worth the time or money.

Interstellar

Interstellar chronicles the adventures of a group of explorers who make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage.

There really is no other director that does a better job of making your jaw hit the floor with the visual aspects of his movies than Christopher Nolan.  This movie is no different.  There were too many times to count how awestruck I felt with what I was seeing on screen throughout this movie.  At the core of the movie, it really was his most simple story that he has told so far.  The father/daughter bond was one hell of an anchor for this movie and really kept you interested even if the science part of it all was a little too much.  And when I say a little too much what I really mean is holy crap I didn't understand half of what the characters were saying.  I followed the movie and I understood what was happening (or at least I think I did) but the terminology and explanation provided throughout sometimes made me feel like I was watching a really great foreign movie without subtitles.  You knew what was going on because of the direction and acting, but if anyone wanted to have a straight up conversation with me about what happened scientifically in this movie or debate how accurate it was - I've got nothing.  

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out. Christopher Nolan doesn't make bad movies and he is by far the best director of this generation.  Just be aware that the movie is 3 hours long and there is A LOT of heavy science involved.  Regardless, it still was a really amazing journey.

Big Hero 6

From Walt Disney Animation Studios, comes Big Hero 6, an action-packed comedy-adventure about the special bond that develops between Baymax (voice of Scott Adsit), a plus-sized inflatable robot, and prodigy Hiro Hamada (voice of Ryan Potter). When a devastating event befalls the city of San Fransokyo and catapults Hiro into the midst of danger, he turns to Baymax and his close friends adrenaline junkie Go Go Tomago (voice of Jamie Chung), neatnik Wasabi (voice of Damon Wayans Jr.), chemistry whiz Honey Lemon (voice of Genesis Rodriguez) and fanboy Fred (voice of T.J. Miller). Determined to uncover the mystery, Hiro transforms his friends into a band of high-tech heroes called Big Hero 6.

This movie was A LOT of fun.  The story dealt with a bunch of different emotions.  The action and animation were great.  The characters were all well developed.  This movie was a really great watch for both kids and adults and would have been so without all the laughs.  But the laughs took this movie to a whole other level that I didn't expect at all.  There is a good 10-15 minutes in this movie where Baymax's battery was dying that might honestly be the funniest scene I have ever seen in a movie.  I was crying from laughing.  Words do no justice.

I would definitely recommend people checking this movie out.  It was very well done all around and Baymax should end up becoming another classic Disney character.  

John Wick

An ex-hitman comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters that took everything from him. With New York City as his bullet-riddled playground, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is a fresh and stylized take on the assassin genre.

This was an enjoyable, short, simple badass movie.  It wastes no time getting started and they do a good job of building the John Wick character just through people's reactions to hearing his name.  The fight scenes were great.  There was plenty of action and very little talking for Keanu Reeves.  This is basically a solid throwback to 80s/90s action movies.

I would recommend anyone who was interested in this from the commercials check it out.  It will be exactly what you expect and I thought it was pretty enjoyable.

Nightcrawler

Nightcrawler is a pulse-pounding thriller set in the nocturnal underbelly of contemporary Los Angeles. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Lou Bloom, a driven young man desperate for work who discovers the high-speed world of L.A. crime journalism. Finding a group of freelance camera crews who film crashes, fires, murder and other mayhem, Lou muscles into the cut-throat, dangerous realm of nightcrawling -- where each police siren wail equals a possible windfall and victims are converted into dollars and cents. Aided by Rene Russo as Nina, a veteran of the blood-sport that is local TV news, Lou thrives. In the breakneck, ceaseless search for footage, he becomes the star of his own story. 

This was a well done creepy movie that wasn't technically scary.  It was creepy in the sense that there was just something seriously off with Jake Gyllenthal's character.  His delivery, mannerisms and decision making process were all disturbing on so many levels.  The performance was so good that you basically couldn't take your eyes off him no matter what he was doing on the screen.

I would definitely recommend people checking this one out.  It's a great psychological thriller and Jake Gyllenthal's performance was Oscar worthy.