The Amazing Spider-Man 2 - OFFICIAL Trailer - In Theaters May 2014

My 2013 Best and Worst Movies

2013 Best Movies

1)     12 Years a Slave

Nobody in the industry realized that Chiwetel Ejiofor has been an “A” List actor for the last 10 years. This is his Oscar moment and Director Steve McQueen will make you want to get up and leave because he pulls no punches. Best Picture of the Year.

2)     American Hustle

Christian Bale’s greatest performance, PERIOD!! He is one of the best actors of our time.

3)     Blue Jasmine

Streetcar meets Cate Blanchett, Cate meet Oscar, again. No woman gave a better performance this year.

4)     Fruitvale Station

Shocking story that was not given wide media attention and a breakthrough role for Michael B. Jordan

5)     Trance

Nobody saw it in the theaters but it’s one of the most creative movies this year.

6)     Gravity

This is what 3D is all about. It’s a gimmick movie but it works. Who would have though Sandra Bullock would still be around?

7)     This Is The End

   Funniest movie of the year. Think Abbott & Costello, Laurel and Hardy, but more like Hope and Crosby who played themselves. Seth Rogan was a genius to bring back this formula.

 

8)     Hunger Games 2

I liked this version better than the first one but I still feel the author sampled heavily from The Running Man. J Law is our best new actress.

 

9)  Best Man Holiday

Take talented out of work black actors minus Tyler Perry and you have a solid movie that is not Step and Fechit for African Americans.

10)     World War Z

Brad Pitt finally has a franchise.

2013 Worst Movies

1)     A Good Day To Die Hard

This franchise is now dead.

 

2)     Hangover Part 3

I wanted it to be good but you can see as you watch the film that the actors were not even into it.

 

3)     Jobs

Why this didn’t work? Answer:  Ashton Kushner

 

4)     The Counselor

Carmen Diaz making love to a car?!?? Where is Quentin Taurantino when you need him?

Flat out the worst movie of the year.

 

5)     Runner Runner

Can Justin Timberlake stick to singing? Please! Also can Ben Afflick stop reprising his Boiler Room role.  It’s been 100 years already!

 

6)     Baggage Claim

Paula Patton is the worst actress EVER!! Why is she in the movies?? There are better looking women who can’t act that can take her place. Kate Upton your up.

 

7)     Getaway

Rubbish, pure rubbish. The only movie I walked out on this year.

 

8)     You’re Next

This is suppose to be a scary movie but I laughed from start to finish.

 

9)     Grown Ups 2

Same Adam Sandler formula: Lazy script, lazy comedy. Please try harder. Also Chris Rock is now selling out and Kevin Hart is now the new Chris Rock. Rock, you used to be funny but not in this weak ass movie.

 

10)  Star Trek into the Darkness

Total borefest! The first reboot was light years ahead in taking you to space. This movie kept me asleep in my chair.

The Other Woman - Official Trailer (2014) [HD] Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann

Godzilla 2014 Official Trailer + Trailer Review : HD PLUS

American Hustle

Christian Bale gives the performance of his life in American Hustle. Bale plays a con man Irving Rosenfeld, along with his seductive British partner, Sydney Prosser (played by Amy Adams who also gives a good performance), is forced to work for a wild FBI agent, Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper). DiMaso pushes them into a world of Jersey powerbrokers and mafia.
The movie is loosely based on a true story. Director David O. Russell has a way of making every scene in this movie worth watching. He is able to take all these "A" actors and bring them into this story without baggage from their other roles and make a great film. Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence is incredible to watch as Bale's wife. Both her and Bale deserve to be nominated for Oscars. But Bale owns this movie, he is great and you will be rooting for him.

Verdict:
One of the Best Pictures of the Year. You will want to see it again.    

Homefront

The movie is about a former DEA agent, Statham, who moves his family to a quiet town, where he soon tangles with a local meth druglord played by James Franco. Everyone is perfectly cast. The script was written by Sylvester Stallone (seems like Statham owed him a favor from The Expendables). The story is typical crap but Jason is an all out baddass kicking ass and that is all I care about.

One weird thing about this movie is former “A” List actress Winona Ryder plays Jason’s crackhead girlfriend. She does a good job of it but my how the mighty have fallen.

Verdict:

Snap, Crackle, Boom!

Edge of Tomorrow - Official Trailer 1 [HD]

Best New Movie Trailers - August 2013 HD

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

I saw the first Hunger Games and I thought it was OK. I really felt that the author sampled heavily from an 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger movie called the Running Man (see my review on this site).
This squeal starts off slow but builds to a really good movie towards the end.
The characters Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) become targets of the Capitol after their victory in the 74th Hunger Games sparks a rebellion in the Districts of Panem.   
For those of you who didn't read the books (I didn't)  don't worry about it you will be able to understand whats going on.
In this version they have brought in the great Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Capote) and the also fantastic Jeffrey Wright from this season's Boardwalk Empire. So in the beginning I am watching all of these "A" List actors on the screen an wondering why they took on these roles because not much was happening. Well without giving the ending away ( and for those who didn't read the books) there is a twist at the end. The end reminded me of The Matrix Reloaded. Look for a breakout performance from newcomer Jena Malone as Johanna. She steals every scene she is in.

Verdict:
Worth seeing but you have to see HG 1 first. I look forward to HG3.

The Best Man Holiday

15 years has past since the original Best Man movie and amazingly the entire cast is back and they look the same. How do you spell moisturizer.
In the movie the cast reunites after 15 years over the Christmas holidays, they discover just how easy it is for long-forgotten rivalries and romances to be ignited.
The movie is very good but predictable in a good way. If you are a fan of the original movie you want it to end a certain way.
You will laugh and cry but don't get it twisted that this is only a date movie. The screening I attended had groups of men who were bonding before and after the movie. It is also the perfect movie for the Holiday season but it's not for kids.

Verdict:
Excellent sequel. I hope I don't have to wait another 15 years for Best Man 3.

The Raid 2: Berandal - Red Band Trailer (2014) [HD]

12 Years A Slave

Chiwetel Ejiofor has for years been a great actor but he was always in somebody else’s movie. Chiwetel finally has a breakthrough role with 12 Years a Slave. The movie is based on a true story. Solomon Northup, (played by Chiwetel ) is a free black man from upstate New York, he is abducted and sold into slavery.

The movie is a graphic retelling and shows how black people suffered under the hands of their slavers. Director Steve McQueen, who so brilliantly cast  Michael Fassbender in his awesome movie about sex addiction titled Shame, brings him back as one of the plantation owners. Brad Pitt, who helped bring this story to the screen, plays a key role in the movie.

The question I asked myself after seeing this movie is why didn’t I learn about this story when I was taught American History in school? Also how many other stories is there like this that have been buried?

Verdict:
12 Years A Slave is "Hands Down" one of the Best Movie of the year. I hate to use the term "Game Changer" but this movie is one. It is nothing like Django, which incorporated comedy and theatrics. There is no need for that in this stunning, brutal movie experience. Yes there were slaves that rose up and fought against their Masters, which was what Django was based on, but slavery was no joke.

It will be an injustice if Chiwetel Ejiofor does not win the Best Actor Oscar award.

Last Vegas

It's hard to see Michael Douglas fall from the cool guy he was back in the day. He was the cool cop in Basic Instinct who Sharon Stone could not resist. He held his own against a young Glenn Close (from Damages) in Fatal Attraction, and let's not forget he was Gordon Gekko! He was fantastic and he won an Oscar for Wall Street. It seems like 100 years ago but now we see him in the scandal sheets saying that he got cancer from kissing his wife's (Carmen Zeta Jones who looks like Douglas sucked the youth out of her) private parts?!? Then we see him playing Liberace? Now he truely shows that he is a cuckold in this movie where he is about to marry a girl that could be his granddaughter.  The movie is about three sixty-something friends who take a break from their day-to-day lives to throw a bachelor party in Las Vegas for their last remaining single pal, Douglas.   
The movie is cute and contrived but not worth going to the theater to see.

Verdict:
Greta Garbo was a great actress that retired when she was 36 yrs old. Douglas, it's time to hang it up. Ditto for Robert Di Niro.

The Counselor

How can you have all of these great actors and the movie turns out to be a flop?
The Counselor is about a  lawyer, who is just about to get married, finds himself in over his head when he gets involved in drug trafficking. The lawyer is played by Michael Fassbender who has been great in X-Men & Shame but not so much here. Director Ridley Scott is also great but he ends up putting in too much dialogue between the chracters which left me exhausted and bored. It felt like a Quetin Tarantino movie without his flair for words and editing.
This movie is predictable and an enormous waste of time for all involved including the audience.

Verdict:
Humongous failure.  

Captain Phillips

No doubt that Tom Hanks is a great actor. In Captain Phillips he does a good job of portraying a Captain who gets kidnapped by pirates. The movie is 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. If you followed this story when it happened then you know how it ends. So like The Titanic you have to be entertained for over 2 hrs. knowing what happens to Captain Phillips and his crew. Director Paul Greengrass keeps the film moving so that there are no boring scenes. The real star of the movie is Barkhad Abdi who plays the lead pirate and had zero acting experience prior to this movie. He pretty much steals the show.

 Verdict: You can wait to see it on the small screen. One of Hanks best roles but not worthy of an Oscar.

Escape Plan

Yes both Arnold and Stallone are way past their prime but this movie is not as bad as I expected it to be.
The story is about when a structural-security authority, Stallone, finds himself set up and incarcerated in the world's most secret and secure prison, he has to use his skills to escape with help from the inside. That being Arnold Schwarzengger. This movie would have been a hit during the late 80's early 90's. It's not as bad as The Last Stand and Bullet to the Head. These were comeback movies for Arnold and Stallone that were major flops.
Both stars surround themselves with A-List actors: Jim Caviezel, Vincent D'Onofrio, &   Sam Neill.
All of these actors help shore up these AARP actors who are on their last leg.

Verdict:
A good B movie and there is a twist at the end. The twist is not that they wake up from a dream and find out that they are trying to escape a retirement home :-)

Carrie

It's hard to believe that Chloë Grace Moretz, the star of the new Carrie, is only 16 yrs. old and has already been in 30 movies. I didn't know about her until her breakthrough performance in the movie Kick-Ass.
For everyone who has seen Carrie with Sissy Spacek this version is pretty much an exact remake with nothing new to add. Even Moretz performance is understated. It seems at times that she is just following the blueprint that Spacek has set.
The Prom Bloodbath scene is improved and you can compare them by watching the movie and getting on Netflicks when you get home to see the original. Julianne Moore as the mother is good but she can't hold a candle to the original mother Piper Laurie. She was freaking crazy good!

Verdict:
Think of this movie as the remake of Psycho with Vince Vaughn. There is no need for this movie because why mess with a classic.

Machete Kills

I enjoyed the first Machete and was looking forward to this one but Machete Kills is a huge letdown.
The flick is about how the U.S. government recruits Machete to battle his way through Mexico in order to take down an arms dealer who looks to launch a weapon into space.  Mel Gibson is the bad guy and he does the best he can with the material that is given him. Why is Gibson working in this Grindhouse wannabe movie anyway??? Isn't he a billionaire??
Sofia Vergara from Modern Family also is in the movie but I was not dazzled. This movie also had Lady Gaga and Charlie Sheen ditto on their poor performances. The only bright spot in this movie is Amber Heard. If you have not heard of Heard you will because she is the new It Girl in Hollywood.
Director Robert Rodriguez has a good track record but this movie is a speed bump to his body of work. The Machete joke just goes on too long and viewers will lose interest as I did halfway thru the movie.

Verdict:
Skip at all cost. Makes my list of the worst movies of 2013.

Non-Stop - Official Trailer (2014) [HD] Liam Neeson

Enough Said

This movie is one of James Gandolfini's last roles and I was a big fan of his.
Given that this is not one of his greatest roles. Gandolfini gives a good performance of a man who gets into a relationship with Julia Louis-Dreyfus.  But it's Dreyfus that steals the movie. The film is about a divorced woman, Dreyfus, who decides to pursue the man she's interested in, Gandolfini, and learns he's her new friend's ex-husband.   
Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays a masseuse and gives a great performance which should make her eligible for an Oscar nomination. There are also a number of other "A" List supporting actors that round out the cast.
One interesting thing about this movie is it shows the life of a masseuse and what they have to deal with in a typical day.

Verdict:
See it for Julia's performance.

Gravity

Director Alfonso Cuarón has created a feast for the eyes for all movie lovers.
Gravity is about a medical engineer and an astronaut work together to survive after an accident leaves them adrift in space. The movie stars George Clooney and Sandra Bullock as the only 2 people in the movie!?! Now I felt I couldn't deal with having to watch these two for 90 minutes but there is so much going on that you forget that they are the only 2 stars.
You must see this movie on the big screen in order to enjoy what Cuarón has created. If you have the coin see it in IMAX 3D do so, this movie was made for it.
I don't give a damn about the technical aspects and if what we see is true for astronauts. I just want to be entertained and taken away and this movie succeeded in doing that.

Verdict:
Must see for movie fans.

Runner Runner

Take the movie Boiler Room, which has Ben Affleck playing a prick similar to Runner Runner, and the movie 21(movie about college students trying to win at gambling) and you have Runner Runner.
Both Boiler Room and 21 were good movies, Runner Runner is not.
The movie stars multi talented Justin Timberlake who portrays a poor college student who cracks an online poker game goes bust, he arranges a face-to-face with the man he thinks cheated him, a sly offshore entrepreneur played by Affleck.   
The movie is mindless entertainment and not believable. Anthony Mackie stars as the FBI agent that is trying to bring down Affleck but he is too young to be in the role. Gemma Arterton portrays the hot girl that Affleck has but Timberlake wants.

Verdict:
Timberlake fans need to skip this. Save your money for all the Oscar movies that will be coming out in the next few weeks.

Rush

Thor as a race car driver?
Chris Hemsworth nails the role of James Hunt in Director Ron Howards re-creation of the merciless 1970s rivalry between Formula One rivals James Hunt and Niki Lauda.
Actor Daniel Brühl who plays Niki Lauda is excellent and this is a breakthrough role for him (I never heard of him before seeing this film).
Ron Howard has done great films but after the horrid 2011 movie The Dilemma I thought he was past his prime. Howard however keeps you riveted to this movie/documentary by focusing on the rivalry of these two characters. There is unexpected chemistry between Hemsworth and Bruhl.
I am not a big fan of Grand Prix/Formula 1 movies because most of them were meandering messes that involved long race scenes and a love interest. This may be the best Grand Prix/Formula 1 movie ever seen. Sorry Steve McQueen and James Garner.

Verdict:
This is a very good movie. Way better than I expected. Believe it or not but this can be a date movie because the film incorporates the personal lives of both men. So bring your ladies, plus you know they want to see Hemsworth.

Baggage Claim

If you have read prior reviews on this blog you know that I feel that Paula Patton cannot act.
Given that what do you expect from her being a lead actress in this film??
It is probably the worst movie of the year I have seen to date.
This alleged RomCom is about Patton's character pledging to keep herself from being the oldest and the only woman in her entire family never to wed, She embarks on a thirty-day, thirty-thousand-mile expedition to charm a potential suitor into becoming her fiancé.
Adam Brody and Jill Scott co-star and thank God because they provide the one or two laughs in the entire movie.
The story is weak and Patton's acting is weaker. She always has this look on her face throughout the movie as if she is high or that there is nothing much going on upstairs.
The only enjoyment I had watching this movie was the fact that I was on 34th St. in NYC and a older gentleman sitting next to me kept talking to the screen and making jokes.
Only in NY.

Verdict:
Never, ever, waist 96 minutes of your life to watch this film.

Prisoners

This story has been done before however don't assume you can figure this movie out.
When Keller Dover's (played by Hugh Jackman) daughter and her friend go missing, he takes matters into his own hands as the police pursue multiple leads and the pressure mounts. But just how far will Jackman go to protect his family?   
The movie has many "A" list actors including Academy Award winner Melissa Leo (who is great in every movie) in an unrecognisable role.
Director Denis Villeneuve does a good job of keeping viewers focused on the story during this 2 and 1/2 hr. movie.
Jake Gyllenhaal gives a great, restrained performance as the cop that is looking for Jackman's child. He is surounded by police officers and his boss who all have their head up their asses when it comes to trying to find the children. That was my only issue with the film. Are cops really this dumb when it comes to investigating?
Watch the movie and reply back.

Verdict:
Good movie that is worth seeing.

Insidious Chapter 2

Director James Wan is on the right track to creating a new horror franchise, similar to what he did with Saw. Insidious was a great movie which sampled parts of 1982's The Entity with Barbara Hershey. In fact Barbara Hershey is in both Insidious movies.
In this 2nd chapter the haunted Lambert family seeks to uncover the mysterious childhood secret that has left them dangerously connected to the spirit world.   
If you have not seen the first chapter then you will be a bit confused. This movie is not as good as the first however it does pick up in the 2nd half. Parts of this movie will remind you of Jack Nicholson in The Shining (more sampling).

Verdict:
This movie is not as scary as the first one but it made money so get ready for Chapter 3.

You're Next

This is one of the funniest horror movies I have ever seen.
The flick is about a family that comes under attack during their wedding anniversary getaway, the gang of mysterious killers soon learns that one of victims harbors a secret talent for fighting back.
The heroine, Sharni Vinson, is the only reason to go see this movie. The producers tried to start another horror franchise with killers animal wearing masks but with this story you will not want you to pay to see a sequel.
If you want to see a scary home invasion movie rent 2007 Funny Games which is much more frightening.

Verdict:
If you want to see people in trouble do the most ridiculous things then this is the movie for you.

Getaway

Don't get this movie confused with the Steve McQueen's awesome classic or the Alec Baldwin remake of McQueen's movie.
Getaway is at the top of my list as the worst movie of 2013.
This is the story of a former race car driver played by Ethan Hawke who is pitted against the clock when his wife is kidnapped by a mysterious villain. He commanders a young woman's car, Selena Gomez, and takes her on on a high-speed race against time.
Gomez may have been good on the Disney Channel but on the big screen she can't act her way out of a paper bag.
The first half of the movie seems to be a commercial for the Mustang Shelby because the Director constantly shows the name of the product so you won't forget.
Story is weak, editing sucks, and the car chases seem all the same. It felt like I was watching the Blues Brothers because of all the police cars that are destroyed in this movie.

Verdict:
Stay away should have been the title of this movie.

ROBOCOP - Official Trailer (2014) [HQ]

Remaking RoboCop - Part 1 (RoboCop 2014)

Trance

This is an excellent movie that was poorly marketed and no one went to the theaters to see it.
The story is about an art auctioneer who has become mixed up with a group of criminals partners with a hypnotherapist in order to recover a lost painting.
The movie is Directed by Danny Boyle who won the Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire.
He does an excellent job with this movie by keeping the audience guessing. Similar to the movie Inception. The 3 leads James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson, Vincent Cassel nail their performances and the ending is on point.

Verdict:
One of the Best Movies of the year.

Passion

This movie is a remake of a French movie called Love Crime. It was in subtitles but if you hate watching movies with subtitles this horrid remake will force you to.
The story is about the rivalry between a manipulative boss of an advertising agency played by Rachael McAdams, and her talented protegee Noomi Rapace (The Original Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) escalates from stealing credit to public humiliation to murder.
The acclaimed Director Brian De Palma (Scareface, Untouchables, Carrie, etc.) takes a stab at rebooting an almost perfect movie.
De Palma has his touch and he tends to extend scenes and tries to build tension similar to Hitchcock but Depalma's touch does not work in this movie and i am not sure it works in this Generation.
He should have stayed away from this movie.
The two female leads are fine but they can't hold a candle to the originals in the French version.

Verdict:
See Love Crimes instead of this rubbish.

 

Lee Daniels, the Director who blew up on the scene with Halle Berry’s Oscar winning performance in Monsters Ball, brings us another noteworthy movie in The Butler.

Forest Whitaker plays Cecil Gaines and Daniels shows how he serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the White House, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and other major events affect this man's life, family, and American society.

There is a lot of history that is covered very quickly (similar to Forrest Gump) with “A” List actors in supporting roles.

The editing is crisp and suited to Melinnials who will seek out any additional information they need on the numerous historic figures in the movie via the internet.

Daniels does not give you time to get bored because he intersects Gaines life with his wife who is portrayed by Oprah Winfrey who gives a non Oprah like performance suitable for

an Oscar nomination.

 

Verdict:

The Butler is a good history movie. Think of Director Daniels as the serious Tyler Perry (who was suppose to direct this flick, thank God he didn’t). Madea may have shown up at the White House.

Jobs

This film is about Steve Jobs' ascension from college dropout into one of the most revered creative entrepreneurs of the 20th century. For those of you who know Jobs career this movie will be a letdown.

There is nothing new that you will learn about Jobs. The story follows the ones you heard before. There is no explanation on why he was the enormous jerk he was to his friends and associates. No information on how he meets his wife and why he decided to have a family.

Ashton Kutcher tries as hard as he can but fails to nail the role.

 

Verdict:

Wait until the next Steve Jobs movie comes out that has input from people who were his friends. 

Elysium

Well the wait is over and this was not what I expected. Elysium turned out to be another “Tentpole” flop.

Set in the year 2154, where the very wealthy live on a man-made space station while the rest of the population resides on a ruined Earth, a man takes on a mission that could bring equality to the polarized worlds.

Jody Foster’s who has 2 Academy Awards, has been away from the screen for a while and it shows. Her acting muscles are rusty. She plays the head of Defense on Elysium.  Her acting is forced and her accent comes and goes throughout the picture. In a way this is similar to the SyFy flick Oblivion which also had a high level female defense person in actress Melissa Leo.

Matt Damon does his best with what is given to him but he comes off as a 2^nd rate RoboCop.

Verdict:

Predictable and disappointing. Oblivion was not great but it was the better Sy Fy flick of the two

We’re The Millers

This movie is way better than I expected. A veteran pot dealer creates a fake family as part of his plan to move a huge shipment of weed into the U.S. from Mexico.

The comedy style is similar to the movie Identity Theft but better.

I am not a big fan of Jennifer Anniston but she plays a stripper the best she can and comes across likeable. At one point when she is stripping in the movie Jason looks into the camera (similar to Eddie Murphy in Trading Places) and gives the audience a look to let us know that she can’t strip but let’s play along.

Star making role for Jason Sadakis who comes across as a young Bill Murray.

Writing is crisp and the jokes are fresh. Think of this movie as one long episode of Saturday Night Live and the majority of the skits are good.

Verdict:

Stupid premise but funny movie.

Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa Official Trailer #1 (2013) - Jackass Movie HD

Blue Jasmine

After Midnight In Paris who would have thought Woody Allen could deliver another Oscar worthy flick?

Cate Blanchett stars as a woman in a life crisis who heads to San Francisco, where she reconnects with her sister.
All of the supporting actors are good including Andrew Dice Clay who delivers. Don’t get it twisted, this is Cate’s film. Sure the direction is a bit uneven with the flash backs but for me they worked because they kept me wondering when the next layer of Cate’s character would be revealed.
The story will remind you of a modern day Streetcar Named Desire but this is not a reboot. I also didn't care for Woody Allen marrying his step daughter but he is a genius when it comes to film, period.

Verdict:

This is an Instant classic and a performance from an actress that will be reviewed for years.

Cate Blanchett is Magical, Outstanding, Legendary!! I can’t wait to see it again.

2 Guns

I never thought that there could be another franchise similar to Lethal Weapon but I was wrong, this is it.

2 Guns is about a DEA agent played by Denzel, and a naval intelligence officer played by Mark Wahlberg, who find themselves on the run after a botched attempt to infiltrate a drug cartel. They later learn the secret of their shaky alliance: Neither knew that the other was an undercover agent.

The chemistry is solid between Denzel and Walberg and the supporting cast of actors are top shelf. Mark Walhberg has grown as an actor from when he was talking to plants in the movie The Happening. My only concern with this movie  is the casting of Paula Patton. When will Paula Patton take acting lessons?? She is horrible and I have said this before. She is a stunning beauty but that’s it. SHE CANNOT ACT!

She should go see Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmine and realize how far she has to go to before she takes on another role.

Verdict:
One of the most entertaining summer popcorn action flicks I have seen so far this year.

Fruitvale Station

I live in California and I had never heard of this true story of a handcuffed young black man that gets shot in the back by a cop.

It’s the story of Oscar, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident, who crosses paths with friends, enemies, family, and strangers on the last day of 2008.

What happens to him will make you wonder why this was not a National story similar to what happened to Trayvon Martin.

Michael B. Jordan who plays Oscar is excellent and the supporting cast delivers a great job as well.

The first hour of the movie is slow but the last 30 minutes will sweep you with various waves of emotion. Grown folk were crying and you can hear a pin drop in the theater. I maned up and was able to not cry.

Verdict:

A Must See movie.

The Wolverine

The 2nd Wolverine movie is good but not great.
Wolverine, played by Hugh Jackman, is summoned to Japan by an old acquaintance, He becomes embroiled in a conflict that forces him to confront his own demons.

There is not much of a story and the movie is very violent. Jackman does an excellent job but everyone else pails in comparison. Wolverine has a love interest but the chemistry between the 2 does not exists. There is one great action scene that takes place on top of a train, other than that there were no surprises.

Verdict:
This movie is just ok, it didn't dazzle me.
If you don’t like movies set in Japan and violent movies than skip this one. If you like X-Men than wait for the next X-man movie and don’t go see this.

American Hustle Full Movie Trailer 2013 - Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Coo...

The Conjuring

I am a huge fan of Director James Wan creator of The Saw horror flicks. He also directed Insidious which was one of the best horror movies in the last 10 years.

The Conjuring is about Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren who work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse. Parts of this story is about this true couple who were involved in the Amityville Horror.

The movie is pretty much a reboot of the haunted house genre. It’s also sprinkled with parts of The Exorcist. There are some scenes that will make you jump out of your seat.

My only issue is the casting of Ron Livingston as the father who is from Office Space & who also played Burger in Sex & The City.

I kept thinking that the Office Space dude would have left the house as soon as things started to go South.

Verdict:

Better than average horror flick but not as good as Insidious.

Comic-Con Trailer: The Walking Dead Season 4

The Heat

This is the summer of numerous Tentpole movies (big budget bombs) from the studios and not enough time to see them if you wanted to. I just got around to seeing The Heat and I enjoyed it.

The movie is a girl buddy cop flick and stars Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy. The story is about an uptight FBI Special Agent, Bullock, who is paired with a foul-mouthed Boston cop, McCarthy, to take down a ruthless drug lord.

McCarthy, from TV, became a movie star after her breakthrough performance in Bridesmaids. She is funnier in this movie than she was in Identity Bullock is perfectly cast as the straight cop and has great chemistry with McCarthy. I laughed HARD throughout the entire movie.

Verdict:

This is the first movie I have seen in months where the trailer didn’t reveal the entire movie. See this movie before you see all the other Tentpoles. There will be a Heat 2.

Grown Ups 2 - The Fall of Adam Sandler

Adam Sandler's hit movie formula: bring in your old buddies that you never see in any movie but Adam's, incorporate 80's music, be self depreciating, etc. is tired and old.
Grown Ups #1 was funny but not great. In Grown Ups #2 I forced myself to laugh so that I can feel that I got my monies worth.
The story starts with Sandler moving his family back to his hometown to be with his friends and their kids. It does not explain why he and his wife, Salma Hayek (who looks outstanding and never ages) both left great jobs in Hollywood.
There is no story and even Shaquille O'Neal is not funny.
The movie is short (thank God) and even ends abruptly.
Seems like everyone was in it because they owed Sandler a favor or just for a paycheck.
This is an embarrassment for all involved. Rob Schneider, from Grown Ups #1 was wise not to show up.

Verdict:
This is the 2nd worst movie I have seen in 2013 (the first being The Purge). If you can try to stay after the credits because Sandler is setting up for Grown Ups #3. Fool me once, fool me twice, but they will not get me again.

The Best Man Holiday - Official Trailer

SHARKNADO - Official Asylum Trailer - TOO VIOLENT FOR TV??

White House Down

This movie had all the ingredients to become a major summer hit, so what happened?

-        The first hour of the film was well scripted and kept my attention even though there were major storylines taken from Die Hard. It’s the last hour of the movie where the story becomes ludicrious.

-        Jamie Foxx is a good actor but not good enough for the audience to take him serious as the

             President.

-        Olympus Has Fallen came out a few months prior to this film with the same story line and was a better action movie.

-        Channing Tatum was trying to save his kid. Bad move which put his kid in situations the audience would rather not  see. If you are going to copy Die Hard then give the star a love interest.

I had high expectations for this film and you can see the money that was spent on the screen.

Verdict:

Watch Gerard Butler in Olympus Has Fallen if you must see a movie with this storyline.
Channing Tatum is still going to be a star, this flick is just a speed bump.

World War Z

I waited for months to see what the hype was about this movie only to discover it’s another Summer Bomb of 2013. Brad Pitt plays a United Nations employee who is involved in a race against time to stop the Zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments, and threatening to destroy humanity itself.
How Brad Pitt is chosen to be the one is not clear because his past is not revealed. Mireille Enos from the cable series The Killing plays Brad’s wife and her talents are wasted in this movie. It seems as if most of her best scenes were cut out of the flick.
The fast moving zombies are cool but that’s about it. Most of the flick reminds me of 28 Days Later, which is a better film. So as viewers you are not invested in Brad’s family because we don’t really get to know them. This leads to almost zero intensity. Speaking of intensity Brad just is not cut out to be an action star at this point in his career. You can clearly see that he is not invested compared to Andrew Lincoln in The Walking Dead.

Verdict:

Skip it. It’s not the Blockbuster I expected. Even Brad Pitt fans will be disappointed. So far Iron Man 3 has been the best summer popcorn movie of 2013.

I hope another flick comes out that is more entertaining but there are only so many weeks left.

The Wolf of Wall Street Official Trailer #1 (2013) - Martin Scorsese, Le...

The Man of Steel

I was bored for the first hour and the reason why is because I already know the origin of Superman. I have seen it in every version of Superman ever made. Why show me it again?!? I was sitting waiting for the action scenes which were outstanding. This is the Dark Knight take on Superman so don’t expect tongue in cheek jokes. Superman now flies different (cool turbo acceleration) and screams when he is angry. This movie is a foundation not a Blockbuster. The studio is setting up for a Justice League of America superhero movie similar to The Avengers.

Amy Adams and Lawrence Fishburn were ok as Lois Lane and Perry White but where is Jimmy Olsen?
The great Russell Crowe, who has now taken on supporting roles, fills the role Marlon Brando did in the 80’s as Superman’s father.
We also have that dude from The Bodyguard, Kevin Costner, who Madonna called boring back in the day. Madonna was right; he is boring and just gives a tired performance. Can the movies start portraying fathers who are cool? I freaking hate the stereotype of this tired dad while Diane Lane, who plays his mom, is still vibrant.
The new dude playing Superman is good looking, fit, and can act so he will most likely be in the sequel and not disappear like Brandon Roth. Yeah, Brandon who?

Verdict:
Good start but let’s get new villains and less jibber jabbing in the sequel.
I am still waiting for the Best movie of the summer because this is good but not great.