I Don't Remember "The Fifth Element" on the Periodic Table...

Hold on!

The Story:

The Fifth Element is the ultimate weapon against evil.  It saves Earth once, but it's getting too dangerous, and must leave the planet for safety.  Don't fear though, it will return to save the day in the future.

Welcome to the future!  The Fifth Element is on its way to save the day when tragedy strikes.  Scientists however are able to recreate the element in the form of LeeLoo (Milla Jovovich).  She escapes to try and complete her mission and is rescued by Korben Dallas (Bruce Willis) former military, now cab driver.    It's up to Dallas to help LeeLoo save the planet from Evil, and evil's # 1 henchman, Mr. Zorg (Gary Oldman).  With a little luck from the clergy (Ian Holm)...it just might work!

I've got nothing but love for this film.

They had fun, but take the premise seriously...at least seriously enough.  : )  The tongue is never too far from the cheek as the situation dictates.

This is another Luc Besson masterpiece that he did double-duty on this time as both the writer and the director.

Gary Oldman runs around the movie as the scenery chewing bad guy, and he's just having a blast.

Bruce Willis plays to his strengths, the wisecracking hero who saves the day, and that's perfect for this film.

In fact, all of the supporting cast is enjoyable throughout the movie.  I suppose I should give special mention of course to Chris Tucker.

This was my first exposure to his work, and I would say that the first time I saw this film, I absolutely hated him.

Talk about annoying!

Then the years passed, and the Rush Hour series came along. 

Then I've come back to this film every once in awhile in the 16 years since it came out...

Does it trouble anyone else that all of these movies are getting up there in how old they are, or is it just me??!!

: )

Anyway, Tucker's annoying Ruby Rhod grew on me, and now I look forward to seeing him having a ball onscreen.

Naturally, you also can't overlook Jovovich's launch to movie stardom from this film.  She is a force of nature, and it has translated successfully to the Resident Evil franchise as well.

Movies like this are a perfect example of why I love movies.  It's a B movie that tries to entertain and have fun with itself, and it translates well to the audience.

I would imagine that many Sci-Fi purists might hate this film, but for this guy?

Works like a charm.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I do own it, and again, it sees a spin every 3-4 years or so.

Has Anyone Ever Calculated the Exact Coordinates of the "Striking Distance" ?

It's like Die Hard...ah, nevermind...

The Story:

Detective Tom Hardy (Bruce Willis) is a Pittsburgh detective who is caught between a rock and a hard place.  He has just testified against his partner (Robert Pastorelli) about using excessive force on a suspect.  On top of that, they are tracking a serial killer who seems to be one step ahead of the cops at every turn.  Everyone figures it has got to be a cop.  When a pursuit leaves his father (John Mahoney) dead, Hardy insists that there is a cover-up taking place, and fears that his uncle (Dennis Farina) and cousin (Tom Sizemore) could be involved.  When it costs him his badge, the years pass and Hardy is now river patrol.  There he is partnered with a new cop (Sarah Jessica Parker), but soon more victims that match the same m.o. as before start turning up in the water, and Hardy thinks the killer is back.

Whatever will he do?

Well, I have to say that this movie has held up rather well over the last 20 years.  I probably haven't seen it in about that long, maybe only 15 years...!!

Very little of this movie was retained in my memory.  So I thought, "maybe it was bad", or "I just didn't like it"?

Nope, it was fine, for what it is. 

It's hard when your leading man is Bruce Willis and he's coming off the heels of Die Hard. 

Granted, 25 years later, I've come to appreciate what Bruce brings to the screen in his roles.  I see him on the screen, and he always has to make the character different than what he's played before, but if he channels enough John McClane, normally it's satisfying to the audience.

However, this close to Die Hard, perhaps I was expecting too much from him?  Hard to say, exactly.

I'm not sure what was the disconnect on this one with audiences, but it is seemingly forgotten or dismissed in Willis' body of work.  Was there too much confusion in the plot on who everyone was?  Not enough action on the boats?  Was it just too slow and boring?

Hard to say.

Perhaps the reveal of the killer is too telegraphed and people didn't buy off on it.

I don't know.


The cast is full of great character actors, including the late, great Dennis Farina, who had not yet passed away when I watched the film, but has since passed since originally writing this review.  I hate to see him go out with this film as my latest memory of him, so perhaps a revisit to Get Shorty is in order? :)

Finally, I will say this, and I don't mean it in any way other than I'm going to say it, but:

Sarah Jessica Parker...the years have not been as kind to you as they have been to your co-star.

: )

Final Grade: C+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I own Hudson Hawk, but not this one?  Hmm... seems like I've erred somewhere along the way.

Sounds Like A Bad Career Choice to Conduct an "Interview With A Hitman"

Trust no one.

Duh.

The Story:

Viktor (Luke Goss) grows up with a tough life in the Eastern European part of the world.  Taught to be a ruthless assassin at an early age, Viktor ends up faking his own death to get away from those who would seek to betray him.  He turns up in London, and immediately gets involved with a new crime family, and when they send him to assassinate one final target, Viktor cannot because he finds he is falling in love with her.  Will love conquer all, or is Viktor just kidding himself that he can escape his past?

Filmed on a budget of about $1.75, I went in with low expectations already.  The premise and plot are decent enough, here we have an assassin that is being filmed, telling his life story.  Starting as a child, and working us up through today, Viktor paints a dark and brooding picture of the life of a paid killer.

Plus, don't get me wrong, I like Luke Goss.  He stepped in admirably and kept the Death Race franchise going.  He's the cross between Jason Statham and Stone Cold Steve Austin of action heroes.

Minus all of their charisma.  :)

At least in this film.

He plays his part well, a cold, calculating killer.

Then the movie gets to a point where Viktor makes a life decision, and at that point, the movie became predictable, with one of two possible endings, both of them contrived. 

Naturally, they used the worst of the two choices.

All I'm going to say, is if you are a hitman, the phrase "Trust No One" is your mantra.

Do not deviate.

This one is available to stream instantly on Netflix as of this writing if you are so inclined.

Final Grade: C-  The ending sucked any goodwill I was going to impart on this one.  It's lucky to not get a "D" grade from me.

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I would pass on either option, and watch any of the Death Race installments instead.

He Takes "Blind Dating" To A Whole New Level

Before he was Kirk...

The Story:

Danny (Chris Pine) has a problem.  He's blind.  But that's not really his problem.  His problem is he doesn't like being treated differently because he's blind, and tries very hard to overcome this by living his life as independently as possible.  His older brother Larry (Eddie Kaye Thomas) was his biggest tormenter as a child, but really loves his brother and wants to make sure he's okay.  Danny is longing for love, and Larry is trying to help, but every woman he meets just isn't clicking for some reason.  Then there is the receptionist, Leeza (Anjali Jay) who strikes up an unlikely friendship with Danny that begins to lead to love.  The only problem there?  She's engaged.  The other plot in the story involves Danny risking everything on an experimental surgery that might give him the ability to see, somewhat, if it is successful.

Chris Pine, before he became a star!

Since I didn't see much of him in his early acting days on tv, this would be one of his first starring roles. 

It's actually a pretty funny movie.  I don't know if this is what helped make him a star, but it certainly is nothing to be embarrassed about in his resume.

The movie itself is very grounded with Danny and his family.  I think that helped make it an even

The family is nervous when they discover Danny is looking into the risky surgery to restore his sight.  Again, the family bonds throughout the film, and they seem like they could actually be a real family by the way they behave around each other, unlike many movie families where if you put some thought into the characters, you start to doubt they could all be biologically related.  Not by the looks, but just by the interactions between them.  This family seemed genuine and real.

Also amusing is Jane Seymour as Danny's therapist who helps Danny on his quest to get his sight back.  Naturally, like all movie therapists, this doctor has a problem as well... : )

The final scenes with Danny trying to get to the restaurant to see Leeza (literally and figuratively) before it is too late are a bit heavy-handed getting there, but the speech at the restaurant makes up for that.

Funny and sweet, can't ask for much more than that from romantic comedies.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I would watch this one again.  Very cute movie.  Especially watching Danny hustle at a game of Horse.  : )
more enjoyable movie for me.  The brothers acted like brothers, and their relationship is lively and full of both love and sibling rivalry.

Alliteration At It's Finest..."A Lot Like Love"

If it walks like a duck...

The Story:

Oliver (Ashton Kutcher) is flying to New York to visit his brother.  At the airport he spies Emily (Amanda Peet) and the two lock eyes for a bit, but nothing more.  On the plane, they bump into each other again... Then over the next seven years, the two come back into each other's lives, sometimes for some romance, sometimes just to have a shoulder to cry on.  Will the two realize what they have together is special, or are they fated to remain apart?

Hmm...

Running a Dot Com business sure can date a movie! :)

I never heard of this one before, but trying to find some romantic comedies to make up for all the action, drama and thriller movies that have come through recently, this one was running through the top of the Netflix pile, so here it is. 

It's already been 8 years since the movie came out, and since they deal with the previous 7 years leading up to 2004/5, the movie feels closer to 15-20 years old.

Nothing wrong with that, just realizing that the dot com revolution really dates a movie to a specific period of time.

Kutcher remains the goofball that he is, but he does seem to generate some nice chemistry with his co-star, and the movie is the better for it.

An interesting addition to the movie is Oliver's brother, Graham (Tyrone Giordano) who is deaf.  This is used to great comic relief in several parts of the movie, and it's neat to see Hollywood try something different in a family relationship like that.  Too often they seem to either make the siblings bitter and cynical or they opt to go the wise and gay route.  Rarely anything in between.  A deaf brother who gets along with his sibling and is happy and content in his life, yeah, that's like spotting a unicorn. :)

It did catch me off guard at first, because I looked away from the movie, and it went silent for a moment, and realized they were signing and putting up subtitles.  Otherwise, the brother was used to great effect throughout the rest of the movie.

The plot became contrived in a few instances, otherwise the movie had its heart in the right place, and it made for a pretty good viewing experience.

Of course, if you can't stand Ashton Kutcher, you'd be advised to steer clear.

: )

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Good but not great, I doubt I would be seeking this one out anytime soon.  But if it was on cable as I'm surfing, it would be fine background noise.

I "Flipped" For This Under the Radar Little Movie

He said. She said.

The Story:

The story takes place during the end of the 50s and beginning of the 60s.  Bryce Loski (Callan McAuliffe) and his family move into town, across from Juli Baker (Madeline Carroll) and her family.  Juli is smitten with Bryce from the moment they set eyes on one another, Bryce doesn't feel the same.  The movie then shifts forward in their lives recounting various meetings between the two from each others point of view and perspective, providing narration on what they were feeling at the time, and what they were thinking.  Will Bryce come around to have feelings for Juli, or will Juli realize that Bryce isn't worth her time?

So if you say "coming of age" movie and "directed by Rob Reiner", what will you be expecting?  Most people will automatically think of Stand By Me, and rightfully so.  It's a classic in cinema.

However, I think Reiner's career as a director keeps him firmly in my Top 10, maybe Top 5 directors of all time.  Lofty praise to be sure, but the guy has delivered many competent films.  Were they all blockbusters?  Nope, but even Spielberg has his flops over his career.

Reiner's misses are often not failures...they're just not as good as the rest of his canon.  However, when you set the bar high with movies including The Princess Bride, A Few Good Men and Misery it's easy to fall a little short over the years.

Apparently he made this one back in  2010, and like his 2012 film, The Magic of Belle Isle, it flew under the radar.

But neither film should have done so.  Both were very good, and well worth the time of watching.  Again, great coming of age movies that can be enjoyed by the entire family.

The actors all do a great job, especially the kids who have to carry the majority of the movie.  The parents are a mix of good character actors.  Aidan Quinn is Juli's dad, and he brings his usual touch to a role that provides a bit of meat to their family backstory as the film moves along.

Across the street, Anthony Edwards and Rebecca De Mornay (!!) are Bryce's parents.  Hats off to Mr. Edwards for being a completely unlikable dad in this film, playing about as against type as he can get from his days on E.R.

Quietly working behind the scenes to help Bryce understand his feelings and brokering peace between the kids is John Mahoney doing terrific work as the grandfather.

It's a sweet little movie with a great 60s soundtrack to enhance what's happening onscreen.

Very enjoyable little film.

Final Grade: Solid B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Again, while not on the same tier as Reiner's best films, it falls into the next level of films, very good, but not great, but definitely not bad.  I could let it play again and be content!  If I find it for a decent price, I'd snatch it up.

My First Time Viewing..."Kindergarten Cop" No, Seriously!!

It's not a too-mah!

The Story:

John Kimble (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is trying to bust Cullen Crisp (Richard Tyson).  The only lead they have is the school where his son is attending in Oregon.  So he goes there with his partner (Pamela Reed) who will pose as the new kindergarten teacher.  But when she gets ill, suddenly John has to fill the bill, as he becomes the title character of the movie.  Naturally, John becomes enamored with the ex-Mrs. Crisp (Penelope Ann Miller) which naturally complicates things.  John has to survive the kids, if he hopes to survive his encounter when Crisp comes to town.

This movie is 23 years old.

I have never seen it, until now.

Nothing like catching up on the classics!

:)

Yes, I've seen the "it's not a tumor" line played over and over throughout the years, but have never actually sat down and watched the film.

Until now.

And I've got to say, it wasn't too bad.

This was the phase of Arnold's career when he was finally branching out into comedies or family-friendly fare.  Most action stars do it at some point, it's often the only way to broaden their horizons and extend their careers.

Arnold was probably the most successful at this.  He's made more memorable films than flops in his career, and this film  followed the success of Twins, and the very underrated Total Recall.  That movie automatically became better when the remake paled in comparison!

But Arnold was on top of his game here, playing straight-man to the kids and just generally having a good time.

I'm glad I finally got to see it.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Cute film, easily rewatchable.  Since I've gone 23 years without it in my collection, no hurry at the moment.  Though I do have several Arnold classics missing from the collection, so who knows?

If You Need Protection, This is the "Man of the House" That You Need!

Set the pizza on the porch, take two steps back, put your hands behind your head!

The Story:

Six college cheerleaders witness a murder.  Lucky for them, Texas Ranger Roland Sharp (Tommy Lee Jones) takes them into protective custody for their own good.  He has to make sure that the murderer doesn't target the little ladies...

If he doesn't kill them first!

Tommy Lee Jones.

Perhaps the most criminally underrated comedic actor of all time.  The man does deadpan unlike anyone else.

Unlike Leslie Nielsen who spun it into a rejuvenating career boost, Jones just slips under the radar with his comedic timing, Men in Black being really his only other foray into comedy.

His timing is impeccable, and his delivery is pitch perfect.  He delivers a joke, matter-of-factly, and that makes it all the funnier.  He has a few scenes opposite Cedric the Entertainer, and he gets to play the perfect straight man foil to the comedic counterpart.

Otherwise, the storyline is nothing you probably haven't seen cobbled together before.

The Ranger will teach the cheerleaders a few things.  The girls will likewise teach the Ranger a life lesson or two about women, including how to better deal with his teenaged daughter.

Everyone goes home happy, including the audience.

And that's why this is just a fun movie to watch.

Currently available to stream instantly on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Already own it, and it's one that if I'm channel surfing and it's on, I normally put the remote down.

Tyler Perry Better Do Some "Good Deeds" To Make Up For This One

No good deed goes unpunished.

The Story:

Businessmen Wesley Deeds (Tyler Perry) is going through the motions of his life.  He is engaged to Natalie (Gabrielle Union) but there doesn't appear to be any love from either party.  Then one day Wesley meets Thandie (Lindsey Wakefield) and tries to help her, but her mouth insists on writing checks her body can't cash.  Naturally, her sass and life problems tug at Wesley's heartstrings, and the audience as well, and we all melt as the two fall in love and live happily ever after.

Vomit.

Dear Tyler Perry, please don't retire Medea just yet.  I much prefer those movies to this one.

Not that there is inherently anything wrong with this movie, but it just rubbed me wrong from the opening and never let go.

Truth be told, I didn't even want to watch it, but had to compromise because I was watching all kinds of good movies, and my wife hated all of those.

:)

So you see exactly how this movie is going to unfold, and that's fine.  Clichés exist for a reason.  Sometimes we like to get from Point A to Point B without taking a scenic tour of Hoboken to get there.

But...

When your love interest is sooo unlikeable...

I mean, it takes her over 2/3rds of the film before she starts to even be remotely nice. At all.

Whether the sparks are flying or not, here's a guy going out of his way to be nice to you, and all you come back with is venom and spite.  That's what's wrong with the world today, and why more people don't want to help their fellow man.

Whoops, where did this soapbox come from?! 

This is a movie, not real life.

Thank goodness.

I still don't like her.



And the grade for the movie suffers because of it.

Available to stream instantly on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: C

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Sorry, no can do.

"I Don't Know How She Does It"... Well, I Know, But I'm Not Telling!

Hectic doesn't begin to describe it.

The Story:

Kate (Sarah Jessica Parker) works in a financial firm.  She has two kids and a wonderful husband (Greg Kinnear) who has been trying to get his business off the ground.  A pitch that Kate made to the execs is approved, and she pitches it to Jack Abelhammer (Pierce Brosnan) and it is approved, but it's going to require lots of extra travel and more hours than she's already putting in.  Couple this with the fact that her husband finally lands his dream gig at the same time...

Something's going to have to give.


Here is a nice, mostly likeable comedy about the perils of the working mother.

Naturally, as with any film, they will play up the exaggerations to the hilt, almost to the point of ridiculousness, which takes some of the charm out, and puts in some of the sting.

For example, any movie family with lots of kids, lots being often more than one, always makes me cringe because they make big families look bad.  Or stupid.  Or both.

So in this film, the mother is harried and hurried, often portrayed as disheveled and unorganized, but boy is she spunky and has a can-do attitude!

This again does a disservice to moms, whether they work outside of the home or not, because it is a difficult job to manage, and here the ability to get it done seems almost by accident more than design, and that just doesn't sit well with me.

I do try and give these movies the benefit of the doubt.  They aren't the real world, it's entertainment...  But sometimes it seems like the people in charge just can't conceive that people would want to have a few kids, and that their kids aren't evil.

Your mileage, of course, may vary.

:)

Going in, you know there will be some sort of romantic entanglement between Kate and Abelhammer, but thankfully they decide not to wreck the family and Kate remains strong!   It could easily be a Lifetime movie, except for the star-studded cast.

The cast of course does a great job, they are all old pros who know how to make the movie work.  That includes bit players like Seth Meyers and Kelsey Grammar who make the most out of their minimal screen time.

Like I said, it's breezy and fun enough, and aside from the issues I had, there are worse chick flicks to endure...though I'm not sure this fully qualifies as a chick flick.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I could watch it again, but I won't be rushing out to purchase it.

WWEekend Movies: The Sequel You Demanded..."12 Rounds: Reloaded"

I hear voices in my head...

The Story:

Nick Malloy (Randy Orton) is an EMT who witnesses an accident.  He jumps into action and attempts to save the occupants of both vehicles.  He gets Heller (Brian Markinson) out of the first car, and Tommy (Ted Stevens) out of the second, but Nick cannot free Heller's wife who dies that night.  A year later, Nick gets a cryptic call from someone (pssst, it's Heller) who is unhappy with what transpired a year earlier, and he's going to make everyone pay for it.  He sets up 12 challenges for Nick, and if he survives, he lives!  If not...well, Heller is going to kill his wife, and lots of other people.

Not. That. Bad.

If you want to boil down a WWE Studios film review, you could do a lot worse than this.

I went in with the bar set very low, as I could barely remember the original 12 Rounds, other than that I saw it, and John Cena was the star.  I watched it again later just to see what I had missed.  But you already know that if you read yesterday's review!

Instead, this film is paced very nicely, and the 90 minutes literally flies by.

Is it a great movie? No, but it is competent and well executed from start to finish.

Randy Orton isn't much of an actor, but for that matter, neither are most of Vince's wrestlers.  Luckily, Randy's charisma and presence carry him through the film on his natural energy alone.  He doesn't do a bad job though, and when these guys do finally hang up their tights, Vince has created a small cottage industry for his stars to keep filming low-budget action flicks after they move on from the squared circle.

There were a few minor glitches in the film, Randy Orton falling out of the back of a car, they really need to do a better editing job to hide the stuntmen. 

The most amusing part... I had no idea that EMTs drive around the city waiting for a call, like the police?!  Maybe in large metropolitan cities, but somehow, I still doubt that.

: )

If choosing which 12 Rounds to endure again, I'd take this one over the original.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I could watch it again, but won't go actively searching to add it to the library.  Maybe when WWEShop.com puts it on clearance? :)

WWEekend Movies: Get Ready to Go "12 Rounds" With The Champ!

You can't see me...

The Story:

Danny (John Cena) is a New Orleans cop who gets promoted to detective when he takes down a terrorist, Miles Jackson (Aiden Gillen).  The only problem, Miles' girlfriend gets caught in the crossfire, and he blames Danny for her death.  One year later, Miles gets free, and Danny's house explodes!  It seems Miles has a series of 12 tasks for Danny to tackle if he wants to see his wife alive again.  Can Danny survive all 12 rounds, save his wife and take down the bad guy?

Yeah... it's John Cena, remember?!

: )

2009, and WWE Studios decides to give John Cena another crack at stardom.  It's not a bad effort at all, and perhaps a bit better than The Marine.  I can't recall, it's been a few years since I last saw that one.

Cena is a bit more at ease behind the camera, letting his natural ability and charisma to carry him through the action.  The story itself is a good one, reminiscent of Die Hard 3, which is always a good thing.

Lending Cena a hand behind the camera is Renny Harlin.  People can mock his body of work, but when he does a good film, it's really very good.  He is a firm believer in reality over CGI, and that's a refreshing change and carries over on the big screen.

But let's be honest, most things coming out of Vince McMahon's studio is going to be seen on the small screen, however, that may be for the best.

The action and pacing is good, and very little wasted time and effort from start to finish.

It's a nice budget action flick...no complaints.

Final Grade: C+... borderline B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor:  It's been over 5 years... not going to be buying it but if I stumble across it again in a few years, why not?

Everyone Can Always Use a Little Bit of "The Help"

You is kind. You is smart. You is important.

The Story:

In the mid 1960s in Jackson Mississippi, there's a change coming.  Skeeter (Emma Stone) wants to be a writer, and has an idea that she pitches to her editor in New York (Mary Steenburgen).  She wants a first-hand account of what the black maids in Jackson feel about their life, and about raising the children of the white folk in town.  At first, Aibileen (Viola Davis) and Minny (Octavia Spencer) are the only maids to come forward, but through the deplorable actions of Hilly Holbrook (Bryce Dallas Howard) and others, soon they all want to help Skeeter, and they tell their stories.  Then a book is published and the world as they all knew it will never be the same again.

Yes, I enjoyed this movie immensely.  It was one of my Ten Best from 2012, yet it never had a proper review last year, so I aim to rectify that today.  I have now seen it several times, and it gets better with each viewing.

It's thought-provoking but never insulting.  The relationships between the southern whites and their help ring true and not contrived.  Many felt love and affection for the extended members of their families, yet generations of that lifestyle ensured that the majority of people grew up...and grew apart from the very women who actually raised them.  In many cases, doing a better job than their own mothers.

The movie also doesn't sugar-coat the race relations of the south in the 60s.  Every action that any character takes in this film, regardless of color, has repercussions, both large and small.  They often affect many other characters, just by association.  I've heard complaints that the movie portrays the life of the help as not that bad, and should have been more turbulent and violent, like the 60s.  I counter that such a thing would have ruined the whole point of this movie, which was a quiet, gentle revolution.

In the end, what you do come to realize is that some people are simply ignorant and/or evil, regardless of color. 

Hilly Holbrook, I'm looking at you.

She is evil personified, and it is glorious to see her reaction as she is called out on it. Yet at the end of the day, she wins, and it is ultimately heartbreaking.

When Aibileen is forced to say goodbye to Mae at the end of the film, well, that one scene gets me every time.

I highly encourage you to give it a spin if you've never watched it before.

Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Immeasurably rewatchable.  I have yet to purchase it, but due to a fairly steady rotation on cable, I haven't found a need to.  Yet.  : )

"Cloud Atlas" Several Hundred Years Crammed Into 3 Hours

Well, that was something.

The Story:

Six different stories.  All linked together through time and space.  From a slave ship in the 1800s to a far flung dystopian future, this film has it all.  Not that thrilled with the current story, wait a few minutes, and it will all change.  To explain this movie's plots much further will either confuse you further, or give away everything...or nothing.

I'm still not sure.

:)

Make no mistake about it, this movie is long.  It's about 3 hours long.

That said, unlike 90 minute movies that feel 3 hours long, this movie doesn't drag too terribly much, and so the 3 hours doesn't feel too laborious.

The cast, some more recognizable than others under makeup do a tremendous job of changing personalities, genders and race as the stories weave in and out of each other.

Among those are Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Hugh Grant and Susan Sarandon.

My favorite tale of the group would be the one set in the "present", 2012.  Next, 1973 and then 1849.  Finally, the 1930 tale rounded out my more favorite moments from the film.

My least favorite tales were the two future stories, but your mileage may vary.

The movie was highly ambitious and overachieving, but definitely something.  They aimed for the stars, and came up somewhat short, but I give them much credit for trying.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Doubtful, but that's due more to the length and tone than anything.

That Was 90 Minutes of My Life Stolen by an "Identity Thief"

It's a wonderful life...

The Story:

Sandy Patterson (Jason Bateman) is a wiz at his job, which is handling lots of valuable information and money.  So go figure that he gives up all of his personal information over the phone to a seemingly reputable firm when Diana (Melissa McCarthy) asks so sweetly on the other end.  Just like that, she creates some credit cards, driver's license and away she goes on a shopping spree in Florida while Sandy slaves away in Denver.  It's only when he tries to start a new job after getting arrested that he learns his identity has been compromised, and the only way he can get his name cleared is if he goes to Florida and brings the lady to justice himself.

Piece of cake, right?


Well, that was something.

This movie wasn't nearly as funny as it could have been, as many of the jokes were labors to stretch and give the movie an R rating to be edgy and funny.

Think of it like Planes, Trains and Automobiles, but Neal would be trying to bring Del home from the beginning, and Del trying to get away.

When the movie didn't try and be crass, it was actually pretty amusing.

It seems that lately the comedies can't decide if they want to just "Shock and Awe" the audience and grab that R rating and go for broke, or they feel the need to sap it up and grab the safer PG-13 rating and try and pull in the families.  Why they seem to sway to one extreme or the other is beyond me, I've seen plenty of movies that can walk the thin line without going too far in any one direction.

This movie seemed at times like it couldn't decide which one to go for.  The only problem I have with embracing the R rating, is make the jokes funny.  If the jokes aren't that great, it doesn't matter what rating you slap on a movie.

All that said, I will give bonus credit to the ending for not taking the obvious route.

Well, at least partially.

It was going down familiar territory, but they amazingly throw in one little twist that ends the movie on an actual high note of respectability versus the shrug of "I saw that one coming."

Finally as for the acting, well, it's nothing I haven't come to expect from Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy.  I've mentioned before that many actors seemingly play themselves, or at least the same character with little variation enough, that there is nothing new to the role.  Call it stereotyping or pigeon-holing these actors, but this seems to be the roles that Hollywood is writing for these two, and until I see something different, I'm going to keep believing the stereotype to be true.

Final Grade: C+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: While I could watch it again in the future, I would likely choose something else instead.  :)  Pass on a purchase!

Sometimes "The Debt" Will Cost You Everything

Some secrets cannot stay dead...

The Story:

In 1965, three young Mossad agents are in East Berlin.  Their goal is to find a villainous Nazi war criminal, Doktor Bernhardt (Jesper Christiansen) and bring him back to Israel to pay for his crimes.  Stephan (Marton Csokas) and David (Sam Worthington) are joined by newly appointed field agent Rachel (Jessica Chastain). Now, 30 years later, Rachel's daughter has published a book about the heroic Mossad exploits of her mother Rachel (Helen Mirren), David (Ciaran Hinds) and Stephan (Tom Wilkinson) and how they failed to bring the Doktor home to stand trial, but they did ensure he paid for his crimes when he attempted to escape.

Or did they?

This is a movie that lives in the flashback, and the opening is rather startling since we haven't yet figured out who all is who in the past and present.

However, they start filling in the gaps rather quickly and a great deal of the movie is focused on the mission in 1965 and how they attempt to bring the Doktor back alive.

As the flashbacks roll, there was indeed some startling surprises revealed both about the mission, and the characters themselves.

That Rachel has to basically go back into the world of shadows to rectify the mistake they made 30 years earlier is both harrowing and heartbreaking.

The movie alternates between thriller and drama, and the pacing seems to yo-yo with the direction of the story.  Sometimes it is full-tilt, and then it will slow down to focus on relationships.

Overall though, a rather engaging film with great performances all around.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: All things considered, rather low.  Glad I saw it, but no real reason to revisit this one. If I want to see Helen Mirren kicking butt, I'll watch Red. Again. :)

"The Reunion" is the Perfect Place to See Family You Can't Stand

You only hate the ones you love.

The Story:

Sam (John Cena) and Leo (Ethan Embry) are brothers who hate each other.  Sam's a cop...Leo's a bail bondsman.  They are brought back together by their sister, Nina(Amy Smart) when their father dies.  She introduces them to their half-brother, Douglas (Boyd Holbrook) whom they've never heard of, and who is a thief by trade.  Nina informs them that it was their dad's dying wish that the boys all work together in a family business, and if they could do that for 2 years, they would inherit a windfall.  However, Nina may not have actually been truthful with her brothers.

This could have been the turning point for WWE Films as a studio. 

Again, John Cena takes center stage, but they don't rely on him to carry the action of the film, like they did with him in The Marine.  Instead, they develop the other characters and have actual actors help shoulder the burden and allow Cena to simply be one of the characters, instead of "The Star".

The results?

Actually, a pretty amusing/dramatic action flick that knows when to have fun and when to build tension.  The interplay between the family works as they banter, bicker and flat out brawl.  However, like all families, when push comes to shove, only they have permission to pick on each other. 


That's how family works!

Granted, it's no Academy Award winner, but it's a 90 minute diversion of entertainment, and that is why they make movies.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor:  A definite rewatchable for me, and if I find it on sale, why not?

The Devil, Possession and Demons...Oh My! "The Rite"

The Devil made him do it...

The Story:

A disillusioned seminary student,  Michael Kovak (Colin O'Donoghue) is sent to the Vatican to attend an exorcism course.  Even there, he seems uninterested and combative, so the Vatican sends him off to visit Father Trevant (Anthony Hopkins) and watch a master exorcist at work.  Still thinking other things could explain what he's seeing, Michael is put to the ultimate test when Father Trevant becomes possessed by the demon Ba'al.

Did I forget to mention that this is based on a true story?

Yeah, well it is.

Which helps dial up the creepiness factor a few notches.

Say what you will about God, Faith, Hope, the devil, demons, exorcisms...

The Exorcist is still, hands down one of the scariest movies I've ever seen.  I will most likely never watch it again.

It is also one of the most uplifting movies about Faith, at the exact same time.

This movie treads a fine line, keeping the pea-spewing and horror down in favor of just plain creepy.

It's a nice balance, and still has enough "ewww" factor to keep horror fans interested.

And sending in a student with a lack of faith will either overwhelmingly restore it, or destroy it.

The ending works perfectly.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor:  Not nearly as scary as the Exorcist, but I'm happy with just one viewing.

I "Brake" For Good Movies. I Should Have Kept Going :(

It's like Die Hard...in a trunk of a car!

The Story:

Secret Service Agent Jeremy Reins (Stephen Dorff) awakens to find out he is being held captive in a plastic box in the trunk of a car.  Terrorists want information on "Roulette", where the President is being held during an attack on the Capitol.  But Jeremy won't talk, even when they take his wife, and he learns that there are others being held captive, and those captives turn out to be in the trunks of vehicles that are exploding across D.C. as car bombs!

To their credit, they take an interesting premise and turn it into a watchable movie.

The problem becomes, aside from voices, Stephen Dorff is all you've got to go with.  While he's a great actor, he's not exactly a "commanding the screen with his presence" kinda guy. 

Now, put Bruce Willis in the trunk of the car...

Dorff is more like the poor man's Christian Slater.  : )

Whether or not Agent Reins saves the day, well I don't want to spoil it for you if you plan on watching it.

Let's just say, what had been a decent enough movie up to that point, I can forgive many things...

But I can never forgive stupid endings.

And this ending...

Stupid.

Final Grade: C-.  Would have been B-/ C+ range until the end... now I'm dropping it lower!

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Nope, I'm good.

Don't Hang Up...You Need to Answer "The Call"

Don't hang up...

The Story:

Jordan Turner (Halle Berry) is a 9-1-1 operator.  One night she takes a frantic call from a girl who thinks someone is in her house.  The call gets disconnected, so Jordan calls back.  Sadly, the killer (Michael Eklund) hears the phone ring, finds the girl, and tells Jordan that it's too late for the cops to do anything, and kills the girl.  Obviously shaken, Jordan cannot dispatch any longer.  She now trains the new operators, and happens to be conducting training when another call from another girl, Casey, (Abigail Breslin) comes in.  The operator doesn't know what to do, and Jordan takes over.  She tries to calm her, but when she discovers that it is the same guy from the other call, Jordan cannot rest until she finds Casey.

This wasn't that bad of a movie.

Again, WWE Studios plays it smart by hiring real actors including Morris Chestnut and Micahel Imperioli to round out the cast, while slipping in a wrestler, David Otunga, who doesn't embarrass himself onscreen. 

I use the word "wrestler" loosely in Otunga's case.

:)

In fact, the movie crackles along fairly well for the first 2/3rds of the movie.  It's rather tense pacing and believable enough that you care for both women on each end of the phone.

After watching the movie, I think I have come to the conclusion that 911 operators probably do have one of the worst jobs in the world!  Talk about hectic and stressful.

The wheels slightly come off at the very end when this operator goes out to find the bad guy and confront him...alone!

Come on, really?

Fair enough, I see what they are going for, and the end is actually rather amusing because of what and how they did it.

But for that moment when Jordan takes to the streets, the movie suddenly grabs all the silly clichés and puts them on display.

Otherwise though, not too bad.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I don't think I would mind watching it again someday, but I'm in no hurry to add it to the collection.

Once You See It, You'll Never "Forget Paris"

We'll always have Paris.

The Story:

Andy (Joe Mantegna) is getting married to Liz (Cynthia Stevenson).  So they are having a pre-wedding dinner with their friends (Richard Masur, Julie Kavner, John Spencer, Cathy Moriarty), and they begin telling the tale of Mickey (Billy Crystal) and Ellen (Debra Winger) and how those two met and fell in love.  However, theirs is not a typical romance, and by way of flashbacks and adding to the story by different people, Liz gets brought up to speed on these two.  However, the cliffhanger of the story with which Liz (and the audience) is held captive with is...

Are Mickey and Ellen together, or not?

I don't think I've ever made any secret of my love for Billy Crystal movies.  Even his bad ones are good enough, and his good ones are great.

I pile this one on his good list, made better by the material and the attention that Crystal gave to the title not only as the star, but also as the writer and the director.

It's a funny romantic comedy, often made all the funnier by the fact that people are telling this tale over dinner, and the arguments and corrections that take place to a story, just as if it were being told by real people, about real people.

So that really, by the time we actually get to see Mickey and Ellen in the movie, we're already well versed in who they are, what makes them tick and why they are where they are in life.

How else can you introduce the stars of the film with less than 5 minutes to go in the film if you don't use the narrative flashback?

It's clever, and the movie is a lot of fun.  It's simply overshadowed by Billy Crystal's only other real romantic comedy... but that's a review for another time. : )

So if you've never seen this one, or haven't seen it in almost 20 years...

Give it a whirl.  You should have a good time.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I own it, and it usually gets a spin every 2-3 years.

Rock'em Sock'em Robots: The Movie... "Real Steel"

Metal Body. Heart of Gold.

The Story:

Charlie Kenton (Hugh Jackman) is a robot boxer in the near future.  Instead of letting two dudes duke it out, now they have machines that do it, and the sport is all the rage.  Charlie fights on the fringe, making money as best he can to keep his robots running.  One day, he discovers that he has a son, Max (Dakota Goyo) and that Charlie is going to have to raise him, or lose him to the in-laws.  The two begin bonding over their love of robot boxing, and Max helps build their latest, and best fighter, a little sparring bot that just won't quit.  Do they have what it takes to take the little bot to the top?  Or will the two lose each other along the way?

I'm going to need a tissue...

: )

But seriously, this movie has much more heart tucked into this tin man than the Wizard of Oz ever did. 

While yes, it's about boxing robots, it's really the story of a man's journey to get to know a son he never knew he had, and a son's unfailing love for this broken man whom most have already given up on.

But never his son.

Sentimental, sure, but that's what makes this movie more than just fighting robots.

That said, the robot fights are pretty spectacular.  It's amazing to see that the ideas in the movie are advanced from what we can do now, but someday in the near future...

Hmmm...

Maybe this is a prequel to The Terminator?

: )

So if you were avoiding this one because of the the giant boxing robots, give it a try.  You might be surprised.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I had a good time.  While I don't own it yet, I wouldn't pass it up if I see it for a decent price.

Pack Your Bags For "The Guilt Trip"

Oy Vey!

The Story:

Inventor Andy Brewster (Seth Rogen) is about to set off on a road trip across country to pitch his new cleaning product in the hopes of selling it and striking it rich.  His mother, Joyce (Barbara Streisand) is an overly doting mother who loves her son just about more than anything in the world.  When she lets it slip that there had been another man before his father, and that she named him after that man... Andy gets curious.  He gets the address of the old flame, and asks his mom to accompany him on his trip, not knowing about the final stop.  She agrees, and the road trip begins.  But how much can one son take of being cooped up with his mother on a trip like this?

This movie was much funnier than it had any right to be, and much better than I was expecting.

First, Seth Rogen is yet another actor who is making a living by playing himself.  When he does that, the results are usually pretty good.  When he plays against his character, like for example as The Green Hornet, the film often suffers.  Box office receipts don't lie! :)

Then you bring in Barbara Streisand as the stereotypical Jewish mother...I know...talk about typecasting... and you've struck cinematic gold.

So essentially, you just have two real people traveling along together, getting on each others nerves, and it is all filmed for our twisted pleasure. :)

But really, it works.  They each get to a breaking point of putting up with their loved ones.  Naturally, Andy's fuse is incredibly shorter than his mother's, and he snaps early, and often.  But when Joyce finally goes, she lets him have it with both barrels, and you realize what a bunch of garbage kids make their parents endure because they are so loved.

While Joyce doesn't know much about Andy's world, her advice that she gives him is practical and makes sense, and when he finally listens to it, he finds he just may have the hook he needs to make it in the business world.

Then when they finally make it to San Francisco to meet the first Andy... things don't go as planned.  It's both uplifting and bittersweet how the scene plays out, and I can't say that The Guilt Trip wasn't a trip worth taking.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: While I won't rush out to buy this one now, I could see visiting it again in the future for another bunch of laughs.

Surf's Up...Movie Drags..."Beautiful Wave"

The family you never knew is cooler than you thought...

The Story:
Nicole (Aimee Teegarden) is sent to spend the summer with her grandmother, Sue (Patricia Richardson).  A few years earlier, Nicole was saved from drowning by her father, who died.  She remains skittish of the ocean, but surfing is in her blood.  As she learns about her grandfather (Lance Henriksen), she decides to take his old van and map of surfing locations and do a road trip.  As she slowly regains her composure in the water, she discovers a startling secret that's been hidden from her family for decades.

This is one of those movies that you want to like...

And you probably should like...

But boy, sometimes, movies can make it hard for you to like them.

Now with this one, there is nothing inherently wrong with it...but it's a little slow...and dragging.  90 minutes feels like 3 hours by the time it's over.  It's never good when a movie feels longer than it is.  Movies should fly by, whether they are long or short.

Then you have the weird chemistry in the van with Nicole and the two guys they take on their road trip.  Do they like her? Does she like them? Is there a love triangle?  It seems to depend on the scene as the movie changes its mind every five minutes.

Then when they finally get to the end of the road trip, family secrets are revealed...and it's just too hokey to care at that point.

So no, while it wasn't terrible... I can't in all good conscience say give this one a spin.

I'd say watch Soul Surfer instead.

Final Grade: C

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor:  No to both, once was plenty.

Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Commit a Crime..."Another Stakeout"

His first dead wife?!

The Story:

Six years have passed and detectives Bill (Richard Dreyfuss) and Chris (Emilio Estevez) are still at it.  This time, the duo has to partner with an Assistant D.A. (Rosie O'Donnell) as they watch a vacationing couple in the event that a witness that has fled from Federal Protection might show up seeking refuge.  Naturally, the first rule of the stakeout is to not come in contact with the people being watched.  Five minutes after their arrival, the gig is up, and a comedy of errors ensues.

Okay, the first movie was good.

I think I might have to give the edge to the second one for being just a little bit better.

Or at least, fundamentally, different.

Whereas the first movie played up the action with bits of humor, this time they go for the funny, and add some action in where it fits.  That nearly all of the principles, cast and director (John Badham) returned and made such a great movie is a testament to all involved.  Since most movies simply try and retread the success of their first outing, this movie practically changed up everything, aside from the need for a stakeout.

That said, there are some hysterical lines, or lines delivered and reacted to by some great actors, among those, the always great Dennis Farina as one of the people being watched.  The dinner party remains a high point for all involved in the movie.  Hilarious dialogue and reactions throughout.

:)

Dreyfuss and Estevez pick up as if there had never been six years missing in their partnership, and they play off each other so well.  Couple them with O'Donnell who neither one wants to be partnered with, and it's a great dynamic that unfolds throughout. 

Couple that with Chris trying to not lose Maria (Madeleine Stowe) during the course of the operation, and it's fun watching them all have to react to a situation that none of them want to be in.

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I own it, and it has been forgotten about over the last decade, but for a 20 year old movie, it still holds up, and it's still very funny.

They're Watching You..."Stakeout"

The rhythm is gonna get ya...

The Story:

Bill (Richard Dreyfuss) and Chris (Emilio Estevez) are police detectives assigned to the night shift on a stakeout.  Maria (Madeleine Stowe) is the former girlfriend of an escaped robber (Aidan Quinn) who may be in contact with her to get his hands back on the loot that she's been unwittingly hiding for him.  All is going according to plan, until a chance meeting off duty leads to romantic complications between Maria and Bill.  Will they catch the bad guy

Here's a fun 80s movie that has held up well over the last 26 years...

And it may have been 25 years or so since you last saw it.

The movie enjoys several fun dynamics as the movie embraces the comedic aspects of the film.  There is the ongoing gags between Chris and Bill and their dayshift counterparts as they make life miserable for one another.

Dreyfuss plays the romantic leading man, for one of the few times in his career.  His storyline is believable and he seems to be having a blast with it.  When he realizes that he's on tape, and subject to the very stakeout he is participating in, the tension gets raised a few notches as his feelings for Maria and his need to do his job cross paths and he has some difficult choices to make.

So if you're in the mood for a good time, revisit this one that you may not have seen in the last quarter century.

Man... do I feel old now!

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I do own it, and I don't wait for silver anniversaries to rewatch the film... but I should revisit it more frequently than I do.

Wrapping Up The Week Because It's "A Good Day To Die Hard"

A chip off the old block.

The Story:

John McClane (Bruce Willis) returns...but this time to the streets of Russia!?  It seems his son, Jack (Jai Courtney) is in a Russian prison, and John's on his way to try and help.  What he doesn't know, is Jack is undercover for the CIA and is trying to get some information from deposed Russian leader Kamarov (Sebastian Koch) before he is silenced forever.

Nothing says 'bonding moment' like fighting Russian extremists!

Okay, so I went to see this one in theaters, and I had a blast.  For what it is, it's the latest part in the legacy of John McClane.

At the time I gave it a B+.

Time passes...

The Sprinter chase is still a fun...

But the buddy-cop enjoyment of 3 & 4 vanish.

It could be the fact that the son is mainly in the same line of work as his dad.  He's not a novice thrust into this situation.  He's an equal...mostly.  Though still not quite as good at is as his old man.

I would say the least enjoyable aspect of this movie is Jai Courtney.  He is just a sour dude, from start to finish.  He's angry, and never stops being angry.

You would think McClane's family would give him some sort of break, I mean he's only saved the world a few times, and their mom too.

How does she repay him?  She divorces him.

No, instead, this one will wear the mantle of worst part of the franchise.

John McClane is not supposed to be a fish out of water.  He's supposed to be the fly in the ointment.

Again, this movie reeks of political intrigue moreso than heist caper. 

That appears to be the big undoing with the weak links in all of the less enjoyable films. 

Cops stop crooks.  Madmen driven by political schemes are best left to Secret Agents.

I want McClane...not Bond.


That said, if you do rent it/buy it... don't watch the extended version.  For some reason, they excise the most redeeming portions of the theatrical release, and all of the Lucy McClane scenes are removed.  Dumb move.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: It sits on the mantle next to the rest of the franchise... but it will see the least rotation.  Once in a blue moon...

The Fourth for the Fourth..."Live Free or Die Hard"

I'm getting too old for this...

Whoops.

Wrong franchise!

The Story:

After over a decade, John McClane (Bruce Willis) is back in action again.  This time, he is asked to check on a computer hacker suspect named Matt (Justin Long).  He arrives in time to save Matt from an assassination attempt.  Now it's a race to get Matt back to the FBI and figure out what is going on.  It turns out that ex-Fed Thomas Gabriel (Timothy Olyphant) is going to bring down the Federal Government by hacking into it and destroying it from within.  Only Matt has a chance of stopping him, and McClane is going to make sure he survives.  But when Gabriel kidnaps Lucy McClane (Mary Elizabeth Winstead)...

Well saving the world takes a backseat to saving his daughter.

This movie gets more right than it gets wrong in the franchise.  Say what you will about it, but it definitely was great to see Willis back on screen as John McClane.  Could they and should they have embraced the heritage of the film and embraced the R rating?

Probably so.

And I think that's where most longtime fans had an issue.  Not nearly as bloody or violent as its predecessors, and not nearly as much sarcastic profanity-filled snark from our hero.

Plus, I think a lot of people simply hated Justin Long.

Me, I liked the guy, and as was proved in Part 3, McClane with an everyman partner works.  Matt is clearly in over his head, but McClane is there to help out throughout the film.  Plus Long works as someone who is in so far over his head, he is just amazed at what looks like second nature to McClane, and he just doesn't see how that kind of heroism is possible.

Again, this installment straddles the heist versus political stance like part 2, but comes off more on the side of the heist, which is a good thing.

It was a nice reminder of how great the franchise was, and unlike say the 4th Indiana Jones movie, it didn't come back and run the franchise into the ground.

Yes, I'm willing to forgive the fighter jet surfing at the end, they had to get McClane off the freeway somehow... ;)

Giving this one a slight edge over Die Harder in the overall scheme of things.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: This one is growing on me.  : )

I'm In A New York State of Mind..."Die Hard With a Vengeance"

Do I look Puerto Rican to you?

The Story:

John McClane (Bruce Willis) returns, and this time New York City is being held hostage by terrorist Simon Gruber (Jeremy Irons).  He's planted a bomb in one of the thousands of New York schools, but wants to play a game of Simon Says with McClane.  After inadvertently helping McClane with his first test,  Harlem shopkeeper Zeus (Samuel L. Jackson) is forced by Simon to help McClane the rest of the day.  Can McClane save the day again?

Ah... that's better.

John McTiernan returns to the franchise, and reinvigorates it with a return to form from the first, with a terrorist act covering up for an elaborate heist.

And why not tie this to the first even further by bringing the best villain family line back into play, as Jeremy Irons steps into the role of Hans' brother.

Yes, if you're going to do Die Hard, you might as well borrow all of the elements that made it work so well in the first place.

It's fun, and it crackles from start to finish.

The banter between McClane and Zeus is gold throughout.  Yes, there's even a subtle lesson in racism tossed in for free, but often overlooked because it actually works in reverse.

It could be argued that part 3 departs too much from McClane as the solo hero and enters buddy cop territory.

Eh.

I see the point, but at the end of the day, it's McClane with a novice who is along for the ride by force, not so much by choice.

While McClane doesn't do much of the claustrophobic sequences this go round, he ends up running amok in New York which can be even more unsettling than being trapped in ventilation or elevator shafts.

If you're going to close out a trilogy, again, like many franchises, you end with a solid bang that is better than the second while falling short of the first.

Die Hard with a Vengeance did that admirably.

They had no idea there would be another movie over a decade later...


Oh, and if anyone can honestly explain to me how they do the water jugs to disarm the bomb, I'd love to hear it.  I laugh during that scene every time because it makes absolutely no sense. :)

Final Grade: A

Rewatchabililty/Purchase Factor: My second favorite in the series, and just a fun movie to watch.  The chemistry between Jackson and Willis is a lot of fun to watch and enjoy.

If At First You Do Succeed..."Die Hard 2: Die Harder"

Déjà vu...

The Story:

Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) is flying back to DC to visit the parents.  John McClane (Bruce Willis) is at the airport to meet her.  John notices some goings-on that seem suspicious at best, but the airport police (Dennis Franz) aren't buying it.  Imagine everyone's surprise when Colonel Stuart (William Sadler) and his military brethren take over the airport and demand the arrival of General Esperanza to be turned over to them.  It's up to John McClane once again to save the day... by himself...

If he ever wants to see his wife again!

Renny Harlin steps in to continue the franchise, and he wanted to give us a film that was a radical departure from the original.

On that point, he scores!

The problem, and I could be wrong here, but I've finally noticed a pattern after watching these films a few times...

This film is not a heist film.

Remember, I've said in the past I'm a sucker for a good heist film.

Die Hard is the ultimate heist film.  Thieves, under the guise of terrorists, out to steal billions.

Well, in part 2, yeah, there's apparently money to be had by the traitors if they can get the general out of the US...

But they aren't stealing anything otherwise.

In a way, the political/military  aspect overshadows any heist that may be going on.

This is to the detriment of the franchise.

Cops take down thieves, not overthrow governments.

That said, Bruce Willis is back on point as McClane.  He's aided with some great supporting characters in the airport, including Dennis Franz as the cop everyone wants to see punched out.

Overall, it's a step down for the franchise.  It suffers what the majority of franchises endure with a sequel.

Still, it's better than most action films.

The problem with Die Hard, it set the bar so high with the first one, everything has paled in comparison since.  The fans expect more from this franchise.

Luckily, like Indiana Jones, John McClane would ride back a third time, and almost equal the greatness of the first film.

But then, I'm getting ahead of myself.


: )

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I own it and enjoy it, but it doesn't get nearly as much replay value as the bookends to the original trilogy.

It's a Good Week to "Die Hard"

Yippie-Ki-Yay...

The Story:

New York cop John McClane (Bruce Willis) flies out to Los Angeles see his wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) for Christmas.  When he arrives at the Nakatomi Tower for the Christmas party, he has no idea that the party is about to be commandeered by terrorists led by the enigmatic Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman).  Managing to escape, McClane systematically takes down the terrorists one by one, but there is more to this group than terrorist motives.  McClane is going to save his wife...

Or die trying.

I think we all know where I stand on this movie.  It's in my personal Top 10 list of greatest movies I've ever seen.

It totally reinvented/reinvigorated the action genre of film in the late 80s.

We had grown so used to Stallone, Arnold, Chuck and the rest of the kick-butt generation, that McClane was an odd choice for a hero.

He's not big.  But he's tenacious.  His willpower alone is what sets him above, and apart, from the rest of the crowd.

It didn't hurt that Bruce Willis had charisma and charm to spare as the wiseacre.  Those who watched him on Moonlighting knew he would become a star.

Think John McClane is David Addison...with an attitude! :)

His one liners didn't come across forced, they came out as a snarky response to the bad guy... McClane was the everyman action hero.  He's not ripped and buff, but he would use his smarts and adrenaline to try and save the day.  That connection is one that the audience can grab and connect with.  25 years later, this movie still impresses as much as it did back in the day.

It really is a blueprint for how to make an action movie correctly.

The counterpoint for the everyman action hero, you have to have a great villain.

This is where most movies go wrong.  You can't just have a cardboard cutout/stereotype.

You need someone charismatic that audiences hate...but like.  Like to hate.  Hate that you like him.

Rickman owns Hans Gruber, so much so, that every installment since has been trying to catch that lightning in a bottle.  You've got the hero, but how's the villain? 

Sadly, every installment falls short, but when you come out this strong as a franchise, there really is nowhere to go but down.

I let the teens see Die Hard for the first time last year for Christmas...

Yes, this qualifies as a Christmas movie.

They sat glued to the screen.

I was so proud. :* )

Final Grade: A+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I loved it so much, I begged and whined a little... and they upgraded me to the Blu Ray set for Father's Day.  I have the best family ever!  It gets watched at least once a year... for Christmas!