A John Cusack Kind Of Weekend: "The Frozen Ground"

The Frozen Ground (2013)
Rated R for language and violence

Starring Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, Vanessa Hudgens

Directed by Scott Walker

The Story:

Alaskan State Trooper Jack Holcombe (Cage) has been on the hunt for a notorious serial killer.  Robert Hansen (Cusack) seems like a stand-up guy in the community, but someone is abducting young girls, torturing them, and then leaving them for dead out in the wilderness.  When Cyndy Paulsen (Hudgens) escapes, this is the first break that the troopers have in catching their man.  However, Cyndy is hardly reliable, and Hansen's been covering his tracks for decades.

Naturally, based on a true story.

Cage reins his usual out-there self in with this role, and plays a no-nonsense trooper ready to head to the Lower 48, but wanting to close out this last case before he goes. 

Cusack is effectively creepy and sadistic, playing completely against type as a man with a deep, dark secret.

It's a slow build that's definitely moody and atmospheric.

Given the wild terrain and abilities of pilots, it's no wonder Hansen was able to pull off his treachery.

The conclusion of the film is worth it, and this winds up being a touching tribute to the ladies that were lost to this filth.

Available to stream instantly on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Once was good.  Creepy, but good.

It's A John Cusack Kind Of Weekend: "The Bag Man"

The Bag Man (2014)

Rated R for language and violence

Starring John Cusack, Recbecca Da Costa, Robert DeNiro

Directed by David Grovic

The Story:

A hit man (Cusack) is sent to retrieve a bag for his boss (DeNiro) with specific instructions: Don't look inside the bag.  Then more and more people show up trying to kill the hit man and keep the bag for themselves.  What kind of set-up is this??

Oh how the mighty have fallen.

And I'm not sure which one I'm referring to more, Cusack or DeNiro.

Both do a fine job, but any good actor can just go through the motions and still give a decent performance.

Direct to DVD is one thing...

Direct to boredom is quite something else.

I think I dozed off a few times during the film, but I still don't think I missed anything of real importance.

Needless to say, he doesn't look in the bag, but you can probably guess what is in the bag if you've seen any thriller, ever.

You can probably guess who sent the people to kill our hero, including the "hooker" (Da Costa).

It's a waste of talent, and your time.

Final Grade: D+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Don't look in the DVD sleeve!

30,000 Miles To Find A Man..."Baggage Claim"

Baggage Claim (2013)
Rated PG-13 for language and situations

Starring: Paula Patton, Derek Luke, Taye Diggs, Adam Brody, Jill Scott, Djimon Hounsou, Christina Milian

Directed and Written by David E. Talbert

The Story:

Montana Moore (Patton) is a flight attendant who doesn't want to be the oldest, never married female in her family.  She embarks on a 30 day, 30,000 mile quest to find Mr. Right.  Using some of her airline pals, they make sure that she's able to work flights that her ex-boyfriends are on, hoping that maybe they have grown and matured a bit and they can reconnect and make things work this time.

Great plan.

A little fluff of a movie, that could just as easily had been a made-for-tv, Lifetime or BET movie of the week.

Some great actors with varying amounts of screen time.

It's just nothing you really haven't seen before, a million and one times.

You'll predict every twist and turn that the movie throws at you.

And with a next-door neighbor who is the perfect guy/best friend, and he happens to be  named Mr.Wright...

Yeah, you solved the movie 5 minutes into it as well.

:)

Final Grade: Solid C

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: No purchase, but if I was channel surfing, I could watch again.

He's Still The Greatest..."Facing Ali"

Facing Ali (2009)

Rated R for language and boxing

Starring George Chuvalo, Henry Cooper, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Larry Holmes, Ron Lyle, Ken Norton, Earnie Shaver, Leon Spinks, Ernie Terrell

Directed by Pete McCormack

The Story:

Arguably the greatest boxer of all time.  Even non-boxing fans know who Muhammad Ali is.  Now, 10 of Ali's fiercest rivals sit down and recount what it was like to go toe to toe with the champ.  Each of them has a unique perspective.  Whether they won or lost... whether they faced him as a newbie or a seasoned veteran, one thing remains the same from all of them.

Respect.

They all loved fighting him, and he brought out the best in each of them.

Given the timeframe, this documentary also tackles each fight in chronological order and gives some historical perspective on the civil rights movement that was gaining momentum as Ali's rise to fame began taking off.

Naturally, as the documentary winds down and they close in on the twilight of Ali's career, most of the boxers agree, whether explicitly or implied, that Ali should have hung up the gloves sooner than he did. 

As Ali is fighting Parkinson's, it's a touching tribute by his former foes to tell Ali's story, from their unique perspectives.

Final Grade: Solid B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Once was good.  Recommended, especially to any boxing fans.

Life On The Homefront... "Foyle's War"

Foyle's War (2002)
N/R

Starring Michael Kitchen, Honeysuckle Weeks, Anthony Howell

Created by Anthony Horowitz

The Story:

It's 1940 and World War II is in full swing.  Detective Chief Superintendent Foyle (Kitchen) had requested a transfer to join the war effort, but was denied.  Instead, he is going to have to keep the Hastings Police on the south coast of England safe from crime.  Given a driver (Weeks) and a wounded veteran (Howell) to round out his team, Foyle soon comes to realize that crime doesn't stop just because war has engulfed the region.

Well, this was certainly a step in the right direction compared to Downtown Abbey.

I have only watched the first episode, and there were some slow spots, as the show seems to run just a bit long.

It seems like a slightly shorter run-time and the show could be tightened up considerably.

However, things actually happened during the entire running time of the episode unlike Abbey.

That said, it is an interesting concept: a police procedural set at the onset of World War II, in one of the regions most affected by war.

I definitely won't be marathoning this anytime soon, but I can see dusting off an episode now and again if I've got nothing else to watch.

The dilemma:  it seems like I've ALWAYS got something else to watch.

Available to stream instantly on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: Seemed to be a B- range... but I'm going to end up with a C+.  It means well, but I'll have to see if it tightens up in a 2nd episode.

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Definitely no to a purchase, but I will probably watch a few more episodes.

I Just Don't Get The Fascination With "Downtown Abbey"

Downtown Abbey (2010)
N/R

Starring Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Brendan Coyle, Michelle Dockery, Joanne Froggatt,

Created by Julian Fellowes

The Story:

We are introduced to the Crawley family who live in Downtown Abbey, and the servants who work there  to keep the house and Crawley family running smoothly.  It opens the day after the Titanic sinks, and the heir to the fortune goes down with the ship.  Whatever will the Crawley's do?

I'm not sure, but I can tell you this much...

zzzzZZZzzzzzZZZzzzzZZZZ

I don't know what the rest of the world sees in this show, but color me unimpressed.

Don't get me wrong:

The actors, great job.
The sets are absolutely gorgeous.
The period piece, marvelous.

The story?

ZzzzZZZzzzzZZzZZzzZzzz

I was completely underwhelmed for almost the entire running time of the first episode.

Things heated up, barely, we're talking candle heat, not space heater or fireplace heat at the end with the shocking revelation of one of the servants and the honor that Mr. Crawley showed to the former comrade in arms now servant.

But alas, way too little, much too late.

There's no way, nor reason, why I would want to come back for more.

You can argue that "it gets better" or "I'm being too harsh", but that's my judgment for the show, and I've got a million and one other things I can watch next, so why come back to something I found to only be so-so, at best?

Nah.

Available to stream free for Amazon Prime members.

Final Grade: C-... maybe lower!
Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: No to both, thank you though.

The Man...The Myth..."The Legend Of Hercules"

The Legend of Hercules (2014)

Rated PG-13 for violence

Starring Kellan Lutz, Scott Adkins, Roxanne McKee

Directed by Renny Harlin

The Story:

The Queen (McKee) doesn't care much for the bloodthirsty King (Adkins) anymore, so she prays that she could have a child that could bring peace to the world.  Enter Zeus... pun fully intended.  As the young prince grows, he is hated by his father, and sent to die in a foreign land.  But when asked his name, he gives them the name that his mother said he was to be called: Hercules (Lutz)  Hercules works his way back to his homeland to save himself, and his people from the tyranny of his father.

Eh... it wasn't too bad.

Hercules: Year One.

Not a whole lot of Herculean Tasks or feats are performed.  Heck, the big guy doesn't even get his power until the movie is nearing the conclusion.

Think of it as Gladiator, with superpowers.

Again, it's not a horrible film by any stretch of the imagination.

Renny Harlin is at the helm, and Renny Harlin does know how to direct a competent action flick, which he once again proves here.

My hope... the one coming out this summer with The Rock, Dwayne Johnson, will be much, much better.

Final Grade: C... maybe even a C+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Wouldn't own it, wouldn't have a problem watching it again.

Now Playing..."X-Men: Days Of Future Past"

X-Men- Days of Future Past (2014)

Rated PG-13 for language, violence, and Hugh Jackman's bum

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Peter Dinklage, Ellen Page,

Directed by Bryan Singer

The Story:

In the future, the war between humans and mutants is nearing its end.  What is left of the X-Men make one last stand.  If they can use Kitty Pryde's (Page) talents to send Wolverine (Jackman) back to 1973, he can avert the assassination of Dr. Bolivar Trask (Dinklage) by Mystique (Lawrence).  The government will capture Mystique and use her unique DNA to create the Sentinel program and use those weapons to wipe out mutant-kind.  Wolverine will need to reunite Xavier (McAvoy) and Magneto (Fassbender) to help him stop Mystique, and hopefully change the future.

Well, how about 20th Century Fox.

In one fell swoop, they fixed everything that was wrong with the X-Men/Wolverine franchise with a bit of a soft reset button.

All it took was a bit of time travel, and a willingness by the franchise to embrace the awesomeness of X-Men: First Class and move forward.

Initial reaction?

This is probably the best X-Men movie yet. 

I may have to watch First Class again just to make sure, but it was pretty darn good.

I was never that enamored with either of the first X-Men movies, and I didn't hate the 3rd nearly as much as every other human.

Totally disappointed with the first Wolverine solo movie, mostly for the total butchery of Deadpool.

:: sniff ::

But again,  one fell swoop, and everything can now be different.

The best parts of the movie:


1) Peter Maximoff/Quicksilver - Awesome. Hilarious.  Now that we've seen what the X-Men can do with him, let's see what Joss Whedon can do in The Avengers.

2) Blink - She was awesome, and short-lived (once upon a time) in the comics.  She was awesome in the film.

If you've abandoned the franchise at any point, come on back.  If you've never set foot in the franchise... you might get a little confused, but I think the plot is solid enough not to lose you too much, give it a try.

And yes, sit through the entire credits.  You'll be treated to a scene that does two things:

1) It sets up the next X-Men movie.
2) It answers an age old question about how something was made.

:)

And yeah, I still don't get people that get up and leave at the end of comic book films!

I felt bad for this one lady and her kids.  The husband/dad was growing impatient at having to sit and watch the credits roll.

As the credits just about finished, he told her "there's not anymore credits to put a scene into, let's go".

Jerk.

So they left, and were out of the theater just as the teaser played.

Ah well...

I think I'll have to give the X-Men the ranking of 2nd best comic-book movie of the year so far.

Moving ahead of Spider-Man 2, but trailing Captain America.

Let's see how the Guardians do in August.

Final Grade: A-/B+ range

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I'll be adding it to the X-Library this Christmas.

Nicholas Cage Is A "National Treasure"... More Or Less

National Treasure (2004)

Rated PG for language and peril

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha, Sean Bean, Jon Voight, Havey Keitel,

Directed by Jon Turteltaub

The Story:

Benjamin Franklin Gates (Cage) is the latest historian in the lineage of the Gates family to seek the rumored Templar Treasure hidden by the Founding Fathers since the Revolutionary War.  However, his reasons are noble, and wants to ensure the treasure doesn't fall into the hands of mercenaries led by Ian Howe (Bean), so Gates and his pal Riley (Bartha) do whatever it takes, including stealing the Declaration of Independence to discover the clues to find the treasure.  But will they succeed?

Of course they will!

It's been 10 years since this movie came out, and was critically bashed.

Boo.

This movie is fun.

Check your brain at the door, and let Nicholas Cage have some fun on the screen and just enjoy it.

It's the most enjoyable trip in history, this side of Indiana Jones.

The sequel was decidedly less enjoyable, but nope, I still have a soft spot in my heart for this one.

It's a family-friendly popcorn film, courtesy of Disney.  Good action sequences, competent acting, some funny bits...


There's something for everyone, except the haters.

;)

Cage rules!

:)

Final Grade: Solid B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor:  I already own it and it gets a spin every few years.

This Movie Series Is Dragon On And On... Get It? "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

Rated PG-13 for violence

Starring:  Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lilly, Benedict Cumberbatch, Luke Evans

Directed by Peter Jackson

The Story:

Bilbo (Freeman), Gandalf (McKellen) and the Dwarves continue their push back to the Dwarf homelands, defeat Smaug (Cumberbatch) and reclaim their lost treasure and kingdom.  By the end of the movie, the Dragon is angry and about to go on a rampage at the nearby village.

I can't help but think if they would have trimmed  some of the first and added parts of this one into the first Hobbit, they could have made this a pretty good trilogy.

But at this point, pushing for a 4th movie is just plain greedy, and it feels like padding.

So I take it on this installment, that otherwise was more action oriented than the previous installment.

The cast beefs up with the arrival of an old friend, Legolas (Bloom) who you must remember we are seeing for the first time... and female elven warrior Tauriel (Lilly) whose crush on Legolas is about to go out the window before this film is over.

Luke Evans comes aboard as a mysterious entity in the human outpost of Laketown.  It seems like he is fated to make up for a family mistake of not killing Smaug when they had the chance.

Really, like killing dragons is easy.

Finally, I must commend them for the barrel riding sequence for being a great action chase scene with quite a bit of humor interspersed with all of the action.

Good stuff.

So complaints of padding aside, I'll still sign up to see the next installment on DVD when it comes out.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor - I didn't feel the same charm as the first part of The Hobbit with this one.  While heavier on the action, at closing in on 3 hours, these films become a labor to watch on repeated viewings.

Calvin & Hobbes - The Greatest Invention of the 20th Century "Dear Mr. Watterson"

Dear Mr. Watterson (2013)

N/R - Documentary

Starring Calvin, Hobbes, Berkeley Breathed, Seth Green

Directed by Joel Allen Schroeder

The Story:

What is the greatest newspaper comic strip of all time?  That answer may vary depending on who you ask, but anyone that has laid eyes on the work of Bill Watterson's Calving & Hobbes will likely answer accordingly.  This documentary takes a look back from all of the fans (both professional and casual) of the work and gives a shout out to Mr. Watterson for creating a strip that has transcended generations thus far, and is still going strong for not having been in the papers in over 20 years.

Mr. Watterson doesn't appear in the documentary in any way, shape or form.

Unless you count his artwork, and some various quotes that he's provided over the years in interviews.

Otherwise, consider this a fan letter to Watterson.

It could've, and should've been bigger and better than what it is.

Calvin & Hobbes deserves every accolade you can think of, and then some.

The coolest part of the film comes from the library that has all of the Calvin & Hobbes originals.

If I was ever planning a robbery...

Wait, what?

; )

This is now streaming on Netflix.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor - Not high.  However, reading the strips themselves?  Infinitely!

And You Thought I Had A Lot Of Kids... "Delivery Man"

Delivery Man (2013)

Rated PG-13 for language

Starring Vince Vaughn, Chris Pratt, Cobie Smulders,

Written and Directed by Ken Scott

The Story:

David (Vaughn) is the classic underachiever.  He means well, but everything seems to go wrong for him.  His girlfriend (Smulders) is pregnant, but she doesn't think he's ready to be a father, or a husband.  However, when David finds out that his donations at a sperm clinic were used...excessively... from nearly 20 years earlier... and now he's the proud papa of 533 offspring.  142 of them are suing to learn who their father, codenamed "Starbuck" really is.  Much to his best friend's (Pratt) protestations, David opens the envelope and begins visiting his children clandestinely, to see if he can help them in some small way.  If not as a dad, perhaps as a guardian angel?

I quite liked this movie.

Perhaps it's because I'm sentimental, or a dad , or a sentimental dad, but this is a great film about how the heart of a man can change when he decides he really wants to be a good dad.

And maybe that's the heart of this film:

The difference between being a Dad, and being a Father.

When David begins the journey, he finds out he's going to be, and already is, a Father.  That's biological and cannot be changed.

However, it's the steps he takes to learn about each of his kids, and their needs and how he can help, if it's needed, that change his heart into that of being a Dad.

By the end of the film, the court will decide if Starbuck has to be revealed to his children by force...

Or by choice.

It's a wonderful ending to a pretty underrated film.

Vince Vaughn does his usual solid job of being Vince Vaughn better than anyone else could be.  He gets a best friend in Pratt who is able to hold his own with Vaugn when they are onscreen together. 

Yeah, looking forward to his turn in Guardians of the Galaxy.

Final Grade: Solid B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I would happily purchase this one for the library and watch it again.

S.H.I.E.L.D. - The Early Years? "The Nanny Diaries"

The Nanny Diaries (2007)

Rated PG-13 for language

Starring; Scarlett Johansson, Laura Linney, Paul Giamatti, Chris Evans, Nicholas Art

Directed by Shari Springer Berman

The Story:

Annie (Johansson) has graduated college, but is unsure what to do with her life.  When she saves a little boy (Art), she is mistaken for a nanny and employed for the summer by Mrs. X (Linney).  A demanding, east-side New Yorker, she demands much from Annie as they prepare the boy for a privileged life that Mr. X (Giamatti) demands.  But Annie isn't sure that the X's have the best interest of their son at heart, and with the eye of the Harvard Hottie (Evans) in the building as well, Annie's life is spiraling out of control.  However, before the summer is over, a lot of people are going to learn a lot about life, all thanks to Annie's being a part of it.

I hadn't seen this film since it was released.

I remembered it was pretty cute, but not much else.

Watched it recently again, and yep, it was a pretty enjoyable experience.

Based on a book by the same name, the storyline seems a bit extreme in a few instances, and yet...

This is New York.  So perhaps, it's not nearly as out-there as we might like to imagine.

:)

From what I gather, the book spanned a year, the movie-makers wisely condensed it to a summer.

Johansson and Evans make a wonderful pair.  If they aren't friends in real life, then their onscreen chemistry is really good acting, as the duo have worked together in several different films, long before they donned the spandex and saved the world, in the Avengers.

All of the cast does a great job.  It's hard to feel any sympathy for the New York socialites who use nanny's to raise their kids for them while they shop. 

Must be nice, if you don't want to interact with your children.

Nanny's meltdown at the end is pretty powerful stuff, and changes the lives of all the characters for the better.

The film is currently streaming on Amazon Prime if you are a member.

Final Grade: Solid B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I would have no problems adding this to the library, or watching it again in the future.  Like I said, pretty cute film.

Let's Get Ready To Rumble Down To The AARP... "Grudge Match"

Grudge Match (2013)

Rated PG-13 for language and violence

Starring Robert DeNiro, Sylvester Stallone, Kim Basinger, Kevin Hart,

Directed by Peter Segal

The Story:

In the 1980s, there were two boxers from Pennsylvania who were rivals for the belt: Billy "The Kid" McDonnen (DeNiro) and Henry "Razor" Sharp (Stallone).  They had two epic encounters, splitting both, however before they could have the third, deciding match, Razor retired from the ring.  Now, 30 years later, promoter Dante Slate Jr. (Hart) is trying to put the two back in the ring to settle the score and enjoy a huge payday for everyone.  Will it happen, or will the old guys die trying?

I was quite surprised by how much I enjoyed this film.

I wasn't expecting too terribly much, but it was engaging and it seemed like Stallone and DeNiro were having a blast playing off their 80s successes as two stubborn mules who are on a collision course with one another.

I mean, how often do you get to see Rocky vs Raging Bull?

Naturally, part of the reason that Sharp retired was because of a lady (Basinger) who enjoys a complicated relationship between both of the boxers.

However there is more to the retirement than meets the eye...

Alas, I've already said too much!

Rounding out the cast is Kevin Hart as the intentional comic relief as the promoter who is trying to get paid, and to get this bout off the ground.

It's an uphill battle, but he's determined to make it work.

And make it rich!

Give it a shot, I think you'll enjoy it.

Final Grade: Solid B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: While this won't make the Top 10 list of the year, I would have no problem owning or watching it again in the future.

Best Bette Weekend: "Big Business"

Big Business (1988)
Rated PG for language

Starring Bette Midler, Lily Tomlin, Bette Midler, Lily Tomlin

Director Jim Abrahams

The Story:

In the small town of Jupiter Hollow, fate conspires as a rich tycoon needs a hospital for his wife to deliver their baby.  The problem?  The hospital is only for employees of the local furniture manufacturer.  To solve that problem, he buys the company!  At the same time, a local family also goes into labor, and comes to the hospital.  As the moms deliver, the harried nurse puts the babies into cribs... but when called back into each room because of a twin being born... well...

Welcome to the wonderful world of the mistaken identity comedy.

It's a wonderful genre that is always ripe for comedic potential.

Here you end up with 2 sets of sisters, mismatched from their  chosen paths.

2 grow up in the big city, one has an eye for business, one yearns for a simpler life.

2 grow up in the little town, one that loves it there, and one that dreams of something more.

Giving the roles to Tomlin and Midler, both at the height of their 80s movie stardom and comedic prowess was a no-brainer.  They make each sister their own individual and it's fun to watch them play two sides of the same coin throughout the movie.

Naturally, when all 4 find themselves in the big city for a shareholders meeting about shutting down the furniture manufacturer, mistaken identity occurs from strangers, co-workers and the men that love the ladies.

Of course where comedies occur, they always want to give us a happy ending, and the movie provides just that making sure that each girl gets the man, and the life, of their dreams by films end.


Final Grade: Solid B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I forgot how fun, and funny, this movie was.  Hope it's not another 25 years before I watch it.

Best Bette Weekend: "Ruthless People"

Ruthless People (1986)
Rated R for language

Starring Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Judge Reinhold, Helen Slater, Anita Morris, Bill Pullman

Directed by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker

The Story:

Sam Stone (DeVito) is tired of his wife Barbara (Midler).  He plans on faking a kidnapping, killing her, and getting all of her fortune to himself.  Well, as fate would have it, 2 desperate people (Reinhold/Slater) that Stone wronged years previously have decided to exact revenge by kidnapping Barbara and demanding a ransom.  Well, Sam doesn't want her back... and it's time to see who is more ruthless...Sam, or the kidnappers.

Closing in on 30 years, this movie is still flat-out funny from beginning to end.

DeVito is hilariously devilish as the man everyone in the film hates.

The kidnapping seems to be the solution to his problems.  He does everything wrong, waiting for the kidnappers to off his wife.

Then in a change of fortune, when Sam becomes suspect # 1 by the police, due to an increasingly bizarre and hilarious series of events, he has no choice but to pay.

And pay big.

This movie is filled with hilarious moments, great performances and just politically incorrect behaviour.


Gotta love the 80s!

Big fan of this film, and the soundtrack to boot, a nice compliment to the movie.

If you've never seen it, or haven't seen it in 30 years, you owe it to yourself to give it a spin (again).

Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Averages about once a year or so.  Love it.

The Proverbial Blast From The Past... "A Knight's Tale"

A Knight's Tale (2001)

Rated PG-13 for language, violence and partial nudity

Starring Heath Ledger,  Rufus Sewell, Shannyn Sossamon, Paul Bettany, Mark Addy, Alan Tudyk, James Purefoy

Directed by Brian Helgeland

The Story:

William Thatcher is a squire whose master dies.  He assumes the identity of the knight to compete and feed himself and his partners Roland (Addy and Wat (Tudyk).  On their journey to tournaments, they meet a young man named Chaucer (Bettany) who forges paper for William that allows him access to bigger and better tournaments.  Then William  sees the lovely Jocelyn (Sossamon) and is in love, and this brings him into direct conflict with Count Adhemar (Sewell).  Will the charade work, or will everything come undone?

I have heard people moan and groan about how much they don't care for this movie...

I am in the other camp.

The happy camp, that enjoys this movie and revels in how much fun the movie is having.

Yes, that includes the usage of rock music in a medieval setting.

A lot of people hated it.

For me, it works.

I don't come to this one hoping for a fairly historical drama.

I want fun.

And that's exactly what we are given from start to finish.

The entire cast is pitch perfect... Sewell as Count Adhemar is a particularly perfect evil foil to Ledger's hero.

I am still torn over which Heath Ledger performance is my favorite, this one or 10 Things I Hate About You. 

You can take his turn as The Joker.  I'll enjoy these films instead.  Way more fun...

Paul Bettany seems to be having a blast as Chaucer, and his introductions at the fight are nothing short of legendary.

A small, but pivotal role is James Purefoy as Sir William Colville... who also isn't exactly what he seems either.

: )

This movie gets a lot of airplay in our house.

A lot.

No complaints.

Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Own it. It gets watched at least once a year.  When it wears out, Blu Ray upgrade. ;)

What Would Guns N Roses Say? "Welcome To The Jungle"

Welcome To The Jungle (2013)
N/R - Language, Nudity

Starring Adam Brody, Rob Huebel, Kristen Schaal, Jean Claude Van Damme

Directed by Rob Meltzer

The Story:

Chris (Brody) is getting walked over at the advertising agency he works at, especially by his boss, Phil (Huebel).  When the CEO (Dennis Haysbert) organizes an island getaway team-building exercise under the tutelage of Storm (Van Damme).  However, things deteriorate quickly, and it becomes a Lord of the Flies madness when the pilot dies and Storm gets eaten by a tiger!  It's up to Chris to save the castaways, but he is undermined by Phil at every turn.

This isn't your average Gilligan's Island episode!

Those were funnier... : /

Definitely a B movie... maybe closer to a Z movie...

There were a few good lines to be delivered throughout the movie, but otherwise, this was best viewed at 1.5x on the PS3.

: )

Brody does his best to win the picture over on the shoulders of the likeable underdog, but it's an uphill battle from the start.

Van Damme does a nice turn as the motivational leader, having some fun with his image.

They could have tightened up the script a bit, and this would have been a much better experience.

There was a good story buried in there, with flashes of brilliance and what could have been popping through on the screen throughout the movie.

However, there were long stretches of mediocrity in between.

If you've got nothing better to watch, but otherwise, you'll be fine to miss this one.

Final Grade: C-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: No thanks, I'm good.

Bet You Haven't Seen This One In Some Time..."A Simple Twist Of Fate"

A Simple Twist of Fate (1994)

Rated PG-13 for language

Starring Steve Martin, Gabriel Byrne, Laura Linney, Catherine O'Hara

Directed by Gillies MacKinnon

The Story:

Michael McCann (Martin) lives alone making furniture for a living.  Into his life toddles a little one, and Michael adopts the child and names her Mathilda.  He uses an unconventional parenting style, but Michael and Mathilda form a loving bond over the years.  However, local politician John Newland (Byrne) is the girl's real father, and since he cannot have children with his own wife (Linney), they decide to sue for custody of the girl.

That's a simplistic narrative for a story with much more complex layers than that.  Based on the novel Silas Marner by George Eliot, Steve Martin adapted the story for himself to bring to the screen.

What he brings is a heartwarming dramedy where he plays a role unlike any he'd ever played before.

He's not wild and crazy. He's not tossing jokes left and right.

There are a few fun situations he falls into along the way, so it's not without humor.

However, it's a story of love and redemption that is worth a viewing.

Instead, the meat of the story takes place after Mathilda has grown and the court case to decide if she should stay with Michael, or go live with her real father who can provide for her in ways that Michael could never dream.

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the film, it had been about 15 years since I last saw it.

It still holds up very well in my eyes.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I already own it, I simply must not let so much time pass between viewings next time.

I Should Have "Gone" For A Different Movie. :)

Gone (2012)

Rated PG-13 for language and peril

Starring Amanda Seyfried, Daniel Sunjata, Jennifer Carpenter, Sebastian Stan

Directed by Heitor Dhalia

The Story:

Jill (Seyfried) was abducted and escaped her would-be killer.  The police (Sunjata) really don't believe her fantastical tale, and the medications she is taking are because everyone thinks she's crazy.  However, when her sister is abducted, Jill knows it was the same killer, and she sets out to find him, without the help of the police.

Meh.

It's your average thriller that's less than thrilling than it should be.

Boy meets girl.
Boy abducts girl.
Girl escapes boy.
Boy pursues girl.
Boy kidnaps different girl.
Girl seeks revenge on boy.
Happy ending, except for boy.

You'll see every twist.
Anticipate every turn.

Stifle every yawn.

I used to expect more from Amanda Seyfried, but lately, I'm not so sure anymore.

Ah well...there's always Mean Girls. ;)

Totally your call if you want to take the ride.

Final Grade: C-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: None for me, thanks.

And Now For Your Movie Of The Week... "Saving Mr. Banks"

Saving Mr. Banks (2013)

Rated PG-13 for thematic reasons...

Starring: Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Annie Rose Buckley, Colin Farrell, Ruth Wilson, Paul Giamatti, Bradley Whitford, B.J. Novak, Jason Schwartzman

Directed by John Lee Hancock

The Story:

Author P.L. Travers (Thompson) has fought off the advances of Walt Disney (Hanks) for over 20 years.  He wants her book, Mary Poppins, to be brought to life onscreen to fulfill a promise to his daughters.  Travers is not interested in seeing her very personal story brought to life in an animated movie, but agrees to meet with Disney to see what will happen.  She is very insistent on everything, including recording her sessions with Disney's representatives Don DaGradi (Whitford) and the Sherman Brothers (Novak and Schwartzman).  However, it is flashbacks to the story behind the Mary Poppins story that reveal why this tale is so important to Travers and why she is so insistent on not giving it to Disney.

We all know that she relents eventually, but the journey is one worth taking to see how she gets there.

I was expecting a good movie.

I don't know that I was expecting it to be *this* good though.

The story opens with flashbacks to Travers as a girl named Ginty (Buckley) who absolutely adores her father (Farrell).  When they move to the end of the line in Australia to take on a new bank job, their mother (Wilson) is nearing the end of her rope.  Mr. Goff is an alcoholic and this is the latest in a series of jobs that have taken a toll on the family.

Yet the father is so sweet, fun and loving, it's impossible not to feel why Ginty loves her dad.

The movie moves back and forth between flashbacks of life in Australia and Travers' meetings at the Disney studios.

While Hanks does an admirable job as Walt Disney, it should be noted that the majority of Travers meetings are with screenwriter DaGradi and Richard and Robert Sherman.  In fact, Disney himself probably has the least amount of screen time in the whole movie of all of the characters. 

And that's not a bad thing.

This is the heart and soul of most of the conflict within the movie, as everything they pitch to her, she rebuffs.

Robert Sherman is the first to openly even question "does it even matter?" to many of her objections, much to the horror of his partners.

Travers remains insistent that the film not be animated and not be a musical.

So you can tell, it's a long, uphill battle for Disney's team to win her over.

However, it's when they realize how personal the story is to Travers, and how they can remedy the tale by providing a happy ending to Mr. Banks that her father never had, that Travers finally relents.

Naturally, being based on a true story, much of the tale is open to interpretation and change.

That said, I like the way the movie played out, and have a better appreciation for Mary Poppins than I did previously.

Plus, this adds yet another layer of appreciation for what the Sherman Brothers brought to Disney studios.  These two are geniuses that deserve much more notoriety and accolades than they have received.  Their songs alone provide much of the heart of the films they provided songwriting duties for.

Including this one.

Well worth a viewing.

Final Grade: A-/B+ range

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I'm sure I'm the only one in the house, but much like Mary Poppins, I liked it and wouldn't mind owning it and/or watching it again someday.

A Daughter Finds The Father She Never Knew..."Come Dance At My Wedding"

Come Dance At My Wedding (2009)

TV Movie

Starring John Schneider, Brooke Nevin, Christopher Jacot, Roma Downey

Directed by Mark Jean

The Story:

Cyd (Nevin) is a dance instructor in a small town.  She is getting married to Zach (Jacot) in 2 weeks.  She's ready to leave the small town, and do big things with her life, so she needs to sell the dance studio that her grandparents started and her late mother left to her.  When her lawyer (Downey) gives her the deed to the studio, Cyd learns that she has a father (Schneider) that she thought was dead, and she needs his signature to sell the studio.  Can she get his permission to sell, or will finding the father she never knew she had, change her entire perspective on what she really wants in life?

Thank you Hallmark Channel, for putting out TV movies that are worth the time to watch, and give a lot of great actors some screen time that they may not otherwise enjoy.

Take for example John Schneider.

As the ladies in the movie gush, he looks great.  And really, he does.  Around 50 when he filmed this, aside from a few wrinkles, he looks like he could still slide across the General Lee's hood and squeeze through the window with little problem.

That's a Dukes of Hazzard reference for any youngin's reading this review.

:)

Nevin is also a very competent actress with whom I was unfamiliar with.  She seems to be like a smarter version of Amanda Seyfried.

As for Roma Downey...I think she went to Meg Ryan's plastic surgeon, and that's too bad.  It's okay to age gracefully, it looks more natural.

The storyline overall is very sweet.  There were several forced bits of drama that had to be injected into the story just to keep it from being too good to be true.  That includes making Zack the bad guy, at least for about 5 minutes in the story.  Thankfully the story didn't involve some sneaky attempt on his part to simply be after the money of selling the studio, or behind the desire to sell off the downtown businesses.

No complaints on this end, an enjoyable movie to sit through.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: No rush to own it, but if it was playing on tv, a great background film during game/craft/sewing night.

Happy Birthday Godzilla! "Godzilla: Final Wars"

Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)

Rated PG-13 for monster violence

Starring: Godzilla

Directed by Ryuhei Kitamura

The Story:

Aliens are attacking Earth.  They are unleashing giant monsters across the globe.  The Earth Defense Force decides to free a trapped Godzilla to fight each of these monsters and save the Earth.

Good plan.

To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Godzilla, Toho Films took apparently the idea of the great Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters, and fuse it with some of the Godzilla video games, to come up with a 21st Century monster battle royal.

Which theoretically would be enjoyable...

But this movie was soooo long and slow getting to that point.

Even at 1.5 speed on the PS3.  : /

If I rent a movie called Godzilla, I need to see Godzilla, in action, long before we do.

And I don't count the beginning of the movie where Godzilla is trapped in the earth.

By the time the monster throw downs happened, I was utterly bored, and really didn't care.

Plus, the monsters started moving and jumping around a little too unrealistically for giant monsters.

And yes, I realize how ridiculous that last sentence must seem...

But I expect some sort of lumbering, monster fights.  Not a parkour/ninja/pro wrestling Godzilla duking it out with similar monsters.

Now I want to see Destroy All Monsters again to see if they were as offensive in their fighting style, or if it was a more plodding fight style that I remember.

Very disappointed in the 50th Anniversary of the big G.

Hopefully the 60th anniversary version rectifies this blight.

Final Grade:  D+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: No thanks.

Prelude To Pan... "The Pirate Fairy"

The Pirate Fairy (2014)

Rated G

Starring the voices of:  Mae Whitman, Christina Hendricks, Tom Hiddleston, Lucy Liu, Raven-Symone

Directed by Peggy Holmes

The Story:

Zarina (Hendricks) is the newest fairy in Pixie Hollow.  She is responsible for the dust that the fairies use.  But she yearns for so much more.  She spends her off time trying to create new colors of dust.  When one of her mistakes goes awry, she leaves, heartbroken.  A year later, she returns, with a crew of Pirates in tow and they steal the dust from Pixie Hollow.  Tinker Bell (Whitman) and her pals go after them, but due to one of Zarina's experiments, all of the fairies have different powers than they are used to.  Will they be able to adapt and get the dust back before it's too late?

Much like my review for Barbie, having daughters will expose you to many movies and shows that a dad might otherwise get through life without ever having seen.

The fun part, is when these shows are actually rather entertaining, even though as a dad you should really groan and fuss to let the girls know your displeasure with watching it again, for the umpteenth time.

The Pirate Fairy does an interesting job of beginning to close the timeline of Tinker Bell movies to Peter Pan.

This is the 5th Tinker Bell film in the franchise, and the one most closely associated with the future for Tink.  We've glimpsed a young Wendy in an earlier installment, and this movie takes the next step:

A young pirate named James (Hiddleston).

Yep, the once and future Captain Hook!

And yes, Hiddleston voices James with all the sweet sincerity like his turn as Loki in the Thor franchise.

Oh, and the crocodile also makes his appearance... and he's absolutely adorable!

Strangely, I'm looking forward to seeing where the tales of Pixie Hollow take us next.

Darn those girls.


:)

Final Grade: Solid B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: We own it, and I don't want to tell you how many times I've already seen it, either whole or in part. :)

What A "Tangled" Web We Weave Today!

Tangled (2010)

Rated PG

Starring Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy

Directed by Nathan Greno

The Story:

Rapunzel (Moore) is a princess with magical healing powers in her hair.  Kidnapped from her parents by Mother Gothel (Murphy), she lives alone, isolated in a tower.  Every year she sees a magnificent displays of light, unaware that it is her parents releasing thousands of balloons into the sky in the hopes that she will return.  When scoundrel Flynn Rider (Levi) makes his escape from the castle and is looking for a place to hide, he stumbles upon Rapunzel and reluctantly agrees to take her back to see the lights.  It's an adventure of a lifetime for the both of them.

This is a good princess movie.

Great voice actors.

Great storyline.

Great characters.

Fun songs from the returning Alan Menken.

Everything that Frozen was not.

:)

Why it got the love and not this film, I'll never understand.

Especially considering how much of this film seems to have been lifted and transplanted into Frozen.

This is one with well-placed musical numbers throughout the film, balancing out the story with musical numbers.

The dynamic between Flynn and Max provides a great hero/villain then buddy/action tale.

The love story is natural and not forced.

Even the rebellious nature of Rapunzel against her 'mother' was filled with conflict and remorse.
Yeah...

I don't get why this one wasn't better received.

It was, and is, clearly the superior film.

The one complaint I heard about this film was how the portrayal of the "witch" was an indictment against adopted parents...



Wow, talk about looking to get offended.

She. Stole. Rapunzel.

Didn't adopt.
Stole.

Her real parents never lost hope that they would get their loved one back.

In fact, it's one of the rare Disney instances where the parents aren't evil, stupid, or killed.

:) 

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Own it, and it's a great one.

I Refuse To Drink The "Frozen" Kool-Aid

Frozen (2013)

Rated PG

Starring: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Johnathan Groff, Josh Gad, Santino Fontana

Directed by  Jennifer Lee

The Story:

Elsa (Menzel) has the power to turn things to ice with her touch.  When she accidentally hurts her sister Anna (Bell), her parents forbid the two from seeing each other again.  Anna is heartbroken, wondering what she did to lose her sister.  When Elsa's powers rage out of control, she escapes the kingdom to live alone and never hurt anyone again.  She doesn't realize that her powers left her kingdom under a blizzard, so Anna and Kristoff (Groff) set off to find her and turn the blizzard off.

I wanted to like this film, I honestly did.

I didn't.

I take my Disney film seriously, and this movie let me down on so many levels.

While I didn't hate it, and believe me, I came really close, I would consider this one of Disney's most contrived, clichéd entries in ages.

That the entire world thinks this is the greatest Disney film of a generation, makes me weep for our future.

Plus it wins an Academy Award for best animated film and best song?

So much wrong...

Where do I begin?

The musical aspect...

The songs are hackneyed and overdone, bursting into song way too frequently in the first 1/2 of the movie, then going silent through the end.  Poor pacing for a musical.  Also lacking much of the fun, depth and beauty of the Alan Menken scores.

"Let It Go" belongs in a Disney film or a broadway production.

Not on Top 40 radio.

Every hour.

Gratingly out of place, it makes me dislike this movie even more every time I hear it play.

Think "My Heart Will Go On" from Celine Dion/Titanic.

Yeah, it's like that.

The characters...

Which ones WEREN'T directly lifted and remodeled after Tangled?

And not just the people...

The horses in the kingdom were direct copies of Maximus.

Sven, the reindeer, got Max's personality aspect, though severely dumbed down.

Olaf (Gad) the snowman?

Terrible! One of the worst "funny sidekick" characters I've had to endure in all of Disney-dom.

He walks around throughout the film and his delivery makes him sound drunk, or high, throughout the entire film.  Eesh.

The Romance...

Hello, poorly contrived, out of left-field.

Kristoff, if anything, would have been smitten with Elsa, not Anna.

This was a complete cop-out and just smacked of a last ditch effort to give Anna a happy ending.

Well, Anna should never have agreed to marry Hans, or Disney never should have pulled a 180 on his character after such a short and shoe-horned introduction.

Think about it:  How did Hans know he was in the presence of Princess Anna?  Nobody had ever seen her outside of the castle.

Contrived!

There was a good story somewhere in the source material to be had.

This was not it.

Final Grade: I lean towards C-... but then I just want to Let It Go...

D+ and eligible for Turkey of the Year!

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I won't buy it and I definitely won't watch it again.

It's Been A Decade, Still Waiting For A Sequel To "The Incredibles"

The Incredibles (2004)

Rated PG for slightly scary stuff... if you're like a baby or something! ;)

Starring Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Spencer Fox, Samuel L. Jackson, Jason Lee

Directed & Written by Brad Bird

The Story:

Mr. Incredible (Nelson) and Elastigirl (Hunter) were two of America's best superheroes.  However, the times have changed, and all of the old heroes have gone into "retirement" at the behest of the government.  Trying to live a normal life, they started a family, but Mr. Incredible has the itch to get back into the game.  When given a chance to relive some of the old glory days, he takes a chance, but is captured by Syndrome (Lee) a wannabe sidekick with delusions of grandeur.  It's up to the family to save their dad, and the day.  Can they do it?

With the release of this film, it was easily, for me, considered the best superhero movie ever.

If Marvel Studios hadn't hit a home run with Iron Man, I would have maintained that the best way to bring the heroes to life would be to follow Pixar's lead and craft well written stories that allow for the dynamics of animation to best convey the stories of superheroes.

But, Marvel made miracles happen, and the rest is history.

Meanwhile, The Incredibles now celebrates a decade of being one of Pixar's finest films.

It also cements the fact that Brad Bird is arguably the best writer/director of animated films of this generation.

The Iron Giant
The Incredibles
Ratatouille

All written and directed by him.

Probably John Lassetter is the only one more successful, but Bird was doing it prior to his arrival at Pixar, and he's also made the jump to live action films with Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol which was a very highly entertaining entry in that franchise.

The voice cast is spot on in this film, from the kids to every character throughout the film.  The dialogue and plot just pulls you in and holds you until the very end.

Plus, before he was Nick Fury, Samuel L. Jackson was FroZone!

:)

Excellent, all the way around.

Final Grade: A+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Own it, love it.  Looking forward to the announced sequel (about time!)

The World Gets A Bit Dangerous "Walking With Dinosaurs"

Walking With Dinosaurs (2013)

Rated PG for scary dinosaurs

Starring Charlie Rowe, Karl Urban, Angourie Rice, John Leguizamo, Justin Long, Skyler Stone, Tiya Sircar

Directed by Barry Cook & Neil Nightingale

The Story:

In Alaska, an archaeologist (Urban) is driving his niece (Rice) and nephew (Rowe) to a site where he had found a dinosaur tooth.  Unimpressed, the nephew decides to sit at the truck and pout, when a bird named Alex (Leguizamo) comes along to tell the kid about the story about how that tooth came to be found where it was.  Cue the flashbacks and the story of a little dinosaur (Long) who grows up to be the leader of his herd though unlikely odds.

So apparently the brains behind this thought, let's take the BBC series Walking With Dinosaurs , and cross it with The Land Before Time...

Yes, these dinosaurs talk, though they don't do mouth movements, so it's not nearly as cutesy or annoying as you might think.

I don't know what to think...

The movie itself is nice to look at.  Using actual scenery with CGI, the landscapes and backgrounds are lush and beautiful.

However, I'm not sure how impressed I was overall with the dinosaurs.

Maybe it was the inclusion of humans in Jurassic Park, but I almost think those dinosaurs looked more realistic.

Anyway, the story itself isn't that terrible, and it's a film that the whole family can sit and enjoy/tolerate for 90 minutes, then it's done.

Final Grade: C

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: No, I think I'm okay.

It's A Long Way Down, The Holiday Road..." National Lampoon's Vacation"

National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)

Rated R for language and brief nudity

Starring Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Anthony Michael Hall, Dana Barron

Directed by Harold Ramis

The Story:

Clark Griswold (Chase) is set to take his family from Chicago halfway across country to Wally World, the family amusement park of choice!  Instead of flying, they plan on taking a road trip across country.

What could possibly go wrong?

It's been over 30 years since we first met the Griswold family, and they live out the American Dream, turned horrific nightmare that plagues the back of the mind of every dad who prepares for a road trip with their family.

Written by John Hughes, and directed by Harold Ramis, this comedy classic has endured for generations and is only overshadowed by the ever-popular Christmas Vacation due to the seasonal nature of that one enjoying repeated holiday viewings and becoming a family tradition for most people around Christmas time.

The original though is no slouch.

Between laugh out loud jokes, gags and pratfalls, Vacation has it all.

Anchored by arguably Chevy Chase's finest performance, he plays the perfect father who sets the bar way too high, and then slowly erupts when he can no longer even get close to clearing the bar.

D'Angelo is the perfect foil who tries to keep her manic husband in check along the way.

Then of course, the memorable minor characters who litter the landscape along the road trip.  From the crazy Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid) to the elusive Girl in the Ferrari (Christie Brinkley), the story is chock full of characterization for even the smallest of cameos.

Filled with memorable characters and quotable dialogue, this is one of those comedies that has endured.

Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I do own it, and while it doesn't get the multiple viewings per year of the Holiday version, it averages a viewing every year or two.

Your Spoiler-Free Review: "The Amazing Spider-Man 2"

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)

Rated PG-13 for comic book violence

Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx,

Directed by Marc Webb

The Story:



Peter (Garfield) and Gwen (Stone) graduate and are ready to move on in the world.  But things between the two keep getting complicated, especially as Peter digs deeper into the mystery of what happened to his parents.  Before the movie is over, secrets will be revealed and the stage is set for the biggest battle Peter has ever faced.

In 2012, I reviewed the reboot of the Spider-Man franchise: Amazing Spider-Man  So impressed, it would wind up being the second-best superhero released that year, and # 2 on my Top 10 List of the movies of 2012.

Fast forward to 2014, and poor Spidey...

He's currently the 2nd best superhero movie of the year, behind Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Worse still, there's several more superhero movies on the horizon!

Bad news for Spidey...

Good news for comic book movie fans!

:)

So, if like me, you enjoyed the first Amazing Spider-Man, you're going to enjoy this sequel.

If you didn't, then I can't think there's any reason you'll want to see the sequel.  I mean, what movie fan goes back to watch sequels to movies they didn't really care for?

Myself excepted, of course. ;)

The main criticism I've read/seen on the latest installment:  "There's too many characters (I'm assuming bad guys) in this one".

My response...

Uh, no.

This plays out just like the comics.  We cut to different characters, different sub plots as the main story chugs forward to conclusion.  In comics, especially Spidey, he's enjoyed possibly the greatest gallery of supporting characters and villains of any franchise.  If you would argue Batman, that's about the only other franchise with the depth and greatness that I would concede on this matter.

This sequel reaches several logical conclusions in the continuing story in the life of Peter Parker.

It also sets up the inevitable sequel(s), to include the Sinister Six movie that is being mentioned around the web.

I can honestly say that my least favorite part of the film was the lack of Electro's costume.  I was a fan of the green and gold original.

Andrew Garfield continues to impress as Peter/Spidey.  Emma Stone is simply wonderful as Gwen Stacey.  Their chemistry is amazing. 

The effects are outstanding.

However, unlike Marvel Cinematic Universe offerings, you don't need to stick all the way through the credits.

Once you see the oddly placed X-Men clip... feel free to go.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I'll be buying this one for Christmas and enjoying it with the family.

Time To Go! "Fled"

Fled (1996)

Rated R for language and violence

Starring Laurence Fishburne, Stephen Baldwin, Will Patton, Salma Hayek

Directed by Kevin Hooks

The Story:

Piper (Fishburne) and Dodge (Baldwin) are convicts on a chain gang.  When a break-out happens, the two convicts make a run for it.  It seems that Dodge has some incriminating evidence on a disc that will lead to millions of dollars.  Piper... well there is more to his story than he is willing to share with Dodge.  They are pursued by Detective Gibson (Patton) who thinks something smells fishy about the whole setup.

This is another guilty pleasure movie for me.

It's about 90 minutes of pure adrenaline that never slows down, and rarely pauses for anything other than a quick joke, and then back to the action.

You've seen the movie, even if you've never seen the movie before.

They basically steal every scene in their movie from other movies and put their spin on it.

Heck, Dodge spouts out movie references and quotes throughout the movie with a wink and a nod to allow us to enjoy the joke.

The best one comes at the end of the movie, when he references another movie that Fishburne was in.

Comedy. Gold.

:)

Slow night, can't figure out something to watch, that's when Fled gets the call.

It's a B movie that knows it's a B movie and has a blast attempting to be the best B movie it can be.

Final Grade: Solid B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I already own it, and I would say it sees the light of day every few years or so.