A Better Second Outing..."The Do-Over"

The Do-Over (2016)

Rated R

Starring Adam Sandler, David Spade, Paula Patton, Heather Hahn, Nick Swardson, Luis Guzman

Directed by Steven Brill

The Story:

Charlie (Spade) is not living the life he envisioned for himself. When he runs into Max (Sandler) his best friend from high school at their reunion, the two reconnect and spend a weekend catching up. That weekend ends with Max faking their deaths in a boating accident and assuming the identities of two recently deceased people that nobody knows are dead. Which is great, because they suddenly have a great house and a ton of money at their disposal. However, when assassins come calling to kill the duo, they begin to realize that maybe they are in over their heads!

Okay, that's much better.

Still, a lot of room for improvement and humor to the films, but this is a drastic upgrade from The Ridiculous 6.

For starters, there was actually more than one funny moment in the film, so like I said, much better.

This is a return to the crude, R-rated Sandler pictures, which he gravitates between these and the family-friendly version of himself, so keep the kids away.

He and Spade, and everyone else for that matter, seem to be having a pretty good time making this one, so that's a plus as well.

The framework of the story is actually a really good one and had they taken out some of the crude jokes and just gone for funny, or even tried to make it an action-comedy, I think the results would be even better.

I don't want to spoil why the 2 other individuals get killed, but if the same storyline were starring anyone else, it could be a drama or thriller.

I would say that Netflix is probably much happier with this film than the first one that brings Sandler directly to the streaming service, except Netflix proudly proclaimed that The Ridiculous 6 was the most watched movie... ever.

And people say they don't like Adam Sandler films.

Netflix knows better.

:)

Let's hope the improvements keep coming, by the 4th film, we could have a best of the year contender.

Final Grade: C

Deja Vu All Over Again..."The Peanuts Movie"

The Peanuts Movie (2015)

Rated G

Starring Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, Lucy, Woodstock, Pig Pen, Schroeder, Peppermint Patty and Marcie

Directed by Steve Martino

The Story:

Charlie Brown and the gang are back together on the big screen for the first time in over 30 years. While times have changed, the gang is very much the same, and while Charlie Brown is going to fall hard for a certain little red-haired girl, Snoopy is going to spend much of the movie fighting the evil Red Baron.

What's that?

You say you've seen it all before?

You're probably right.

This is Peanuts 101: Introduction to Peanuts as created by Blue Sky Studios.

I'm pretty sure they squeeze every joke and gag from Charles Schulz strips and animated specials into this 90 minute update that sees them move from hand animation to beautifully rendered computer animation that retains much of the beauty and charm of the original.

You can see the jokes coming a mile away, but that's okay, that's why we're all gathered around in the first place.

That said, they're still amusing after all this time, and they do manage to put in a few new ones.

Wisely, instead of updating the characters and making them 21st century kids with all the trappings and technology that implies, these kids still survive and thrive in a world without any grownup supervision besides a teacher who will "waaa waaa waaaa waaa waaaa waaa waaaa" at them from offscreen.

Nope, it doesn't really break any new ground, except maybe to say that life isn't so bad after all, Charlie Brown.

No, it sure isn't.

Also, kudos to the team for using the late Bill Melendez recordings to bring Snoopy and Woodstock to life. A nice, touching tribute.

Nicely done everyone involved, it was a great trip down memory lane.

Final Grade: Solid B

The Oscar Should Have Gone To "Trumbo"

Trumbo (2015)

Rated R

Starring Bryan Cranston, Michael Stuhlbarg, Diane Lane, Helen Mirren, David James Elliot, Louis C.K., Alan Tudyk

Directed by Jay Roach

The Story:

Dalton Trumbo (Cranston) was one of Hollywood's best and most prolific screenwriters in the 1940s. Then in 1947, he and 10 other writers were accused of Communism by the House UnAmerican Activities Council and effectively blacklisted by Hollywood. To keep earning a living, Trumbo used different pen names and continued to crank out scripts for low budget films as well as allowing non-blacklisted friends to offer better material which would even win an Oscar that he couldn't even collect.

This is his story.

As I stated in the title of this review, Bryan Cranston should have walked out of the Oscars with Best Leading Man over DiCaprio.

He is a veritable tour de force in this film, being in just about every scene of the movie as either the protagonist or antagonist playing against a great supporting cast.

It's dramatic, it's funny... it's acting.

Perhaps the subject matter gives Hollywood too much of a black eye and that's why he didn't win.

Anything that shows the ugly underbelly of the way Hollywood work(ed)/s might be cause for some to be skittish when bestowing accolades upon a film.

Helen Mirren is effective and totally unlikeable in the film as gossip columnist Hedda Hopper who seemingly takes great delight in destroying Trumbo's career and anyone else she can sink her hooks into.

It's a really good film that is just as relevant today at showing how you have to hold onto your beliefs and convictions, regardless of what the government and others in power try and force you to do.

Because sometimes, Uncle Sam doesn't truly know what's best for anyone.

Very entertaining film, and I quite enjoyed watching this one.

Final Grade: B+/A- range

A Boy And His Zombie... "Fido"

Fido (2006)

Rated R

Starring Kesun Loder, Billy Connolly, Dylan Baker, Carrie-Anne Moss, Henry Czerny

Directed by Andrew Currie
The Story:

During the 50s, a cloud of radiation has covered the earth and it turns the dead into zombies! Thankfully, Zomcom has developed a collar that will neutralize those zombies and make them productive members of society! Finally, the Robinson family has a zombie to call their own, and Timmy (Loder) decides to call him Fido (Connolly).

I think the best way I could describe this movie is...

Remember The Iron Giant?

Well, replace the robot with a zombie, and there you go.

But not quite. ;)

However, that's the essence, vibe and feel that the movie gives with the 50s setting and while the zombies are bad, they possibly can be harnessed for good.

It's a throwback feel that's a lot of fun and a great entry into the horror comedy genre.

A fun cast, with Connolly giving a great performance behind the zombie features that still imbues a lot of life into his character.

Which isn't easy to do when you're supposed to be a zombie.

A lot of fun and worth a look if you missed it the first time, like I did.

Better late than never! :)

Final Grade: B

Surviving The Cold War..."Bridge Of Spies"

Bridge of Spies (2015)

Rated

Starring Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Alan Alda, Amy Ryan, Austin Stowell

Directed by Steven Spielberg

The Story:

James Donovan (Hanks) is selected by the CIA to defend Rudolf Abel (Rylance) who is charged with spying on America and giving intelligence to the Russian government. Naturally, defending a spy during the Cold War isn't the most glamorous position to be in, and Donovan suffers for it. He does provide an intriguing twist to the proceedings when it is time for the sentencing, one that would have repercussions years later when American pilot Franci Gary Powers (Stowell) would be shot down in his U2 plane while flying over Russian airspace.

This is their story.

And, aside from some dramatics, most of the story is roughly true, and condensed for time.

Yet it is always a tense and gripping drama and spy thriller all rolled into one.

Hanks and Spielberg know each other so well and they do exactly what they need to complement the other in what they do.

Mark Rylance however, is quite wonderful as the accused spy. Never bending, never breaking, and always with a bit of wit to his credit, his performance brings much levity and heart to the story.

Now for the second time in as many weeks, I must seriously ask if this was indeed an Oscar worthy performance?

My gut instinct: No.

While he is a great supporting actor in this movie, his support is very minor. I think of all the nominees, he ends up with the least amount of screen time.

I'll get to that review and who should have won soon enough, but I won't begrudge Rylance his statue. It's a very good performance and he would have been my 2nd choice to win of the group mentioned.

Naturally, as with most spy or heist movies, I try not to say too much to avoid any potential spoilers.

Watch this one, you're very likely to enjoy it.

Final Grade: Solid B

The Universe Expands..."Daredevil: Season 2"

Daredevil: Season 2 (2016)

TV-MA

Starring Charlie Cox, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Royce Johnson, Jon Bernthal, Elodie Yung, Scott Glenn

Created by Drew Goddard

The Story:

With Wilson Fisk (D'Onofrio) behind bars, you would think life in Hell's Kitchen would slow down. However, there's a new crazy in town, killing bad guys and making a name for himself as The Punisher (Bernthal). Matt (Cox) will have to suit up as Daredevil to try and bring him down before the entire city is bathed in blood. If that wasn't going to be difficult enough, there's another blast from Matt's past just around the corner as Elektra (Yung) comes calling.

Another solid season in the books for Netflix and Marvel.

While there is still some pacing issues that feel like 8-10 solid episodes drag out to 12, it's a bit better this go-round.

I'd even go so far as to say the first 4 episodes are must-see, dynamic storytelling at its finest.

There is a beginning, middle and end to the story that flows just like a perfect comic book story arc.

The problem, once Elektra arrives on the scene, I began to lose interest.

Truth be told, I was never really a fan, and I think I mentioned before that I've never truly cared for Daredevil.

The focus in the storyline shifts, and takes away from the entire Punisher storyline.

I was greatly disappointed that the trial, which could have been 4 riveting episodes on their own felt rushed and shortchanged.

Foggy (Henson) is being criminally underused in the series when he is the glue that holds the show together.

They could have easily worked the trial for 4 episodes, and then put the final 4 episodes on Castle in prison doing what he needs to do to survive and get close to Fisk.

Then you end the season by getting Frank out of jail which leaves the rest of the Elektra story for season 3, and continue Frank's tale in his own series, which thankfully is going to happen.

I'm still not the biggest fan of Karen Page (Woll) but making her a journalist is a great change of pace and one that shakes up the dynamic.

Much like Jessica Jones, I'm really more interested in the supporting cast than the main character.

Because when you pull back from the show and judge it from a distance, Matt Murdock is possibly the biggest jerk in the Marvel Universe right now.

He does what he wants, when he wants to, consequences and friendships be damned.

Plus, I'm willing to suspend belief on what Daredevil can do.

But when he becomes the ultimate super-ninja of all time...

Yeah, I hated that in the comics and it drives me batty on this show as well.

So critical of a show I can't wait to see Season 3 from, right?

:)

Final Grade: A-

Their Impact On Pop Culture Cannot Be Denied..."National Lampoon: Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead"

National Lampoon: Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead  (2015)

Unrated

Directed by Douglas Tirola

The Story:

The rise and fall of the National Lampoon magazine, and the impact that magazine had on American pop culture.

Ooo.

That's actually rather profound, and also quite true.

What started out as a satirical magazine that poked holes in the establishment in the late 60s/early 70s, grew into an influential comedy machine in the mid to late 70s that established much of the humor that continues in movies and television today.

The brainchild of Doug Kenney, Henry Beard and Robert Hoffman, they created a little magazine that started slowly and then slowly built into a sales juggernaut. Parody and satire were the name of the game, and they enlisted a slew of talented writers to make the pages of the magazine must read material.

It proved so popular, they started a radio show and brought in even more comedic talent to make their skits take life. The majority of the original cast of Saturday Night Live passed through National Lampoon on their way to bigger things. Many from Lampoon were targeted by NBC to help create Saturday Night Live.

Then came the movies.

Animal House & Vacation.

So too could Caddyshack be added to the mix, as it was Lampoon in every way except billing.

While nearly everything else to bear the label of National Lampoon has been of variable quality, those two were the gold standards which made all of the others seem pale in comparison.

If it's any consolation, most movies that came after Vacation often licensed the National Lampoon name for an attempt to cash in with a built in audience.

So, while it wasn't National Lampoon being less funny, it was them being increasingly greedy. :)

The documentary does an excellent job of talking to just about everyone that was there and is still around and it's filled with lots of archival footage of the stage shows, radio shows, magazine and movie clips.

A very enjoyable documentary that is well worth your time.


Final Grade: B+

Talk About False Advertising..."The Good Dinosaur"

The Good Dinosaur (2015)

Rated PG

Starring Raymond Ochoa, Jack Bright, Frances McDormand, Steve Zahn, Anna Paquin, Sam Elliott

Directed by Peter Sohn

The Story:

Arlo (Ochoa) is a young dinosaur who gets separated from his family and tries to find the way home. Along the way he runs into a little orphan boy that he names Spot (Bright). The two fight and survive together as they bond on an earth that was spared an asteroid impact that caused dinosaur extinction.

Pixar.

The studio that for the longest time had the Midas touch.

Even their "worst films" were far and away better than any other studio could touch, viewers accepted them, flaws and all.

And then everyone else caught up, and in some instances, have surpassed Pixar for better looking, better feeling stories over the last few years.

So of course, when Inside Out came out, it was the triumphant return of the Pixar of old.

Then the fall came, and The Good Dinosaur premiered, and the bad Pixar of old reared its ugly head and reminded people of how bad some animated movies could be.

But before I tear this movie apart completely, let's just make one thing perfectly clear:

The backgrounds and scenery in this film is ay-may-zing. Gorgeously rendered, it looks sooooo real.

If only the rest of the movie were half that good or realistic...

As we watched this movie, it actually became more fun to laugh at it, because laughing with it was proving difficult.

The character designs were some of Pixar's worst. Their human looks okay, but their dinosaurs look buffoonish and cartoony, and totally out of place in the film.

They were aptly described as looking like characters from that Barnyard film a decade earlier.

Except that movie was funnier and had a much more interesting voice cast.

The voices in this film, save for Steve Zahn and Sam Elliott were boring and uninspired choices.

Plus, the movie seemed to not have anything original to say, but rather they had envisioned a series of "wouldn't it be funny if..." scenes and strung them together into a movie.

Wouldn't it be funny if Dinosaurs and Humans coexisted: The Flintstones.
We'll include a tragic father/son moment: The Lion King.
Then we'll have the dinosaur bond with the kid: Ice Age.
Oh, but how about we add a Western in there too! : City Slickers AND Back to the Future Part 3

To name but a few ideas that were borrowed, and basically made this audience want to watch any of those films instead.

Sadly, much like many of the reviews I write, I start out the review with a grade in my head. Then the more I think and type about the movie, that grade sometimes changes.

Sometimes for the better.

Often times, I get angry or disappointed in what I was offered as entertainment.

I think back to last year's Fantastic Four reboot. It was an okay film on its own, if it had renamed the characters and not called itself Fantastic Four. But it did, and it was downgraded because in the 8 years since the Marvel Cinematic Universe has propelled comic book movies into the forefront of entertainment, the bar is raised and to settle for less is just unacceptable at this stage.

So too is the dilemma for animated movies.

Pixar set the bar so high for everyone else, when movies fail to clear that bar, it's a trainwreck of mediocrity that cannot be tolerated. The problem is, now Pixar has found themselves failing to push the bar any higher, or missing their own bar completely.

Sure, not every movie is going to give you all 90 minutes filled with so much awesomeness you're begging to see it again and again. Remember, I hated the beginning of Inside Out and was about to eject it, or myself, and then it turned a corner and I was hooked.

But you should be happy that you at least saw it once.

The experience shouldn't be, "well I'm glad we got that one over with, and I hope to God to never see it again."

Or to tell the family member that missed the film and loves all animated film that she'd be better off not even bothering.

Final Grade: C-  Sorry Pixar, The Good Dinosaur failed to deliver. D-

You Do Not Have To Shoot Him Now..."The Revenant"

The Revenant (2015)

Rated R

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson, Will Poulter, A Very Angry Bear

Directed by Alejandro D. Inarritu

The Story:

Hugh Glass (DiCaprio) is a scout for a fur expedition in the wild American frontier of the 1820s. After leading the group away from an Indian attack, Glass is attacked and brutally mauled by a bear. As they are trying to outrun the Indians that want them all dead, Glass is simply slowing them down.  They leave a few behind including John Fitzgerald (Hardy) to care for him. Bad idea. Fitzgerald wants to leave Glass high and dry. Now Glass has to survive his wounds, the weather, escape the Indians and find Fitzgerald and kill him!

Naturally you have to mention that his was inspired by true events.

How much, and what exactly was true, well that's a mystery lost to the ages.

But Glass was a real guy, and he was attacked by a bear and lived.

Other than that, feel free to take creative license and do what you will with the story.

That DiCaprio finally won an Oscar for this role is odd to say the least.

For the first half of the movie, he barely has any dialogue at all.

Then the last half, well he has a reason not to talk, but still.

It seems like anyone could have the role of trying to survive and seek vengeance. I'm not so sure what was so special about DiCaprio's performance in this film that finally pushed him over the edge with voters.

Matt Damon in The Martian or Bryan Cranston in Trumbo (review coming soon!) were much more watchable and entertaining in their roles than DiCaprio.

Of course, that's not the only example of actors to have lost that deserved to win (those reviews still to come as well!)

And seriously, what was with all the actors breathing heavily onto the camera?

We get it, it's cold out there.

Seems like amateurish filmmaking more than symbolic or anything else.

The good part, with the majority of the film being dialogue free, I was able to Fast Forward through much of the 2 1/2 hour (!!! seriously ?!? !!!) runtime to get to the scenes where things actually happened or people actually spoke.

It's a fine, watchable movie, but Best of the Year or Most Entertaining?

Not even close.

Final Grade: C

Awkward Title...Charming Cast... "Some Kind Of Beautiful"

Some Kind of Beautiful (2015)

Rated PG-13

Starring Pierce Brosnan, Salma Hayek, Jessica Alba, Malcolm McDowell, Duncan  Joiner, Ben McKenzie

Directed by Tom Vaughan

The Story:

Richard (Brosnan) happily teaches poetry to his classes at Cambridge. Of course, having an affair with Kate (Alba) who is one of his students is just another perk to the job, Richard likes to keep his options open. When he meets the lovely Olivia, he is instantly smitten, then horrified to find out that she is Kate's sister. Then he's even more horrified to find out that Kate is pregnant. He gives up everything he knows to move to America to be a good dad, but things get really difficult, really fast.

Here's a romantic comedy/dramedy that flew well below the radar last year.

It reunites Brosnan and Hayek and the two have a wonderful chemistry together, and yet they are pretty much to be kept apart for the majority of the movie.

Even though, you and I know full well how everything is going to turn out, it's still an enjoyable ride to get to it.

Brosnan gets to play a bit more frazzled than we're used to seeing, and it's a refreshing change that he employs very well. While things may not have worked out with Kate, he adores being a dad and wants to make up for what he feels was a bad relationship that he had with his father (McDowell).

I enjoyed it, and if you want a nice, enjoyable date-night movie to enjoy, this should count as a good one that neither of you have seen before.

Currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B-

A Really Long Day At Work..."The 33"

The 33 (2015)

Rated PG-13

Starring Antonio Banderas, Rodrigo Santoro, Juliette Binoche, James Brolin, Lou Diamond Phillips,

Directed by Patricia Riggen

The Story:

Mario (Banderas) and 32 other miners are down below getting ready for their shift in an underground mine in Chile when the earth begins to shift and the mine starts to collapse. The 33 men barely make it to the sanctuary area where there is food and water for a few days worth of survival. All attempts at escape and rescue seem impossible as the mine owners cut costs and never completed escape routes. Eventually several companies come in to try and get to the men, but as the days turn into weeks, the odds of them finding anything other than corpses becomes more likely.

Based on a true story.

It's a sentimental drama that tugs at your heartstrings and makes you feel for the men.

These movies are often derided for doing the "by the numbers" routine to play on audience emotions.

Hey, I thought it worked.

And really, that's why we have phrases like "by the numbers", you check them off and you know that while you may not be pushing any envelopes or breaking new ground, you're producing a competent film that should appeal to most audiences.

I would say that is achieved in this film.

Odds are you may have overlooked or never heard of this film. I was won over by the trailer when I saw it, and I thought it looked good.

Of course, I also work for the Mine Safety and Health Administration and our job is to make sure miners come home safely at the end of each shift, so maybe I'm biased.

:)

Final Grade: B+

Kicking The Tires On The Old 007 Franchise... "Spectre"

Spectre (2015)

Rated PG-13

Starring Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Dave Bautista, Lea Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes, Monica Belluci, Naomie Harris,

Directed by Sam Mendes

The Story:

Bond (Craig) discovers that there is a secret organization named SPECTRE that has been behind much of the assignments that he's had over the years. He works to infiltrate their headquarters and meets the mastermind, Blofeld (Waltz). However, if he can't prove anything, it is quite possible that this will not only be his last mission as 007, that all of MI6 will be taken offline thanks to technology that shows spies to be horribly outdated.

The sweeping epic reboot of the Bond franchise comes full circle as Blofeld and SPECTRE finally arrive.

Thankfully, not a moment too soon.

For me, this is the best of the Craig Bond films since the stellar Casino Royale. I was underwhelmed with both Quantum of Solace and Skyfall was an improvement, but this felt more like it.

Apparently Craig is getting bored or tired of the role of James Bond, and it's been showing onscreen for some time as his Bond is beginning to not have the ruthless edge of a killer spy, but that of a bored actor who seemingly can't believe he's making another one of these films.

I don't know, the Bond Actors club is a pretty exclusive set, and I would think most actors would love to be known for playing the role.

We'll see what happens going forward with the franchise.

Waltz said he'll come back if Craig does.

Craig seems to no longer prefer suicide to another outing as James Bond, so I guess we'll find out in about 2 more years.

Otherwise, they've cobbled together a great support team for Bond, whoever is sporting the tux, going forward.

Final Grade: B

You'll Feel Yourself Aging Watching "While We're Young"

While We're Young (2014)

Rated R

Starring Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts, Adam Driver, Amanda Seyfried, Charles Grodin

Written and Directed by Noah Baumbach

The Story:

Josh and Cornelia (Stiller & Watts) are in their mid-40s, they've got no kids and they are just going through the motions in their relationship while all of their friends are having kids. Josh has been working on his documentary for nearly a decade but is struggling to finish. Into their lives breeze Jamie and Darby (Driver & Seyfried) and Jamie is also an aspiring documentarian and they get to know each other and begin hanging out. Life starts to change as the 40s and the 20s begin to mesh and mold with one another.

Meh.

It's not funny enough to be a comedy.

It's not dramatic or engaging enough to be a full on drama.

You can also see where the movie is going as Jamie may not be as honest as Josh thinks he is, but that's a realization that he has to come to on his own.

The movie also takes a rather gross turn midway through the movie as vomiting becomes an extended long scene that is neither amusing nor engaging.

I even debate as I write this as to whether the movie gets a passing grade or winds up on the worst of the year list, and quite honestly, I still don't know.

There was one really great line about the documentary that Josh was working on, delivered impeccably by Charles Grodin:

You just showed me a 6 1/2 hour movie that was 7 hours too long.

Thankfully this one was just a bit over 90 minutes, but there were several times, especially like the puking scene, where I was wondering why I was still even watching this film.

After I finished watching the movie, I see that it was streaming on Amazon Prime. Streaming, I would have definitely clicked this one off and found something else to watch.

I guess that decides it...

Final Grade: D+ it is!

It's Time To "Man Up"

Man Up (2015)

Rated R

Starring Lake Bell, Simon Pegg

Directed by Ben Palmer

The Story:

Nancy (Bell) has grown weary of all the blind dates that her friends and family have set her up on. By chance, she winds up meeting Jack (Pegg) who thinks she is the blind date that he has a date with. Nancy decides to go along with the assumption, and the two hit it off quite well.

And then, things take a decidedly different turn once the lies are exposed.

Boy meets girl. Boy loses girl. Boy tries desperately to get girl back.

It's the standard formula for romantic comedies, but this one approaches it with enough charm and fun and engaging performances by Pegg and Bell that you easily forgive formula and get sucked into their date and look forward to what is going to happen next.

For the most part, it is a dialogue driven movie, and I don't wish to spoil what unfolds upon their date.

I won't say it's the most realistic romantic comedy you've ever seen, but it is one of the most grounded, if that helps.

It's a chick flick that guys should also appreciate, how's that?

Totally worth your time.

Currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B 

Two For Tuesday - "Richard Pryor: Omit The Logic & Richard Pryor: Icon"

Richard Pryor: Icon (2014)

PBS

Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic - B+

Rated R

Directed by Marina Zenovich



The Stories:

Both documentaries take a look at the rise and tragic end to one of the greatest comedic performers of the 20th Century, Richard Pryor. Archival footage from many of his performances are used, as well as interviews from people that knew Pryor and those that were influenced by his comedy.

Both are good ways to get your feet wet on the history and impact of Richard Pryor.

Icon, part of the PBS series, clocks in just under an hour and follows the rise to stardom in the 60s until the end. They often repeat many of the pictures during the show and while a nice primer, it doesn't really break any ground or do much to showcase Pryor, except for hearing lots of people telling you how great he was.

Omit the Logic on the other hand is almost 90 minutes, and since it isn't airing on PBS uses much more audio and video of Pryor's comedy routines which helps solidify the fact that everyone found him to be hilarious. A little bit more of his life is mentioned in this documentary and it feels more well-rounded. The one piece either film was missing would have been to get some commentary from Gene Wilder since the two were linked so strongly together through film.

At the end of the day, you can't go wrong with either, or both.

Pryor was a genius, and he paved a way for generations of comics to follow.

Icon is currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grades:

Richard Pryor: Icon: B-

Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic: B+

An Overnight Sensation, 10 Years In The Making! "We Are Twisted F***ing Sister!"

We Are Twisted F***ing Sister (2014)

Not Rated

Starring Twisted Sister (Jay Jay French, Dee Snider, A.J. Pero, Eddie Ojeda, Mark Mendoza)

Written and Directed by Andrew Horn

The Story:

Twisted Sister started out as a bar band in New York. A glam rock band influenced by David Bowie but with a much harder edge, the band's cult following in New York in the early 70s began to really take shape when they added frontman Dee Snider on vocals. He insisted on wearing the clothes and makeup that Twisted Sister is known for, and eventually all of the members joined in. They quickly became the most famous band in the tri-state area, selling out venues that artists without record deals shouldn't even play in, let alone sell out. This is the story of how success turned to failure and more failure and even more failure as they kept reaching for the brass ring and kept getting knocked down in the process.

It's fascinating. It's heartwarming.

It's awesome.

Andrew Horn used crowdfunding and the participation of Twisted Sister to make this amazing documentary.

If you're like me, you know and remember Twisted Sister for their 2 singles in the mid 80s that catapulted them to stardom. Well, aside a brief mention at the end of the movie, that period isn't even mentioned.

If you were in New York or Europe from the mid 70's through 1982, then you might have already known all about this group, and how the world seemingly conspired against them to keep them from realizing mainstream success.

That's what this film is about.

Each member of the band is interviewed separately and that allows for some great insight from each on what they thought of their life in the band and the long road to fame.

Fans are also interviewed because without the fans, it's likely that Twisted Sister never does become famous.

Also interviewed are the managers and executives that tried to get their careers off the ground, to varying degrees of success.

It's such an amusing comeuppance to the record company executive that refused to sign the band, and their success was a giant F. U. right back at the suits who attempted to keep them down.

Those that believed were vindicated, and all the while, Twisted Sister just kept moving forward.

Rock on.

The documentary is streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

You don't have to be a fan of metal or even the band to enjoy this one. If you do, your enjoyment will be increased.

It's the heart of the story that carries this one above and beyond the ordinary.

Final Grade: A-

Here's Your Spoiler-Free Review Of "Captain America: Civil War"

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Rated PG-13

Starring Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Paul Rudd, Paul Bettany, Don Cheadle, Chadwick Boseman, Elizabeth Olsen, Emily VanCamp, Tom Holland

Directed by Anthony & Joe Russo

The Story:

Following some recent disasters where the Avengers have caused damage and death of civilians, the United Nations wants the Avengers to operate under their jurisdiction. Tony Stark (Downey) agrees. Steve Rogers (Evans) does not. Lines are drawn and friends are about to throw down.

You've seen the trailers, and odds are if you're reading this, you've either seen the movie, or plan to see it.

So here goes:

It is a Captain America movie. I've heard many say it's Avengers 2.5, but it's not. The best comparison I could give it would be for those that grew up reading comics, this is a crossover where the story starts in the pages of Captain America and when the issue is over, it's continued in the pages of Iron Man or the Avengers.

The tone, the direction, it's all deftly handled by Anthony and Joe Russo. The Avengers franchise is in great hands going forward. They have given us, in my opinion, the best of the superhero movies that Marvel Studios has produced.

Better scripts, better action than either of the Whedon directed Avengers, they show how to balance a cast of players, giving everyone their moment (or several) but never at the sacrifice of the overall story.

Spider-Man (Holland) and Peter Parker were fleshed out more in this short foray into the actual Marvel Cinematic Universe than nearly all of the previous iterations combined. And I actually liked the reboot. :)  We're hitting the ground running with no new origin, it's on, and I'm looking forward to next year's adventure.

The Black Panther gets introduced and is great from the start. You're told everything you need to know, and I don't know that an origin movie is in the cards. Maybe a rehash for those that may have skipped Civil War.

:: cough cough fools cough cough ::

Marvel continues to set the bar high, and just when you think they might stumble, they soar over that thing with all kinds of clearance, and you wonder why you even had doubts.

You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll sit on the edge of your seat.

Bravo.

Oh, and sit through the credits people.

ALL the credits.

Final Grade: A+  I think you'll see this again at the end of the year honors as my favorite film of 2016.

Putting Lipstick On A Pig... "Our Brand Is Crisis"

Our Brand Is Crisis (2015)

Rated R

Starring Sandra Bullock, Billy Bob Thornton, Anthony Mackie, Joaquim de Almeida, Ann Dowd

Directed by David Gordon Green

The Story:

In 2002, former Bolivian President Castillo (de Almeida) is so far behind in the presidential election polls, the group that is trying to get him elected turns to former election strategist "Calamity Jane" Bodine (Bullock) to do what she can to get him elected. The problem is, the people don't want him in charge, so Jane works to create a message that will resonate with the people, even if her candidate doesn't.

Based on a true story.

Can you imagine that?

An election with candidates so awful, that you have to spin anything to try and promise some hope and whiff of chance that your candidate is the only one that can save the day.

Bolivia 2002, or America 2016?

Either way, it tries hard to be both a comedy and a drama. A thriller and a political satire.

Perhaps it tries too hard? There's a good story in there, but sometimes trying for a bit or a moment, the story feels forced and doesn't organically flow.

It all amounts to not a whole lot, other than some really good actors given not a whole lot to do except bark at one another.

Thornton plays very well as the yin to Bullock's yang.

The main problem:  this is Sandra Bullock. If we are supposed to have any doubts that she can be devious and willing to risk it all, those ideals are packaged into one of America's sweethearts, and it's much harder to buy that as the audience.

And there are several moments that work, the llama scene and the election coverage spring to mind.

Joaquim de Almeida impresses as always. He could be a bad guy in any role on any movie, and you will believe it. And he has enough charisma and presence that you like to hate him, or hate to like him.

It was good, but with a few tinkerings, it could have been great.

Now I have to wonder which of the 2016 campaigns Jane is working on...

Final Grade:  C+

Can "Point Break" Live Up To Its Name ?

Point Break (2015)

Rated PG-13

Starring Edgar Ramirez, Luke Bracey, Ray Winstone, Delroy Lindo

Directed by Ericson Core

The Story:

"Utah" (Bracey) is an ex-X-treme athlete who joins the FBI after a horrible accident. When he sees that there have been a series of "robberies" by other extreme sport junkies, he wants to go undercover and become one of them. He meets Bodhi (Ramirez) and quickly ingratiates himself into their midst. But when these eco-terrorists go too far, will Utah stop them, or help them?

"I'll take 'Pointless Remakes for $500, Alex"

This unnecessary update of the Keanu / Swayze masterpiece.

"What is 'Point Break' ?

I mean, wow.

Really?

I suppose if you're going to steal the main idea from a movie, you might as well give them the credit in the title.

But really, there were enough differences between this movie and the original, slap some different names and you could've gotten away with it...

But no.

You had to go Utah and Bodhi.

Even so far as Utah being just a nickname! It could have been ditched at any time.

We have eco-terrorists instead of bank robbers.

Multiple extreme sports, not just surfing (and sky-diving).

This owes as much to xXx as Point Break, so they could have called it X-Treme Green and received the same (or maybe more?) box office returns.

But when you call yourself a movie that in some corners is considered a great movie or cult classic, well, you're the one that invited the comparisons.

To start with:

Luke Bracey is no Keanu Reeves. You can dog Reeves all you want, but Bracey is a cardboard cutout compared to Keanu.

Edgar Ramirez is no Patrick Swayze. However, he's just about the most energetic and charismatic thing in the movie, so he's got potential.

Ray Winstone is no Gary Busey. That's a good thing, as the world can only handle so much Busey. That said, I did like the role of Pappas in this film, and it was again, such a departure from the original that this movie could have survived without the familiar title.

Delroy Lindo is no John McGinley. That's also a good thing, because Lindo brings class and dignity to his role, small as it may be.

But again, there were so many changes, many of them for the better, in this film that it didn't need the familiar title card.

The special effects and stuntwork were phenomenal. The scenery and locations were beautiful, and if it was green screen/CGI, it was very good and not obviously fake.

But then you have shot for shot homages to the original, the most glaringly awful example is Utah chasing Bodhi, he falls, hurts his leg, and fires the gun in anger...

Why?

In this universe, Utah never hurts his knee, so there is no reason for that bit of a leap to hurt him.

Booooo.........

So yes, perhaps I've been overly critical.

After all, I don't even have 25 years of love for Point Break, I literally saw it a few days before the remake.

But come on.

Use better judgment when you remake these films.

Or just write something original, and avoid the comparisons.

Final Grade: C  

Because 'Surfing Burglars' Would've Been A Dumb Name For "Point Break"

Point Break (1991)

Rated R

Starring Keanu Reeves, Patrick Swayze, Gary Busey, Lori Petty, John C. McGinley,

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow

The Story:

Johnny Utah (Reeves) has joined the FBI, and his first assignment, he wants a crack at the Ex-Presidents, a gang who have been robbing banks in California. He teams with burnout Pappas (Busey) who has a crazy theory that the robbers are surfers. Utah goes undercover and meets Bodhi (Swayze), a charismatic surfer who may be the mastermind behind the crime sprees. The deeper Utah gets, the more his loyalties will be questioned.

Whoa.

Obligatory Keanu joke out of the way.

How did I not see this film in 25 years?

Easy, it didn't seem like that great of a film, so I wasn't in any hurry.

Then I saw the previews for the Point Break remake, and I thought to myself, seriously?

Let's see what all the fuss is about.

2 hours later...

I still don't see what all the fuss was about.

: )

The film is an okay action flick, and it is buoyed considerably by the charisma of Swayze and Reeves.

And say what you will about Keanu's ability to act (or not act...) looking over the resumes of several actors, I'll take his output and performance over, say, Johnny Depp, any day.

Swazye also has an effortless charm onscreen, and it makes me wonder why I've also never bothered to watch Dirty Dancing or Road House?

Perhaps when those remakes come calling, I'll be back!

Plus, you get the over-the-top crazy that is Gary Busey, plus John McGinley playing a first class tool, so what's not to love?

Otherwise, a little dated, but fun nonetheless, you can definitely do worse if you're looking for 90s action flicks.

For those that haven't seen it in the last 25 years (!!!!), maybe you'll want to revisit this one.

We'll find out how the remake fares against the original, tomorrow!

Final Grade:  C+

So Much Horrific Goodness... "Freaks Of Nature"

Freaks of Nature (2015)

Rated R

Starring Nicholas Braun, Mackenzie Davis, Josh Fadem, Denis Leary, Ed Westwick, Vanessa Hudgens, Keegan-Michael Key, Patton Oswalt, Bob Odenkirk, Joan Cusack, Ian Roberts, Rachel Harris, Mae Whitman, Chris Zylka

Directed by Robbie Pickering

The Story:

Welcome to Dillford, home of the riblet. Mmm, mmm, good! It also happens to be a town where humans, vampires and zombies all peacefully coexist, though there are bound to be some temperamental flare ups now and then. However an alien invasion has put its sights on Dillford (and the riblet!) and the uneasy peace is destroyed and now it's human vs. vampire vs. zombie, none of the groups aware of the existence of the alien menace. It's up to 3 teenagers to restore peace and save the world... or die trying!

I've been lucky so far this year with some great additions to the horror-comedy genre.

I'd never heard of Freaks of Nature before, so I gave it a whirl.

I'm so glad I did!

First, the cast is phenomenal and they get some hilarious dialogue throughout the film. Usually I stop at the main cast, or sometimes add a bit player or two, but I decided to just rattle off the full cast today. Whether they were on screen for the entire movie or just a minute or two, they all add to the rich texture of the story and provide momentum for the story progression.

The three main members of the cast are Dag (Braun) a human, Petra (Davis) who becomes a vampire shortly after the movie begins, and Ned (Fadem) who winds up becoming a zombie. These three band together to figure out what is happening with their town, and as they are all new to being non-human (save Dag), they don't hold the longstanding grudges that their communities have towards one another.

Yes, in a way, there's a bit of social commentary that can be found in the middle of a horror comedy if  you're not looking, so be careful, you could laugh AND learn something.

It's a fun story, the special effects are top-notch, and it's just a lot of fun from start to finish.

So far, this has been my favorite horror film of the year. :)

Final Grade: B+ / A- range.