Ironic Film TItle... "Joy"

Joy (2015)

Rated R

Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Robert DeNiro, Bradley Cooper, Diane Ladd, Edgar Ramirez, Virginia Madsen, Elisabeth Rohm,

Directed by David O. Russell

The Story:

Joy (Lawrence) is a divorced mother who has allowed her ex-husband (Ramirez) to stay in the basement while dealing with a mom (Madsen) who won't leave her room, a dad (DeNiro) who tends to drive her crazy when he's not chasing after his next girlfriend. She's broke, she hates her job, and she has an idea for a mop...

I'm sorry, was I boring you?

I was totally boring myself.

This engaging true story of a woman who pulled herself up by her bootstraps could be riveting and engaging.

For me, it wasn't.

While I liked the last time that DeNiro, Lawrence, Cooper and Director David O. Russell teamed together (Silver Linings Playbook) they were interesting characters that I was invested in from just about the first time I saw them onscreen.

I wanted to see more.

Lightning did not strike twice.

Aside from DeNiro, I actually wanted to see less of just about everyone else in the first 25 minutes of watching this film.

Life is already depressing enough, and crazy family is crazy family, I really don't need to see it in all of the mundane glory.

Indeed, by the 25 minute mark (I was trying to like it, I really was) I realized I didn't want to spend the next 2 hours with this family just to get to the inevitable happy ending.

Final Grade:  D   

These Ladies Like To Party..."How To Be Single"

How To Be Single (2016)

Rated R

Starring Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Leslie Mann, Alison Brie, Anders Holm, Damon Wayans Jr., Nicholas Braun, Jake Lacy, Jason Mantzoukas,

Directed by Christian Ditter

The Story:

Alice (Johnson) has been dumped by her boyfriend (Braun), so she sets out to get over him with a new job, new friends, and a new attitude in New York City! Her circle of friends include Robin (Wilson), Meg (Mann), and Lucy (Brie) each with their own foibles and crises. Of course, in a town full of eligible bachelors, they ladies run into some interesting characters as well (Holm, Wayans Jr., Lacy, Mantzoukas). But, just when you think you know how these relationships are going to end, stick around, because you might be pleasantly surprised...or disappointed!

It's a tough line to balance an R rated comedy that wants to have both raunch and heart, and this film is no different.

Thankfully, it's a fantastic cast, so it's easy to laugh with, and at, their predicaments.

I won't spoil which couples work and which ones don't, because that's half the fun of the film is watching these characters learn to realize what is most important to them, and who do they want to spend their time with.

Another nice touch, as the film is focused on the ladies as the stars, the guys come off rather well, upending some cliches that often are standard with romantic comedy fare.

As usual, Jason Mantzoukas kills it in every scene he's in. I'm not sure if he'll ever be the lead in a comedy, but as long as they keep casting him as a supporting player, I'll always give that movie a chance!

It's a little long for a comedy, but not unbearably so. There's a bit of wandering in the narrative as well, which seems like a 2 birds with one stone killing could have made a few of the issues go away.


Final Grade: C+

Twists And Betrayals Everywhere..."Triple 9"

Triple 9 (2016)

Rated R

Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Casey Afffleck, Anthony Mackie, Gal Gadot, Woody Harrelson, Aaron Paul, Kate Winslet, Norman Reedus,

Directed by John Hillcoat

The Story:

Some dirty cops are finally in over their heads when they are blackmailed by the Russian mob to pull off a daring heist. The only way to make it work, they will have to call in a "Triple 9": officer down call. The only problem, the rookie officer they choose to eliminate isn't going down without a fight.

The problem that usually happens with these "all-star cast" movies, is they just aren't that great.

They're good, but the plots are thin or too convoluted for their own good or there are issues with the narrative that make the movie seem like a direct to DVD feature versus that of a must-see theater experience.

Triple 9 does nothing to change my perception on that being the reality of these types of films.

:)

It's good, but not great.

It wants to be a crime / thriller / heist / action / drama / twisty action film that needs to juggle so many characters, situations and motives that it ends up doing a disservice to most of them.

This is of course, no fault of the stellar cast that do their best to make their characters someone to root for, or against, as the movie rolls along.

Again, nothing spectacular, but it's entertaining enough for a viewing, but I can't find any reason to come back in the future to revisit the film.

C+

Familiar Yet Different... "Gridlocked"

Gridlocked (2015)

Starring Dominic Purcell, Cody Hackman, Stephen Lang, Vinnie Jones, Danny Glover, Trish Stratus, Richard Gunn, Steve Byers,

Directed by Allan Ungar

The Story:

SWAT leader David Hendrix (Purcell) is recovering from being wounded in the line of duty. Officials team him with troubled movie star Brody Walker (Hackman) as part of some court-ordered rehabilitation. However, their ride-along is short-lived as a visit to Hendrix's crew is interrupted by some bad guys attempting to infiltrate where the SWAT team hangs out. Can the skeleton crew outlast the assault, or are they all doomed to fail?

Nothing too terribly ground-breaking to this one.

We've all seen the movies where the cops are assaulted by an outside force that has somehow gotten the edge on how to get in.

Is someone on the team a turncoat?

Well, there is the new guy, and of course that seems suspicious...

With the addition of the cocky movie star, he provides a wrinkle to the story, and some much needed comic relief throughout.

A little longer than it needed to be, and some clunky narrative and dialogue throughout, it's not a horrible B-movie, but one that lacks any redeeming charm to make it a cult favorite or a repeat viewing.

Purcell comes out of this one quite nicely. He's got the look for Hollywood action films, but seems to be doing just fine on television with a return to Prison Break and his role on Legends of Tomorrow, which I really need to start watching when it arrives on Netflix.

:)

Final Grade: C

Militant Cookie Entrepreneur..."The Boss"

The Boss (2016)

Rated R

Starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Bell, Peter Dinklage, Ella Anderson, Tyler Labine, Kathy Bates,

Directed by Ben Falcone

The Story:

Michelle Darnell (McCarthy) is a millionaire who winds up in jail after a little bit of insider trading. When she comes out, she learns that she can't just Martha Stewart her way back to the top. She intrudes upon her former assistant Claire (Bell) and her daughter Rachel (Anderson). When Michelle tastes some of Claire's brownies, she decides that she's got her new business venture to get on top, no matter what scout troops she might have to demolish to get there.

I approach every Melissa McCarthy with great caution these days.

She seems genuinely funny, but I've found that more often than not, she's being pigeonholed into playing the same acerbic wise-ass in every role.

And her delivery is impeccable, and sometimes her dialogue is outrageously funny...

Other times, it falls flat for me.

I would chalk The Boss up as my favorite of her starring roles thus far.

I think the only thing I would change, is her Chevy Chase falling down schtick.

We get it, you're a physical comedienne, but really, what point did the pratfalls serve in this movie?

The sofa bed, I get it. It was a set-up for the last joke in the movie, so I'll give you that one, but the fall down the stairs?

Time to let the stunts go.

They really don't service the plot very much, and again, you're getting yourself typecast.

Now, all of that said, I laughed a lot more in this movie than I expected to, but a lot of that laughter gets to be spread around to the rest of the cast, especially Kristen Bell as the poor Girl Friday who finally stands up for herself, and still gets run over at the same time.

I'm now more optimistic for future projects than I was before I watched this one.

And no, that doesn't count Ghostbusters, because every trailer I saw looked lame.

: )

Final Grade: B-

I Better Review "Believeland" Before The NFL Season Goes Much Further

ESPN 30 For 30: Believeland (2016)

A- Netflix Streaming

Starring LeBron James, Ernest Byner, Jim Brown, Hank Aaron,

Directed by Andrew Billman

The Story:

There are cities across the United States that host the "Holy Trinity" of professional sports teams: Baseball. Basketball. Football. They've all hoisted a trophy or two in their time. Some even repeatedly.

Then there is Cleveland, Ohio. Home of the Indians. The Cavaliers. The Browns.

No championship banner was raised in the city since 1964.

For over 50 years, the city would endure tantalizing heartache in one sport or another as their teams came within inches...within minutes...of raising that trophy, only to have fate come and snatch it from them at the last minute.

Sports fans in general, and Cleveland fans in particular know how close they were on so many occasions, and as the poster for this riveting documentary shows, their troubles are often summed up in succinct moments of failure.

Relive the pain of a World Series trophy being wheeled into the Indians locker room, only to have them turn it around and take it next door!

Watch Michael Jordan do what he did best, and crush the spirits of Cavalier fans.

Grab a tissue when Ernest Byner recounts the horrors of The Fumble.

Relive the anger of a city when Art Modell steals the franchise away from Ohio, relocates it to Baltimore and wins that championship they had worked so hard to bring to Cleveland.

Finally, watch as LeBron James arrives on the scene to save the day, destroys a fanbase with one fateful decision, then ultimately comes back and fulfills a promise.

The documentary has the best possible ending you could hope for, and is something right out of Hollywood. That it was filmed and wrapped after the Cavaliers had to write their own David vs. Goliath ending is pure synchronicity.

The curse is finally dead.

At least for a minute.

This is Cleveland after all.

Currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: A-

The Dawn Of Cinematic Greatness..."The Kentucky Fried Movie"

Kentucky Fried Movie (1977)

Starring Bill Bixby, George Lazenby, a whole host of others!

Directed by John Landis

The Story:

Movie trailers. The news. Commercials. All of that, and more, are about to get put through the comedy wringer in a movie-unlike you've ever seen before!

Well, that only took me 39 years to get around to finally seeing.

Odds are, if you rented movies in the 80s, you saw this poster on the wall, or at least saw the box as you browsed through the comedy section.

Was it worth the wait?

Hardly.

Basically it takes an episode of Saturday Night Live, then only 2 years old, and brings the format of rapid-fire sketch comedy to the big screen.

Bigger budget!
Badder language!!
Less wardrobe!!!

However, it works as a great time capsule that shows the beginnings of the creative genesis of David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker.

Yes, this is the very first feature film from the trio of minds that would launch Airplane and Police Squad! at the beginning of the 80s.

It's also the 2nd feature directed by John Landis.

His next 4 films?

Animal House, The Blues Brothers, An American Werewolf in London and Trading Places. 

Like all good (and not-so-good) sketch comedy, some jokes/skits work better than others.

That is totally on display here as well.

The biggest misfire for me, was the "feature length" A Fistful of Yen in the center of the movie. It was too long, and too unfunny. Perhaps if I was a bigger Enter the Dragon fan, I would enjoy it more.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime as of this writing.

Final Grade:  C

There Goes The Neighborhood..."10 Cloverfield Lane"

10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

Rated PG-13

Starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman, John Gallagher Jr.

Directed by Dan Trachtenberg

The Story:

Michelle (Winstead) is driving home late one evening and becomes involved in a car crash. When she awakes, she finds that she is being take of by Howard (Goodman). Apparently Emmett (Gallagher) is also being looked after by Howard as she learns that he rescued them both from some horrendous disaster and they should be thankful to even be alive in an underground bunker that he built. Michelle doubts the sincerity of the story and begins to think that Howard is making the entire story up, so she begins planning on how to break free.

But what if he's telling the truth?

Well, that was something alright.

The spiritual sequel to the 2008 found footage hit Cloverfield, this takes place almost entirely in the bunker as the 3 characters get to know each other.

It starts off creepy enough, wondering if you can actually trust Howard at his word.

But then you think you can.

Or can you?

And that twisting, back and forth logic propels most of the movie.

Then, it feels the need to loop back to the original movie, and nearly all of the suspense and tension just flies out of the film, like letting loose a balloon.

Perhaps not an unjustifiable ending, but one that a psychological thriller that makes up the majority of the run-time didn't deserve.

But when you switch gears, and genres, that quickly, you get what you deserve.

So a pretty good movie gets a markdown for an ending that underwhelmed.

Final Grade: B-

CSI: Jerusalem... "Risen"

Risen (2016)

Rated PG-13

Starring Joseph Fiennes, Tom Felton, Peter Firth, Cliff Curtis

Written and Directed by Kevin Reynolds

The Story:

After the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth (Curtis), Pilate (Firth) orders his tomb sealed to prevent any more uprisings in Jerusalem. After all, should his followers take the body and claim that he is risen, well who knows what that might do? Clavius (Fiennes) seals the tomb, but alas, nothing can stop Easter Sunday from coming, and not Clavius is going to turn over every grain of sand in the desert to find out who stole the body.

Naturally, everyone knows how the story ends, whether you've read The Book or not.

It's still an interesting tale told from the point of view of not only a non-believer, but someone with a job to do that involves hunting down and finding the very person who will cause Clavius to make some very difficult decisions and choices once he discovers the truth.

In the end, it's not going to convert anyone who doesn't believe, so you have a case of "preaching to the choir."

Well, that's what the church does best, and again, the studios are realizing that there is money to be made by releasing faith-based films into theaters.

With better production values and quality actors, these studios are upping their game and producing high quality films that appeal to the audience they intend, but also are gaining traction with the movie-going public in general.

That it tells a pretty good version of a Biblical story? Even better.

After all, we all remember what happened with Noah, right?

:: shudder ::

Final Grade: C+

It's A Jungle Out There..."Zootopia"

Zootopia (2016)

Rated PG

Starring Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, Jenny Slate, Bonnie Hunt, Don Lake, J.K. Simmons, Shakira,

Written and Directed by Byron Howard, Rich Moore, Jared Bush

The Story:

Judy Hopps (Goodwin) is determined to be the first bunny rabbit to ever join the police force. It's never been done before, and society at large says it shouldn't be allowed, but she manages to join the force in time to land the biggest missing animal case the city has ever seen. To save her job, she joins forces with Nick (Bateman),  a streetwise fox to try and unravel the whereabouts of the citizenry of Zootopia.

Leave it to Disney to strike a chord with the masses with a kind-hearted message movie about racial and/or gender equality that is appealing to the masses.

In this case, you've got the predators and the prey living side by side, but with some nefarious plotting afoot, how long will the fragile peace in the land last?

Then by switching the focus from Nick to Judy, you've also added the layer that girls can do anything boys can do, if that is what they want to do.

So yes, heavy social topics, but not delivered with a heavy hand to take away the enjoyment of the movie.

As usual with Disney, they've combined wonderful character designs with a stellar voice cast to create a beautiful movie.

I'm doubtful it needs one, but since it's Disney, I'm sure we  haven't seen the last of these characters. Let's hope the inevitable sequel has a story worthy of the original.

For those that have missed it in theaters or on DVD, starting tomorrow, you should be able to begin streaming it on Netflix as one of the first movies to arrive as part of the exclusive Disney/Netflix deal.

Don't worry, those of you without kids, you can watch it too.

: )

Final Grade:  A-

"My All-American" Uncovers Another Sports Tear-Jerker

My All-American (2015)

Rated PG

Starring Aaron Eckhart, Finn Wittrock, Rett Terrell, Juston Street, 

Directed by Angelo Pizzo

The Story:

Freddie Steinmark (Wittrock) wants to play football, badly. He makes it to the Texas Longhorns  under Coach Royal (Eckhart). His work ethic and camaraderie with his friends Bobby Mitchell (Terrell) and James Street (Street) impress the coaches, and soon Freddie is a rising star on the team. 

Ah, but this isn't just an underdog sports story.

No, this is one of those true, bring a tissue because something bad is going to happen sports stories.

Here is the story of Steinmark, a college football legend, at least as far as the Texas Longhorns are concerned. 

It has a very sweet introduction as an elderly Royal answers in an interview who his favorite from a long list of All-American athletes he ever had the joy of coaching, which one was his favorite. 

His answer, which unfolds after that, is the All-American in name only, as he never had a chance to earn the the actual accolade. 

These stories are almost always a by-the-numbers production, but again, I don't mean that to sound negative.

Those numbers work for a reason. 

You've got an idea of what's going to happen, and you won't be disappointed. 

The great thing about my delay between watching movies and posting the reviews, the streaming services often get a chance to catch up to me. This one is now streaming on Netflix as of this writing. :)

Final Grade: Solid B

Living In "Whitechapel" Can Be Deadly

Whitechapel: Season 1 (2009)

Not Rated

Starring Rupert Penry-Jones, Phil Davis, Steve Pemberton

Created by Ben Court, Caroline Ip

The Story:

Jack the Ripper, or at least someone copying his infamous murders, is back terrorizing Whitechapel, London. Young Detective Inspector Chandler (Penry-Jones) is assigned the case by the top brass so that he can check off the "murder" block, and move up towards the higher ranks at headquarters. Of course, he doesn't realize it's a Ripper murder, nor does Detective Sergeant Miles (Davis) the gruff, streetwise detective that is forced to follow this rookie Inspector. It's only when Ripperologist Edward Buchan (Pemberton) shows them the connections that the department begins trying to stop the new Ripper before he strikes again. Yet, how do you stop a murderer who was never caught?

It's easy to become enamored with the BBC shows, as they are usually well acted, well written and well crafted.

They are also 3-6 episodes long, so they don't overstay their welcome, or get bloated with subplots that seemingly stall the narrative to barely keep the wheels of the plot in motion.

Season 1 of Whitechapel is 3 intense episodes that are focused on the Jack the Ripper killings, and the oil/water relationship between that of Chandler and Miles (and the rest of the Department for that matter).

It's always been a compelling narrative when you have two dynamic leads who both believe in their ideals and it conflicts with the other.

Each will bend, yet never break, and the partnership usually comes out stronger in the end.

I'm hesitant to try the subsequent 3 seasons, as they have nothing to do with Jack the Ripper, which was my initial interest.

However, the characters were compelling enough to pull me back, so maybe in the near future?

Currently streaming for those with Amazon Prime.

Final Grade: Solid B / B+

Time To Get With "The Program"

The Program (2015)

Rated R

Starring Ben Foster, Chris O'Dowd, Dustin Hoffman, Lee Pace, Jesse Plemons,

Directed by Stephen Frears

The Story:

David Walsh (O'Dowd) is a reporter for an Irish newspaper who has been covering the Tour de France for years. When he sees his colleagues become enamored with previously not-that-great cyclist Lance Armstrong (Foster), he expresses his doubts. The more Armstrong begins winning, the more sure Walsh is that he's cheating.

This is based on the book that Walsh wrote on Lance Armstrong doping, and duping, the entire world.

And it's a good movie, but it's not great.

It unfolds in a straightforward fashion with Lance not being very great on the hills of France and then slowly, methodically, he works his way to the top of the mountain, both figuratively and literally.

Foster is an amazing Lance Armstrong, the guy that everyone loved once upon a time.

The American that beat The Tour!
The American that beat Cancer!

Then he got greedy and had to come back for more.

And that's when things began to unravel.

Had he simply stayed away from the limelight, it's quite possible that his legacy would have endured.

But the ego, the need for the spotlight shines through in his performance, and you can see it as his true undoing.

O'Dowd makes for a great reporter, going after the story that nobody else wants to believe.

The weird thing, for a story that involves his work to uncover the story, the reporter is absent for most of the proceedings, which is a shame.

It seemed like the story was missing the dramatic cues that allow Armstrong to stay one step ahead for so long, or perhaps it's just knowing what happens, there's never a sense of real drama or tension to elevate this film from a "should see" to a "must see".

Now streaming on Amazon Prime as of this writing.

Final Grade:  B-

The Odd Couple... "Dirty Grandpa"

Dirty Grandpa (2016)

Rated R

Starring Zac Efron, Robert DeNiro, Zoey Deutch, Aubrey Plaza, Jason Mantzoukas, Julianne Hough,

Directed by Dan Mazer

The Story:

Dick (DeNiro) is in mourning after his wife has passed. He guilts his favorite grandson, Jason (Efron) into taking him on a road trip to Florida to spread the ashes. Ah, but what Jason will soon come to realize, is that Grandpa is itching to use his newfound freedom to get busy with the ladies in Florida. Lenore (Plaza) is willing, and her best friend Shadia (Deutch) just happens to be an ex-classmate of Jason's. The biggest problem, Jason has life-plans that don't include helping his grandpa get laid.

So, going with that explanation and the title of the film, you know what to expect going into this one.

If you dare to enter!

What you'll find is people moaning and lamenting the decline of DeNiro as a serious actor.

Bah.

What you'll find is DeNiro doing his job as an actor in a part that was probably made for him. The man has got to work, and unless they're lining up GoodFellas, Raging Bulls or the like demanding that DeNiro be in their films, well, sorry, clearly he enjoys working and his legacy on film is secure enough that he can pretty much do whatever he wants to do at this point in his career.

Sure, we can always hope the film will be worthy of more artistic merit, but don't begrudge DeNiro a living.

Whatever work he does now, whether in comedies or direct to DVD fare, doesn't diminish what he's done before.

So too with Efron, as he continues to stay as far away from his Disney Channel roots as possible. As the uptight grandson, he doesn't get to be the party-boy like his character in Neighbors, but like DeNiro, he's willing to put his all into the project, even if it means being the butt of most of the jokes.

That said, as the title implies it's filthy, with language and situations flying a mile a minute for the "shock and awe" factor but there's enough actual comedy to make this one worth a viewing.

If for no other reason than Jason Mantzoukas who is quickly becoming one of my favorite supporting actors. Whenever he shows up in a film, the scenes he appears in are of such manic energy, they begin to support the entire film and make everything just a little bit better.

If you're going to go for raunchy humor, while you can do better, you can almost definitely do a lot worse than this one.

Final Grade: C+

Here Kitty Kitty..."Keanu"

Keanu (2016)

Rated R

Starring Jordan Peele, Keegan-Michael Key, Tiffany Haddish, Method Man, Darrell Britt-Gibson, Jason Mitchell, Jamar Malachi Neighbors, Luis Guzman, Will Forte, Nia Long,

Directed by Peter Atencio

The Story:

Rell (Peele) is having a rough time when a wonderful kitten that he names Keanu winds up on his doorstep. Rell is smitten, and begins enjoying life again. However, when he comes back home with his cousin Clarence (Key), someone has broken into the house and kidnapped Keanu. The duo pretend to be a pair of notorious drug dealing hitmen in order to infiltrate a local gang and free Keanu!

Yep, that's it.

It's a tale of two guy pretending to be two guys they aren't, all to rescue a cute little kitten.

It shouldn't work as a feature length movie, yet it does.

The main reason, of course, is the comedy duo of Key & Peele.

Full disclosure, I've never seen their show, so I've got nothing with which to compare their comedic antics.

I'll assume their show was this much fun, which means I'll probably be watching it down the road.

But their chemistry is one of a well-honed comedy duo and their antics serve both short-term laughs and long-term comedy payoffs.

Plus, they recognize the musical genius of George Michael, and that's always a plus!
:)

Final Grade: B+

"Cop Car" Is A Dull Ride

Cop Car (2015)

Rated R

Starring Kevin Bacon, James Freedson-Jackson, Hays Wellford, Camryn Manheim,

Directed by Jon Watts

The Story:

A pair of ten year old boys (Freedson-Jackson & Wellford) are running away from home. Then the find a police car with the keys in it, so they decide, why run when you can drive?

However, when the sheriff (Bacon) realizes he's been carjacked, he's going to go to any means necessary to get his car back, because, well, he's not exactly the nicest cop on the planet...

Cue ominous music!

I can't think of one thing that I enjoyed about this movie.

I'm actually surprised that I watched the whole thing and just didn't give up after 20 minutes.

Like I said, even Kevin Bacon couldn't save this Coming of Age/Dirty Cop hybrid thriller that was long on boredom, short on thrills.

If your goal is to watch every film Kevin Bacon has ever been in, then by all means, you must see this one.

The guy can play a dirty cop without blinking an eye.

Everyone else?

I'd fight the urge, and go watch just about any other film, with or without Bacon, instead.

Mmm...

Bacon.

Final Grade: D

Seize The Day..."Hello, My Name Is Doris"

Hello, My Name Is Doris (2015)

Rated R

Starring Sally Field, Max Greenfield, Tyne Daly, Stephen Root, Peter Gallagher,

Directed by Michael Showalter

The Story:

Doris (Field) attends a self-help seminar where Willy Williams (Gallagher) instills in her a confidence that she's never had before. Doris begins to make some changes in her life, all in an effort to possibly woo a new co-worker (Greenfield)  who is half..maybe...her age.

So far, it seems to be quirky romance week here at Review Central.

Following up on yesterday's Mr. Right, comes a triumphant tour de force for Sally Field as Doris, the best role she's had in ages.

It's funny, sad, heartwarming and heartbreaking, but it's never dull.

These are characters that may very well exist in the real world, yet have been given a tweak here and there to up their quirkiness.

Believable, but never overblown, Doris will suck you up right into her world, and you'll find yourself excited for her one moment, and cringing with (or for) her the next.

Never once do you expect the relationship to work, yet deep down, you're totally pulling for her to make it work.

It's a terrific cast and a genuinely heartfelt dramedy.

Final Grade: Solid B

"Mr. Right", Or At Least Close Enough

Mr. Right (2015)

Rated R

Starring Sam Rockwell, Anna Kendrick, Tim Roth,

Directed by Paco Cabezas

The Story:

Martha (Kendrick) is unlucky in love, then quite by accident, she bumps into a man (Rockwell) who just may be...Mr. Right. She is smitten, and he seems to genuinely care for her as well. Hopefully the fact that he's an assassin won't damper things between the couple.

File this one under quirky, but utterly charming, thanks mostly to Rockwell and Kendrick who rarely disappoint and their chemistry helps make this one well worth a viewing.

A few minor changes here and there to the storyline, and I would have graded it higher and let it be a contender for best of the year.

But it's got a few issues.

Those issues aren't deal-breakers for me though.

It's a scoop of vanilla ice cream that needed a topping or two to put it over the top.

But still, it's quite the charmer.

There is of course, the reasoning behind what Rockwell does for a living. Yes, he's the living paradox of a killer with a conscience, and to say more would spoil some of the fun.

So go in with no expectations other than to see a movie with Rockwell and Kendrick, and you'll come out of the viewing with a smile on your face.

Mostly guaranteed.

:)

Final Grade: B-

Worth A Shot..."Jean Claude Van Johnson"

Jean Claude Van Johnson (2016)

Not Rated

Starring Jean Claude Van Damme, Phylicia Rashad, Kat Foster,

Directed by Peter Atencio

The Story:

Sure, you know Jean Claude Van Damme (Van Damme) the actor. But Jean Claude has a secret, and after trying retirement, he checks in with his manager (Rashad) to get back to his "other job": covert assassin! That's right, in between filming his smash hits, Jean Claude has kept the world safe by offing bad guys in real life. However, he may have been out of the game too long to win back his ex-love (Foster) and stay alive!

Ha!

What a fun premise this one turned out to be.

Van Damme is not afraid to poke fun at himself and the movies he's starred in over the years.

He's always seemed to be a likable guy, and this seems to put icing on the cake that Van Damme is the man!

It's a fun, breezy 30 minute adventure that sets up the pilot for what could be an Amazon original series.

But only if you watch.

I'm in, and hopefully we can find out what happens next, and if Van Damme and his girlfriend will finally be reunited, or if their love is doomed, and what cheesy flick he has to star in to pull off his assignments.

:)

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime for viewing.

Final Grade:  Solid B 

Undercover Brothers..."Ride Along 2"

Ride Along 2 (2016)

Rated PG-13

Starring Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, Tika Sumpter, Benjamin Bratt, Olivia Munn, Ken Jeong,

Directed by Tim Story

The Story:

Ben (Hart) is getting married to Angela (Sumpter) soon, but before the wedding, he has to head to Florida with James (Cube) on assignment. There they begin to unravel a plot thanks to AJ (Jeong) that implicates a very wealthy businessman (Bratt) who the local police (Munn) refuse to believe could possibly be dirty.

In other words, if you enjoyed the first Ride Along, you should have just as good of a time, or better, on their latest trip.

I've enjoyed both films. They were good, but I'd like to see better by the time the 3rd one rolls around.

Ice Cube is great, as usual, and works really well with Kevin Hart.

Hart is an actor that has grown on me over the years, and I've enjoyed his performances more and more as I've watched him.

He's like a short Chris Tucker.

:)

Now put those two together in a movie, and let's see what happens.

Anyway, the movie is fun, the cast seems to have some genuine chemistry among them, and I'd happily return for the next ride if they're willing to make it.

That, or have these guys crossover with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in Bad Boys: The Ride Along and I'll be there opening night!

Final Grade: B-

Justice Is Served..."Stir Crazy"

Stir Crazy (1980)

Rated R

Starring Gene Wilder, Richard Pryor, JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, Barry Corbin, Georg Stanford Brown,

Directed by Sidney Poitier

The Story:

Skip (Wilder) and Harry (Pryor) leave New York and head west to start over. When the duo are accused of robbing a bank, they are tried and convicted most expeditiously to begin serving their time in jail. When Skip shows a propensity to be able to ride a mechanical bull, the warden (Corbin) sees dollar signs in the annual upcoming rodeo contest, and Skip and Harry see a way out of their predicament.

The second of four comedies between Wilder and Pryor, I had decided to rent this one again since I hadn't seen it since probably 1980/81 and remembered very little about it.

Aside from the "that's right, we bad" scene and the dancing birds costumes, that was probably the sum total of my memory.

I watched this a few weeks back, and added the movie to my "To Be Reviewed" pile, probably as a #ThrowbackThursday review.

Then Gene Wilder passed away, and I debated, do I do a R.I.P. Gene tribute piece or not?

To be fair, I enjoyed Wilder's performances in just about anything I saw from him, but sadly, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Silver Streak, and See No Evil, Hear No Evil were pretty much my entire catalog of Wilder's works.

But look at that list again.

That's a pretty impressive list of comedies all on their own merits.

Wilder actually steals most of the scenes he is in, even though it's a lock that Pryor's character is normally the crazier, funnier one in their duos.

Wilder brings an everyman approach to the role. His characters seem honest, unassuming and likable.

So when he rides the mechanical bull like it's nothing, you have no doubt in your mind that he's as happy on that bull as we are to be watching him.

So we've lost another Hollywood great, but he's left behind a pretty good legacy on film.

Even Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, though that movie is just too creepy to really be enjoyable.

:)

So if you're up for a laugh, you'll be hard-pressed to not find one under the Wilder/Pryor catalog.

Though I still have one more that I've never seen.

Hmmm....

Final Grade: Solid B