Just When You Thought It Was Finally Safe..."The Shallows"

The Shallows (2016)  

Rated PG-13

Starring Blake Lively

Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra

The Story:

Nancy (Lively) goes out surfing at a secluded beach where her mom once tore up the waves. When a few other surfers head to shore, Nancy decides to try for one more wave.

Clearly Nancy has not grown up watching shark movies!

:)

Arguably, this is one of the best shark movies since Jaws, and I've sat through enough of them to know what I'm talking about here.

Collet-Serra breaks from his usual thrillers with Liam Neeson to direct a thriller with a killer shark instead.

Apparently Liam Neeson wasn't available to play the part of the killer shark.

So instead, this is all about Nancy and her fight for survival just a few hundred yards off shore and safety.

Thankfully she went to medical school, so she will be able to tend to her wounds to keep her from simply bleeding to death and making the movie rather boring.

The film follows very much in Spielberg's shoes by letting a lot of the killer shark go unseen, and just ratchet the tension by knowing he's out there, waiting, and there's nothing our human protagonist can do about it.

So that leaves Lively to carry the film, and she does so quite admirably. Put in a bikini and stuck on a rock for most of the film, she does her best to run the gamut of emotions and keep you enthralled with her desperate plight.

At the end, there's got to be a showdown between human and monster, and while it may be a little over-the-top, this is B-movie thriller/monster movie and the conclusion works perfectly for the film.

Overall, I was very entertained from start to finish, and someday I'll add it to the film library.

Final Grade: B+

Deja Vu All Over Again... "Ghostbusters"

Ghostbusters (2016)

Rated PG-13

Starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Chris Hemsworth,

Directed by Paul Feig

The Story:

Ghosts have been sighted in Manhattan, and former paranormal believers Erin (Wiig) and Abby (McCarthy) find themselves back in each other's lives. They assemble a group of fellow "Ghostbusters" (McKinnon & Jones) and prepare to save New York from certain doom.

Well, if that sounds familiar, it should.

You've seen it before, and it was better.

However, that's the risk you run when you remake a beloved Hollywood classic.

Now, that's not to say that the original Ghostbusters movie was a cinematic masterpiece.

It was mostly a fun movie that took a science/supernatural story and injected some humor in it with a great cast that had chemistry and fun together.

So when the all-girl remake was announced, there apparently was a shrieking of fandom that what was happening was blasphemy, etc. etc.

That I don't get at all.

If you're going to put the movie on blast, wait until you see it to decide if it is good.

Or at least, wait until the trailer comes out, and then make it the most hated movie trailer in the history of the internet.

Anti-Ghostbuster fans 2...remake 0.

And really, let's be honest, the trailer(s) for Ghostbusters weren't that good.

There was little humor to be found, and it appeared that if anything funny was going to happen, it would be from McKinnon or Jones, not the main leads Wiig and McCarthy.

Which is strange.

Now having seen the movie, the trailer was right, this movie wasn't very funny.

It's like they tried too hard...or not hard enough... I still can't put my finger on it.

There were some things they did right, I absolutely loved all of the new technology McKinnon brought to the team. That was inventive and enjoyable.

However nearly all of the laughs in the film belonged to...

Chris Hemsworth.

Yep, it appeared that if the Ghostbusters movie was going to take a few shots at the men that were attacking the film prior to release, they were going to do it in film with a few pieces of dialogue peppered here and there, and then taking Hemsworth and letting him play the "ditzy blonde" stereotypical role.

Except he NAILED that role and is the most enjoyable part of the film.

His choice of playing sax or listening to sax scene is comedy gold!

So at the end of the day, it's not a horrible remake and is worth a viewing, but I don't see this one having the legs to become a celebrated treasure like the original has become.

Final Grade: C+

Who You're Not Gonna Call..."Ghost Team"

Ghost Team (2016)

PG-13

Starring Jon Heder, David Krumholtz, Justin Long, Melonie Diaz, Amy Sidaris,

Directed by Oliver Irving

The Story:

Louis (Heder) is tired of his life and wants to do something exciting and new. He decides to try and make a video to be the next Ghost Hunter on tv. He assembles his team, and they head to a spooky farm on the outskirts of town.

One by one, members of the team go missing.  Louis has definitely stumbled onto something. Can he rescue them from the supernatural mystery, or will his foray into adventure be the last thing he ever does?

Oh, I try and spin it, but this just isn't that great of a movie.

Of course, I'd say that about any movie with Jon Heder as the star. Really? That's the best you could do?

But this is a movie with a 12 dollar budget, and you get what you pay for.

Most of the characters are tipped to the annoying side of the scale.

It's one I almost pulled out at the 20 minute mark, but I had mercy as there was potential there for something interesting to happen.

It got mildly better as more of the cast was introduced, but in the end, it's just not that great.

It does make the live action remake of Scooby Doo seem even better now.

: )

Not streaming yet, but it's coming soon to Netflix.

Final Grade: C- ... D+.  Yeah, let's go with D+

Zom-Rom-Com... "Night Of The Living Deb"

Night of the Living Deb  (2015)

Not Rated

Starring Maria Thayer, Michael Cassidy, Syd Wilder, Ray Wise, Chris Marquette,

Directed by Kyle Rankin

The Story:

After a night out, Deb (Thayer) wakes up in the apartment of Ryan Waverly (Cassidy) the biggest hunk in Portland Maine. She has no idea how she got there, or what happened, and Ryan basically shows her the door. The only problem, on the outside of that door, a zombie apocalypse pretty much sprung up over night!  Now these two have to put their differences aside and try and get to safety!

Another horror comedy that is currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Deb gets the most screen time as the heroine/final girl of the film.

She seems to be dippy one moment and then tough-as-nails the next, so expect a somewhat uneven tone if you settle in for this one.

Then of course you have the oil/water relationship between her and Ryan. It sets up a sweet 2nd half when Ryan realizes that whether he loves her or not, he certainly cares that Deb is alive and kicking.

Plus anything with Ray Wise in it is instantly better than without.

This is also one of those rare zombie films where the source of the virus is explained and that also helps drive the narrative.

While not joining the ranks of wanting to watch it every Halloween season, it was good for viewing at least once.

That's better than some movies I've seen this year. :)

Final Grade:  C+

A New Take On The Zombie Virus..."Cell"

Cell (2016)

Rated R

Starring John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, Isabelle Fuhrman, Stacy Keach, Ethan Andrew Casto, Clark Sarullo,

Directed by Tod Williams

The Story:

Clay (Cusack) is an aspiring graphic novelist who is on his way to see his son (Casto) after a productive meeting. His phone battery dies while talking with his estranged wife (Sarullo). Suddenly, he notices passengers in the airport that had been behaving normally while on their cell phones, break out into a murderous frenzy. He barely escapes and finds some other survivors including Tom (Jackson) and they decide to head north to find Clay's son.

Equal parts Invasion of the Body Snatchers meets Any Typical Zombie movie, you've now got Cell, based on a book by Stephen King.

There is no real mention of what causes the outbreak, and the only real clue is that the villain that seems to be at the center of it all looks just like a character that Clay created.

Hmmm....

Is this a movie that is dreamed by the main character?

I'd like to hope so because the ending was horrible.

Which is disappointing, because up until that point, the movie was actually not to bad for a low-budget thriller.

I'd even go so far as to say watch the movie up until the point Cusack and Jackson part ways.

Once that happens, turn it off, take it out, and send it back to Netflix.

You'll likely find you had a better viewing experience than sticking around for the conclusion.

Reading up on the differences between the book and the movie, the book had a vague, but positive ending.

Not so in this film.

It's neither vague, nor positive.

It downright sucks, even.

And that blame falls directly on King's shoulders as he is the one that wrote the screenplay, wanting to change the ending.

Master of horror...

More like master of horrible endings.

:)

Final Grade: C

You Will Get The "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" Theme Song Stuck In Your Head

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015)  

TV-14

Starring Ellie Kemper, Tituss Burgess, Carol Kane, Jane Krakowski,

Created by Tina Fey & Robert Carlock

The Story:

15 years after being abducted into a Doomsday Cult, Kimmy Schmidt (Kemper) is freed, and decides that she doesn't want to exist by cashing in on the fame of being one of the bunker girls, but instead wants to start a new life for herself in New York City. But if she thought life in a bunker was weird, she ain't seen nothing yet!

My guess with most viewers, you're either going to enjoy this Netflix Original series, or you are probably going to run screaming in the other direction as fast as possible.

I'm not sure there's a middle ground here.

Even after the first episode, I pondered to myself, "what exactly have I just watched" ?

But the next episode comes on, and the strangeness invites itself in and lets you know that it's here to stay.

This is a world populated by strange characters, and the little girl that grew up in the bunker is far from the craziest person you'll meet.

Kimmy of course is a woman with the soul and mentality of a teenage girl. She's yet to fully grow up, but that's part of her charm.

There's her roomate, Titus (Burgess) who may be the greatest asset to the show. He's hilarious and winds up in some of the oddest predicaments that you could imagine.

Then we have their landlord, Lillian (Kane) who is a box of rocks short of having a box of rocks, but has a heart of mostly gold.

Finally, Jacqueline (Krakowski). the socialite who Kimmy begins nannying for but will go through some personal upheavals throughout the seasons.

That's a quick look at the players, and they are surrounded by even crazier guests, but the show always drives forward with smaller pieces that feed a larger story arc.

It's always wild, a little weird, but usually quite fun.

That's not to say it's perfect.

When we venture back and meet Kimmy's family during the trial...

Well, let's just say those were a few weird characters too many.

Season Two course-corrected a bit and introduced a recurring Tina Fey character that was fundamentally different from the one she played in the first season, and helped move Kimmy's storyline along.

What's going to happen in Season 3?

Hard to say, but they left off with an intriguing enough cliffhanger to keep us guessing.

Final Grade:  B

How To "Get A Job" In The 21st Century

Get a Job (2016)

Rated R

Starring Miles Teller, Anna Kendrick, Bryan Cranston, Alison Brie, Marcia Gay Harden, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jorge Garcia, Nicholas Braun,

Directed by Dylan Kidd

The Story:

Will (Teller), Jillian (Kendrick) and their friends are done with college and ready to set forth into their careers and life. Except they are all about to learn that life is never easy and whatever you thought you had planned, hopefully you wrote it down in pencil or dry erase marker.

This is an odd duck of a movie.

Apparently it was trapped in limbo for several years before it was finally released, seemingly direct to DVD.

Which is a shame, as the movie has a wonderful ensemble cast and it tackles the tough job of finding employment and balancing a life, whether it's straight out of college, or in the case of Will's father (Cranston) when he is suddenly let go and has to start over again.

The stories are a little disjointed, and could have used a tighter narrative to join them all together, but at the end of the day you have a cast of really likeable characters that are faced with the prospect of growing and learning or running and hiding.

The cast is essentially what makes this movie, and every character, from the leads to the supporting characters make the most of their personalities and screen time and will win you over as the movie rolls along.

You'll be proud of the choices they make, and while there may be "all happily ever aftered with a big bow on the end", it's just the sort of ending you would want them, or yourself, to have.

Can't beat that.

Final Grade:  C+

Quite The Little Charmer..."A Royal Night Out"

A Royal Night Out (2015)

Rated PG-13

Starring Sarah Gadon, Bel Powley, Emily Watson, Rupert Everett, Jack Laskey, Jack Gordon, Jack Reynor,

Directed by

The Story:

Princess Elizabeth (Gadon) and Margaret (Powley) would very much like to get out of the castle and celebrate V-E Day with Londoners everywhere as World War II is over. Letting your daughters out on a night like that is worrisome enough for parents, but when your parents are the King and Queen (Everett & Watson) of England, you can imagine the answer already. However, they do send the girls out with a pair of military escorts (Laskey & Gordon) to ensure the girls are fine.

Naturally, you know what's going to happen next.

Based on the Queen's own true story, though I'm sure much of the efforts are exaggerated for comic effect, this movie is a sweet little story about 2 little girls who have one shot at feeling normal in their lives, and are determined to take it.

Gadon and Powley are up to the challenge of putting a little life into their royal portrayals and make the characters come alive getting a chance to experience a lifetime of events all in one night.

Equally charming are Everett and Watson as the stiff upper lip monarchs who are thrilled to see the war is over and now worried about what their girls are up to.

Of course, while the 2 military escorts play the comedy part of the movie, there's a 3rd (Reynor) who will bump into Elizabeth and provide the romance.

Like with all whirlwind movie romances, the two don't exactly hit it off very well upon their first meeting.

Very well done, and I'm glad the Queen was able to get out and let her hair down at least once in her life.

Currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B

Sweet Christmas! "Luke Cage"

Luke Cage (2016)

TV-MA

Starring Mike Colter, Simone Missick, Theo Rossi, Alfre Woodard, Rosario Dawson, Erik LaRay Harvey, Mahershala Ali, Frank Whaley, Frankie Faison,

Created by Cheo Hodari Coker

The Story:

Luke Cage (Colter) is minding his own business in Harlem at Pop's (Faison) Barbershop. However, fate has other plans in store for Mr. Cage and when tragedy strikes, it's time for Harlem's Hero to take care of business, by any means necessary.

I won't go into much more specifics of characters, as that gives away entirely too much to the storyline.

I will say this:

1) We get Luke Cage's origin story
2) We see, ever so briefly, Cage's original costume.
3) Claire (Dawson) helps tie this series to Daredevil and Jessica Jones

However, in typical Netflix/Marvel fashion, my usual complaint still exists:

They tell a wonderful 8-10 episodes...over the course of 13 episodes. : /

I found the first 2 episodes to be especially slow-paced, but things pick up in the 3rd, especially with the introduction of a rocket launcher.

;)

Now that Luke Cage realizes how awesomely indestructible he is, hopefully he will also be a little less mopey.

Seems if he would have just heroed up on at least 2 different occasions, he could have spared himself, and Harlem, a lot of grief and heartache.

Of course, that also helps build the character of the hero, by having to get through the hard times.

The show is also packed with quite an interesting array of characters on both sides of the law.

However, Marvel would be wise, in both movies and television, to stop killing everyone so darn fast.

I'm just saying...

Finally, I liked the villain of the first half of the season much more than the one in the last half of the season. Personality. Charisma. Hard to say.

That we will not see more of him, and the other guy will be back in the future, is disappointing.

Also, I guess there was a third entity that Luke Cage tackled head on.

The "N Word".

Loved it.

If it's such a horrible word, everyone should take Cage's stance on using it or having it used on them.

Regardless of the color of skin of the character saying it.

Currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: Solid B

You Wouldn't Like Them When They're Angry... "The Angry Birds Movie"

The Angry Birds Movie (2016)

Rated PG

Starring Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Peter Dinklage, Sean Penn, Bill Hader,

Directed by Clay Katis & Fergal Reilly

The Story:

On an island of very happy flightless birds, Red (Sudeikis) just doesn't fit in. He doesn't much care for the other birds, and though they put on a happy face, they really could do without him as well. When his anger gets the best of him, he winds up in therapy where he meets Chuck (Gad) a bird who has a problem with authority, and expresses it at high speed; and Bomb (McBride) who has a tendency to blow up when stressed or surprised. However, when Leonard (Hader), a green pig arrives at the island with seemingly benign intentions, something seems off to Red, and he and his therapy pals are going to uncover the truth, no matter the cost.

Well, they probably began production on this while the Angry Birds iron was still hot, but this seems to be one of those "too little, too late" moments where, hasn't the Angry Birds phase come and gone by now?

But, let's tackle this movie and see what it got right, and what it got wrong.

First, the voice cast, only partially listed above, is top-notch and has some great comedians and actors assembled from top to bottom, even some parts that are only briefly in the movie.

That said, Jason Sudeikis almost sounds bored throughout the movie. Perhaps it's being unable to see Sudeikis delivering the lines himself, as he usually puts a lot of visual energy into his performance, but it seemed to almost be disconnected from where I was sitting.

Not his finest work of the year, but plenty of solid fare from other films this year that I've seen, so no worries.

Of course, you also have the curiosity factor of Sean Penn doing voice work in an animated movie.

Sure...

The animation itself, again, very pretty, no complaints. It's lush, and they adapted the characters and scenery from the movies to near perfection.

Overall, however, the jokes seemed to fall flat throughout the film. I smiled a few times, but I don't recall a whole lot of laughter from myself or any of the kids that watched with me.

That's not good for an animated kids movie.

Plus, this movie contains one of the grossest gags ever in the history of cinema, and I have to say I'm a little amazed that they got away with a PG vs. a PG-13 rating because of it.

In fact, it was moments like that, and few others peppered throughout the film that almost made it seem like they wrote it as an R rated movie, then went back and toned it down as they realized they should be trying to appeal to kids.

Didn't hate it, but came away disappointed.

Final Grade: C-

There Goes The Neighborhood..."High-Rise"

High-Rise (2015)

Rated R

Starring Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller, Luke Evans, Elisabeth Moss, James Purefoy

Directed by Ben Wheatley

The Story:

Dr. Laing (Hiddleston) moves into a futuristic high-rise designed by The Architect (Irons). It has all the amenties that you could ever want, and the residents leave only to go to work...if at all. However, as the building continues to have power and other issues, a class-war between floors seems inevitable, and the whole building plunges into chaos.

Well, that was something alright.

Based on a novel by the same name, this freaky look back at a possible future in the swinging 70s is all style, and either no substance, or too much substance.

That the entire citizenry of a building would devolve into total anarchy instead of, oh, I don't know...

MOVING OUT!!!!

Seems ludicrous to me.

As a book, or a movie.

But okay, I get it, you're trying to tell a story, so sometimes you have to suspend reality a bit.

However, in the end, much like the tenants of the building, I watched myself descend into an uncaring state of what happened to these characters.

That's never a good thing in the movies.

Especially one filled with so many talented actors.

Bright side, the recreation to capture the look and feel of the 70s was pretty amazing.

That said, it's now available to stream on Netflix if you'd like to check it out for yourself.

Final Grade: D+

This Movie Seems Vaguely Familiar... "Criminal"

Criminal (2016)

Rated R

Starring Kevin Costner, Ryan Reynolds, Gary Oldman, Tommy Lee Jones, Jordi Molla, Gal Gadot,

Directed by Ariel Vroman

The Story:

CIA Operative Bill Pope (Reynolds) is trying to stop "The Dutchman" (Molla) from his diabolical plot to do something bad. But then he winds up dead. Or at least, mostly dead. So his mind, memories and abilities are transferred into death row inmate Jerico Stewart (Costner) for him to complete the mission. Except, he doesn't really want to.

Hilarity ensues.

Okay, maybe not so much that last part, but lots of explosions, death and swearing abound during the next 2 hours.

Remember earlier this year, I reviewed a little movie called Self/Less ?

Of course you don't, I barely remember it either.

But what I do remember is that a millionaire who didn't want to die transferred his memory into the younger body of... wait for it.....

 Ryan Reynolds!

Nope, you can't make this stuff up.

So it's almost like an indirect sequel.

:)

However, what's really criminal is that this amount of star power is unleashed in such a...

bland ? mediocre ? meh ?

type of action film.

Costner Christian Bales grunts his way through the movie. I guess it shows how angry he is?

Either way, the movie sort of wears you down while it chugs along to the inevitable showdown at the end.

However, it's everything that the film lacks with tension, drama and importance that just gives us a bland thriller, through no real fault of any of the actors.

Final Grade: C...maybe even a C+

Some Time Capsules Should Remain Buried..."Everybody Wants Some!!"

Everybody Wants Some!!

Rated R

Starring Blake Jenner, Juston Street, Ryan Guzman, Tyler Hoechlin, Wyatt Russell, Glen Powell, Temple Baker, J. Quinton Johnson, Will Brittain

Written and Directed by Richard Linklater

The Story:

Jake (Jenner) arrives at college and heads to the house where his baseball team (Everyone else) lives. It's the weekend before the semester starts, what hijinks will ensue?

I'd love to write more, but this is a difficult movie to review, because that's basically it.

It's a bunch of college guys enjoying their last weekend before school starts, so while things happen...

That's not much of a plot to work with.

From the guy that brought you Dazed and Confused in the early 90s, a film I still haven't seen, apparently he strikes again with an homage to 1980.

So unknown (mostly? relatively?) cast and a great soundtrack.

If lightning strikes again, he'll have found the next Matthew McCounaghy for us.
Alright, alright, alright.

But seriously, other than that...

I've got nothing.

This movie didn't leave much of an impression on me.

I even have to rack my brain to remember... did I actually watch the whole thing? Did I fast forward hoping something interesting happened?

And, I've got nothing.

Now, that said, the cast of actors did a great job with what they were given.

And yes, I hope to see them again in something else.

With a plot.

: )

Final Grade: C

Just As Long As There's No Singing... "The Jungle Book"

The Jungle Book (2016)

Rated PG-13

Starring Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Idris Elba, Ben Kingsley, Lupita Nyong'o, Scarlett Johannson, Christopher Walken,

Directed by Jon Favreau

The Story:

Mowgli (Sethi) is a man cub growing up in the jungle, raised by a pack of wolves. However, Shere Khan (Elba) is ready to exact vengeance, so they decide it's time to return Mowgli to the man village. Bagheera (Kingsley) leads him through the jungle, hoping to keep him safe until they reach their destination. But the jungle is full of interesting creatures, and Mowgli is an inquisitive little boy...

So Disney returns with their lastest live action update of their animated classics.

For those keeping score at home, we were deadlocked at 1-1.

Maleficent was an interesting take on Sleeping Beauty and added something new to the legend.

Cinderella was a straightforward bore, partially due to the fact that it is one story that has been told in many different forms over the years, and has been done better.

So it's up to the Jungle Book to break the tie.

Would I love it, or would I be indifferent.

Well, for starters, like Life of Pi, this movie is absolutely gorgeous. Whether it's all green screen, or they actually went on location to the most lush jungle imaginable, there isn't a jarring CGI blip in the action, so it's totally believeable.

The talking animals, well, you either love or hate that aspect of films. They did a good job and the animals all look pretty realistic, and the voice cast does a wonderful job with their roles.

And let's face it, that animated film had some of Disney animations' finest voices on that film.

Sethis' Mowgli is in 95% of the movie, and he does a great job as the little man cub who has to grow up and learn the ways of the jungle, all the while allowing a little bit of his humanity to seep into the character.

And I loved the ending did not send Mowgli back to the man village.

Yay!

So did I like it? Yes I did.

Did I love it...

Well, I probably would have...

But...

Then they let the animals sing.

:: sigh ::

No offense, but I thought they would let Murray whistle "The Bear Necessities", or even just use part of it as dialogue.

But then they sang, and I felt myself cringing. It's just out of place and wrong that late in the movie to suddenly become a musical.

But okay, I guess I can forgive this one moment...

Wait, what?

King Louis (Walken) is getting angry and starts talking, and then breaks into song...

No.

NO, this is too much.

I could feel the review crumbling as I watched, there was no coming back from this.

So yes, I hammer this film for the singing, and it falls from Best of the Year contention, to just another movie that I watched.

Final Grade:  B-

Be Bored By Those Thrilling Days Of Yesteryear..."Hail, Caesar!"

Hail, Caesar! 

Rated PG-13

Starring Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Channing Tatum, Scarlett Johannson, Jonah Hill, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton,

Written and Directed by Joel & Ethan Coen

The Story:

Eddie Mannix (Brolin) is a "fixer" for Capitol Pictures in Hollywood in the 1950s. He makes problems for the stars...go away... As he is dealing with a usual day at the office, one of their biggest stars, Baird Whitlock (Clooney) goes missing.

This is not the fun, farcical tone that the movie trailer suggested. It's a dramedy, to be sure, but if you're expecting a comedy, expect to be disappointed.

If you're expecting a movie with Clooney as the focus, also prepare to be disappointed.

Neither of these issues really bothered me.

If you're expecting a good movie, prepare to possibly be disappointed.

And that is the camp that I fall into.

This loving look back at Hollywood in the 1950s lacks really...everything.

The stars are present.
The scenery is magnificent.

You will believe the 1950s live again!

But really...nothing happens, and everything happens, all in the span of about a day.

A really long day, but you get the idea.

Ah, but it's a Coen Brothers film, so it's probably not about Hollywood at all, but is an allegorical tale about Christianity.

Oh.

Well that changes everything.

Except the part about it being a good movie.

B-O-R-I-N-G.

I do believe I made it through the whole thing, all the while wondering if there was a point to any part of it.

Weeks later, I don't believe I can look back and find the point.

I would have preferred a movie that focused more on Mannix, and maybe less sideshow stories and make a bigger case or two for him to try and solve.

As it was, it just seemed like a whole lot of loose ends that are vaguely tied together by his role.

But, I will award points for the look of the film.

And a reminder that if you want a better film about 1950s Hollywood, do yourself a favor and watch Trumbo instead.

Final Grade:  D+

The Truth Is Always Stranger Than Fiction..."Elvis & Nixon"

Elvis & Nixon (2016)

Rated R

Starring Michael Shannon, Kevin Spacey, Alex Pettyfer, Johnny Knoxville, Colin Hanks, Evan Peters

Directed by Liza Johnson

The Story:

December, 1970... That morning, Elvis (Shannon) came up to the White House gates hoping to meet President Nixon (Spacey).  The picture taken at the end of their encounter is the most requested photograph in the National Archives.

This is a story of the meeting that almost didn't happen.

It all begins when Elvis decides he wants to be an undercover Federal Agent.

His idea, see the President, get the credentials, and begin working for the government.

Nixon, on the other hand, was scheduled for his afternoon nap at the time Elvis was to be cleared to see him.

Surreal, of that there is no doubt.

While Shannon doesn't attempt to go full-on Elvis, he gets enough of the speech and mannerisms down that you buy the performance.

Then there is Spacey, possibly the best chameleon actor of this (or any) generation, and again, he becomes Nixon right before your eyes.

While everything you see on screen may not have actually happened, they have enough evidence of the main points to wrap the story together nicely, filling in the dialogue that could have happened to get to that point.

It's fascinating. It's fun.

And in today's political climate, it almost makes you miss the good old days of Nixon.

: )

I watched it on DVD from Netflix, but it is now currently streaming on Amazon Prime as of this writing.

Final Grade: B

A Return Engagement... "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2"

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016)

Rated PG-13

Starring Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Elena Kampouris, Michael Constantine, Lainie Kazan,

Directed by Kirk Jones

The Story:

The Portokalos Family is back! Toula and Ian (Vardalos & Corbett) are dealing with their daughter (Kampouris) getting ready to graduate and head to college while feeling like their own marriage is losing its spark. Compound that with the news that her parents (Constantine & Kazan) were never officially married, and you know the family is not going to stand for that.

Shocked and a little surprised that a sequel to My Big Fat Greek Wedding came out, and that shock is mostly due to the fact that it took almost 15 years after the original for it to be made.

It was the little movie that could back in 2002, and it charmed audiences and wowed at the box office.

There were always rumors of a sequel, but apparently it took Vardalos some time to come up with just the right script, but the family returns.

And since it's been awhile since the orignal, I'm pretty sure most of the entire cast has returned, so it's a lot like slipping into some old clothes, a very familiar, comfortable affair.

They bring out the standard sitcom device of the wedding that never was, and it forces the couple to reevaluate their love and devotion to one another.

But this is a movie, not a sitcom, so we need to fill 90 minutes.

So you take 2 other well worn sitcom scenarios: the child leaving the nest and a sparkless marriage, and now you have 3 separate, but equal plot devices to hang the film on.

And they all work, because again, we already know and love the characters.

The biggest, and best addition is their daughter, Paris. She both rebels against and embraces the Greek heritage that is her birthright, while providing the only real drama of the film with the "where will she go to college" cliffhanger.

Because you know all the marriages are going to be just fine by the end of the film.

Will this turn into a trilogy? Hard to say, but don't wait another 14 years if it's going to happen, the audience, like much of the cast, isn't getting any younger!

:)

Final Grade: C+ / B- Range

With Friends Like These..."Search Party"

Search Party (2014)

Rated R

Starring Adam Pally, T.J. Miller, Thomas Middleditch, Shannon Woodward, Alison Brie, J.B. Smoove, Krysten Ritter, Jason Mantzoukas,

Directed by Scot Armstrong

The Story:

Nardo (Middleditch) is set to marry Tracy (Woodward) but his best friends Evan and Jason (Pally & Miller) try to talk him out of it at the bachelor party. When the ceremony begins, Jason puts his foot down, and Tracy leaves to Mexico to enjoy the honeymoon without him. Distraught, Nardo pursues her, and winds up spending much of the rest of the film naked and covered in cocaine as his friends attempt to rescue him before Berk (Smoove) can catch him and kill him.

Yep, it's one of those movies.

Old School. Road Trip. The Hangover. 

So you know the type, and you know if you'll enjoy this one or not, already.

Much like this variety of movie, they throw nearly every joke at the wall and see what sticks.

Some do, some don't.

What helps these films is the actors that are asked to do the crazy things or say the wacky dialogue.

This movie is elevated on the performances of Miller, who can do the wacky best friend possibly better than anyone in film right now, and Middleditch.

His earnestness and sincerity shine through all the situations he's placed in.

Like spending the majority of the film naked and smothered in cocaine.

Okay, clearly (hopefully) it wasn't actually cocaine, but dipped in a powder of some sort, he's still giving a bravado performance.

Plus, they keep running into various wackos (Ryter, Mantzoukas (!!!) and Smoove) who make the most of their character and keep the laughs coming.

It's not a film for everyone, but there's enough there to make it worthwhile for those that choose to go on this journey!

:)

Final Grade: C+

Here We Go Again..."London Has Fallen"

London Has Fallen (2016)

Rated R

Starring Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman,

Directed by Babak Najafi

The Story:

President Asher (Eckhart) heads to London for a funeral. Naturally, that's when a terrorist attack takes out all the leaders of the visiting nations except for the President, thanks to the planning of Secret Service Agent Mike Banning (Butler). Can he keep the President alive again, or is this finally the Vice President's (Freeman) chance for promotion?

Okay, I admit, I had a blast watching Olympus Has Fallen a few years ago. It was Die Hard...in the White House!

Much like the Die Hard franchsie, the setpiece has to get bigger, and this one plays more like Die Hard With A Vengeance as the two race all across London trying to stay one step ahead of the bad guys who want to catch and kill the President on live tv.

So that being said, this is a popcorn film, round two!

If you didn't like the first installment, you'll find nothing redeeming here.

Otherwise, if you didn't mind it, you'll have a good time watching London get blown up, real good.

;)

I'm not sure if they can pull off yet another sequel in the franchise.

Eventually, the President is going to stop going places, or run out of time in the office.

But if they decide to give it a go in the future, I'll be back.

I watched the DVD version, but now that this review has moved to the top to be published, you also have the option of streaming on Netflix.

It doubles your chances of being able to watch and enjoy some popcorn!  :)

Final Grade: B-