Dynamic Duo... "Central Intelligence"

Central Intelligence (2016)   

Rated PG-13

Starring Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Amy Ryan, Danielle Nicolet, Jason Bateman, Aaron Paul

Directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber

The Story:

Calvin Joyner (Hart) is apprehensive about his impending 20 year high school reunion. The man voted most likely to succeed has felt like anything but successful in the ensuing decades, his best days seemingly far behind him. When he accepts a friend request from Bob Stone (Johnson), it turns out that it's a former classmate who was bullied in high school, but Calvin stood up for him once upon a time. The two reunite, and Bob tells Calvin that he needs his accounting skills to help him find the elusive Black Badger!

Kevin Hart has grown on me over the past few years.

Starting as a supporting cast member, he usually made the movies he was in better, graduating into leading man or at least supporting lead actor in a film.

When paired with the right actor, he forms a great comedy tandem.

Thankfully, he's paired with The Rock, Dwayne Johnson.

This time, Johnson gets to play the action hero again, but in a much more comic role, and with faults and foibles that normally he doesn't get to use in most films.

The results are comedic gold, and it may be an eye-opening film for a lot of moviegoers who may not be used to seeing Johnson displaying his comedic chops.

The movie even keeps you guessing on whether or not Bob really is a traitor or not, so Thurber delicately balances the fun with the action and it combines to be a fun movie for the whole family.

Plus, when any movie gets the "Mom Seal of Approval" by my lovely wife wanting to see it again the same week...

Well, that's a winner in my book.

Welcome to the first contender for Best of the Year 2017 status!

Final Grade: B+ 

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+

Manipulative To The Very End... "Eye In The Sky"

Eye In The Sky (2015)

Rated PG-13

Starring Helen Mirren, Aisha Takow, Aaron Paul, Phoebe Fox, Alan Rickman,

Directed by Gavin Hood

The Story:

Colonel Powell (Mirren) has discovered a location that contains some of British Intelligence's most wanted in Kenya. As the operatives on the ground prepare to stage an attack, the drone piloted by Americans show that they are preparing suicide vests for an attack. They need to attack now, risking the lives of a few innocents to save potentially hundreds. What should be an easy decision is strained to the breaking point by being politically correct in a war that is anything but.

So that describes it in a nutshell, but the movie is anything but boring.

It's fascinating the hoops that the program is attempting to jump through to make sure that everyone is satisfied, or absolved of any potential blame should things go badly.

Giving the okay is General Benson (Rickman) and the amount of people he has to get the okay from to dispatch the kill order is extremely lengthy.

That the whole operation then hinges on the American drone pilots (Paul & Fox) who discover a little girl (Takow) selling bread and threatens to compromise the entire mission.

As Rickman's final performance, he left us far too soon, he delivers a wonderful performance as the commander who knows what to do, but appropriately checks off each box that has to be done to satisfy 30 different masters. He then delivers a powerful quote at the end that literally puts tears into his biggest detractor.

Mirren also shines as the mission leader who may very well have to compromise credibility in order to take several threats off the board in one swift action.

As for the American pilots, it's nice to see a sense of compassion...

But...

Seriously?

That may have been a little too much compassion.

Well acted, nearly real-time thriller that stretches my suspension of disbelief just a hair too far.

Final Grade: C+

Kinda Fast...Sorta Furious... "Need For Speed"

Need For Speed (2014)

Rated PG-13

Starring Aaron Paul, Dominic Cooper, Imogen Poots, Scott Mescudi, Rami Malek, Ramon Rodriguez

Directed by Scott Waugh

The Story:

Tobey (Paul) and his buddies at the garage take on a job fixing a Shelby Mustang for former Indy driver Dino Brewster  (Cooper) because Toby needs the money.  Rivals on and off the streets, Tobey and Dino have a race for money which ends in tragedy.  When Tobey is paroled, he sets out to join a famous street race to get revenge on the man who killed his friend and left him to rot in jail.

Easily the best movie about street racing since the Fast and the Furious.  Probably the best one based on a video game racer as well.

:)

Not hard to be the best when there isn't any competition.

Hard to complain too much about anything in this film.  Of course there's plot holes the size of Ferraris, but that's okay, the stunts and driving scenes make up for most of those.

On top of that, most of the supporting cast is pretty fun and adds some layers that would otherwise leave the film really boring and really predictable.

Aaron Paul spends most of his time growling, scowling and grimacing his way through the movie.

If Ben Affleck hadn't been hired, I would assume he's auditioning to be the next Batman. ;)

However, every once in a while he lets out a joke or a smile or a whiff of personality, and he's not half bad in the lead role.

Overall, a silly little bit of fluff that doesn't harm the Need For Speed name at all..

Final Grade: B-/C+ range

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Good harmless fun with almost enough charm to own.  Time will tell.