I Will Be Your Father Figure..."Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2"

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 (2017)

Rated PG-13

Starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Kurt Russell, Michael Rooker, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff,

Written and Directed by James Gunn

The Story:

The Guardians of the Galaxy are back! In the months that have passed, the group of travelers have started to become a family, or at least that's what you would assume from all the bickering. However with the arrival of Peter's (Pratt) dad, Ego (Russell), everyone is about to learn the secret behind their family heritage. That's assuming the Guardians live long enough to find out, as a bounty is put on their heads that sends Yondu (Rooker) and the Ravagers looking for them.

There, hopefully that doesn't give anything away that you haven't already gleaned from the trailers.

Here's the bottom line:

Did you like the first Guardians of the Galaxy?

Then you're probably going to like this one.

Is it better?

Probably not.

Sequels rarely are.

The first one was simply...wow...they're doing this...they're doing that....

It was this generation's Star Wars.

So now we've seen all the wows, as we've been introduced to Marvel Studios space side.

That said, this is a worthy successor to the franchise, and doesn't have any significant drop off in quality. Like I said, we now know all the characters, so there is a lot less exposition this go round in bringing the team together.

This becomes catching up with old friends who have settled in to be family.

Even if they haven't figured out they are family yet.

The laughs flow freely.

Baby Groot is adorable.

Drax continues to steal every scene he is in.

The soundtrack fits perfectly.

And you might even have an occasion or two to need tissues.

:)

Your mileage may vary.

Final Grade: A

The American Way..."War Dogs"

War Dogs (2016)  

Rated R

Starring Miles Teller, Jonah Hill, Kevin Pollak, Bradley Cooper,

Directed by Todd Phillips

The Story:

David (Teller) is looking for a better way of making a living when he runs into his old buddy Efraim (Hill). Efraim has been making a killing by bidding and winning low-level defense contracts that the big companies don't seem interested in. The two join forces and make their company grow exponentially. However, success goes to their heads, and they decide to bid on a contract that is so big, and so important, nobody else seems to want to touch it.

Naturally, this one is based on a true story.

In a world where the lives of the forces fighting for America's way of life are on the line, you want the lowest possible bidder to be in charge of supplying our troops with their protective gear and ammunition.

Or putting someone in charge that really has no idea what they are doing.

Many might claim I'm talking about the recent Presidential election, but no, I'm referring to two college age kids who get into the very lucrative defense contracting business, with no real clue what they are doing.

Using a bit of clever deceit, they would get information on other bids, and make sure they could come in with the lowest bid while still making a pretty penny.

It's when they decided to get greedy, really, really greedy, that things finally spun off the rails and the two ended up on the radar and facing charges.

The movie waffles between trying to be a comedy and a drama, so the tone is a bit uneven throughout. The dramedy can be difficult to pull off unless you commit early to it being funny, with serious moments, or serious with bits of humor and levity sprinkled throughout.

Still enjoyable, and the cast does a nice job of making their characters three dimensional and ones that you care about.

Final Grade: C+

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   

American Hero..."American Sniper"

.
American Sniper (2014)

Rated R

Starring Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller

Directed by Clint Eastwood

The Story:

Chris Kyle (Cooper) grew up in Texas, and all his life he planned on being a cowboy. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Chris decided to be something more and joined the military. His next stop, he became an elite sniper for the Navy SEALS. However, his experiences in battle don't help him adjust very well at home with his wife (Miller) and he finds life in the combat zone oddly more comforting.

This is Kyle's story, and politics and feelings on war aside, it's one worth watching.

Now, how much Kyle may or may not have embellished in his book is up to his critics to decide, but Clint Eastwood takes the work he was given and crafts a beautiful narrative that doesn't glorify war, but gives the viewers a small taste of what it's like to be there and have to make the decisions that can save, or cost lives in a split second.

Cooper disappears into the role and becomes the Texas cowboy who just wants to serve his country, and is tormented over how to be a family man when he comes home. He's amazing in the role and the movie is carried on his shoulders, and he doesn't miss a beat.

Short review, but that's all you need. You know whether this film is for you probably based on the title alone.

Final Grade: Solid B

There Must Be Something Better On The Food Network..."Burnt"

Burnt (2015)

Rated R

Starring Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Daniel Bruhl, Omar Sy, Emma Thompson, Uma Thurman,

Directed by John Wells

The Story:

Adam Jones (Cooper) was an amazing American chef who was the toast of Paris and had it all, then lost it by his behavior and addictions. Now clean and sober, he's been saving up money to get back into the game and earn the third Michelin star. He gathers an assortment of top-notch London chefs to back him in his quest, including Helene (Miller) who can't stand the idea of working for him. Can he pull off the impossible?

For starters, this movie isn't 2 hours long.

Felt like it in some stretches, but it isn't that long.

But take that plot synopsis and I bet you've figured out exactly where this road is heading.

For some reason, Hollywood thinks that movies about chefs are great and they feel the need to keep making them.

This is not Ratatouille.

I think it's time for Hollywood to find another glamorous job to portray on the silver screen.

The 15 minutes for the restaurant chef are really over.

Otherwise, no real complaints for the movie.

Everyone does what they are supposed to do, and every plot device you can check off in your head is going to unfold onscreen.

No surprises.

No real substance though, either.

Final Grade: C

Is It Time For Cameron Crowe To Say "Aloha" ?

Aloha (2015)

Rated PG-13

Starring Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, Rachel McAdams, John Krasinski, Danny McBride, Alec Baldwin, Bill Murray, Danielle Rose Russell

Written and Directed by Cameron Crowe

The Story:

Brian (Cooper) a former military contractor that had been left for dead returns to Hawaii to work alongside some former co-workers (McBride & Baldwin) and the former love of his life (McAdams). The Air Force assigns him a liaison (Stone) to keep him out of trouble as they prepare to launch a satellite for a billionaire (Murray). Will Brian have his edge back, or are familiar surroundings going to overwhelm his sense of duty?

I think the only thing I heard about this film was that there were complaints about having Emma Stone portraying someone who is supposed to be part Hawaiian. Apparently complaining about things is the new 21st century pastime.  Then the film pretty much tanked at the box office.

Is it game over for Cameron Crowe as a writer/director?

Not so fast.

This is hardly the worst film of his career. Yet that was seemingly the buzz that surrounded this film. Sorry, but that honor belongs to Elizabethtown (which I've seen) or possibly Vanilla Sky (which I haven't).

This is a fine ensemble cast that does their best with what they are given. It's certainly watchable, and with the amount of comic actors in this film, the humor is subdued as Crowe was not out to make a "comedy" but a slice of real life and capture the humor within.

The best part is near the end between Brian and Grace (Russell) that says so much with no dialogue at all. Heartwarming and tender, it lifts the rest of the movie right up with it.

Final Grade: C+

Simply Put...THE Best Movie of 2014! "Guardians Of The Galaxy"

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

PG-13

Starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper,

Written and Directed by James Gunn

The Story:

Marvel Studios heads into space with a tale of a band of ne'er do-wells led by Star-Lord (Pratt) who teams with Gamora (Saldana) Drax (Bautista) Groot (Diesel) and Rocket (Cooper) in an attempt to save the very universe that considers them to be outlaws.  But heroes come in all shapes and sizes, and these Guardians of the Galaxy are about to prove to be every bit as worthy as The Avengers.

Borrowed from my synopsis that I wrote for the movie review when I saw it in theaters.

It was impressive then.

It was a trip into space for Marvel that basically brought the thrill of Star Wars to a generation that grew up on it when it first came out, and it made us kids again.

The acting was superb.

James Gunn is fantastic (and if you want a lot of fun, follow him on Facebook!) and as enthusiastic of an ambassador to the Marvel Universe as you're going to get.

If you don't like science fiction...
If you don't like comic book movies...

I ask that you give this one a try.

Your opinion might change on both fronts.

I've yet to meet anyone out there that saw it and didn't like it.

I'm sure they exist, but I'm not sure I want to know that person.

They are probably dead on the inside.

:)

Final Grade: A+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: One of the only things I wanted for Christmas, it will be enjoyed often over the next few years. 

A Star-Lord Is Born... "Guardians Of The Galaxy"

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Rated PG-13

Starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Lee Pace

Written and Directed by James Gunn

The Story:

Marvel Studios heads into space with a tale of a band of ne'er do-wells led by Star-Lord (Pratt) who teams with Gamora (Saldana) Drax (Bautista) Groot (Diesel) and Rocket (Cooper) in an attempt to save the very universe that considers them to be outlaws.  But heroes come in all shapes and sizes, and these Guardians of the Galaxy are about to prove to be every bit as worthy as The Avengers.

Mostly.

What to say about this film without completely echoing every other critic out there, and without revealing any spoilers?

Let's try...

This is THE Star Wars experience for the 7-12 year olds that we got to experience back in the 70s.
Not those terrible prequels that came a generation later... ick.
:)

Chris Pratt cements his claim to leading man/action hero/everyman action guy.  In other words, if he so chooses, he could be the next big thing.  His Star-Lord is equal parts Indiana Jones and John McClane, and everyman hero who can take a beating but keeps coming back for more.

Vin Diesel steals the movie out from under his co-stars with but three words...and one of the most expressive facial and body language you'll ever enjoy in a film.

You think he nailed it in Iron Giant?  Wait until you catch his Groot!

Cooper instills Rocket with equal parts cockiness, snarky, charm, agression with a hint of heart.  You want the mascot duo?  Look no further.

These guys are the C-3P0/R2D2 combo, except, they're a lot more relevant.

:)

Dave Bautista is given some great dialogue which he delivers perfectly.  He got the role of a lifetime, and I'm very happy to see him up on the screen.

Zoe Saldana proves that she's not a one-trick pony, put her in any franchise and she will deliver.

Lee Pace almost unrecognizable from Ned in Pushing Daisies, and he played Ronan the Accuser without mercy, a total change from what I was used to.  Well done.

James Gunn, he wrote it, he directed it, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe is all the better for it.

I rolled my eyes and wondered what Marvel was thinking when this movie was announced.

I humbly apologize.

This is what they were thinking, and I cannot wait to see how they follow it up in 2017, or perhaps a cameo elsewhere before then.

Bravo everyone.

I'm not sure if I will give this the edge over Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

But so far, it's Marvel running 1-2 for movie of the year.

That's impressive, and I can't wait to see what comes next.

I've got until December to make that decision.


A word of warning from some of my kids:  You might want to bring a tissue along, just in case.


There's some moments in the film that will touch you beyond what you're expecting from a comic book movie.


That's James Gunn and his cast bringing an awful lot of heart to a film that is going to make you feel like a kid again before the credits roll.


They put the tagline "You're Welcome" on the poster months ago.

It wasn't cocky, it was a response to everyone who is now saying "Thank You" for making such a great movie.

Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I'll be buying it, I hope it's out just in time for the holidays.  Loved it.

Who Is Conning Who? "American Hustle"

American Hustle (2013)

Rated R for language

Starring Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Renner

Directed by David O. Russell

The Story:

Irving (Bale) is a con-man. His lover, Sydney (Adams) are getting rich scamming people.  Then along comes FBI Agent DiMaso (Cooper) who enlists the two to help him take down crooked politicians like Mayor Polito (Renner).  Get ready for the mother of all con artist/flim flam movies... based on a real story!

If you can stay awake long enough to get through it.

It went on 1.5 x within 5 minutes... trying to see if it was interesting at all.

I couldn't find any interest.

I think I let it run for the first 45 minutes before I realized that I honestly didn't care one bit about who was doing what to whom, or why.

Not good for a movie like this.

An incredible waste of talent.

Some of the reviews I see say that it really picks up in the 2nd half.

While I suppose that's better than being let down, if you never feel any connection to the characters, it seems to me, you're fighting a losing battle.

Final Grade: D

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Maybe I'll try and catch the ending someday on cable. But I'm sure I'll find a million other things to watch or do instead.

Can A Loser Like Bradley Cooper Discover "The Reality of Love" ?

Hey, I know that guy!

The Story:

Ryan Banks (Jason Priestley) is a nobody who becomes a somebody, quite by chance.  He grabs his best friend, Todd (Bradley Cooper) and drags him along for the ride.  But now Ryan's star is fading, and Todd has the brilliant plan to revitalize his career by having Ryan star in a reality show, "I Want to Marry Ryan Banks".  The best choice of the contestants is Charlie (Emma Caulfield), but when Todd realizes he has feelings for her, he's unsure of how to proceed with his best friend's feelings on the line.

Well, you know when you have a movie where Jason Priestly is on the bill ahead of Bradley Cooper, it's old (2004) and it was probably made for TV (ABC Family: I Want to Marry Ryan Banks).

Correct on both counts!

Yes, before Bradley Cooper was BRADLEY COOPER, he was working his way up the Hollywood ladder.

That includes a stop at ABC Family for a romantic comedy that is never laugh out loud funny, but remains amusing throughout.

Naturally, you can see what's coming miles before the rest of the cast actually get there, but that's okay.  It's one of the conceits of the genre, and I'm fine with it.

Usually when they tinker with the classic romantic comedy formula, that's when something goes horribly wrong and the movie becomes unwatchable!

Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love. Boy loses girl. Boy gets girl. Happy Ending.

This one follows that formula mostly with a slight wrinkle or two from the reality show to keep the viewers on edge.



Will Charlie choose love, or money?

When all of America is rooting for those two to be together, does poor Todd stand a chance?

I will admit though, Ryan is supposed to be a bit slimy with the ladies, but Priestley does a great job of balancing the fact that he's supposed to be both adored by the ladies and a bit of a playboy at the same time, and never goes too far either direction to make him too sappy or too mean.

In fact, I was genuinely surprised at how the movie wrapped up the storyline, and they lifted what would have been a C/C+ range movie of the week to...

Final Grade: B-.. maybe even solid B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Cute and harmless, I could watch it again with no problems.

What Happens In Vegas..."The Hangover: Part III"

I can't believe I watched the whole thing...

The Story:

The Wolfpack returns, one last time as things come full circle.  Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms) and Alan (Zach Galifianakis) must track down Chow (Ken Jeong) who has $21 Million in stolen gold from Marshall (John Goodman) or Marshall is going to kill Doug (Justin Bartha).  Strangely, this time everyone remembers everything that has happened to them, so there is no memory loss aspect this go-round.

As I said, this film brings the trilogy full-circle to a conclusion.  How satisfying it is, totally depends on how much you enjoyed these films.

I've been firmly in the camp of "they're okay, but nowhere near as great as people make them out to be".  At least, I guess the first one.  I'm not sure the same acclaim came with the second one.

This series has provided a series of gags which elicit smiles, smirks, chuckles, groans or outright laughs.

Sadly, the outright laughs usually number single digits in each of the films.

How Mr. Chow became the focal point of the series is a strange twist of events.  He's begun to overshadow the movie himself, which is weird for what should be an outrageous buddy film.

The three leads have their parts down pat, and they seem to quite enjoy doing these films, but I think they're probably all glad that this series is hopefully behind them.

It's run out of steam, and it's best to part ways now, though the filmmakers definitely leave an opening if they want to make a 4th film.

How Stu is going to get out of that mess is anyone's guess.

Again, depending on your enjoyment of the first two will help gauge your enjoyment of this one.

Final Grade: C, which is about on par for the whole series for me.  This is not as good as the first but better than the second.

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Nope, not a franchise I need to see again.

When Life Gives You Dark Clouds, Get a "Silver Linings Playbook"

Excelsior!

The Story:

Pat, a former teacher (Bradley Cooper) is released from a mental hospital after completing his 8 month court-mandated stay.  He comes back to Philly to live with his parents (Robert DeNiro and Jacki Weaver) and hopes to reconcile with his wife who cheated on him...causing him to snap and be institutionalized in  the first place.  Of course, pesky things like restraining orders stand in his way, but when a chance encounter with Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) allows him access back into his wife's life, he takes the chance.  Tiffany however is not going to be used without getting something in return.

This is an interesting film.  It got huge rave reviews from critics around the globe.

It was good... don't get me wrong...

But...

Was it award-worthy?  Meh... Not to my way of thinking.

I'm thinking for a lot of people they came to the realization that Bradley Cooper can act.

Well, for me, that's just patently unfair criticism, really.  It simply means that you didn't care for the other movies that Bradley Cooper has been in.  The guy can act.  Don't let his other acting credits in less than stellar movies sway you.

So it's an interesting character study, or at least relationship study throughout the movie.  You have Pat's interactions with his parents, his friends, his therapist, his family, and Tiffany.  Each pulls him in different directions.  All Pat does know is that he feels clearer in his head when he is not being medicated than when he is on the drugs.  A nice subtle dig at the pharmaceutical industry. :)

Tiffany comes on strong at first, and Pat is uncomfortable and not interested.  He definitely wants to get back together with his wife, but come on, it's Hollywood and we all know how it's going to end up long before we get there.

The sweetness factor is watching Pat and Tiffany realize what they have with each other, and them willing to fight, or walk away from it as challenges confront them both.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Dramas don't get a lot of love from me, because they are often just an emotional drag to sit through.  I could watch this again, some great performances all around, but I doubt I will buy the movie for the library.

The City That Never Sleeps Cures Insomnia With "New York I Love You"

 

 

In the city that never sleeps... love always abounds.

The Story:

A million stars. A half million directors.  All taking a crack at love in the Big Apple.

Zzzzz.

With no style or substance, instead it's a variety of stories taking place in New York where love is the recurring theme.  Each segment segues into the other.  Each shot in a style that the director was wanting to use, edited with their own team, so in other words, a disjointed wreck.

28 minutes in, and I was growing more and more disinterested by the minute.

Trim the number of writers (20) and directors (11) down considerably, find a focus spot, and maybe...

 

Some of the actors used: Bradley Cooper, Andy Garcia, Natalie Portman, Orlando Bloom, John Hurt, Shia LaBeouf, Hayden Christensen and a cast of 1000s.

I'm sure some out there loved the experiment.

Apparently it is the second part of a planned trilogy of films. 

Which this has saved me from seeing either of those, just on principle.

Available for streaming until the 15th of March, so you have a few days to see if I'm right or wrong.

Good luck!

Final Grade: D

Would I Own It: Not a chance.

Plagiarism Knows No Bounds... "The Words"

 Actions speak louder than...The Words!


The Story:

A struggling writer (Bradley Cooper) and his wife (Zoe Saldana) are on their honeymoon in Paris.  She buys hubby a bag, and when he returns he discovers a manuscript in the bag.  It's brilliant.  So much better than what he had written before.  He retypes it, verbatim.  It gets published.  Rave reviews. Accolades.

And then the guy who wrote it (Jeremy Irons) shows up and kills everyone with an axe.

Okay, so I made that last part up, but perhaps it's what this film needed?


For starters, it begins with ANOTHER author (Dennis Quaid) who is apparently doing lectures, wherein he reads his book, about what I've just revealed to you. 

Yeah, this level of narration is totally not needed.  Is he really the star, hiding himself as a character layered within another level of story?  The movie seems to end that way, which is totally unnecessary.


And really, a waste of talent and plot device.  We already have one writer stealing from another, to have the third writer adds a layer that is wholly unnecessary. 

There is much dramatic potential and promise... and most of it wasted.

The flashbacks of the actual story and the interactions between Irons and Cooper are the best parts of the entire movie.

I've endured worse films, and it isn't bad, but don't rush to see this one.

Final Grade: C+

Would I Own It:  Words cannot express the unlikelihood of that happening.  Oh wait, yes they can: No.

: )

Witness Protection due to a "Hit and Run"

If you're going to outrun your past...drive a fast car!


The Story:

Charlie Bronson (Dax Shepard) and his girlfriend Annie (Kristen Bell) live in a small town and are relatively happy.  Then Annie is told about a killer job that's available and one that she is ideally suited for.  The only complication?  It's in Los Angeles, and her boyfriend is in Witness Protection because of something that happened in L.A. that he is hiding out from.  He insists on taking her to L.A., after all, it's been 4 years, what could possibly happen?

Okay, first off, it's a budget movie, in the very sense of the word.  Apparently a 2 million dollar budget, and half of that was to make sure they had music.  So I'm guessing the actors themselves either did it as a favor to Dax, or took about a 5 dollar paycheck.

But you know what?

It's still a pretty fun little movie.

As Charlie and Annie leave town, they are followed by the Federal Marshall (Tom Arnold) who doesn't want them to leave, Annie's ex who thinks Charlie is going to kill Annie.  Naturally, he Facebooks the bad guy (Bradley Cooper) and all parties zero in on Charlie to make his life miserable.

Nothing life changing.

Nothing earth shattering.

Just a fun little movie that zips along at a pretty good pace, and then it's over.

Fair enough.



The action scenes are well done, the humor is there, the dialogue works throughout.  Apparently Dax Shepard wanted to give it a try as writer/director/producer and star.


The kid's got potential!


Final Grade: B-

Would I Buy it For the Vault: Tempting.  I could certainly watch it again, and that says a lot for many movies these days.