Not As Painful As It Sounds..."Kill Me Three Times"

Kill Me Three Times (2014)

Rated R

Starring Simon Pegg, Alice Braga, Teresa Palmer, Sullivan Stapleton, Luke Hemsworth, Callan Mulvey, Bryan Brown

Directed by Kriv Stenders

The Story:

Charlie Wolfe (Pegg) is a hitman on the job in Australia when he gets his next assignment. It seems that Alice (Braga) has a price on her head, but when Charlie arrives to take care of matters, he discovers that a local dentist and his wife (Stapleton & Palmer) are attempting to take care of his problem for him. So Charlies sits back and watches the mayhem unfold.

To try and describe the further what is going to happen would ruin much of the charm and storyline of the film.

I think they were going for a Tarantino-esque Australian caper, and I'd say they pretty much hit the nail on the head.

Action, humor, oddball characters, they're all added into the mix with twist and turn and betrayals lying around every corner.

The glue that holds the whole narrative together is Wolfe, who may not be the best hitman in the world, but he's the only one available in this corner of the world, so he apparently keeps a steady income.

It's a perfect fit for Pegg, and he makes the best of it whether it's through dialogue or just reaction shots.

The rest of the cast fills their roles nicely with some familiar and not too familiar faces providing Pegg different characters to work with.

All in all, an enjoyable caper from beginning to end.

Currently streaming on Netflix if you're in the mood to give it a try.

Final Grade: C+ / B- range

No Wonder They Stopped Worshipping The "Gods Of Egypt"

Gods of Egypt (2016)

Rated PG-13

Starring Brenton Thwaites, Courtney Eaton, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Chadwick Boseman, Gerard Butler, Bryan Brown, Rachael Blake, Geoffrey Rush,

Directed by Alex Proyas

The Story:

The story of how Set (Butler) betrayed his brother Osiris (Brown) and took over the throne of Egypt, much to Horus' (Waldau) dismay. The only one who can hope to stop Seth is a little mortal named Bek (Thwaites) who refuses to acknowledge the gods of Egypt, but will do anything to help his beloved (Eaton) return to life.

And yes, of course this is based on a true story.

Or, at least the cool myth of Osiris, Set and Horus.

Getting my background for the film, it appears that the main complaint about this film, it should have been filled with black actors instead of white actors.

Okay.

I guess.

In theory, it should have been filled with actual Egyptian actors, but this is Hollywood, and you pretty much take what you're given.

I've seen enough black actors playing white roles and women playing men's roles, etc. etc. etc...

I pretty much don't care anymore.

As long as they are a decent actor in a decent story that will hold my interest, I'm pretty easygoing on this subject.

So the question becomes really this:

Is the film any good?

The answer?

Yes, it kind of is.

Not in a Gladiator or Ben Hur or other dramatic swords and sandals epic drama.

More in the Clash of the Titans can I check my brain at the door, munch some popcorn and not be thoroughly bored for the next 90 minutes, then Gods Of Egypt succeeds.

The size differential aspect between gods and mortals is a concept that doesn't get used very often, and establishes that there is indeed something different about this Gerard Butler than other Butlers we may be used to.

It's a cheesy throwback, but with today's technology doesn't look nearly as laughable as it once did.

The action scenes are well choreographed and the plot keeps moving you along to the final battle with very little to drag things down.

It's a popcorn movie, through and through. :)

 C+

While I Can't Guarantee You've Never Heard of "Love Birds"... It's Probably Unlikely

That's a duck, not a kiwi...

The Story:

Doug (Rhys Darby) has just been dumped by his girlfriend (Faye Smythe).  It's a crushing blow for Doug, and then he finds an injured duck on his roof.  He takes it to the zoo where Holly, the vet (Sally Hawkins) refuses to take it in.  After talking to another vet (Bryan Brown), he decides to nurse the duck back to health himself.  Doug and his duck bond, and Doug's life begins to change on the romantic front.  Maybe this duck is actually a love bird...

Welcome to a cute little romantic comedy from down under, Down Under.  From New Zealand to be precise, and if memory serves, this is only the 2nd film from that country I have seen.

And it's their best.

Plus the best part, you can watch a foreign film...

Without Subtitles!!

:)

Rhys Darby is charming in the lead role.  Apparently he is a comedian in New Zealand.  Throughout the film, I thought he looked a lot like a less-defined Hugh Jackman. 

Perhaps there's something in the water down there?

Nevertheless, he pulls off leading man duties with ease, and he's rather fun with the absurdity of having a duck invade his life.

It's a fun little film with Doug taking the duck literally everywhere with him, and people not even batting an eye as he rolls the duck through a grocery store inside of the shopping cart.  Probably in New Zealand you actually could get away with that.  In America, it would be dinner...

Naturally, the course for love with Doug and Holly has complications from the get-go as she is a single mother, and then Doug's girlfriend decides that maybe she wants him back.

Oh, and one final thing I failed to mention, Doug is a huge fan of Queen.  If you enjoy the group, you'll love the soundtrack.  A lot of hits, sprinkled with one or two non-radio smashes (at least in America...)

Charming little romantic comedy that should make for a cuddly little date night.


Available to stream instantly on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I could definitely watch this one again.  It's a cute little charmer with a likeable lead, and an adorable duck.  My daughter walked in while I had this on and she got all kinds of excited.  "Duck! Duck!"  Adorable.