Something Special Under The Hood..."Monster Trucks"

Monster Trucks (2017)

Rated PG-13

Starring Lucas Till, Jane Levy, Thomas Lennon, Barry Pepper, Rob Lowe, Danny Glover,

Directed by Chris Wedge

The Story:

When a previously undiscovered species is found while drilling for oil, the company bigwig (Lowe) decides to keep things hush hush so that he can keep drilling. Except one escapes and is discovered by Tripp (Till) who tries to help it stay one step ahead of the company that's trying to get it back. Using the creature's unique abilities, they will embark on a mission to free the other creatures that the company has captive and return them all to the wild.

Awwww...

This one is definitely geared for kids, which is always apparent when it comes from Nickelodeon Studios.

That said, at least it is entertaining enough to keep the adults entertained that decide to watch alongside their little movie watching buddies.

They've peppered (no pun intended) the film with some very familiar faces and names to up the star power, but naturally, it's Till and the creatures that provide the framework for 90% of the film.

Harmless fun for the whole family, and I'll rarely complain about that.

Final Grade: C+

Checking The Calendar... "Almost Christmas"

Almost Christmas (2016)

Rated PG-13

Starring Danny Glover, Gabrielle Union, Mo'Nique, Kimberly Elise, Romany Malco, J.B. Smoove, Jessie T. Usher, John Michael Higgins, Omar Epps

Written and Directed by David E. Talbert

The Story:

Walter (Glover) is the family patriarch, and all of his kids are coming home for Christmas. It's the first gathering of the entire family since their mother passed away. Naturally, each of the kids come home with their own life difficulties, but perhaps they can keep the drama to a minimum since it's...Almost Christmas.

Yeah, not likely.

Between 2 sisters that have never seen eye to eye (Union & Elise) a son that is running for office (Malco) regardless of how he might have to compromise his principles, or the aspiring pro athlete (Usher) who may or may not have an addiction problem, there is no shortage of issues among the kids.

Add in some spouses and children, and the household is full and the crazy level is rising with just days before the big event.

There's also some small character moments that bring real life to some of the crazy drama.

Thankfully, nothing is played too crazy; these could be real issues for real families.

It's sweet, sincere, honest and at times very touching.

The cast gels together and the chemistry keeps the family dynamic going.

You may have missed this one in theaters last year, but you've got a chance this upcoming holiday season to add this one to the list and see if it becomes a perennial holiday favorite in your home.

Final Grade: B

Greed Isn't Good...It's Delicious! "Waffle Street"

Waffle Street (2015)

TV-PG

Starring James Lafferty, Danny Glover, Julie Gonzolo, Dale Dickey

Directed by Eshom & Ian Nelms

The Story:

James Adams (Lafferty) is a successful broker who ends up taking the fall when his firm is hit by the financial crisis of the early 2000s. He loses his job, and becomes untouchable by other firms. So he attempts to find another job...any job... but being a numbers guy for so long, he's got no real skills to do anything else. He finds himself in a 24 hour waffle house one day with a help wanted sign outside. The rest, is history.

Naturally, this is based on a true story.

James becomes a server, and develops a friendship with the rest of the staff, several of the regulars, and the short order cook, Edward (Glover).

His plan, to put in the hours, save up the money and buy his own Waffle Street franchise so he can be the boss, and reclaim some of his past glory and financial security.

Naturally, things don't always go as planned.

This is a cute little comedy/dramedy that relies on the likability of the cast and the honesty of the source material to keep you invested in the story.

Nothing exceptionally groundbreaking here, but if you're searching around Netflix for something new to stream, here's 90 minutes that are worth your time.

Final Grade: B- 

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

A Movie That Will Put You In A "Rage"

Rage (2014)

Rated R

Starring Nicolas Cage, Rachel Nichols, Danny Glover

Directed by Paco Cabezas

The Story:

Paul Maguire (Cage) is a former criminal who has lived the straight and narrow life for some time. However, when his daughter is kidnapped, and then turns up murdered, he assumes that members of the Russian mob have decided to come after him.  So he rounds up his old buddies, and they search for his daughter's killer, using any means necessary.

Never heard of this one?  It was originally titled "Tokarev".

Never heard of that one either?

You're not missing anyting.

Cage's latest direct-to-DVD affair (or at least it seems like it) is the worst yet.

Stolen was pretty good. The Frozen Ground had its moments. Seeking Justice was okay.

I watched this one, but the eyes pretty much glassed over by the halfway point.

Thankfully, I had homework to keep me occupied and I kept looking back up to see if the movie was getting any better.

Nope, just louder and more violent.

Your typical twists and turns as the body count rises.

Then, there's the big reveal of who really killed his daughter.

I was only half-paying attention, and I figured out the killer an hour earlier, and could have easily saved the lives of 30 extras.

:)


Available to stream on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: C-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Nah, the latest in a string of Cage's direct to DVD features is my least favorite of the bunch.

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas..."Lethal Weapon"

I'm too old for this...

The Story:

Veteran cop Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) is nearing retirement.  He finds himself saddled with a new partner, a burn-out, possibly suicidal maniac, Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson).  The two are pulled into a suicide which leads them back to an old Army buddy of Roger's.  The question then becomes, who is going to kill the cops first, the bad guys, or each other?

Come on, how much of a plot synopsis do you want me to give to Lethal Weapon?

It's over 25 years old and is a classic in its own rights.

If the film didn't define it, it at the very least redefined the entire Buddy Cop action flick.

Want to take film-making 101 for making that kind of movie, look no further.

First, get two polar opposites that bicker and squabble with each other, but come to depend and work well with each other by the end of the film.

Literally put them on death's door or as much of a physical wringer as you can muster, and you'll see what they are made of on the inside as well as how tough they are on the outside.

This was Shane Black's first feature movie that he wrote, and he knocked it out of the park on his first try.  He's kept the Christmas feeling over the rest of the movies he's worked on, most recently with Iron Man 3.

Aside from pairing Glover and Gibson together, they also put them opposite Gary Busey who is simply unleashed on the screen as possibly the most psychotic villain to plague 80s cops.  If Die Hard had the suave Hans Gruber to counteract the everyman John McClane, Lethal Weapon offered up Mr. Joshua as the psychopath who could channel Riggs inner rage, and give in to it.

You have to believe that the villains can beat the hero, and literally our heroes limp across the finish line when it's all over.

Tying this all together is Richard Donner.  If push comes to shove, I will say that he is, for overall body of work, my favorite director of all time.  His movies are nearly always entertaining and in a way, timeless.  While this movie is made in the 80s, it could just as easily be now, or earlier.  That's just how Donner works, and his movies age really well.

Plus, much like Die Hard, it's got a Christmas theme, so it's a way to get some adrenaline during the holidays pumped into your system.  Normally I try and squeeze these into holiday viewing when I'm wrapping gifts for the kids.  Now that they've figured out how great Die Hard is, I wonder when they'll come waiting to see this one?!

Final Grade: A+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I love 'em, I own 'em!

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 27 ~ Lethal Weapon

 

 

 

The buddy picture.

Or more specifically, the buddy cop picture.

It's been represented by Jackie Chan (twice) thus far.

And while there have been similar films before, and since, I will hold this one up as the blueprint for how to do it correctly.

The adventures of a pair of polar opposite detectives: Suicidal crazy-man Riggs, and straight-laced family man Murtaugh are on the case, and the bad guys had better watch out.  Because if these two don't kill each other first, the bad guys won't stand a chance!

And yeah, that's like the plot, in a nutshell.

It might seem formulaic, and on the surface it is, but as any great chemistry experiment will tell you, when you get a good formula, it works.

So you start with my favorite director, Richard Donner triumphantly returns to the countdown.  He takes a tight script and turns it loose with these two stars.

First, Mel Gibson.  Again, I'm not here to judge Mel on anything but what he does on screen.  I would have to say this was his first big break, in a real bona-fide action vehicle, if you want to discount the 3rd Mad Max sequel, and I'm fairly certain that most filmgoers do.

So yes, I would say Mad Max (# 2) brought Gibson to attention, and his next films proved he could act, but it was Lethal Weapon that turned him into a star.  You believe the desperation and manic ability that he brings to the screen.

Likewise, Danny Glover is the polar opposite to Gibson.  For me, I knew Glover from Silverado (just missed the countdown) but it seems like that's a pretty nice gig to really get your first starring, or at least co-starring role with this franchise.

Much like Superman, Donner is going to get you with some no-names or familiar faces, and let the story bring you along.

He succeeds.

And in the process, made an unconventional Christmas movie that still holds up today.

As for the rest of the franchise, aside from Chris Rock in the 4th film, I'm still a big fan.  Chris Rock is annoying.  Can he be funny? Yes.  A broken clock can be right twice a day also, but I would prefer one that works.

I would have preferred another actor in that role.

That's all I'm saying.

And Joe Pesci?  Leo Getz is awesome.

: )

I believe I've already mentioned that I love Rene Russo, so yeah, I'm a big fan of the entire franchise from start to finish, which I don't always say about every movie series I've seen (especially ones where George Lucas is involved...).