Those Kids Are Growing Up So Fast..."Stranger Things 2"

Stranger Things 2 (2017)

TV-14

Starring David Harbour, Winona Ryder, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Matthew Modine, Paul Reiser, Sean Astin

Created by Matt & Ross Duffer

The Story:

Nearly a year has passed since the events from Stranger Things. However, there's a new Doctor (Reiser) in charge at the Department of Energy, and he's doing everything in his power to help Will (Schnapp) with his episodes that are still tormenting him from being in the Upside Down.

Welcome back to Hawkins Indiana, population a couple million binging on their favorite kids from the 80s! :)

So if you are like the millions that fell in love with Stranger Things last year, and watched as it became a pop-culture phenomenon in the year in between seasons, your wait is finally over.

If you're one that thinks Stranger Things is overrated and being pushed down our throats...

You're dead to me.

:)

The Duffer Brothers are back, and they will fill in the gaps with what has happened in the year we've been away, and with some other flashbacks, they'll take us back even farther.

A whole slew of new characters will be introduced, and Will Byers will graduate from plot device in Season One to Plot Device with a little more to do in Season 2. ;)

The dynamics between the two seasons is really evident, and they don't try and forcefully recreate the magic of season one. This is another year, and the characters have grown and changed, and will continue to do so for as long as the series runs.

That's a good thing.

So there you go.

No spoilers in there, but I'm pretty sure if you watched Season One, you are likely already finished with Season Two and came to the same conclusion:

Really? We have to wait another year for the next season?!?!

: )

Final Grade: A

I Promise It Will Not Leave You "Sleepless"

Sleepless (2017)

Rated R

Starring Jamie Foxx, Michelle Monaghan, Scoot McNairy, Dermot Mulroney, T.I., David Harbour, Gabrielle Union, Octavius J. Johnson,

Directed by Baran bo Odar

The Story:

Vincent (Foxx) is an undercover cop who appears to be on the take with his partner Sean (T.I.). However when the drugs they stole turn out to belong to the mob, well let's just say they want their product back. If that isn't enough heat on his back, Internal Affairs is also coming after him because they think that he's a dirty cop.

Release this spring, if you blinked, you probably missed it.

However, in the grand scheme of things, that's probably okay.

Foxx is far removed from his glory days of Ray (2004) and Django Unchained (2012), but I'll never begrudge an actor from making a living.

I mean if Seagal, Van Damme and the like can still put out direct to DVD fare, who am I to judge?

That said, this feels like a direct to DVD release with a great cast bogged down with a pointless script that elicits too many unintentional laughs for the thriller it was trying to be.

Piling on to that was the "oh wait, let's throw a twist that they won't see coming" moments that are scattered throughout the film, it just becomes an exercise in willpower to stay to the end.

It's watchable, sure, but you can, will, and have seen better.

Much better.

Final Grade: C-

The Thin Blue Line..."End Of Watch"

End of Watch (2012)

Rated R

Starring Jake Gylenhaal, Michael Pena, Anna Kendrick, Natalie Martinez, David Harbour, Frank Grillo, America Ferrera,

Written and Directed by David Ayer

The Story:

Brian (Gylenhaal) and Mike (Pena) are officers in the LAPD. They're partners. They're brothers. When they uncover crimes being committed that are well above the street thug level that they are used to, they draw the unwanted attention of a Mexican cartel that orders them killed.

Your feeling about the police will likely color your desire to even see this film.

It's brutal and unflinching in portraying life on the streets of California and the dangers that are out there for citizens, criminals, and the police.

Shot in a documentary style for Brian's college class, you'll be up close and  personal as the personal and professional lives of Brian and Mike play out before you.

The rest of the supporting cast is great, and used sparingly.

Again, this is about the partners and the bond they share.

It's also what gives the film the extra heart and soul and may likely lead you to tears by the film's conclusion.

It's a film that had been sitting in my queue for years, and I'm finally glad I got around to seeing it.

Final Grade:  B

Some "Stranger Things" Are Happening Lately

Stranger Things (2016)

TV-14

Starring Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Charlie Heaton, Matthew Modine

Created by Matt and Ross Duffer

The Story:

In the small town of Hawkins Indiana, young Will Byers (Schnapp) goes missing. His frantic mom (Ryder) contacts the sheriff (Harbour) and the hunt begins. Sadly, it is only the first of some very weird things that are about to plague this small town.

Doesn't sound very exciting, does it.

It is.

I'm being very vague in my description for several reasons.

There's a lot to be found in this ode to 80s cinema and television from Matt and Ross Duffer.

If you aren't hooked to watch this series in the first 8 1/2 minutes, then this show is not for you.

However, if you get the goosebumps in all the right places, you're in for a nostalgic feel for a story you've never heard.

Add equal parts Spielberg, Stephen King, John Carpenter, The Goonies, Halloween, Dungeons and Dragons and some more 80s nostalgia and drop into a blender and you'll get the basic cocktail that lays the foundation for this to work.

It's the latest Netflix original, and while I'm only 2 episodes in, I've found that the pacing for this one seems to flow much better than many of the 12-13 series shows where I've felt they could tell a better story in 8 episodes.

It seems that the Duffers may have felt the same way and they are crafting a fine tale with all the jumps and frights thanks to a good script, a believable cast and a score that helps set the mood and provide just the perfect enhancement cues for the viewer.

I made the 8 1/2 minute offer to most of my kids after I watched the first episode. I told them they could walk when the credits started rolling to introduce the series.

Nobody walked.

Now they are an episode ahead of me as well, and telling me to hurry up so they can keep going!

: )

I have no idea how it's going to end up, but I'm sure enjoying the ride to find out.

I'm hoping for a season 2, regardless of how this season ends.

It's that good.

Streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: A

Never Take "A Walk Among The Tombstones" With Liam Neeson.

A Walk Among The Tombstones (2014)

Rated R

Starring Liam Neeson, Maurice Compte, David Harbour

Directed by Scott Frank

The Story:

Matt Scudder (Neeson) is a former cop turned private investigator after a tragic accident in his career. He is approached to take a case to find the men who murdered the wife of a drug dealer after taking her ransom. He passes, but when he learns that the man paid the ransom, and that they had already killed his wife, he begins to piece together that this is the M.O. in some other cases, and he realizes that if he wants to save the life of the next victim, he better spring into action.

If you want a man with a certain skill set to find and kill people, you hire Liam Neeson and let him do his job.

That is, after all, what he does pretty much since his role in Taken.

However, if it's not broken, and the audiences want to buy tickets for it, ride that horse until it won't go anymore!

At this point, you know how the story will play out, and again, that's fine for what it is.

Nothing awful.

Nothing spectacular.

You've seen it all before but Neeson hasn't worn out his welcome...

Yet.

I give this a C+