You'll Have It His Way...Or Else! "The Founder"

The Founder (2016)

Rated PG-13

Starring Michael Keaton, Nick Offerman, John Carroll Lynch, Laura Dern, Linda Cardellini,

Directed by John Lee Hancock

The Story:

Ray Kroc (Keaton) was a salesman on the road trying to make a fortune. When a restaurant out in California ordered multiple milkshake makers, Kroc assumes it's a mistake and heads west. When he meets the McDonald brothers (Offerman & Lynch) he is struck by how efficient, and delicious, their restaurant is. He wants to franchise their restaurant. The boys are reluctant at first, but eventually relent.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Keaton is on fire with his acting career over the last few years. The Founder is no exception. He plays Kroc with a drive and ambition to get his franchises off the ground and turn them into a household name.

Stymied at nearly every turn by the McDonald brothers, he can't seem to figure out how to turn a profit on the restaurants.

Then, as Lucy Van Pelt once lamented that all she wanted was real estate...

Kroc is told to buy the land, and rent the property to the new franchises.

Not only does this turn the tables for Kroc, it also establishes McDonalds as one of the largest property owners on the planet.

Highly recommended.

Final Grade: B+

A Coming Of Age Gem..."The Kings Of Summer"

The Kings of Summer (2013)

Rated R

Starring Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso, Moises Arias, Nick Offerman, Megan Mulally, Mark Evan Jackson,

Directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts

The Story:

Joe (Robinson) and Patrick (Basso) are two friends who are fed up with their respective parents. So Joe comes up with a great plan: they move to the woods and build their own house. So they do. Joining them on their adventure is Biaggio (Arias) and the three have a great time at first. But the lives of teenagers are like weather patterns, and are due to change at any minute...

Usually in these films, it's the preteens that run away on an adventure, but in this case, the kids are high schoolers who have clearly had enough.

Both have parents that simply grate on the kid's nerves, but the parents also have the best dialogue in the movie.

The boys carry most of the movie with camaraderie and a bond that carries through onscreen.

When the bond is severed, you feel bad for all involved because nobody was truly at fault for how it happens.

Again, nothing earth-shattering happens, but I have to leave films like this vague in my descriptions because it's easy to ruin the whole thing with just a few sentences.

It's an evolution of the characters, and Basso and Robinson do a great job of holding our interest and making the most of every scene they have.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime as of this writing.

Final Grade: B

Aside From The Cast, I Found Little Appeal From "Parks And Recreation"

Parks & Recreation  (2009)

TV-PG

Starring Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Aziz Ansari, Rashida Jones

Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Shur

The Story:

Take a behind the scenes look at the local politics and backstabbing that take place at the Parks and Recreation office in a small Indiana town.

No, I did not watch this show when it aired.

It's now streaming on Netflix, so I decided to take a gander and see what I thought.

Much like Firefly, meh, it didn't really seem that great.

It's a wonderful cast, and from the actors that I saw (Poehler, Plaza, Pratt, Jones) I've loved them in many other things that I've watched them in.

With this show, I've watched 2 episodes...

And I just can't see myself wanting or having to see the remaining 123 episodes.

It was amusing in spots, but nothing gut-bustingly funny nor compelling enough that I have to see it.

I know, it just doesn't seem fair.

How can I judge a series after only 2 episodes?

And yet, we do it all the time.

The networks parade a wide variety of shows each and every season...some stick, some don't.

If you can't grab me by the first episode, what are the odds I will come back next week?

Looking back at what I watched last year, and even going back farther, perhaps I lean towards the hour long shows (42 minute runtime on Netflix!) as it gives the show a chance to flesh itself out in the pilot and grow on me twice as fast.

So with the daunting task of facing 45+ more hours of Parks and Recreation, or going about my business of watching just about anything else...

Yep, I'm aiming for other offerings for my time.

Final Grade-  C