I Waited 40 Years For This? "Halloween (2018)"

Halloween (2018)

Rated R

Starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, and of course, Michael Myers

Directed by James Gordon Green

The Story:

For the past 40 years, Michael Myers has been institutionalized for the violent murders in Haddonfield Illinois on Halloween night, 1979. However, thanks to some Podcasters and a poorly timed prison transfer, it appears Michael might be getting out of jail free and returning home for some unfinished business.

I'm not even sure I know where to begin with this one.

Soooo... Michael has been in prison for 40 years, wiping away every sequel we've plunked down money (and time) to enjoy (or ridicule) since the original came out.

That's too bad, because I still dig Halloween 2.

Thankfully, that does include the Rob Zombie reboots.

:)

The movie opens with podcasters arriving at Michael's doorstep and they pull out his mask that the D.A. let them borrow.

At this point, I'm thinking, what are the odds the D.A. still had this evidence from 40 years earlier? And if they did, why on earth would they give it to a pair of podcasters?

I know, that thinking seems silly, but at this point, I became disconnected to the film, and never really got back into it.

The plot points lined up exactly, beat for beat at that moment, and you can tell exactly how, where, and why everything is about to happen.

Meanwhile on the other side of Illinois, little Laurie Strode (Curtis) is all grown up and spends her day in Sarah Conner cosplay.

The horror film is out the window at this point as it jumps back and forth between thriller, action movie and oh yeah, let's be a horror film every 10 minutes.

People do die at Michael's hands, literally, but many were given so little screen time, I just didn't care.

I'm not referring to the "odes to the original" deaths.  Those I got the symmetry for why they were done.

However, the best friends, the kids being babysat... there was no emotional connection with them to the point that we fear for their lives and hope/wish they might survive.

If anything, Halloween (2018) simply reminds me of how well Halloween (1979) really was.

Seems Like Westworld To Me..."Vice"

Vice (2015)

Rated R

Starring Ambyr Childers, Thomas Jane, Bruce Willis

Directed by Brian A. Miller

The Story:

Welcome to Vice! The ultimate resort where anything goes, because all of the residents are robots. Fulfill your darkest fantasy. The only problem, Kelly (Childers) is starting to not completely reboot and remembering things that have happened to her before. Meanwhile, Roy (Jane) is a hard-boiled cop who thinks people acting out at Vice bleeds back to the real world and wants to shut the place down. This puts both of them in the crosshairs of Julian (Willis) who wants to shut them both down, permanently.

I hope I didn't make it sound too interesting... because it wasn't.

It was sooooooo boring.

I've yet to watch the re-imagining of Westworld on cable, but I have brief memories of the movie from the 70s.

My guess is they wanted to cash in before the new series came out.

I hope the series is more interesting.

Then again, I can't imagine it being any worse.

Willis and Jane cashing their direct to DVD checks, neither one mustering much effort to care, so I'm not going to either.

Currently streaming on Netflix if you're up for the challenge.

Final Grade:  F

Even More Sinister Than A Stephen King Novel..."I.T."

I.T. (2016)

Not Rated

Starring Pierce Brosnan, Anna Friel, Stefanie Scott, Jason Barry

Directed by John Moore

The Story:

Mike Regan (Brosnan) is a successful entrepreneur who is about to take his business (think Uber...for aircraft!) public. He has a loving wife and daughter (Friel & Scott) and a state of the art home. But when Mike invites the new I.T. guy, Patrick (Barry) over to fix a few bugs at the house, Patrick suddenly thinks he's Mike's new best friend and then gets a bit offended when he gets the cold shoulder.

Don't screw with the I.T. department, Mike!!!

This thriller is not as thrilling as it wanted to be, but it does try.

Mostly by falling on the more-than-capable shoulders of Brosnan to carry the film, Brosnan keeps the audiences sympathy as the likable millionaire who's trying to become a billionaire by taking his firm public.

Yet when Patrick interferes, he runs the risk of losing everything he's worked for, including his very family.

The ground for Patrick's motivations is really that he's just that obnoxious that he would take any slight as a personal insult, and do whatever he can to make that person's life hell.

Hmm...

I know some people like Patrick.

:)

Otherwise, Mike doesn't seem to have any skeletons in his closet or anything that would deserve the cruel fate that comes his way, other than hurting the feelings of a sociopath.

So word of warning: be nice to the I.T. folks, and don't ever invite them to come fix your smart home.
Currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: C+

Clearly The Never Rented Blind Fury Back In The Day... "Don't Breathe"

Don't Breathe (2016)

Rated R

Starring Stephen Lang, Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto,

Directed by Fede Alvarez

The Story:

Rocky (Levy) is trying to find a way to make a better life for her and her little sister and escape their current life. She has been breaking into houses and stealing things with her boyfriend Money (Zovatto) and their friend Alex (Minnette). When they stumble upon the house of a blind veteran (Lang) who has an insurance settlement  that they know is just sitting in that house in cash, waiting to be pilfered, they decide to embark on one last score.

After all, it's some old blind guy, what could possibly go wrong?

Buckle up for a tension-filled ride if you've missed this one.

This is another thriller disguised as a horror film, and the tension just continues to mount as the movie rolls along.

If you haven't seen, or don't remember the trailer, it pretty much fills you in on what to expect.

A home invasion goes horribly wrong for the invaders when the blind guy inside is so much more than the 3 burglars could possibly be expecting.

This is a man that knows every inch of his house, and soon becomes the hunter as the intruders struggle to find a way out of the house.

Creepy little thriller that will grab you and keep you intrigued until the end.

My only complaint, this movie, and many others, that keep opening with a scene that chronologically doesn't appear until near the end of the film.

While it can be an effective way to jump right into the action, it's use in horror/thriller movies often takes a little wind out of the sails later in the film because you know that scene is coming.

Unless of course, you've forgotten all about it.

Final Grade:  B-

Heed The Warning..."Get Out"

Get Out (2017)

Rated R

Starring Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford, Caleb Landry Jones, Marcus Henderson, Betty Gabriel, LilRel Howery,

Written and Directed by Jordan Peele

The Story:

Rose (Williams) is taking her boyfriend Chris (Kaluuya) on a weekend getaway to meet her parents (Keener & Whitford). There are a few odd things around the house that cause Chris concern, but even he is unprepared for the horrible fate that awaits him unless he can...

Get. Out.

Okay, I'm sorry, but this was not a horror film.

A thriller? Maybe suspense film?

Absolutely.

But when I think horror, this is not at all what I think of in a film.

There's a few parts that make you jump, but no, I'm going to have to say I was sold a bill of goods for one movie, and presented another.

That's fine.

It's like being told a movie is a comedy, and then not laughing.

As long as the film is a good one, I can adjust, no harm, no foul.

Just bad advertising.

That's where I'll put Get Out.

It's a movie I'm deliberately talking around, because I hate to spoil films for anyone that may not have seen it yet, even though I'm usually the last guy watching something.

:)

Otherwise, really good movie. Jordan Peele does a great job as first-time (I believe) writer-director for a movie that isn't a comedy.

Though yes, there is some humor to be found in the movie.

Kaluuya is phenomenal carrying the movie as pretty much 95% of the entire movie centers directly or indirectly around him.

Oh yeah, and not to scare anyone away, but the movie does tackle some weighty issues such as racism and classism, but not in nearly the "we have to hit you over the head with it" way that many films try and portray things.

Which makes this film the best kind of 'ism' film, escapism.

Final Grade: B-

To Catch A Killer..."Solace"

Solace (2016)

Rated R

Starring Anthony Hopkins, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Abbie Cornish, Colin Farrell

Directed by Alfonso Poyart

The Story:

FBI Agents Merriweather & Cowles (Morgan & Cornish) have been tracking what they believe to be a serial killer. The attacks are grisly, the clues are nonexistent. So they turn to Dr. John Clancy (Hopkins), a psychic who has helped solve cases in the past. The only problem, it appears that the killer (Farrell) they seek is also a psychic, and he's way ahead of the FBI. And if John's visions are to be believed, not only can they not catch him, none of them may survive the hunt to track him down.

A fine thriller with a unique premise, having two people with psychic abilities on both sides of the law in a game of cat and mouse where it begins to become quite obvious that the cat and the mouse will change positions several times throughout the movie.

Now this may not be a Silence of the Lambs Academy Award winning performance by Hopkins, he does get more screen time and much more to do this go round than in the last dozen movies that I've seen him in, combined.

In fact, the main cast all are quite good in their roles with some interesting twists and turns of the plot along the way.

Farrell too seems to finally have a meatier role than I've seen him in, seemingly for ages. He seems to be enjoying himself in the role, and the ability to work with Hopkins was probably a plus for him in taking the part.

Overall, it kept me interested until the end, and with a few changes could've gone from pretty good to must see.

Final Grade: C+

Creepy Much? "Split"

Split (2017)

Rated PG-13

Starring James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy, Haley Lu Richardson, Jessica Sula, Betty Buckley

Written and Directed by M. Night Shyamalan

The Story:

3 teenagers are abducted after a birthday party. Dennis (McAvoy) is an unusual predator though, as he has been diagnosed with 23 distinct personalities by Dr. Fletcher (Buckley). Unfortunately, there appears to be a 24th personality about to emerge from Dennis, and it may be the most dangerous one of them all.

It's easy to pick on M. Night Shyamalan's career as he's seemingly been swinging for the fences since the Sixth Sense, but cannot seem to recapture that lightning in a bottle.

Maybe that's the problem?

Quit trying.

Just keep making movies, and you don't need to throw in a "I see dead people" hook, or a 'clever twist' in the final act that makes the movie seem even better than it was.

Going down the list of movies that he's written and directed, I see only one real dud...that I've watched... and that's After Earth.

That was just a bad movie, beginning to end, top to bottom.

The rest of his catalog, the ones I've seen, I've enjoyed to some extent.

I don't think I'll ever add him to my list of favorite writers or directors of film, but his movies are always watchable and fairly entertaining.

Which leads us to his latest, which I'm purposefully not talking that much about because it is a movie that will draw you in, mostly based on McAvoy's performance.

This is his film, and it rests squarely on his shoulders, and he does an admirable job carrying it.

Just like the picture above, McAvoy slips into each character and they are wholly distinct from one another. Most are just behavioral changes or the manner in which they speak, but some even suggest actual physical changes, and it's a role that commands attention whenever he's on screen.

Equally compelling is the flashbacks of Casey (Taylor-Joy) as he tragic past is unearthed during her capture.

Not a perfect movie, but easily Shyamalan's best effort, at least for me, in ages.

Final Grade:  B-

A Murder Most 'Meh'... "A Kind Of Murder"

A Kind of Murder (2016)

Rated R

Starring Patrick Wilson, Jessica Biel, Hayley Bennett, Eddie Marsan, Vincent Kartheiser

Directed by Andy Goddard

The Story:

Walter (Wilson) is a successful architect by day and budding detective novelist by night. His wife Clara (Biel) is unsupportive at best, and things just aren't right between them. Walter longs to be with Ellie (Bennett) instead. However Walter's obsession with a seemingly perfect unsolved murder may prove to be his very undoing.

Welcome to a throwback noir thriller set in 1960s New York.

The production values are stellar as it looks and feels as if the film and everything in it is straight from a bygone era.

The problem comes about from the story itself.

The perfect murder in question is pretty much just that, perfect.

You have the weaselly suspect (Marsan) and the overeager detective (Kartheiser) and these characters will go about making Walter's life unbearable.

But that's just it, it almost is unbearable.

His fascination with what could have happened makes him the suspect when his own wife is murdered, and naturally he lies and then lies some more.

The book upon which this is based is titled The Blunderer.

You'll feel like that is a very apt title the longer you watch the film.

Watchable, but in the end, rather unsatisfying.

Final Grade: C-

Spy vs. Spy "Allied"

Allied (2016)

Rated R

Starring Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard,

Directed by Robert Zemeckis

The Story:

Max Vatan (Pitt), a Canadian spy parachutes into Casablanca to meet the lovely French resistance ally Marianne Beausejour (Cotillard). Their mission: to assassinate a German ambassador. While their cover as a married couple was very convincing, Max decided that he wanted it to be real. So after enduring months of vetting and background checks, Marianne finally comes to England, the two are wed, and happiness abounds. Until suspicions arise that Marianne may not be all that she seems.

Cue the ominous music!

In 2005, Brad Pitt makes a movie about being a spy, and having a wife who is also a spy.

He later divorces Jennifer Aniston and marries Angelina Jolie.

In 2016, Brad Pitt makes a movie about being a spy, and having a wife who is a spy.

He later divorces Angelina Jolie...

Clearly, Brad Pitt needs to stay away from this type of role, as he's obviously being typecast!!

:)

That said, this one is not the rip-roaring adrenaline thrill-ride that Mr. & Mrs. Smith was.

It's an action/thriller/drama that keeps you engaged in the is she/isn't she and what happens next as every bit of the story unfolds.

Zemeckis keeps the audience dazzled with action set pieces as well as dramatic tension-filled character moments.

It's not perfect, but it's a pretty solid viewing.

I won't say much more than that, because it's a spy film, you need surprises!

 Final Grade: B-

Just How Innocent Is He? "Reasonable Doubt"

Reasonable Doubt (2014)

Rated R

Starring Dominic Cooper, Samuel L. Jackson, Gloria Reuben, Ryan Robbins, Erin Karpluk

Directed by Peter Howitt

The Story:

District Attorney Mitch Brockden (Cooper) has one too many drinks, but decides to drive home anyway. Along the way, he's distracted just long enough while driving that he hits a man with his car. Unwilling to risk the police, he leaves the scene and calls in the accident by way of pay phone to avoid suspicion. However, when Clinton Davis (Jackson) is arrested with the man's body in his van, Brockden does everything in his power to throw the case to avoid sending an innocent man to prison for a crime he didn't commit.

But just how innocent is Davis after all?

If it sounds like your average thriller that you've probably seen before, well, you wouldn't be too terribly far off.

I think the main problem with this thriller is you've got Samuel L. Jackson who can deliver a whole different level of movie than the rest of cast involved.

While he's dialed up to 11, the rest of the cast is rolling through on about a 7.

So the movie crackles when Jackson is around, other than that, things get a little slower and more bogged down.

If you're all caught up on your thrillers, it might be time to queue this one up.

It only took me 3 years to get back around to it.

:)

I watched it on disc, but it is now currently available to stream on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: C

Genre Mashing On The Cheap..."Daylight's End"

Daylight's End (2016)

Not Rated

Starring Johnny Strong, Lance Henriksen, Louis Mandylor, Chelsea Edmundson

Directed by William Kaufman

The Story:

A drifter (Strong) saves a cop (Edmundson) from an ambush that kills her partner. She takes him back to the police precinct promising him a car and all the gas/food he needs to be on his way. However, they are trying to escape to a sanctuary to get away from the bloodthirsty savages that lurk in the shadows.

File this one under wanting to make a budget horror end of the world film but they couldn't choose between zombies or vampires, so they kind of combined the two into one.

That way you can get the best of both worlds without working too hard.

Throw in a dash of Mad Max, Assault on Precinct 13, I Am Legend, videogames and just about whatever else you can think of, and this movie has got you covered.

Henriksen of course is the face and name you recognize.

Everyone else in the cast is competent, but no names or faces that I recognized.

It could have used a little more tweaking and originality and a bit less borrowing from everything else, but it was good enough to keep my interest.

Final Grade: C

Reality TV..."Money Monster"

Money Monster (2016)

Rated R

Starring George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Jack O'Connell

Directed by Jodie Foster

The Story:

Lee Gates (Clooney) is a charismatic financial adviser with his own high profile cable show. His producer (Roberts) is getting ready to leave after the show is over, when a man (O'Connell) sneaks into the studio and pulls out a gun. Suddenly this live show takes a decidedly darker turn and viewers are stunned as they watch Gates work to get out of this situation alive.

Overall, this was a pretty effective dramatic thriller.

It unfolds pretty much in "real time" as the show descends from what was planned to an unexpected hostage situation.

Clooney and Roberts work extremely well together, though their chemistry is a bit dampened by the fact that they don't share the screen with each other, they communicate through an earpiece.

Clooney gets a chance to run the gamut of emotions, though he seemingly is almost too cool at times, considering the danger he is actually facing.

That's probably the one thing that is mostly lacking from this film, is that actual sense of an edge that the gunman might snap and kill everyone.

We know he's not going to kill Clooney, so much of the dramatic tension is false.

You sucker yourself in as the audience to buy into the dread and despair of the situation, but you're well aware that killing the star of the movie makes for a pretty lousy movie, so you have to pretend something bad could happen to stay in the right frame of mind.

That's just my take on it though.

Not a bad effort, but could have ratcheted things up a notch or two to make this even better.

Final Grade: B-

"Cop Car" Is A Dull Ride

Cop Car (2015)

Rated R

Starring Kevin Bacon, James Freedson-Jackson, Hays Wellford, Camryn Manheim,

Directed by Jon Watts

The Story:

A pair of ten year old boys (Freedson-Jackson & Wellford) are running away from home. Then the find a police car with the keys in it, so they decide, why run when you can drive?

However, when the sheriff (Bacon) realizes he's been carjacked, he's going to go to any means necessary to get his car back, because, well, he's not exactly the nicest cop on the planet...

Cue ominous music!

I can't think of one thing that I enjoyed about this movie.

I'm actually surprised that I watched the whole thing and just didn't give up after 20 minutes.

Like I said, even Kevin Bacon couldn't save this Coming of Age/Dirty Cop hybrid thriller that was long on boredom, short on thrills.

If your goal is to watch every film Kevin Bacon has ever been in, then by all means, you must see this one.

The guy can play a dirty cop without blinking an eye.

Everyone else?

I'd fight the urge, and go watch just about any other film, with or without Bacon, instead.

Mmm...

Bacon.

Final Grade: D

They Are At It Again..."The Purge: Anarchy"

The Purge: Anarchy (2014)

Rated R

Starring Frank Grillo, Carmen Ejogo, Zach Gilford, Kiele Sanchez, Zoe Soul,

Written and Directed by James DeMonaco

The Story:

The annual Purge is upon us. That one night of the year where all crime is permissible, even murder!

Well, as I promised after watching the first installment, I would be back for the sequel.

To be honest, I found this one much better than the first installment.

I actually enjoyed the first movie, my main complaint was the majority of the film being too dark and shadowy for a suspense thriller.

DeMonaco rectifies all of that, and then some this go round.

Instead of a family, we get three separate stories that all converge together and bring some people together, out on the streets, after the Purge has begun.

Grillo is a great choice and has the chops and charisma to be a solid leading man in these budget thrillers.

Gone is the claustrophobic darkness from the first one, and it's opened up into the streets and buildings around town as this group attempts to survive the night.

I hate to say I enjoyed it, but I did.

If DeMonaco keeps this up, I'll be back for a third installment!

Final Grade: B/B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: While I said once was enough for the first installment, I could actually watch this one again with little problem.

"Double Jeopardy"... Legal Thriller Or TV Game Show?

Double Jeopardy (1999)

Rated R

Starring Ashley Judd, Tommy Lee Jones, Bruce Greenwood

Directed by Bruce Beresford

The Story:

Libby (Judd) is sentenced to prison for the murder of her husband, Nick (Greenwood). She swears she's innocent and has been framed. As she rots away in prison, she discovers that not only was she framed, that Nick is actually alive. Once she is paroled, she escapes from her parole officer (Jones) and begins a mad dash across country to find her husband and retrieve her son. Staying one step ahead of the law and getting her son back is Libby's frantic mission.

What if "The Fugitive" was a girl?

That would be an easy way to sum up this film, especially when you include Tommy Lee Jones in the cast.

The difference is the spin of adding the child into the mix.

If it weren't for Libby wanting to see her son, she would have served her time and went along with her life after prison.

However, her son kept her drive and passionate because she missed him, and knew something was wrong.

Add in one seemingly innocent phone call when she hears him say, "Daddy", the film turns into her mission of revenge.

Great job by all three of the lead actors who elevate the story above just a regular thriller.

Worth a look if it's been ages, or never.


Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I do own this one. It's been over a decade since I had last seen it, but still holds up.

Have You Got "3 Days To Kill" ? Okay, How About 2 Hours?

3 Days to Kill (2014)

Rated PG-13 for language and violence

Starring Kevin Costner, Amber Heard, Hailee Steinfeld, Connie Nielsen

Directed by McG

The Story:

 Ethan (Costner) is a CIA operative who is diagnosed with a critical disease.  Wanting to make up to his daughter (Steinfeld) for all the lost time and attention, he moves to be close to her and his estranged wife (Nielsen).  However, when a ruthless agent (Heard) comes calling with a possible cure to prolong Ethan's life in exchange for his help in nabbing some really bad dudes...

What would you do?

And yes, reluctantly, Ethan agrees to try and catch the Wolf and the Albino.

Of course, he needs to keep his life hush hush from the family since he swore that life was over.

This marks two nice turns for Costner as the aging hero (Jack Ryan) who can still bring it in a fight.

Steinfeld plays the jilted, angry teenager role that is becoming all too cliche in these films.  One of these days they'll do a story about the kids who love that their parent(s) are assassins and think it's awesome.

Strangely cast is Amber Heard who is just... mean.

You'd think she was actually the villain of the piece, but she's working for the United States.  Apparently, she just doesn't want to get her hands dirty, so that's why she's got Ethan.

I think I would have preferred a little more to her story, but at close to a 2 hour running time, something had to give.

Apparently, hers was the more judicious plot piece to eliminate.

Still, not a bad action-thriller.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Not a bad little thriller.  That Kevin Costner may have a future in Hollywood.

A Not So "Grand Piano"

Grand Piano (2013)

Rated R for language

Starring Elijah Wood, John Cusack

Directed by Eugenio Mira

The Story:

Tom Selznick (Wood) is a concert pianist who suffered a meltdown 5 years earlier.  After the passing of his mentor, he is coming back to the stage to perform, but he's scared.  As he starts playing, he finds some mysterious scribblings from a mysterious stranger (Cusack): Play the music correctly, or I'll kill you.

Sheesh, everyone's a critic!

Oh wait...

This movie was thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis close to getting turned off and sent back around the 20 minute mark.

I'm pretty sure my honey wishes I had done just that, as I believe I endured another hour of eyerolling and groaning about the film.

But I soldiered on...

It may have even gone past the 20 minute mark.

Waaaaaaaaay too long of a setup for what was going to transpire, but I guess you have to pad somewhere to make the movie stretch to 90 minutes.

It does pick up when Cusack's killer is finally...finally! introduced to the movie.

Voice only.

He doesn't appear until the last 10-15 minutes of the film.

Luckily, he brings enough Cusackian charisma to the voice of the killer that he pretty much saved the film from being an abysmal failure.

Not by much, but close enough.

Hidden amongst the dramatic tension and Elijah Wood fearing for his life, is a heist film tucked away as a clever after thought.

That helped keep the final grade up as high as it is, but again, totally your call if you want to sit through it.

I would recommend if you do watch it, and naturally a week or two after I sent it back.....

It's now available for streaming on Netflix...

Just skip ahead to when Wood realizes his life is in danger, and start from there.

You'll like the movie more, and won't feel like you suffered through that dragging first half.

Final Grade: C-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor:  Nope, this one is only being played once.

It's A John Cusack Kind Of Weekend: "The Bag Man"

The Bag Man (2014)

Rated R for language and violence

Starring John Cusack, Recbecca Da Costa, Robert DeNiro

Directed by David Grovic

The Story:

A hit man (Cusack) is sent to retrieve a bag for his boss (DeNiro) with specific instructions: Don't look inside the bag.  Then more and more people show up trying to kill the hit man and keep the bag for themselves.  What kind of set-up is this??

Oh how the mighty have fallen.

And I'm not sure which one I'm referring to more, Cusack or DeNiro.

Both do a fine job, but any good actor can just go through the motions and still give a decent performance.

Direct to DVD is one thing...

Direct to boredom is quite something else.

I think I dozed off a few times during the film, but I still don't think I missed anything of real importance.

Needless to say, he doesn't look in the bag, but you can probably guess what is in the bag if you've seen any thriller, ever.

You can probably guess who sent the people to kill our hero, including the "hooker" (Da Costa).

It's a waste of talent, and your time.

Final Grade: D+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Don't look in the DVD sleeve!

I Should Have "Gone" For A Different Movie. :)

Gone (2012)

Rated PG-13 for language and peril

Starring Amanda Seyfried, Daniel Sunjata, Jennifer Carpenter, Sebastian Stan

Directed by Heitor Dhalia

The Story:

Jill (Seyfried) was abducted and escaped her would-be killer.  The police (Sunjata) really don't believe her fantastical tale, and the medications she is taking are because everyone thinks she's crazy.  However, when her sister is abducted, Jill knows it was the same killer, and she sets out to find him, without the help of the police.

Meh.

It's your average thriller that's less than thrilling than it should be.

Boy meets girl.
Boy abducts girl.
Girl escapes boy.
Boy pursues girl.
Boy kidnaps different girl.
Girl seeks revenge on boy.
Happy ending, except for boy.

You'll see every twist.
Anticipate every turn.

Stifle every yawn.

I used to expect more from Amanda Seyfried, but lately, I'm not so sure anymore.

Ah well...there's always Mean Girls. ;)

Totally your call if you want to take the ride.

Final Grade: C-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: None for me, thanks.

You Will Appreciate The "Gravity" Of Their Situation

Gravity (2013)

Rated PG-13 for language and space peril

Starring Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Ed Harris

Directed and written by Alfonso Cuaron

The Story:

Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock) is on her first shuttle mission.  Teamed with veteran mission commander Matt Kowalsky (Clooney) everything is going fine until they are warned by Mission Control (Harris) that there is debris heading towards the shuttle and they need to abort their mission and get clear of the debris.  Before they can, the debris tears through their area, killing everyone except Stone and Kowalsky.  Adrift and alone, can the two survive in outer space and find a way to get back home?

Well, yes and no.

This is a pretty good little dramatic thriller.

The movie is pretty much all Sandra Bullock's and she does admirably as the astronaut who is in over her head.

Saved by her commander, she has one shot at getting home alive, but it's going to be a very perilous journey.

Think Apollo 13, but not real life, and much fewer actors.

Clooney's role is much smaller than you would imagine, but he does a great job with playing George Clooney.

:)

Beautifully shot, I have no problem with this film winning the Best Director award at the Oscars.

Otherwise, it's an engaging 90 minutes worthy of your time.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I could watch it again in the future, but no need to own it, and no hurry to rewatch.  Maybe in a few years.