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

I Can't Believe They Made A "Trolls" Movie

Trolls (2016)

Rated PG

Starring Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Zooey Deschanel, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Christine Baranski,

Directed by Walt Dohrn & Mike Mitchell

The Story:

The trolls are the happiest little critters that live in the woods. The Bergens are the most miserable. When they discover that they can become happy by eating trolls, well, you can pretty much guess that the trolls are going to have to work really hard to have a happy ending to this film!

I never saw a preview for this film. No trailers. No anything.

I heard it was coming, and I thought, really? Trolls? Those little ugly dolls from when I was growing up?

Really?

How is Dreamworks going to make this into a film?

And this is Dreamworks, and aside from Shrek, they make some pretty fun movies, but it will likely tank at the box office.

But hey, that Justin Timberlake song is pretty catchy, so what the heck, I'll rent it for the kids.

So I did.

Then I watched it.

Oh my goodness.

No matter what I was expecting, which admittedly wasn't much, I was blown away with how much fun and enjoyment I had watching this one.

It was cute. It was silly. It was fun.

It was a musical!

And in a good way, where the songs enhance the story, not become the story.

A mix of new songs and some classics mixed in for fun, it's easy to be swept up by the proceedings and you'll be as happy as Poppy (Kendrick) as the movie rolls along. Accompanied on her journey is Branch (Timberlake) the one troll in the kingdom who doesn't share the affinity of optimism and happiness that all the other trolls embody.

Yep, you get sucked in to this fun little world, and if you're not careful, you'll get sucker-punched by an emotional wallop late in the film.

I know I did.

When "True Colors" is sung, the reaction is heartfelt and genuine.

I still get a little misty-eyed thinking about it.

So, once again, well done Dreamworks.

I enjoyed this one so much, I bought it.

"For the kids".

:)

Following Storks, this looks to be a really fun year for animated films, with 2 very different, very unexpected films vying for Best of the Year honors.

 Final Grade:  B+

Unimpressed Sums It Up..."Nocturnal Animals"

Nocturnal Animals (2016)

Rated R

Starring Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Isla Fisher, Armie Hammer,

Directed by Tom Ford

The Story:

Susan Morrow (Adams) is a wealthy art gallery owner. She is married to Hutton (Hammer), but was previously married to Tony (Gyllenhaal). Well, Tony has sent his ex-wife a manuscript for his upcoming novel to read. It's called Nocturnal Animals. As Susan reads it, it's a very intense work that may also be an allegory to his time being married to Susan.

Cue the intrigue.

Ah yes, the old "story within a story" effect.

This time, instead of a movie or tv show taking place, it's a novel being read.

Gyllenhaal gets double duty as both flashbacks to the time with his wife, and also as the main character of the book.

Except I was bored by all of the characters within the first 10 minutes.

I was actually ready to turn it off during the opening credits.

Watching obese naked women dance on platforms is actually not my idea of a good time.

But that's art! As presented at Susan's gallery, I was already put off before the movie even begins.

Then as each new character is introduced, I really didn't see any reason to care for them, or want to see where the story was going.

Great actors, don't get me wrong.

Just put into a storyline I really had no ambition to soldier through to the end.

Then as I'm doing research on the film, it's one of those arthouse "best of the year...accolade after accolade" films.

So apparently, maybe I'm just not highbrow enough of a movie snob to appreciate what's sitting in front of me, and I would be happier watching an Adam Sandler movie.

Well, I did watch the Waterboy again a few days later, so yeah, maybe.

: )

Your mileage may vary, but this one was ejected and tossed on the scrap heap for worst of the year consideration.

Final Grade: D

The Secret Is Out There..."Hector and the Search For Happiness"

Hector and the Search for Happiness (2014)

Rated R

Starring Simon Pegg, Rosamund Pike, Jean Reno, Christopher Plummer, Ming Zhao, Toni Collette

Directed by Peter Chelsom

The Story:

Hector (Pegg) is a psychiatrist who leads a seemingly ideal life. Except he seems both bored by his patients and his girlfriend (Pike). So one day, Hector decides to throw caution to the wind and embark on a global adventure to discover what true happiness is.

A quirky little indie dramedy that grows on you as the film rolls, Pegg continues to shine as a leading actor who seems perfectly at home in these offbeat love stories.

He absolutely loves Clara, but feels the need to see what life could throw at him if he leaves his very organized life behind for a moment and travels the globe.

Along the way he encounters all manners of characters who impart their wisdom of how to be happy, and how they achieve it. Naturally, each one adds a new layer to Hector and he is able to use what he's learned along the way to help him out of situations as the needs arise.

Naturally, there is the other woman (Collette) who Hector needs to see to find out what he might have missed out on, or if there is a chance that she was his happiness all along, and Clara is a substitute of what might have been.

If you've seen enough movies in your life, you know pretty much how this movie will play out from start to finish.

Still, it's a journey that's always worth taking, and a great cast that takes you along for the ride.

Final Grade: B

Death Before Dishonor..."Last Knights"

Last Knights (2015)

Rated R

Starring Clive Owen, Morgan Freeman, Cliff Curtis, Aksel Hennie,

Directed by Kazuaki Kiriya

The Story:

Raiden (Owen) is the commander of an army of knights that are loyal to the nobleman Bartok (Freeman). When called to see the Emperor, Bartok refuses to bribe the emperor's counsel (Hennie) and winds up losing everything in the process. Will Raiden avenge his master, or is he too far gone to find redemption?

Never heard of this one?

Don't worry, I hadn't either.

But when you're looking through movies that are coming out or available to stream in Netflix and Morgan Freeman pops up on the cover of the movie, odds are that it's worth a look.

And this one is.

The story itself is nothing new that you probably haven't seen before, but the production did a great job of recreating the mood and atmosphere of a time and place of legend.

With a European and Asian mix of cast, crew and location peppered with some well known faces, the movie will keep you engaged from beginning to end.

Might be a tad overlong at nearly 2 hours, but the pacing and structure seemed a deliberate attempt to tell the proper story while having the audience become invested in all of the players, both primary and secondary.

Worth a look if you're interested in an action film you might have otherwise missed.

Currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: C+

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- 

Just Along For The Ride..."Passengers"

Passengers (2016)

Rated PG-13

Starring Chris Pratt, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Sheen

Directed by Morten Tyldum

The Story:

A starship traveling making a 120 year journey to inhabit a new space colony with over 5,000 souls onboard has a malfunction, and a pod containing Jim Preston (Pratt) opens early. 90 years early. With the prospect of dying long before he arrives, Jim tries everything he can to get help from the crew or to put himself back into hibernation. After over a year alone, Jim stumbles upon Aurora (Lawrence) and then wrestles with the decision of whether to wake her up, resigning her to share his fate, or leave her be. You've seen the trailers, you know what he's going to choose.

The question is, wouldn't you do the same thing?

The movie was very clever in the marketing of this film. Never once did they reveal the giant elephant in the room:

Do you wake someone else up, effectively committing murder as they too will die long before there is help, or do you remain alone?

The movie tackles the situation in probably the best way it can, and with the introduction of another character as the movie heads into the final act, it is summed up perfectly on why Jim made the choice he did, and why it is a decision that probably anyone else would make as well.

The moral dilemma aside, the movie itself is beautiful, both in the space sequences as well as just the impressive visuals of imagination that went into the starship.

Adding Michael Sheen to the mix as the third wheel in the relationship helps break the monotony and allows the characters a chance to interact with someone else.

He's also a good reason why you can't trust androids with your secrets.

: )

Final Grade: B-