Ninjas, Gods & Godfathers End the Summer

HERCULES

ACTION/FANTASY

PLOT:  Another film about the legend of the mythic hero.

                The Greek demigod is now played by Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson who becomes a mercenary after the 12 labors.  It is based on a graphic novel Hercules: Thracian Wars.  A movie early in the year titled The Legend of Hercules was low-budget.  Fans will debate which the better movie is.  The one with Johnson has a better budget but both show how strong and powerful Hercules is.  If you like Johnson please sees it even though he wasn’t good but his body was excellent!!

GET ON UP

BIOGRAPHY/DRAMA

PLOT:  The story about “The Godfather of Soul” James Brown.

                When you see a film about real person you should read more about the person dramatized for Hollywood throw in scenes that may or not have happened.  This movie is about James Brown who was an amazing entertainer but had demons and troubles like most entertainers and people.  Chadwick Boseman should be called “The Biography Man” for he also has done another famous African American Jackie Robertson.  He is very good especially the concert scenes.  He does lip-synch to James Brown but he has his dance moves and excitement!!  The part I don’t like is the jumping flashbacks and him talking to the viewer.  I wish it started when he was a child until he was sixty.  It is a well made IFC kind of movie.

TEENAGED MUTANT NINJA TURTLES

ACTION/COMEDY

PLOT: The reboot of the popular turtle warriors.

                I didn’t think anyone would want to see TMNT including me but it is very good if you like the cartoons and the movies in the 90s.  The special effects are much better and they have the director Jonathan Liebesman (Battle  Los Angeles, Wraith of the Titans) which was action-packed.  Megan Fox had much more to do as April O’Neal and she does her well what she had to work with.  The evil Shredder is more like a Transformer because he is more advanced.  The turtles are like the cartoon.  In short it is a Saturday morning live-action cartoon which is great!!!

SIN CITY 2: A DAME TO KILL FOR

CRIME/THRILLER

PLOT:  The sequel to Sin City.

It took nine years for the next installment of the stylized ultra sexy and violent film.  Marv (Mickey Rourke) who was in the first one is still raising hell.  The film like the first one is about low-lifes who want revenge or sex.  The stand outs are Eva Green (300: Rise of an Empire) as a green-eyed femme fatale and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (The Dark Night Rises) as a gambler ready to take on a powerful man.  It is very good if you like this kind of  movie.  I don’t know why it didn’t make money in the US but thank goodness for overseas.  Will there be a Sin City 3?  I hope so but this time about Old Town.

INTO THE STORM

ACTION/THRILLER

PLOT:  In one day the town of Silverton is attacked by many tornadoes and how the people survive.

                The star of the show is the special effects of the tornadoes!!  The people are stock characters and it starts slowly but when the disaster hits the movie becomes very interesting.  Thrill seekers, storm chaser and ordinary people film the horror and trying to live through it.  It could easily be Twister 2.  Worth a look only for what a tornadoes can do to a city or town.

THE NOVEMBER MAN

ACTION/THRILLER

PLOT:  An ex-CIA operative gets back in for personal reasons and has to deal with an assassin he trained.

                Pierce Brosnan gets back in the CIA to save a lover in this movie. He is more of malicious, rouge James Bond!!!  He is very brutal in his ways of getting information but he does have a soft spot!!  It didn’t do well in the United States.  I hope it does well overseas and even better on video.  It is worth a look.  People ask why the movie is titled The November Man.  They explain in the trailer but I also read it means that the month is cold like the agent.