End Year, New Year Fantasies

MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM
HISTORICAL/DRAMA

PLOT: Based on his autobiography Nelson Mandela.

First of all when Hollywood makes a biopic they add things that don’t happen but for dramatic effect. Read about the late, great South African president before you see it. As a movie it is fantastic!! Idris Elba (Pacific Rim) is wonderful and Mandela and so is Naomie Harris (Skyfall) as Winnie Mandela. I hope Oscar nominations are in their future. The entire cast is very good.

A MADEA CHRISTMAS
COMEDY

PLOT: Madea spreads on her joy for the holidays.

Madea (Tyler Perry) helps a friend Eileen (Anna Maria Horsford) surprise her daughter Lacey (Tika Sumpter The Haves and Haves Not) for Christmas but she has surprises of her own. This film is for Madea fans only. It is not high-brow comedy. Larry The Cable Guy shows up and shamelessly plugs his product Prilosec OTC! How funny or weird is that?

HOMEFRONT
ACTION/DRAMA

PLOT: Former drug enforcement agent Phil Broker wants to leave with his daughter and start over.

Phil Broker (Jason Statham) leaves the city to the bayou but problems still follow him and Morgan “Gator” Bodine (James Franco) is a meth maker and dealer to cause more trouble. Story not important but kick butt is which Statham provides. Why it came out around Thanksgiving is a shock and why talented Franco is it this. It should be on video and I am sure it will do much better!!

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG
ACTION/FANTASY

PLOT: The further adventures of Bilbo Baggins.

Bilbo ( Martin Freeman), Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) the dwarves lead by Thorin (Richard Armitage) continue their quest to reclaim their home from the evil dragon Smaug. I enjoyed this film very much because of all things Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch Star Trek Into Darkness)!! I loved how massive the dragon was!! The story is good and the special effects are a wonder to behold. There is one more movie to this trilogy and it is most welcome!!

FROZEN
ANIMATED/FANTASY

PLOT: Disney retelling of The Snow Queen.

Two sisters, Anna and Elsa are very close but her sister Elsa has the power to freeze everything. She keeps it hidden after an almost tragic accident with Elsa and keeps her sister away. She runs away and it is Elsa with the help of friends to save the kingdom from being cold forever. Disney is famous for their wonderful supporting characters and this is no different. The one that stand out is the goofy looking but loveable snowman Olaf which reminds me of Jerry Lewis for those who knows who he is. It is well made and every animated Disney feels like it could be easily made into a musical with all the songs. It is a great movie for ALL ages!!!

Holidays 2013 Movie Round-up

HUNGER GAMES 2: CATCHING FIRE
SCI-FI/ACTION/THRILLER

PLOT: The next movie in the trilogy books by Suzette Collins.

Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) becomes hope for the people and hated by President Snow (Donald Sutherland) and the Capitol so they created games so she can play again but lose this time. The movie is slow pace because they are building up to the ending and when the action comes it is fast and furious!! Talent is involved in this production. It is very well done. Read the books if you can. Can’t wait for Mockingjay.

THE BEST MAN HOLIDAY
ROMANTIC COMEDY/DRAMA

PLOT: A sequel to The Best Man.

It is a continuation of The Best Man about successful, educated black friends and now new problems of becoming older, pregnant, independent and dependent in fifteen years. First of all this is a breath of fresh air with the recent black actors portraying slaves and servants. I say enough of that!! The acting is great and it seems there may be a third film. The movie makes you want to see the first one again!! It has Morris Chestnut, Taye Diggs, Terrance Howard, Nia Long and Reigna Hall. Worth watching!!!

12 YEARS A SLAVE
Historical Drama

PLOT: The true story of Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejofor) is a free black man in upstate New York who is kidnapped and becomes a slave.

OMG this is not a pleasant movie. The title of the film tells all. It is very graphic of the torment and treatment of black slaves. All the performances are exceptional but it is above average slave exploitation film. I don’t know why talented black actors would do such a depression, degrading motion picture. It is directed by Steve McQueen who did Shame and I don’t know why he did the film. It is making money and probably receives numerous nominations but the movie is very, very difficult to watch!! You have been warned!!!

BAD GRANDPA
COMEDY

PLOT: Irving Zisman is an old man taking his 8 year grandson to his father.

The people who made the Jack Ass movies now have made this movie. Irving Zisman is played by Johnny Knoxville and the Billy the kid is played by Jackson Nicoll. They go cross country to take him back to his greedy father after her mother goes to jail. This is an outrageous, gross, crude film but it is very funny if you like this kind of movie. It is making money sick as it is!! Watch at your own risk!!


ENDER’S GAME
FANTASY/ACTION/ADVENTURE

PLOT: A brilliant teen must save the world from an alien insect being.

Ender is a smart, determined young man who must prove himself a leader and destroy the aliens before they destroy the earth. The movie is based on the popular novel. You should read the novel before watching the movie for you know Hollywood changes things. The best part of the film for me was the special effects. It was really well done. It is slow in spots but very good when it gets to the battle scenes.

Pirates, Meatballs and Hammers

CAPTAIN PHILIPS
DRAMA/THRILLER

PLOT: Based on a true story about Richard Phillips who was hijacked by Somali pirates in 2009.

The movie is compelling as great actor Tom Hanks shows he is still can play an ordinary guy in extraordinary conditions and make you feel good about it. He is a hero in a realistic way. Barkhad Abdi as Muse one of the pirates is good as a bad guy. This is his film debut. The bad part about the film is that it is not accurate but as a movie it is nerve-wracking in parts. Mr. Hanks will be nominated again for Oscar!!

CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2
ANIMATED/FANTASY

PLOT: Further adventures of Flint Lockwood.

I didn’t see the first one but it told what happened. The sequel is very family friendly, very imaginative and high energy. Bill Hader and Anna Farris (both from Saturday Night Live) are good as Flint Lockwood and Sam Sparks. Great for the kids and adults who want to feel like a kid again.

THOR 2: THE DARK WORLD
ACTION/FANTASY

PLOT: Thor has to save Asgard and the women he loves.

This is the sequel to Thor. Chris Hemsworth as Thor is good and Tom Hiddleston is great as Loki. He is not the main villain but the evil dwarf Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) who wants darkness on Asgard and earth. Comic relief is by Kat Denning. She wasn’t that funny to me this time and Stellan Skarsgard as the Selvig. It is an action packed and don’t jump up and leave –STAY AFTER THE CREDITS!!

Parents, Gravity, and Machete Kills

PRISONERS
CRIME DRAMA/THRILLER

PLOT: Two little girls are kidnapped and the parents and the police search for them.

OMG!!! This is not a pleasant experience at the movies!! It stars Hugh Jackman; Maria Bello is one couple and Terrence Howard and Viola Davis another couple who are friends. They have two daughters and find out their daughters are missing. It is an intense, frightening journey what lengths parents will do to save their children. It gets a little melodramatic but good regardless. Jake Gyllehaal is fantastic as Detective Loki (!) a determined but demented cop. Hugh Jackman proves he is just not Wolverine but a talented actor!

GRAVITY
SCI-FI/THRILLER

PLOT: Two astronauts are lost in space!!

I saw the trailer for this movie and thought nothing of it. I knew it was well made but when I saw it, WOW!!! If you see one movie in 3D and one the big screen this is it!! Director Alfonso Cuaron (The Little Princess, Children of Men and Harry Potter The Prisoner of Azkaban) does an amazing job of you the viewer watching the beauty and the horror of space and what can go wrong in a split second! Sandra Bullock does a good job as Ryan Stone but I enjoyed the performance of George Clooney as Matt Kowalski. He sounded like an astronaut who knew his job and was very funny.

MACHETE 2: MACHETE KILLS
ACTION/ADVENTURE

PLOT: Machete is needed by the government to kill an arms dealer.

Machete (Danny Trejo ) is back and now he trying to save the world from Mendez (Demian Bichir, A Better Life) and Voz (Mel Gibson). Man, this is a guilty pleasure movie. It has enough sex and violence for a fine exploitation movie and Machete is more James Bond this time around. I don’t know how director Robert Rodriguez hires talented actors for this film. Watch for Marko Zaror Mendez’s tall and handsome henchman. He could be the next big action star. It is better to enjoy it as a rental, Blu Ray or DVD.

Monsters, Snails and Supernatural Love

RIDDICK 3: RULE THE DARK
FANTASY/ACTION/ADVENTURE

PLOT: Richard B Riddick in another sci-fi adventure.

Riddick (Vin Diesel) is back. Left on an unknown planet he finds
the ruins of an outpost and presses the emergency button to be
saved by bounty hunters but on the planet are killer monsters in
the dark. Story is not really important. It is like a repeat of
Pitch Black. What is important is how bad-ass cool Diesel is!!!
What also amazing are the ratings of Riddick. The first Pitch
Black is rated R, then Chronicles of Riddick rated PG13 now the
 latest one rated R. The last film was big budget but didn't do
 well and I don't know why. This is made for less but you don't
 like this character you shouldn't see the movie.

TURBO
ANIMATION

PLOT: Snail wants to be faster!!

Turbo (voiced by Ryan Reynolds) a garden snail wants to be in the
Indy 500!!! His worried brother Chet (voiced by Paul Giamatti)
always tells him he will never do it. In these fantasy movies he
always does it and we are cheering for him. It is a cute family
film. The story tells us we can do anything if we put our minds
 and hearts to it. It will fare better on video.

MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: CITY OF BONES
SUPERNATURAL/ROMANCE

PLOT: Teenage girl finds out she is a Shadow Hunter.

Based on the novels by Cassandra Clare it is about Clare Fray a
pretty teen played by Lily Collins whose mom has been kidnapped
and finds out she is a Shadow Hunter which kills supernatural
creatures. Since the Twilight movies Hollywood is searching like
mad for another successful franchise like it. Hunger Games is
close. It has a brooding immortal, a smart heroine and a love
triangle. It is okay but it does have promise. They are
grudgingly doing a sequel. The first one did not make the money
they wanted.