Sunday, December 29, 2013

Tyler Perry's A Madea Christmas

☆☆1/2
+
Tyler Perry returns as Madea...the crazy gal who finds herself traveling to the country to pay a relative a surprise visit.
Madea's "unfiltered" comments will make you laugh.
_
This could easily be a T.V. movie.
It feels unscripted...at times it's great and at times it's silly.

Rated PG-13
1 hr. 45 min.

Visit the website and see the trailer!



Inside Llewyn Davis

☆☆☆1/2
+
In spite of being a talented folk singer, Llewyn David (strong performance by Oscar Isaac) just can't make it work as a career.

Great music. Isaac can not only act, but he also has a terrific voice.
_
In spite of a few laughs, "Inside..." is just too melancholy, and...even though endings do not have to be happy to be good...this ending is just unsatisfying.

Rated R
1 hr. 45 min.

Visit the website and watch the trailer.



Saving Mr. Banks

☆☆☆☆1/2
+
Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, and Collin Farrell star in "Saving Mr. Banks," the touching story (based on actual events) of the making of the film "Mary Poppins."
Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) is determined to make the film, but P.L. Travers (author of "Mary Poppins"...played by Thompson) is reluctant to turn her book into a film.
Thompson plays Travers' gradual change of heart with a subtlety that is not only believable...but heartwarming as well.
_
The connection to Travers' childhood is slightly confusing at times.

Rated PG-13
2 hr.

Visit the official website and see the trailer!




American Hustle

☆☆☆☆1/2
+
"American Hustle" (considered by some a drama and others a comedy) tells the story of Christian Bale and Amy Adams, two con artists who help FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper) pull off a hustle that keeps them out of jail.

Jennifer Lawrence stars as Bale's wife...who may just unknowingly ruin the whole plan.

Adams and Lawrence give great performances. Possible Oscars nods?
_
The caper gets a little confusing.

It's important for a film to accurately represent the time period, but "American..." overdid it.
Too much attention to clothes, hairstyles, home decor, cars, music...

Rated R
2 hr. 9 min.

Visit the official website and watch the trailer!



Monday, December 23, 2013

Out of the Furnace

☆☆☆1/2

+
Christian Bale stars as Russell Baze...Rodney Baze Jr.'s (Casey Affleck) older brother. In spite of problems of his own, Russell will do whatever it takes to protect and fight for Rodney's safety...and eventually his life.

Solid performances by Bale and Affleck.
_
A grim story that gets worse as the movie goes on.

Forest Whitaker is miscast as Chief Wesley Barnes.

Rated R
1 hr. 46 min.

Visit the website and watch the trailer.



Sunday, December 1, 2013

Philomena

☆☆☆☆☆
+
Based on actual events, "Philomena" is the emotional (you'll laugh and cry) story of Philomena Lee (wonderful performance by Judi Dench), a woman in search of the son she was forced to give-up for adoption almost 50 years earlier.
Steve Coogan stars as journalist Martin Sixsmith, a man (interested in writing a human interest story) who helps Philomena search for her son.
_
May be tough to find in some cities.

Rated PG-13
1 hr. 34 min.

Visit the website and watch the trailer.