Daily Archives: March 27, 2013

Trailer for The Place Beyond the Pines (2012)


The Place Beyond the Pines cover

The Place Beyond the Pines (2012) (click on the title for my full review)

The film looks like a cross between Drive (2011)(good) and Killing Them Softly (2012)(bad).  In Drive Ryan Gosling is a stunt driver turned driver for hire.  In The Place Beyond the Pines it appears like he is a stunt motorcycle driver turned bank robber.  It seems that Eva Mendes plays a very similar character in The Place Beyond the Pines that Carey Mulligan plays in Drive.

Overall the movie looks pretty dark in a similar way to that of Killing Them Softly.  Also, Ray Liotta and Ben Mendelsohn are in both of those movies.  Both actors played very scuzzy characters in Killing Them Softly and I think they have continued that trend in The Place Beyond the Pines.

The wildcard in The Place Beyond the Pines is going to be Bradley Cooper.  In recent years Cooper has proved that not only is he a supremely capable and extraordinary actor, but he has also chosen his movies very wisely.  Gosling is great and Liotta has that ability as well, but we have seen them in this type of movie before.  Cooper, I think, will be the deciding factor as to whether or not this movie is any good.

Other supporting cast includes: Olga Merediz, Mahershala Ali, Brian Smyj, Rose Byrne, Harris Yulin, and Bruce Greenwood.

On paper, a movie with this cast should be a slam dunk.  It does look good enough to see in the theatre, but I’m going to be a little skeptical.

The movie directed by Derek Cianfrance and it is set to release on 3/29/13.

Advertisement

Trailer for World War Z (2013)


World War Z Cover

World War Z (2013) (click on the title for my full review)

A Brad Pitt zombie movie to the extreme.  This movie looks like it will be loaded with insanely spectacular special effects.  The question that I have is: is it all a little too much?  Just look at the poster.  Could that ever happen even if there was a zombie outbreak that threatened mankind as we know it?

I’m sure that I will see it.  Pitt in a zombie movie in an interesting concept in itself.  But, I’m thinking it’s all going to be way over the top.  Not that zombies aren’t over the top already…

Other cast includes: Matthew Fox, Mireille Enos, David Morse, James Badge Dale, Michiel Huisman, David Andrews, and Daniel Newman.

It is directed by Marc Forster.

World War Z is set to release on 6/21/13.

Teaser Trailer for Riddick (2013)


Riddick international poster

Riddick (2013)

It seems that Vin Diesel can only make 2 movies these days.  Either a sequel to The Fast and the Furious (2001) or a sequel to Pitch Black (2000).  He is supposedly making a sequel to XXX (2001), but we will see if that actually happens.

Let’s ask ourselves a question why more of those sequels?  Diesel wasn’t in 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), and he had a cameo uncredited appearance in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006).  It wasn’t until Fast & Furious (2009) that he returned to the fast and furious franchise.  So why the 8 year gap?

The answers to those questions are that Vin Diesel supposedly had a falling out with some people from the fast crew and he wanted to go off and make Vin Diesel movies.  So what did he make during that 8 year gap?

Arguably Knockaround Guys (2001) was out the same year as the first Fast, so that doesn’t count.  It pretty much tanked anyways.  In 2002, XXX comes out and does very well.  A Man Apart (2003) comes out and Vin is on a roll.  That is my personal favorite Diesel movie, by the way.  Then he has some time to make a sequel to the popular Pitch Black called The Chronicles of Riddick (2004).  Then the tough guy makes a kids movie, The Pacifier (2005) and although it does well, Diesel fans think that it’s a joke.  Then he does Find Me Guilty (2006) which was mediocre, but also tanks.  At this point, he’s not really making anything else, so he does the cameo for The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.  Is it because Paul Walker and none of the original cast is in the movie?  Probably.  Then Diesel makes Babylon A.D. (2008) and it’s another disaster.  After all of the flops Vin has lost his audience and needs revival.  So what does he do?  He makes good with the fast gang and makes an odd, out of order sequel, Fast & Furious.  People actually go out and see the sequel, so he makes a bigger and better one in, Fast Five (2011).  He can’t get into any original movies, so he is coming back with Riddick (2013), not to mention Fast & Furious 6 (2013) just went into post production.  How long will Vin ride the sequel train before it derails and he is all washed up?

Did we really need another Riddick movie?  Weren’t the first 2 bad enough?  They both had one cool concept, a big tough guy with cool glasses.

So in Riddick they have managed to find a bigger, tougher guy than Vin and his name is Dave Bautista.  Karl Urban, Bokeem Woodbine, Jordi Molla, Katee Sackhoff, Nolan Gerard Funk, and Raoul Trujillo all join the fun.  David Twohy writes and directs.

It is set to release on 9/6/13.

I will be skipping this movie.  No thank you.

Top 13 Disappointing Current Redbox Movies


Top 13 Disappointing Current Redbox Movies

redbox box and posters

There are many terrible movies out there.  I have avoided renting movies at the Redbox just because they looked bad.  You know which ones that I’m talking about.  The ones that rip off movies that are actually popular by giving them similar titles and making the cover art look remarkably alike, but are actually knock offs that nobody should have to suffer through.  That being said, there are probably worse movies at the Redbox than what are on my list.  My list however, is a compilation of movies that actually looked like they could be good in one way or another.  Something about these movies made me go to the theatre and watch them, or go to the Redbox and rent them.  I made this list to save you time and money.  Don’t get duped like I did.  They might have a good cast.  They might look funny.  They might look scary.  They might look intense and full of good action.  They might look like they have a nice touching story.  They are none of those things (well, sometimes except for the cast).  They are poor excuses for movies.  Stay far away from these awful creations.

With my list I have included the cover art to the movies, so that you know exactly what to avoid.  I have not posted any trailers, because you don’t even want to waste your time with those.  They will trick you.  I have also listed my ratings of each movie.  My ratings are on a scale of 1-10.  My full review will be available for some of the movies.  If the title is highlighted, then you can click on it for my full review.

I do not claim to have seen all of the movies that are currently available to rent at the Redbox, but I have seen 76 of them.  Of those 76 movies, my Top 13 Disappointing Current Redbox Movies are:

VHS poster

1.  V/H/S (2012)                                                                      My rating: 1

Killing Them Softly cover

2.  Killing Them Softly (2012)

The Paperboy cover

3.  The Paperboy (2012)

Seeking a friend cover

4.  Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012)

fire with fire

5.  Fire with Fire (2012)

the man with the iron fists poster

6.  The Man with the Iron Fists (2012)                                   My rating: 3

silent hill revelation poster

7.  Silent Hill: Revelation (2012)                                             My rating: 3

Deadfall poster

8.  Deadfall (2012)                                                                  My rating: 4

The Possession cover pic

9.  The Possession (2012)

The Liability Poster

10.  The Liability (2012)                                                         My rating: 4.5

Lay the favorite poster

11.  Lay the Favorite (2012)                                                   My rating: 4.5

The Cold Light of Day poster

12.  The Cold Light of Day (2012)                                          My rating: 4.5

That's my boy poster

13.  That’s My Boy (2012)                                                      My rating: 5

Now that you know what movies to avoid, Check out my other Redbox related material.  Click on the links below:

Current Redbox Movie Reviews September 2013

Current Redbox Movie Reviews August 2013

Current Redbox Movie Reviews July 2013 

Top 13 Current Redbox Movies

Top 13 Current Redbox Movies Vol. 2

Top 13 Current Redbox Movies Vol. 3

Top 13 Current Redbox Movies Vol. 4

Netflix Clouds

Are you a fan of Netflix?  Click on the following links below for Netflix related material:

Netflix Watch Instantly Movie Reviews September 2013

20 Best Drama Movies Based on Real Life Available on Netflix Watch Instantly

20 Best Classics Movies Available on Netflix Watch Instantly

13 Best Mind-bending Movies Available on Netflix Watch Instantly

13 Best Comedy Movies Available on Netflix Watch Instantly

13 Best Romantic Comedy Movies Available on Netflix Watch Instantly

13 Best War/Military Movies Available on Netflix Watch Instantly

13 Best Gritty Action/Thriller Movies Available on Netflix Watch Instantly

Happy Movie Watching!

Due Date (2010)


Due Date Poster

Due Date (2010)

Due Date engulfed me in laughter.  It was one hysterical moment after another.  Just when I thought I could not laugh any longer, I giggled and then laughed harder and longer than before.

The film is a sort of new-age Planes, Trains, & Automobiles (1987).  Peter (Robert Downey Jr.) is leaving Atlanta and trying to return to his nearly birthing wife (Michelle Monaghan) in Los Angeles.  Everything is going smoothly until Peter bumps into Ethan (Zach Galifianakis).  Peter ends up stuck traveling across the country with Ethan desperately trying to be in the delivery room when his baby arrives.

Due Date Driving

The chemistry and timing between Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis is hysterical.  The way that their personalities play off of each other is brilliant.  Robert Downey Jr. brings a slick, suave, seriousness to his character and Galifianakis is everything but.  The duo was a perfect casting match.  I think that this movie is easily my favorite Robert Downey Jr. movie and could be the best movie that Zach Galifianakis is in.

Due Date

Jamie Foxx, Juliette Lewis, Danny McBride, RZA, Matt Walsh, and Todd Phillips all have small cameo-like appearances.

The humor is clever and raunchy and about everything else in between.  But, it is all mostly just well-crafted.  The writers: Alan R. Cohen, Alan Freedman, Adam Sztykiel, and Todd Phillips, took a very basic idea for a story and screenplay and let their imaginations run wild.

Due Date Restaurant

Due Date is directed by Todd Phillips.  He continues his trend of directing and being a part of hilarious movies.  I didn’t realize that he also directed The Hangover (2009), The Hangover Part II (2011), The Hangover Part III (2013), School for Scoundrels (2006), Starsky and Hutch (2004), Old School (2003), and Road Trip (2000) among others.  That is a heck of a comedy resume!  If you liked any of those movies, than you will definitely like Due Date.

If you have not seen this movie, I implore you to do so.  It is available to rent on Netflix, or just go out and buy it.  It is not currently available at the Redbox.  I have probably seen it 5 times now and it was highly amusing every time.  You will not be disappointed.

Due Date belly

I rate this movie a 9.5 on a scale of 1-10.

Buy, rent, or run?  BUY!

If you liked Due Date (2010), then you might enjoy Identity Thief (2013).

Note: I did you a favor by only posting the teaser trailer for this movie.  The full-length preview shows way too much.