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The Post (2017)
The Post (2017)
Steven Spielberg directing Hanks, Streep, Odenkirk, Greenwood, Plemons, and Brie should make a lot of money and be a high quality movie, right?
The film is about The Washington Post Newspaper it 1971. It chronicles how the press defies the government as they want to release loads of classified documents pertaining to the Vietnam War.
The movie was directed by Steven Spielberg and the noteworthy cast includes Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Bob Odenkirk, Bruce Greenwood, Jesse Plemons, Alison Brie, Sarah Paulson, Tracy Letts, Bradley Whitford, David Cross, Zach Woods, and Michael Stuhlberg.
The Post is dry as the desert sand. Bright, but also burned out.
The movie was a little hard to follow in the beginning. It has a slow start. Almost every scene seemed drawn out. Because some of the scenes drag on, it takes away from the storyline. You either lose interest and it makes it harder to remember small details that do not matter until later on.
Like many political dramas, the stars come out to play. However, often there are too many stars in the sky, so to speak. There is not enough movie to go around. That is exactly the case with this film. There was this kind of detachment from the main characters.
Odenkirk was probably the most entertaining part of the film and it felt like he was hardly in it. Hanks was likable, but his performance was nothing special. Streep’s character started to develop about halfway through. I feel like the movie had plenty of time for us to become attached to the characters, but it just never gets there.
The entertainment value that we have come to expect from a Spielberg directed film, was hard to find. The spark was just was not present. The scenery was great. It felt like the right time and place that it was depicting. There was not a shortage of acting ability. The Post just falls short of all expectations.
It is a likable overrated, underachieving, sluggish, and detached film. It is worth a one-time rental.
I rate this movie a 6 on a scale of 1-10.
If you liked this film then you might also enjoy:
Bridge of Spies (2015)
Bobby (2006)
Doubt (2008)
Lions for Lambs (2007)
JFK (1991)
All the President’s Men (1976)
Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
I have not really ever been a big fan of the Star Trek franchise. I have seen some of the earlier movies and an assortment of episodes from a few of the television shows. For one reason or another, I just could not get into Star Trek. Star Trek Into Darkness appeared like it was going to be different than the previous movies. This new movie looked intriguing and it made me decide to give Star Trek another chance.
Star Trek Into Darkness follows the crew of the Enterprise lead by Captain Kirk (Chris Pine). He is tasked with tracking down a man responsible for attacking their organization.
I saw the film in 3D and the special effects were wonderful. It’s the best 3D movie that I have ever seen. Technology has sure come a long way. This was one film that I think is completely worth the extra cost to see in 3D.
Many parts of previous Star Trek movies have seemed a little too corny at times. They all have had a lot of cool ideas mixed with some cheesy dialogue. There has also been some great technology and some things that have seemed so far out that they come off as tacky.
In Star Trek Into Darkness, they seem to have gotten all of the tweaks out. I felt that the filmmakers did an excellent job of updating the entire concept of Star Trek. They successfully made it more appealing to a wider audience. I am living proof of that because they got me to go out and see it, when I wasn’t going to let that happen before.
The movie is directed by J.J. Abrams and has a very solid cast that includes Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Benedict Cumberbatch, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Peter Weller, Alice Eve, Anton Yelchin, and John Cho.
The film was exciting. The computer graphics, special effects, etc., etc. were all amazing and made everything a bit more believable, considering the subject matter. The dialogue was well-written and didn’t get cheesy this time around. There was a bit of humor thrown in throughout the whole film to help make it more entertaining. The characters were well-rounded and the story kept my attention.
Overall, in my opinion, Star Trek Into Darkness is the best Star Trek movie that I have seen and likely better than the few that I haven’t seen. Do yourself a favor and see it in 3D to make your movie watching experience even better. Star Trek Into Darkness got me into Star Trek. I might just have to go back and watch Star Trek (2009) and we’ll see where that takes me.
I rate this movie an 8 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Buy.
The Place Beyond the Pines (2012)
The Place Beyond the Pines (2012)
The Place Beyond the Pines was not exactly what I expected it to be. The film was unique because there were multiple layers to the story as well as to each of the characters. The storyline flowed nicely even though each layer of it seemed to change who the main characters were. The mood of the movie was rough and intense throughout with a darkness that few films are capable of.
Luke (Ryan Gosling) is a motorcycle stunt driver whose life gets turned upside down after finding out that he is a father. In order to try to provide for his kid, he quits his job and begins robbing banks. Avery (Bradley Cooper) is an honest cop. Eventually both men’s paths cross.
Rounding out the rest of the cast is Eva Mendes, Ben Mendelsohn, Mahershala Ali, Ray Liotta, Bruce Greenwood, Dane DeHaan, Emory Cohen, Rose Byrne, Harris Yulin, and Olga Merediz.
The film is written and directed by Derek Cianfrance.
Gosling is cast against type. He does not usually play the rebel outlaw type, but he proves once again that he is capable of widening his range as an actor because he nails his part.
Cooper has a strong presence and when his character arrives, it changes the whole dynamic of the movie.
I felt like Mendes did a good job, but we could have gotten more out of her character. I fault the writers for that. She did great with what she had to work with, but her character could have been developed better.
Liotta seems to have resurfaced after being pretty washed up the last few years. In this film he carried himself like the Ray Liotta of old. He did not seem like the train wreck that he was becoming. This was a welcomed surprise.
Both Cooper and Gosling continue to make smart decisions when it comes to which films to act in. This film is guaranteed to keep them both in the spotlight.
The Place Beyond the Pines is a movie filled with tough subject matter mixed with raw emotion portrayed by a fantastic cast of actors who are very passionate about their work. This combination makes for a very exciting and suspenseful film about people leading hard lives.
I rate this movie an 8 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Buy.
Trailer for Star Trek into Darkness (2013)
Star Trek into Darkness (2013) (click on the title for my full review)
For those of you who know me, you know that I am not a huge Star Trek fan. With that being said, Star Trek into Darkness actually looks semi-decent. I just may have to check it out when it releases. If I like it, I may have to go back and give some of the other movies a second look. This new Star Trek does not look like your average Star Trek. Even the poster looks intriguing for a Star Trek movie.
The film is directed by J.J. Abrams and stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Chris Pine, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Alice Eve, Jon Lee Brody, Simon Pegg, Zachary Quinto, Anton Yelchin, John Cho, Nolan North, Nick Tarabay, Bruce Greenwood, Peter Weller, Tom Archdeacon, Heather Langenkamp, and Christopher Doohan.
The movie is set to release on 5/17/13.
Trailer for The Place Beyond the Pines (2012)
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.
Top 13 Current Redbox Movies Vol. 2
Top 13 Current Redbox Movies Vol. 2
If you are thinking about renting a movie from the Redbox, you might want to read this list to help you decide exactly which movie to rent.
Here is another edition of my top 13 current Redbox movies, back by popular demand.
Click on this link to read Current Redbox Movie Reviews September 2013
Click on this link to read Current Redbox Movie Reviews August 2013
Click on this link to read Current Redbox Movie Reviews July 2013
Click on this link to read Vol. 1 from 2/10/13.
Click on this link to read Vol. 3 from 4/21/13.
Click on this link to read Vol. 4 from 5/9/13.
I have updated the list based on all the movies that are currently available to rent at the Redbox as of 3/14/13. They will change some of the titles weekly, but the list should still be pretty accurate for a while and hopefully be able to help you find a good movie to rent. I have included the DVD covers and previews. If a movie doesn’t have a cover or preview above it, simply click on the title for my full review of the movie along with the poster artwork and preview.
I do not claim to have seen all of the movies that are currently available at the Redbox, but I have seen 67 of them. Of those 67 movies, here is the list of my top 13 Current Redbox movies:
1. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) My Rating: 10
3. Ted (2012)
4. The Dark Knight Rises (2012) My Rating: 9
5. The Raid: Redemption (2011)
8. Looper (2012) My Rating: 8.5
9. Titanic (1997) My Rating: 8.5
11. Flight (2012)
12. Sinister (2012)
13. Moneyball (2011) My Rating: 8
You really can’t go wrong with any movie on this list. Next time you’re going to the Redbox, I recommend consulting this list. They are in my opinion, the best current Redbox movies.
Now that you have seen my recommended Redbox movies, check out my list of movies to stay away from. Click on the link below:
Top 13 Disappointing Current Redbox Movies
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
Flight (2012)
Flight (2012)
Flight transports you into the depths of a dark and lonely place only to bring you back feeling better about it all. Alcoholism, drug addiction, loss, grief, sorrow, anger, and pain are all symptoms of this darkness.
Is it a feel good movie? No, but you will probably feel better about it at the end. Not because it is over, but because of how it ended.
The film is about a hero pilot (Denzel Washington) who crash-lands a doomed plane like no other pilot could. The pilot has a drug and alcohol problem and is therefore under investigation to decide whether or not he was the root cause of the plane going down.
Some parts of the film were hard to watch. It all got a little bit more intense than I had anticipated and that caught me by surprise. This was not a bad thing, but it is hard to enjoy watching appalling scenes in a movie and feel good about them. These scenes would not have been so hard to watch if they had not been depicted so well. That being said, the severe moments were very necessary to the rest of the movie and kudos to the cast and director for making them so powerful.
Robert Zemeckis did a wonderful job directing Flight. The flying sequences in the movie were remarkable, but the performances by the all-star cast were what really made the film.
Denzel Washington supplied his best acting since American Gangster (2007) or Déjà vu (2006). The raw emotion and realism that he brought to his character is enough in itself for me to recommend that you watch this film.
Don Cheadle and Bruce Greenwood were both at the top of their game.
Although he played such a skuzzy character, John Goodman portrayed that character very well.
Each actor and actress played so well off of the other that it seemed to bring their acting ability to its highest potential.
Even though some parts of the film were very extreme, I think that it is absolutely worth the watch.
I rate this movie an 8 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Buy.
If you liked Flight, then you will most likely enjoy:
brockingmovies 