KILLER ELITE (Sep 23, 2011)

Starring:  Jason Statham, Clive Owen, and Robert De Niro

Director: Gary McKendry

Rated: R  -  Runtime: 105 min
Genre: Action | Adventure | Thriller

Every now and then we get a movie based on true events.  Now, whether or not the true events spoken of in this film were portrayed as they happened or spiced up for the hollywood version, well as for me I don’t care.  

Statham, De Niro, and Owen played out their parts quite realistically, leaving you with that feeling of being a part of movie.  This is why I go to movies,  just for those moments when you are a part of the film, not just the observer.

The action is all that you would expect from these three, as the scenes unfold the action becomes better.  Oh, I should mention that if you’re not a shoot em up, beat the crap out of the other guy, fast paced Statham fan, then you won’t like this one either!  But if you are, then this movie will keep you on the edge of your seat and the enjoyment is there for the taking.  Along with that being said, here's what some of you will be looking for...... it leaves an opening for a sequel....... Yea!!! 

Enjoy, I did, and am sure you will if this is your type of genre.

I rate it:  4 1/2 Mugs of Guinness 
If you’re a action junky, I strongly recommend it!  

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I appreciate all input, and hope you come back here after every movie and let us know how you rate it.  

AZ-Tom

BUCKY LARSON: BORN TO BE A STAR - (Sep 9, 2011)

Starring:  Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, and Zooey Deschanel

Director: Jesse Peretz

Rated: R  -  Runtime: 90 min

Genre:  Comedy | Drama

Ok, I broke down and decided to see this film.  After reading who the writers were, I thought “what the heck”.

Well this is how this went...  I was joined in the theater by a married couple with an infant.  Yah, who the hell takes a 6 month old infant to a 7 pm movie?  A little bitching about this then I’ll get to the movie.  The kid was screaming during the first 10 to 15 minutes of the movie, which was followed by another 10 minutes of crying.  This is about as rude as it gets....6 mo. Old, R-Rated movie?  Come on now parents!  Seriously?  Don’t you have any consideration of others in the theater?  Enough you say, Ok, I’m done bitching!  Now for the movie......

I’m not sure how this film got released, first off the acting about as bad as .... No! Worse than .... Ah, forget it!  It just SUCKED!

After seeing him in this film, Don Johnson has managed an all time low in his acting career.  Maybe he took the film because he had a debt to pay someone in the film industry, or he needed some spending money, or because he thought that working with Swardson would somehow enhance his chances for larger film opportunities.  Nah, strike that last one!  Oh, I’ve got it, because he got the opportunity to work with bare breasted women. (Yah guys there are boobs in the film, not many and not that great, but if that’s your thing then go see it).

Dear Mr. Johnson, if you should ever happen across this blog please don’t take this for anything other than non-constructive criticism (Boy did you f*#k up adding this to your resume!)  I will never again see him in a film without the thought of this movie popping in my head.

As for the rest of the cast and parts played, well not much good to say about them either.

I Rate it: “Zero” Not worthy of the mention of Guinness in this one!

“Let’s Talk Movies” ... Please let us know what you thought of the film.  We appreciate all the input and hope you come back here after every movie and let us know how you rate it.

AZ-Tom

DRIVE (Sep 16, 2011)

Starring:  Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, and Bryan Cranston

Director: Nicolas Winding

Rated: R  -  Runtime: 100 min
Genre: Action | Crime | Drama

I was extremely disappointed in this movie. It had a lot of hype prior to the release and I was really looking forward to seeing it in the theaters. 

Why on earth Ryan Gosling would have chosen this movie is beyond me.  This actor has the potential of being an extremely great performer, but not if he continues making films like this one.

Really now, why make a film where for the largest percentage of the film the leading man or woman says maybe 5 lines.  All the quiet time throughout the movie simply made it very boring and slow.  
What action did show up had already been seen in the trailers.  So, If you're going to see a movie and expect to be surprised by any of it, well, this is not your choice.  As for the scene in the elevator, wow, the director and writer went overboard.  This scene was taken to the extreme, and I don’t think that any of the scenes from the "Saw" movies were that gorey...(Ok, maybe that was a bad choice), but honestly just knocking the guy out would have gotten the message across. 

And of course, Carey, again said little, but then I expect her to have a quiet part.  Just wouldn’t seem right if she were to break out and do a movie with a lot of lines and an exuberant personality.

I Rate it:  1 1/2 Mugs of Guinness (simply disappointing!)

“Let’s Talk Movies” ... Please let us know what you thought of the movie....

I appreciate all input, and hope you come back here after every movie and let us know how you rate it.  

AZ-Tom

STRAW DOGS (Sep 16, 2011)

Starring:  James Marsden, Kate Bosworth, and Alexander Skarsgard

Director: Rod Lurie
Rated: R  -  Runtime: 110 min
Genre: Suspense | Thriller

What is with all the movies being set in either Mississippi or Louisiana?... Shark Night, Creature, and now Straw Dogs.....

If you remember the original 1971 Straw Dogs starring Dustin Hoffman, the movie is almost a duplicate to the original.  The only difference is they moved the movie setting from Cornwall, England to Mississippi.  So instead of dealing with the country folk in Cornwall, now there dealing with a bunch of rednecks.  (By the way, not all southern folk are as they have been depicted in the 3 movies mentioned above!).

The movie overall was ok, not one that I would write home to mom about but ok.

My thoughts are that having to compare James Marsden with Dustin Hoffman isn’t fair talent vs. talent needs to be somewhat equal to give a just comparison.  

But when it comes to David’s (Marsden) wife Amy (Bosworth), well now that’s a whole different story......  I’ll leave it there... You go see it and tell us what you thought.

I Rate it:  2 1/2 mugs of Guinness 
mostly for the eye candy....

“Let’s Talk Movies”... Please let us know what you thought of the movie....

I appreciate all input, and hope you come back here after every movie and let us know how you rate it.  

AZ-Tom

I DON’T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT (Sep 16, 2011)

Starring:  Sarah Jessica Parker, Pierce Brosnan, and Kelsey Grammer

Director: Douglas McGrath

Rated: PG-13 - Runtime: 95 min

Genre: Comedy

I have never been a big fan of Sarah Jessica Parker, but this film has given me a new and different look at her acting abilities.  

I think the overall approach to the writing, directing, and acting was done very nicely.  It keeps the audience’s attention to what transpires throughout the entire movie.  

The movie gives us a somewhat realistic view of what a working mom must go through in a fast paced job.  She had to deal with the kids, friends, peers, her bosses demands on her, and of course her marital situation.  Kate (Parker), works through the everyday events at the office, the travel required (sometimes demanded), and the obvious possibility of conflict with her marriage and managing not loosing it.  

I think the way the narrating was done throughout the movie couldn’t have been any better!  Often narration can take away from the content of the film, but in the case of this movie, it added to it and made the content so much more understanding.  

Cudo’s to the cast, director and writers for making this an enjoyable movie.

I Rate it:   4 mugs of Guinness

“Let’s Talk Movies”... Please let us know what you thought of the movie.... All input is appreciated, and hope you come back here after every movie and let us know how you rate it.

AZ-Tom