Category Archives: drama

Four Warriors

action, drama, , ,

FOUR WARRIORS 3d DVDDirected by Phil Hawkins and written by its star, Christopher Dane, the movie looks pretty good and is shot skillfully with clean camera work by David Meadows. Even the sets are decent and realistic as many of the scenes were filmed in the woods, and the locations come across convincingly. The cast did a fine job of acting, and that is about as far as the movie goes on a positive note.

The story is about four men who embark on a journey to fight the evil forces that threaten their land and loved ones. As fantasy and adventure collide, four battle-weary Crusaders take on a mission to track down an evil predator, foretold in an ancient prophecy, who has abducted all the men and children from a devastated village.

The obvious problem with Four Warriors is the low-budget production value because the movie is full of incomplete details or unbelievable make up and costumes. The characters are supposed to be battle-weary Crusaders, yet they look nothing like medieval fighters.  The actors are clean cut and fit, and look like a bunch of models attending a photo shot. The weapons are not authentic, looking truly fake, and the armor is way too dirt free and polished for the time period and situation.

The battles are extreme, but without the magical finesse needed to keep viewers interested throughout the story. The scenes never peak with ultimate threats of danger. The choreography of the battles missed their marks clearly, and it was way too obvious. The movie had demons that were not at all scary and looked too much like humans. The movie is being touted as similar to Games of Thrones meet Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, but I don’t see the resemblance at all, and a good reason to avoid this film.

Heist

action, drama, movies, police drama, , ,

HeistDirected by Scott Mann, Heist follows Lucas Vaughn, played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who works at the Swan Casino. The casino is owned by Mafia-Boss Francis ”Pope” Silva, played brilliantly by Robert De Niro. Luke’s young daughter is hospitalized, and is seriously ill in need of expensive treatment. The real problem lays in the fact that Luke did not keep up the Medical-Insurance payments. His daughter may not be cared for with the correct treatments if he doesn’t pay the medical costs. Luke asks his old friend and employer if he could help him out with a loan. The employer says “No Favors.”

Along comes fellow employee Cox, played by Dave Bautista, who plans to rob his employer and wants the knowledge Luke has to help pull off the heist. Cox knows Luke has worked there for many years and has the knowledge he needs. Helping Cox is the only way Luke can pay the medical costs, so he agrees to be a part of the heist to save his daughter’s life. He has his own ideas on how the heist should go, and the plan seems to work until security is alerted.

Gunfire ensues as they make a getaway in a bus with hostages. Now, they are pursued by the police. With Cox crazed and ready to kill a victim to getaway, Luke tries to keep things under control. The bus is being chased by both Pope’s bodyguards and the police.  Pope is interested in getting the money back before the police make an arrest because the money belongs to the mob, which the casino laundered.

Luke strikes up a rapport with one of the police officers named Kris, played by MMA’s fame Gina Carano. She soon understands Luke is the link to freeing the passengers on the bus without harm.

The whole situation gets very intense before it comes to an end. The movie is well worth the watch because the story is really good, and the acting matches the spirit of the movie. I recommend you catch it on demand or rent it.

 

Mississippi Grind

drama, indie, movies, , , , , ,

missippgrindDirected and written by both Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden, Mississippi Grind follows two gamblers trying to hit is big. The movie opens with Gerry, played by Ben Mendelsohn, as he walks into a locally owned casino in Dubuque, Iowa. He is a regular because everyone knows him. Yet, a new face is at his standard poker table. He is a younger gambler named Curtis, played by Ryan Reynolds. Gerry is thoroughly down on his luck and professes he is in real estate. Curtis reeks of charisma and self-confidence. Both gamblers hit it off and at the spur of the moment decide to enter the “big game” in New Orleans.  The $25 thousand buy-in is worth the drive from Iowa. The movie plays out nicely as a road movie and character-driven independent film.

The movie deals with gambling as a subject of concern, and arrives at the point of addiction to gambling. Each gambler relies on superstition to pull off a win. Gerry is a likeable guy, who has a long list of failures. On the road trip he visits his ex-wife. The gut-wrenching sadness Mendelsohn portrays when he realizes she is remarried, and she didn’t even tell him is worth the watch. Curtis is a polarity of Gerry. He literally stinks of confidence. Gerry tells Curtis he is his lucky charm, and seeing them play off each other are good moments in the movie. The soundtrack by Scott Bomar is outstanding and features many of old blues artists and songs.

The movie is not your typical uplifting story, but it is not all that sad either. Clearly, the end is farfetched and the characters’ principles are non-existent. The movie should have ended a bit sooner, but continued with a happy ending, which isn’t bad. In real life, gambling is an unsuccessful venture. As a whole, people who gamble loose more than just money. They lose their dignity. Yet, I do like a Hollywood ending.

The Vatican Tapes

drama, horror, movies, , , , ,

the vatican tapesMovies about exorcism are pretty standard in the horror genre since the 1973 novel by William Peter Blatty, The Exorcist, came to life on the silver screen. The Vatican Tapes is another horror movie added to the list and is available on both Blu-Ray and DVD.

Directed by Mark Neveldine, the story begins when we meet Angela Holmes, played by Olivia Taylor Dudley, a young woman soon to be married. Her father, Roger, played by Dougray Scott, is in the military and on leave. He arrives on Angela’s birthday, which is a pleasant surprise. During the birthday party, she gets injured, ends up in the hospital, and starts acting strangely. Father Lozano, played by the excellent Michael Pena, happens to be present to witness some of Angela’s behavior. Father Lozano’s curiosity or spiritual perception compels him to see more of her; after some time, he is certainly the devil who possesses her. Security footage of Angela’s strange fits is brought into the Vatican. After viewing the footage, they decide that only an exorcism can save the young woman.

The setup for the third act, where Angela receives the exorcism, is relatively slow. The build-up and suspense never really hit a high note of intensity. When the pivotal point finally arrives, the story begins to move in the right direction. The exorcism happens in a believable and suspenseful way. Sure enough, belongings and possessions make eerie noises, with furniture bouncing everywhere. Angela performs back bends in unnatural ways of a possessed human, similar to other movies of the same genre. A clever twist at the end is essential if you decide not to finish the film or lose interest and miss the point. The twist is worth watching at the end of the movie.

Neveldine delivered a quality film where the acting shined. The scary scenes were okay, but nothing new for a movie about exorcism. Hollywood may have done the story to death, but if you like the theme, you will probably enjoy the film.

Ascension

action, drama, movies, mystery, romance, science fiction, , , , , , ,

ascensionOriginally introduced as a miniseries for the SyFy Channel, Ascension is now available on DVD.  The movie is set against stimulating and enormous elements on which the story plays more with the human approach to drama.

The story is looks great for a miniseries, offering a spacecraft built in the 60s. The attention to detail is extraordinary, and draws the viewers into the experience.  The direction allows the actors to do stellar work with such notable talent as Tricia Helfer, Gil Bellows, Brian Van Holt, Andrea Roth, Brandon P. Bell, and Brad Carter. They all work together and keep the plot moving forward with memorable performances.

The CGI is well done with a few amateurish looks to scenes when viewing the exterior shots of the spacecraft.  Keeping in mind that the SyFy Channel produced the movie, the special effects comparably are not that bad.

The storyline is what wins the movie for me. In 1963, in the gripes of the cold war, we guard against our future survival by launching a huge interstellar ship call the U.S.S. Ascension. With 600 or more people aboard to guarantee our survival, the ship is little over 50 years out on a 100 year mission. Threatening the crew is an unprecedented domestic murder.

The movie is promoted as “Mad Men in Space” and I agree it is the best way to describe it. The twists and turns in the story is a little too much like a soap opera, but it keeps you on your toes with the plot moving along nicely.

All in all, I was surprised how good Ascension actually is for a low grade cable show. I really recommend it.  There is a lot of entertainment value for sure.

The End of the Tour

book, comedy, drama, legend, , , ,

The End of the TourDirected by James Ponsoldt, The End of the Tour brings to life the true story in 1996 when Rolling Stone reporter David Lipsky, played by Jesse Eisenberg, and writer David Foster Wallace, played brilliantly by Jason Segel, hang out together for five days.

Some might call it an intellectual movie, a road movie or dramedy.  The movie begins in 2008, when we are informed that Wallace has committed suicide. Lipsky is invited to present a tribute on NPR.  Here he slowly flashes back to 1996, when Wallace’s book Infinite Jest is released with worldwide praise, including a citation from well-read magazine as one of the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to 2005. Lipsky thinks it would be a great idea to interview Wallace and pitches it to his editor. He agrees that it is about time Rolling Stone did a piece on a gifted writer and off Lipsky goes to Ohio for his interview.  How the story plays out is what the movie is all about, and I rather not spoil it for you. Though, there are some interesting points about the movie I’d like to point out.

The movie is based on Lipsky’s memoir Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself.  Published in 2010, the book was well-received by his peers.   Wallace and Lipsky hit it off right away, and engage in philosophical conversations about loneliness, love, writing, fame, and the meaning of life. In other words, they spend time looking for the answers to life that plaques them.  Clearly, the movie is not for everyone. It lacks action-packed drama that populates our movie theaters today.

Jason Segel is very good as Wallace, and this role is quite a contrast to his other characters in movies like The Muppets and The Five Year Engagement. Watching him in this movie is pure pleasure because there is so much depth to Wallace as a sovelist, short story writer, essayist, and college professor.

The sound track by Danny Elfman is brilliant and engages the story.  Elfman adds a bit of spice to the movie with songs from REM and Tindersticks, an English indie rock band.

If you don’t know about Lipsky and Wallace, then it might be difficult to understand and follow the movie.  It is worth watching, though, for the acting is great, including the supporting actors.

Flowers in the Attic Movie Series

book, drama, family, movies, , , ,

flowerattic4movDoppleganger family is known in the bestselling book series with a large fan base and devoted followers. Now, all four movies are out as one package in a DVD set.  The Lifetime network produced these four movies, and they are Flowers in the Attic, Petals on the Wind, If There Be Thorns, and Yesterday of Seeds. Covering all four movies can be cumbersome, but let’s take a look at Petals on the Wind. The movie is the second adaptation of a series based upon the V.C. Andrews books about the Doppleganger family.  The movie is somewhat better than Flowers in the Attic, which is the first book and movie in the series.

Like all the movies in the disc set, it is hard to cram the whole book into two hours. Unfortunately, it shows in the movies. The Petals on the Wind includes the most vital parts of the story, and if you read the books, you will not suffer as much.

If you happen to only watch the movies, keep in mind that the series is based on incest between the two main characters. The incest plays a major plot point in the whole series.

Petals on the Wind starts ten years after the children (Cathy, Chris, and Carrie) leave the attic, which happens in the first movie. They run away from a horrifying situation. Cathy, the dancer is sharp, persuasive and strong-willed to get the justice that is awaited. Chris, the doctor is quiet, good-looking and devoted to Cathy. Carrie is sweet, weak and disorientated.

The three characters discover a healthier life. Yet, the undercurrents of what happened to them in the attic will never be forgotten.  They fight illicit feelings of guilt, hidden anger and endless pain. Trying to ease their discomfort, Cathy assures she will put an end to their mother because she ruined them. She pretty much threw them away.

It is important that you watch these movies in sequence because so much happens in these four movies. It will be hard to understand the undercurrents of the prior movies. I am sure ardent book fans will love the series even though it was made for Lifetime not movie theaters.

Knock Knock

drama, horror, movies, , ,

Directed by Eli Roth, Knock Knock stars Keanu Reeves in a story that needs to be left on the shelf.  We meet Reeves character as a strong, handsome man, who is devoted to his family. His wife and kids take off for the weekend where he grudgingly remains at home working.  After the wife and kids leave for the beach, he settles down for the evening, which happens to be rather dark and stormy.  He is surprisingly interrupted by someone constantly knocking at his door.

He opens the door and voila. Two sexually energized, hot, hot chicks are at the door and need is Good Samaritan help.  They take over the scene and coyly ask to use his hair dryer because they are soaked through due to the rain.  They wait for the cab while the hot chicks play a clever game of seduction. Reeves’ character tries with all his might not to fall prey to their enticement. It culminates in a brief ménage à trois, French for “household of three”…how appropriate.

The situation gets worse and before it gets better it gets even worse.  Uninhibited pleasure-seeking comes to mind as the women make his life miserable, along with nauseating table manners and a fondness for stay-at-home bullying.

The movie is rated R for obvious reasons and most times feels like a porn movie gone bad.  Reeves’ character is basically good, so feels downtrodden for his moral dilemma he is facing for his infidelity.  The movie trailer promoted a plot twist, but it fell flat on its rear end.

The upside to the movie is the message about being faithful and the consequences of infidelity or going to the dark side of life.

A Horse Tale

drama, family, movies, romance, , , , , ,

horsetaleDirected by Brad Keller, A Horse Tale received the Dove “Family-Approved” Seal for all ages.  The story follows a typical uptight city accountant, Michael Thompson, played by Patrick Muldoon. He is raising his daughter by himself and is over protective. His daughter, Chloe, played by Mandalynn Carlson, has an unpleasant incident at school, and her dad stresses out. So much so that his assistant recommends they move to her Uncle Cliff’s horse farm. Her uncle needs help with the books, anyway, before the merciless bankers take the farm away from them.  With Christmas coming up, it is a perfect time to visit the family and help save the horse farm.

Cliff, played by Rick Herod, is grateful for Michael’s help. But, Samantha (Sam), played by Dominique Swain, is in charge of running the farm. She has a hard time with the idea of a city guy stepping in to help. Sam is not interested in any assistance from an outsider. They smooth over the rough edges, and decide working together is the best way to avoid losing the farm.

The story is predictable.  But, it is a good family movie because it promotes getting in touch with your family and working together toward a common goal. It also touches on the importance of accepting help when you are trying to overcome a problem. The movie even offers a message to parents: No matter how hard it may seem, let your children grow up and be in command of their own lives. Be willing to let them make mistakes on their own.

Mr. Holmes

drama, movies, mystery, , , , ,

Mr. HolmesMr. Holmes interested me because it is a movie about the legend Sherlock Holmes. My daughter praises the series on cable television, so I had a desire to watch it with her. As the opening credits rolled, I noticed the director is Bill Condon. I thought to myself, “That is a familiar name. I recall he has directed some notable movies.”

So, I knew we were in for a treat.

Mr. Holmes is an extraordinary movie about getting old gracefully. We get to meet Sherlock Holmes at an age that we probably never imagined him to be. He is beautifully played by Ian McKellen. I was quite intrigued by his ability to play the middle aged Sherlock in flashbacks and the older Sherlock on the edge of senility.  Mrs. Munro is his housekeeper, played by Laura Linney, who is a fantastic actress. She did a great job as homely, uncomfortable, and dissatisfied widow with her situation caring for Mr. Holmes. Though he did not treat her poorly, he came across harsh as a mean old man.  In the long run, he showed his warmth through her son that eventually reached her heart as well.

There is a wonderful boy who plays the housekeeper’s son, Roger, played by Milo Parker. He’s smart, intriguing, and likeable. There are some other characters such as the bees that add spice to the story. Each character plays an important part in the whole story as it all comes together at the end.

There’s also a mystery in the story which I really liked. However, in the long run the mystery is easy to figure out. It could have been better, but I felt as if the movie moved along quite well. At the end of the movie, I felt satisfied.

I felt that everything having to do with the production and direction was wonderful. Bill Condon has a great reputation for directing such movies as Gods and Monsters, Dream Girls, a couple of Twilight movies, and some other films of notoriety. His talent was clearly demonstrated in the movie.  I recommend Mr. Holmes for adults. Though my daughter is 15 years old, she watched it and enjoyed it because she is a fan of the current Sherlock Holmes series.