WE’RE BACK!!!!!!!!

So apparently it’s been 10 years….almost…..since I’ve posted a review on here. I’ve done plenty of them but forgot about the blog!!! Well, time to change that so that I can point people here instead of trying to copy and paste to all different media. Welcome back!!

Free Guy

Regal Cinema 8, Bville

Plenty of A/C

Pepsi Zero (gross)

SpriteTrail, Angie and I have had our eye on this movie since the first trailers were released so long ago. We all love Ryan Reynolds and with Brady’s video game obsession it seemed like the perfect combo for all of us. 

This was my first time back in the Bartlesville movie theater since Bad Boys for Life in February of 2020. It was Angie’s first time in ANY theater since the last Star Wars in December of 2019. Not much has changed. Take that for what it’s worth. 

The movie was great. I’m always on the lookout for original ideas and content that ends up being well executed by talented actors and filmmakers. This had all of that. 

In case you are unfamiliar with the premise: Guy is an NPC (non-player character) in a giant open-world video game (think Fortnight). He works as a bank teller in the bank that gets robbed by players in the game to get money. As an NPC he’s just one of the AI people you see walking around or standing around in video games. He wakes up every day, puts on his blue shirt and goes to work at the bank. On the way he gets the same cup of coffee while meeting up with his best friend, bank security guard Buddy and reciting pre-scripted responses to everyone and everything. 

All the while, explosions, car chases, gun battles, robberies and all other sorts of mayhem are happening all around them. All they know is that the “sunglasses people” seem to be the one’s having all the fun and doing what they want. These are of course the avatars of the humans playing the game. Guy wants to change his fate. He wants to meet the girl of his dreams and find out what the sunglasses people are all about. 

I won’t spoil anything except to say that once he sees behind the curtain all kinds of mayhem and mystery ensue. It’s prime Ryan Reynolds being himself. Lot’s of hilarious in-jokes and cameos. If you are a gamer at all or pay attention to video game/streaming culture you’re going to notice pretty much every single YouTube celebrity ever in this movie. Very, very clever stuff. 

It’s PG-13 but it’s a pretty hard PG-13. I’d be careful about taking kids. Lot’s of language. There’s shooting and explosions and stuff but it’s all in context. No nudity. No sex. It’s directed by the same guy who made Night at the Museum and Stranger Things. In addition to Ryan Reynolds, the heroine is played by Jodie Comer from Killing Eve and her sidekick is Joe Keary from Stranger Things. Lil Rey Howery is hilarious as Guy’s best friend, Buddy and Taika Waititi is over the top as always. Every performance was great. 

Bottom line: it was really good to get into the theater again and this was an easy way to do it. Highly recommend seeing this in a theater instead of at home. Get out and enjoy yourself. 

Just as a reminder, my grades don’t match up to each other. Some people want a number some people want a letter. I already know that 3.5/5 is a 70%, C. Save it. 

3.5/5

B+

See it in the theater 

Review: Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

8/10/11

AMC Crossroads 24

Large Mr. Pibb

Plenty of A/C

I know what you are thinking, because I was too.  Most people I’ve talked to about this movie have said “I can’t believe you went to see that.”  The previous 4 installments in this franchise have left us with that taste in our mouth.  The “Apes” movies have become a joke, a punchline and the Tim Burton 2001 reboot didn’t help matters.  I went into this movie thinking it was going to totally suck.  My defense of originality in Hollywood finally has met its horrible end, I can no longer defend an institution that produces yet another cheap monkey costume story about horrible humans. 

You’re just going to have to trust me when I tell you we were all way off on this one.  I talk all the time about movies that absolutely surprise me and this is at the top of the list.  Forget surprised, let’s go with SHOCKED (pun intended….Peter Gabriel).  

Not knowing this going in, it turns out this is actually a prequel to the 1968 original film starring Charlton Heston.  As a refresher:  Heston’s team was on a mission to Mars and went through a time warp and landed on an alternate Earth in the future where primates were the dominant….and really only….species.  Without ruining it for you, let’s just say this movie pays constant homage to that one and actually sets up for not only sequels but for the original.  The Mars mission launch is actually shown on a background television and it’s disappearance referenced in a newspaper story. 

James Franco does a good enough job as the lead character, Will Rodman who is experimenting with a cure for Alzheimer’s which ails his Father.  His experiments on primates land him the cure he’s been waiting for, but the patient ends up going nuts and has to be put down.  Will finds a baby chimp in the mom’s cell and takes it home and raises it as his own.  “Cesar” turns out to have inherited the genetic benefits of higher brain function and becomes super-smart to the point that his intelligence lands him in a primate habitat when he runs into trouble.  Tom Felton, who played the infamous Draco Malfoy in the Potter films, takes another turn as a bad guy who abuses the primate inhabitants to the point of revolt. 

All of the performances are good in the movie but the real amazement is in the performance capture acting done by Andy Serkis (Gollum in LOTR) wearing a skinsuit with sensors attached.  You know CGI is amazing when you forget you’re watching something that isn’t real.  And I can hardly get my mind around knowing that Serkis is ACTUALLY there in all these scenes, acting out ape movements and expressions.  It’s absolutely shocking.  The movie is worth going to see just for this element.  Add in that the story is cool and sets up the very reason for the original Planet of the Apes.  Didn’t anyone ever wonder “how did the Apes take over in the first place?”  Question answered. 

Now something I NEVER thought I’d say going into Rise of the Planet of the Apes:  I can’t wait for the sequel.

My review: 

3/4, B+, See it in the theater

Review: Drive

Drive

9/21/11

Carmike Cinema 10

Medium Mr. Pibb

Plenty of A/C

Every now and then a movie comes along that just shocks the crap out of you.  Drive will undoubtedly be that movie for pretty much anyone who sees it.  It wasn’t remotely what I expected.  I’d imagine it’s going to polarize people.  I can see how someone could hate it.  But I can definitely see how someone could love it.

For one thing, I know who Ryan Gossling is and have seen The Notebook (hated it) and Remember the Titans (loved it).  Haven’t seen Crazy, Stupid Love yet but everyone I know swears by it.  All that being said, I’m not a huge fan or anything, he wasn’t particularly a draw.  For another thing, I know who Carey Mulligan is but have never seen or paid attention to her in anything.  So add it all up and really there wasn’t a terrific amount of “hey I gotta see that” to this movie.  Albert Brooks playing it straight was intriguing.  Christina Hendricks is hot in a “not afraid of her curves redhead” sort of way.  Then you throw in the “Winner:  Best Director, Cannes Film Festival 2011” and you start to wonder. Trailer looked good.  Let’s give it a try. 

Boom…..literally.

I was blown away by this movie.  The way it was made, the way it was shot, the acting, the soundtrack.  Blown away. 

The story is easy enough:  Driver (you never find out his real name) is a loner who works as a stunt driver for movies during the day in L.A. and as a getaway driver for hire at night.  He offers no involvement in whatever anyone is up to, simply to drive them away from the crime.  He gives you a five minute window and then he’s gone, whether you are finished or not.  He also moonlights at the garage owned by his troubled father figure and friend Shannon played brilliantly by Bryan Cranston.  He befriends the woman next door and her son who are living out their days until her husband gets out of prison, which he does, eventually hooking up with Driver on a job and causing all sorts of havoc. 

The soundtrack was crafted by Cliff Martinez who also did the music for Contagion which is out at the same time.  The synth vibe and songs included in the movie are part of what actually MAKE the movie what it is.  You know you’ve nailed it when that happens.  There’s a song on there by DJ College called “A Real Hero” that is hauntingly awesome. 

I will warn you:  the movie is really rough in places and has lots of blood and violence in spots.  It’s not for the weak of heart.  It has a very dark, sort of noir thriller feel to it that takes you back to another era.  This could have easily been a star vehicle for Steve McQueen.  Part of what make it so cool is the simplicity.  There are 20 minute or so periods of time where no one says a thing.  THAT is when you know you are dealing with awesome performances. 

Do yourself a favor and go see this.  You’re either going to love me or hate me for it. 

My review: 

3.5/4, A, See it in the theater

Review: 30 Minutes or Less

30 Minutes or Less

8/23/11

Carmike Cinema 10

2 Small Mr. Pibbs

Plenty of A/C

So, here’s the setup:  a movie starring Jesse Eisenberg, one of the hottest young actors working today; Aziz Ansari , one of the funniest comedians working today and one of the stars of the funniest show on TV, Parks and Recreation;  Danny McBride, hilarious and foul as the star of Eastbound and Down, and made by the team that brought you Zombieland, one of the best surprise hits of the last decade.  If I told you all that would you believe me if I also told you it sucked?

I’m not going to take the time to completely kill the thing.  There were some really funny parts.  It just wasn’t put together right.  It almost felt rushed and poorly written.  Danny McBride was funny as usual but there just weren’t enough funny parts to overcome the sort of dark comedy theme. 

Eisenberg plays a stoner pizza delivery guy who gets a bomb strapped to his chest and told he has 9 hours to rob a bank.  McBride needs $100,000 to pay a hitman to knock of his lottery winning Dad so he can inherit the money and run off with a stripper.  With me so far?  That’s pretty much it.

Rent it on poker night when you have the guys over and don’t really have to watch it that close. 

My review: 

2/4, C-, Rent it from RedBox for $1

Review: The Help

The Help

8/16/11

Carmike Cinema 10

Large Mr. Pibb

Plenty of A/C

Every now and then a movie comes along that you end up telling everyone to go see.  Super 8  was one, Forrest Gump back in the day, The Shawshank Redemption.  The Help is on that list.  Don’t confuse that for me saying it’s Top 10 or anything like that, but it shocked the hell out of me. 

I’ll admit it, I was dreading going to see it.  This looked like a classic chick flick.  Right up there with The Notebook, The Last Song and pretty much any other movie starting with “The” that features a trailer with all women, lot’s of crying, potentially kissing in the rain and some sort of conflict.  Also I’m pretty much out on anything featured in any sort of book club or anything mentioned at any time by Oprah.  Even at the theater I was worried since I was literally the only guy in there and brought the average age down to about 67.

By the end I had cried 3 times, wanted to see it again and proceeded to sing it’s praises to this very day.  Every man, woman and child over the age of 10 needs to see this movie.  People have asked what I would compare it to and the closest comparison is Forrest Gump…that’s tall company.  But I felt the same way after seeing this that I did after I saw that. 

Skeeter is a recent college graduate living in Jackson, MS in the early 60’s with her family and no hopes for employment in her chosen field of journalism.  She lands a job at the local paper writing an advice column that had been abandoned for some time.  She also has a spot in her heart for the African-American women of the day in the South who not only help raise the white children they serve but come to love the families they spend their days with.  Aibileen is played brilliantly by Viola Davis and is the maid for one of Skeeter’s childhood friends.  Tired of the racist and demeaning attitudes her friends have toward their maids, she decides to write a book of their stories as told by The Help.  The controversial book becomes the talk of the town and causes denials to fly. 

The movie is touching, well made and extremely well acted by all involved.  I expect Oscar nominations for Davis, her best friend played by Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone for her portrayal of Skeeter and for Bryce Dallas Howard playing a snotty racist. 

Guys, this is a chance for you to score some points by taking your wives, you won’t be sorry.  Just bring tissue.

My review: 

3.5/4, A, See it in the theater

Review: The Change Up

The Change Up

8/9/11

Carmike Cinema 10

Large Mr. Pibb

Plenty of A/C

I’ve been thinking a lot about the movie that really started this trend of raunchy, limits-pushing one-upsmanship that we are currently caught in the middle of at the megaplex these days.  Was it Wedding Crashers?  There’s Something About Mary?  Do we need to go all the way back to Porky’s?  All of those were funny, classless, edgy and oh so wrong. 

The problem is that at some point that just becomes stale and repetitive.  Alas:  The Change Up.   Basic plot:  Dave has a routine job as an attorney, wife, 3 kids, pretty boring.  Mitch is his best buddy and has no job as he struggles to become an actor but spends most of his time hooking up with women and spending money he doesn’t have.  They pee in a magic fountain and switch places.  Mayhem ensues until the can find a way to switch back.

Jason Bateman and Ryan Reynolds are two of the best actors working today.  Leslie Mann is hilarious and always does a good job of playing the put-upon wife.  The movie had some things working in its favor.  Not working in its favor:  the tiredness of the switcharoo comedy, the horribleness of The Hangover Part 2, the gross-out physical humor of Bridesmaids and the shock value of Horrible Bosses.  In a year where none of that had happened this movie may have worked, in a summer where it did happen, it just hits flat. 

If you aren’t a fan of horrible language, stay away.  Frequent use of the “f-bomb” (100+ utterings), even in front of children is prevalent and one of the characters is a soft-core porn actor so it’s hard to avoid discussions and images of his occupation.  It’s definitely not for the prude amongst us. 

I’m not saying it was crap, there were some really funny parts and those two guys can take even a mediocre script and make it funny.  The problem is that by the time they get around to trying to make it a lesson in morality and human nature, they’ve already lost you. 

In summary, imagine if the makers of Freaky Friday had smoked a bunch of pot and watched some dirty movies before they wrote the script and BOOM!:  The Change Up.  In fact, grown-up Freak Friday actress Lindsay Lohan probably LOVED this version.  I’ll recommend it for the guys during Poker Night but otherwise I’d probably skip it. 

My review: 

2/4, C, Wait for DVD

Review: Horrible Bosses

Horrible Bosses

7/25/11

Carmike Cinema 10-Private Screening

Large Mr. Pibb

Plenty of A/C

I’m a big fan of high-brow comedy and not a big fan of gross-out, raunch-fest comedy.  Unfortunately that line gets blurred all too often these days and movies that should be one or the other end up being both.  Its genius marketing if you think about it, ropes in both audiences.  So, when a movie can toe the line and manage to tastefully pull off both genres, it becomes an instant winner.  The Hangover did it, The Hangover 2 didn’t.  Anchorman did it, Jackass didn’t.  You get the point. 

For those of us who have had a Horrible Boss in the past, this movie hit’s WAY too close to home.  Jason Bateman, Entertainment Weekly’s “Man of Summer” (who I think is one of the funniest people on the planet), Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day play three guys who all hate their boss and decide it’s time to take action.  You may think the idea of killing the three superiors may seem a little aggressive until you see how they treat these guys.  Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell and Jennifer Anniston play the three bosses respectively.  Bateman is in a corporate office environment, Sudeikis is in a small business and Day works for a dentist, so we cover nearly any workplace conflict; which by the way are intimidation, insanity and sexual harassment.

All six of the main characters turn in great performances but in my opinion Anniston and Bateman steal the show.  Anniston plays a nymphomaniac who tries and tries again to get engaged Day to stray from his to be marital commitment.  For those of us who are Rachel from Friends fans to start with, you’ll never see her the same again.  And Bateman essentially plays me about 15 years ago so I’m watching the movie thinking “Damn, I should have thought of that!!”  You can’t help but cringe watching his boss continually hammer him.

There are a few too many “F” words for some people and some obviously mature themes so the rating is a hard “R” but as long as you know that going in I think you’ll see that all of it fits.  This is the funniest movie of 2011 so far.  And I say that knowing that there have been a few record-breaking comedies released this year.  Like The Hangover and Anchorman both, I have a feeling this one will get better and better with time. 

My review: 

3/4, B+, See it in the theater