Risen / Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

Risen:

I'm not a huge fan of these kinds of movies but I know the story and this seemed like an interesting take on a well known tale. Joseph Fiennes seems to be blowing up these days so I was interested in seeing his performance as well.

I have to say, this was probably one of the nicest looking films of this kind and the acting was decent as well. The costumes, make up and hair looked right and realistic and there really wasn't any special effects, no flash and bang to try and sell the story which I appreciated. The trailer doesn't give any hint to how it may end, but I think it's important to mention (spoiler alert, though you know the story) that they did cast an actor who looked more the part of Jesus then anyone I've ever seen in a major motion picture before. Cliff Curtis, who is of Maori decent played the Messiah and while he wasn't in the film for long, I was thankful they didn't cast another long-haired white guy who looked like he lived in Malibu rather then the desert.

They only part that was a little frustrating for me was the writing. In scenes that held a decent amount of dialog, it seemed as though the actors were in a rush to get their lines out and at times it made it difficult to follow or even understand what they were saying. Some even seemed to mumble and when you combine that with Hebrew words not very well-known today, you were left wondering what was just said. But again, the fact that the plot is so well known helped and kept audiences from losing any part of the story. I also cringed when Joseph's character finally spoke with the Messiah's disciples. I know they were all enamored with him and followed his teachings and spread his message throughout the lands; but I feel like the actors were really playing up their adoration to the point where they appeared drugged, almost goofy, when speaking about and interacting with the Chosen One. It was annoying to watch really. They appeared more like brainwashed cult followers then the wise and submissive disciples we've been taught about.

I appreciated the way the writers made a point of using the characters original Hebrew names. Jesus was Yeshua, God was Yahweh, Peter was Simon, etc. It made it more historically accurate for me and I think it also did some good in educating folks of the faith who only know they story from one perspective.

I'm not going to discuss whether I believe the tale to be based on fact or fiction but again, as far as the film was concerned, I think they made smart decisions on how to tell the story and make it as realistically plausible as possible.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (WTF):

Despite the mediocre reviews and disappointing turn out at the box office, I was really looking forward to seeing this film, regarded as Tina Fey's best work to date.

Based on true events, WTF was hilarious and dangerous and full of heart with a ton of girl power thrown into the mix. The fact that I saw it on International Women's Day only made it better for me.

Tina did a great job as did the entire cast. The story comes from experiences reporter Kim Barker had had during her five year assignment in Kabul during a time of civil and international unrest. Though it doesn't really get political, it does highlight the issues surrounding the never ending war and the kind of life that the locals, military forces and media personnel try to lead while being forced to live and work around one another.

Every happy scene was paired with one of tension and potential danger. You were almost afraid to allow the film to put you in a good mood because you knew something bad was probably going to happen to a character you liked just minutes after and more often then not, that's exactly what occurred.

Without any spoilers, I will mention that this film does have a happy ending so fear not, you will leave with a smile on your face and a desire to see it again. Check it out, I think you'll be glad you did. And I have to agree, this really is the best role Tina has ever had.

Zootopia

Ever since I saw the first trailer for this film, I was hooked. I could not wait to see it and when it finally came out, all of my friends gave it rave reviews on social media. Needless to say, I was pumped to see it and thankfully it did not disappoint!


This movie is fun and lighthearted but also has a seriously deep message about bullying and never giving up on your dreams or your fellow man. I know what you're thinking, "That seems like a whole lot for a kids movie...." and I guess by today's standards you'd be correct. But believe me when I tell you, it all works! It's really fantastic and I hope you see it and take every friend and family member you can with you, it's one everyone will love!


It's a decent way to educate kids about animals and maybe even help motivate them to leave the house and learn something about the creatures we share our planet with too. I can't help but hope that this film, like Madagascar had, will generate more interest in local and national zoos.


If you haven't seen the trailer yet, check it out. I know you'll be just as interested to see the film as I was. It's a real treat. I can't wait to see it again!

Gods of Egypt

Gods of Egypt:

I'm going to be perfectly honest here you guys, I saw these trailers over and over again and kept thinking, "Wow, this looks like a complete piece of shit."

Don't get me wrong, it's not good. But thankfully it's got enough going on throughout the 2 hour love letter to King Midas that it's bearable.

Again, as with all Hollywood films about Egyptian legend, we're given an all white cast with a range of European accents they weren't even attempting to cover up. Okay, there was one African American actor and his character came across as a stereotypical homosexual by Hollywood's standards. It was kind of distracting actually. Whether he was going for that delivery on purpose, I do not know. I really don't understand how they get these actors to sign on for this stuff, I truly don't. The writing was pretty shit and as you can see from the trailer below, the special effects leave much to be desired.

But in the end, this actually reminded me a lot of the original Clash of the Titans from the 80s which will always hold a special place in my heart. It's equally as terrible and the effects are far worse given the technology of the time; yet for some reason I still enjoy watching it.

I would actually watch this one again if there was nothing else on TV or if my best friend found it on one of the movie channels and wanted to give it a shot. I can't say the same for Exodus: Gods & Kings. Two hours of that garbage was enough for the rest of my life thank you very much.

and for s&g's, here's the trailer for CoT:

Triple 9/ Race/ Eddie the Eagle

Triple 9:

A gritty drama full of suspense and a decent bit of action smattered throughout. Triple 9 is about crooked cops working with a group of thieves who are hired to do bank jobs for the Russian mafia. Full of huge stars, this one was gritty and good. Is it the best? No, but you won't feel like you wasted any time watching it. In fact, you'll spend the entire film wondering how it'll end and believe me, that'll be more then enough to hold your attention.

Check it out.

Race:

Another film where I found myself uttering "Damn Nazis" for at least half of the production. Wonderful acting by the entire cast and really well written. I enjoyed the overall structure of the film; it didn't drag on and even though it's based on actual events, you'll still sit through it hoping our hero comes out on top!

I purposely didn't do any research about the events portrayed in the film so that I'd be surprised and I hope you do the same. Go see Race, it's wonderful!

Eddie the Eagle:

Another feel-good story of an Olympian's search for victory! This film, also based on true events, is a total underdog story about perseverance and never giving up on your dreams no matter the obstacles in front of you.  

Eddie Edwards dreamed about going to the Olympics no matter the cost and did everything possible to achieve his goal! There's a reason you probably haven't heard of him but again, I'm not one to give anything away!

Go see it, you'll leave feeling awesome as this one is totally full of heart! Watch out for Taron Egerton too, we saw him first in Kingsmen and you'll love him just as much in this movie!-that guy is going to be huge!

Deadpool

Deadpool:


I have to say, this bad boy was the perfect Valentine's Day flick! It has everything: Action, comedy, romance, adult language and situations. Men and women would be happy to see it and if they aren't, they should go be bored and saturated with sugary feelings and see the Choice instead.


It will never cease to amaze me though, how so many audiences fail to research the films they choose to see. So many parents took their young-ish (preteen) kids to the theater and promptly walked them right out after the first ten minutes, shocked at just how adult it is. People, it's rated R for a reason. Hell, the studio even put out promos throughout all of social media warning parents to be responsible and make good judgments in regards to allowing their younger children to see it. What film have you ever seen make conscious, responsible decisions like that in order to ensure the fans who do see it will get the best possible experience at the theater?

Now, you don't have to know anything about Deadpool in order to enjoy the film but it does help. He's a bad boy. A super hero of circumstance, not by choice. And in this film he actually doesn't do anything hero-worthy. He's on a mission of vengeance and boy oh boy does my man know how to have fun doing what he loves!


I'm going to post the Red-Band trailer so those of you who don't know a thing about the film, really understand what you're in for.

Go see it!

Where to Invade Next/ How to be Single/ Zoolander 2

Where to Invade Next:

I absolutely loved this film. I feel bad for Michael Moore because his films have a reputation of being "anti-American" and therefore turn a lot of audiences away. Case in point: I was the only person in the theater when I saw this. But this was not the case at all for Where to Invade Next! In this film, Moore travels to various countries to talk about different government policies and what seems to be working. What each country is getting right.

What's the most amazing thing he discovered from each country he visited: France, Norway, Germany, Spain, etc; was that all of them have systems in place that are of great benefit to the common man and are all things in which our country desperately needs and for some reason isn't getting and yet, every one of the these countries admits that every policy changed, every study used to bring about these changes; are all things in which American researchers and experts have promoted and proven to be effective. Yet, we're the only ones not utilizing any of them!

I'm telling you, if you care about the world and about what's going on here at home, you need to see this film. It will absolutely blow your mind!  

How to be Single:

This one was cute and just funny enough. All of the actors are folks who are "so hot right now" and they work really well together.

It was another typical young adult comedy and you'll already know how it'll end before the first scene is complete but you'll enjoy it nonetheless.

Zoolander 2:

I cannot tell you how excited I was to see this one! Zoolander will always hold a special place in my heart and when I first saw the teaser for the sequel I'll happily admit, I peed a little.

This one was just as stupid, just as out there and just as completely entertaining as the first! I don't know how Ben Stiller gets so many A-List celebrities involved in his projects but they're all awesome for signing on and make the film that much more enjoyable. Please see it.

And if you haven't seen the first, I'm going to suggest you do so, if only to get into the overall feel for what to expect with this film. But you need to understand that this movie is dumb. Like, super dumb. And that's the point. So go into the films with that attitude, it's dumb on purpose, and I promise you, you'll really enjoy yourself!

The Revenant

So, Leo is going to win the Oscar. There's no doubt about it. If you saw this film and learned what he did to prepare for it, you'll agree that it's a lock.


The Revenant:


(Completed after the Academy awards)
So, Leo finally got his Oscar!


I'm really happy for him. I'll be honest, he wasn't my pick but that certainly doesn't mean he isn't deserving of the award.
The film itself was intense and beautifully made. It takes place in the wilderness in the middle of a harsh winter and I'm telling you, you're freezing the entire time watching the thing. You are totally in it with Leo and feel for the actors as they suffer through for the entire 2+ hours. Everyone was great. Tom Hardy was nominated for his roll and I picked him to win it but sadly he lost to Mark Rylance for Bridge of Spies, the only film that I wasn't able to see yet.


Revenant is about a group of fur tradesman looking to make it through the rough terrain of the Midwest in the wintertime while fighting off Indians (not yet Native Americans in this timeline) who are tense and looking to steal their pelts and anything of value while they battle to hold on to their territories and try and survive the white man's continued attacks. Leo is sympathetic to the Indian's plight as he married and lived with an Indian woman in her village. They had a son and only he and Leo survived when the village was attacked by a military unit looking to wipe out the tribe. His son travels with him and is met with animosity from the group of tradesmen, Tom Hardy in particular, which adds to the ever growing tension felt throughout the film. If the rough terrain and potential for Indian attacks at a moments notice isn't enough, the growing disdain emanating from Tom's character leaves you feeling uneasy the entire time. I won't give any more away but just know you're in for a rough ride watching this film. I wish I could say you leave with a feel-good attitude but sadly, you don't. You're more stunned/numb & impressed with Leo if nothing else.

While I didn't pick Leo to win the category this year, his acceptance speech was one to be admired and shared. Congrats Leo, you're a great dude.