Movie Review For July 1, 2015: MAGIC MIKE XXL and TERMINATOR: GENISYS

MAGIC MIKE XXL

Rated: R

Stars: Channing Tatum, Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer, Amber Heard

Plot: A group of male strippers go on one last road trip...to a stripper convention.

Trailer

Clint Says: Wait for the DVD and make someone else rent it

Have you ever seen a movie with a barely-there plot, painful dialogue, amateur editing, actors that just mail in their roles, and pathetic directing? Well, if you haven't, go check out MAGIC MIKE XXL and you'll see all of that and more. 

This movie looks and feels like they knew that no matter how bad the movie is they would still make money off of it. They are probably right, but it's a shame that they didn't even try to make a good movie. 

I saw this movie with two lovely ladies, one of them loved the first one and hated this one. The other was totally fine with this being a crap flick as long as she got a good dose of abs. I just wanted the pain to end.

Also, I feel that I should give some sort of a heads up on this movie...This is not Hollywood glamorized sexy, smooth dancing guys. This is hard core, grind-it-out, strip club stripping. 

There is one, and only one, good reason to see this movie. If you do you will never look at Michael Strahan the same. 

TERMINATOR: GENYSIS

Rated: PG-13

Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Emilia Clarke, Jason Clarke, Jai Courtney

Plot: John Connor sends a soldier back in time to protect his mother from a new Terminator, but the game changes when he gets there

Trailer

Clint Says: Save some money and see a matinee

This is a movie that should have never been made. They should have left this franchise alone. That said, GENYSIS isn't all that bad of a movie. It's a pretty fun popcorn flick that has enough suspense and intrigue to keep the casual movie-goer engaged and happy. 

There is nothing spectacular in this film that makes it worth spending the money to see it in theaters,  so unless you are just looking for a fun, turn-the-brain-off night out then you'd be better off just waiting for the DVD. 

For fans of the original films this one will annoy you on several levels. Many of which are related to the main characters. It's probably best if you just pretend this movie never existed. 

DVD Review For June 2, 2015: JUPITER ASCENDING, FOCUS, McFARLAND USA, and THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE OUT OF WATER

JUPITER ASCENDING
Rated: PG-13
Stars: Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, Eddie Redmayne, Sean Bean
Plot: A young woman finds out she is royalty from another planet and must figure out who to trust before she gets killed and the earth gets destroyed.
Trailer

Clint Says: Buy this movie now and enjoy the ridiculousness for a lifetime

It's finally here! Channing Tatum with dog ears and eyeliner can now live in your home! The best, worst movie of the decade is now available on DVD. This film shot to cult-classic status in its first weekend in theaters, and is now ready for your own play-at-home version of Mystery Science Theater 3000.

JUPITER ASCENDING is a visual masterpiece, the action scenes are incredible, and the world building is fascinating. The downside though is that the story is pretty thin, there are several holes in the back story that make it difficult to understand why certain things are the way they are, and the acting is mediocre. (Granted it's got to be nearly impossible to act out a scene when you are running around on green boxes in a green room and pretending that you are in mortal danger).

This is a really fun popcorn flick. It's not going to rock your world, but it will afford you a great night. Even if that night is nothing more that 2 hours of mocking what you see on the screen.





FOCUS
Rated: R
Stars: Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Gerald McRaney, Adrian Martinez
Plot: A con-man brings on a female apprentice, but it's all a game of who is conning who.
Trailer

Clint Says: Rent this DVD as soon as possible

If you are looking for a fun, edge-of-your-seat, high-stakes con movie, FOCUS will completely satisfy. This film is exciting, smooth, intense and has enough twists and turns that, even though the information is right in front of you, you won't figure out the con until the very end.

For the most part everything in this movie is done well and rings true. There are a couple of things that are put in for convenience, but those can be easily forgiven since the rest of the film holds up so well.

This is a nice change of pace for Will Smith and a much better introduction to Margot Robbie than we got in THE WOLF OF WALL STREET. Their chemistry is great, which is nice because we will be seeing them together again in the near future in SUICIDE SQUAD. The show stealer, though, is Adrian Martinez. He is pee-your-pants funny and just a great all-around character.

I was surprised that this film was rated R. It deserves that rating, but just barely. I think they could have made a much better and wider-reaching film had they edited down to a PG-13 rating.

The best thing about this film is that you can just sit back and enjoy the con. It doesn't take a lot of brain power, nor does it keep important details from you. Everything is there, you just have to focus.




THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE OUT OF WATER
Rated: PG
Stars: Tom Kenny, Antonio Banderas, Bill Fagerbakke
Plot: Spongebob goes on a quest for the stolen Krabby Patty recipe and ends up as a super hero on land among the humans
Trailer

Clint Says: Buy this for the Spongebob fan in your life

Fans of the Spongebob TV series will really enjoy this movie. Like the TV show it is funny, goofy, slapstick and heartwarming. For those of you worried about the transformation of drawn Spongebob to computer generated Spongebob, never fear. The CG version is well done and only about one third of the movie is in CG.

The story is simplistic, but still interesting and the references to pop culture are really funny. Plus there is an awesome rap battle that is worth the price of admission by itself.

Even if you've not seen any episodes of Spongebob before, this movie will make you laugh and feel good.




McFARLAND, USA
Rated: PG
Stars: Kevin Costner, Ramiro Rodriguez
Plot: A cross country coach in a small town transforms the lives of his athletes through his teaching
Trailer

Clint Says: Rent this DVD as soon as possible

This is another formulaic inspirational sports film offered up by Disney, but it's also a really good movie. If you liked MILLION DOLLAR ARM you will love McFARLAND, USA.

Kevin Costner seems to have really hit his stride with the last few films he's been in, and the rest of the cast does an outstanding job as well.

The movie does run a bit long, but it's worth it in the end.

If you are looking for a good flick for the whole family this week, give McFARLAND, USA a shot. It might inspire you and your family.

DVD Review For March 3, 2015

FOXCATCHER
Rated: R
Stars: Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo
Plot: The story of John du Pont and his obsession with USA Wrestling.
Trailer

Clint Says: See this DVD as soon as you can

Steve Carell received several award nominations for his spot-on portrayal of John du Pont this awards seasons, and all of them were well deserved. Carell is not on the screen, it is John du Pont, and it's not just because of the makeup.

Tatum and Ruffalo also hold up their end of the film as well as evidenced by the award nominations they both received .

This is one of the rare instances where I think it might be a better movie-watching experience if you don't already know the story. The twists and turns are fascinating and intriguing, but for those that know the story you will notice the major plot changes and the film will feel slow.

FOXCATCHER is a disturbing and creepy film that is strangely gripping and mesmerizing. It is the kind of film that gets into your brain and will sit there for days.




THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 1
Rated: PG-13
Stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Donald Sutherland
Plot: Katniss must overcome her demons to help lead the revolution against President Snow and the Capitol.
Trailer

Clint Says: Drop everything and buy this DVD today! (COMES OUT 3/6)

Wow. Just. Wow.

This franchise is slowly killing me...in a good way, but killing me nonetheless. I'm warning you now that there will be a collective groan when this movie ends. Not because it's a bad ending, but because the audience will be desperate for more. There was a moment that, for a split second, I thought they were going to end the film about 10 minutes earlier than they did. It would have been an incredible ending and there would have been riots in the streets. So, thank you, Mr. Director, for saving us from resorting to our own little revolution.

This film is dark, intense and brutal. If you are hoping to see a pretty Jennifer Lawrence, this is not the film for you. She is broken and beat down for nearly the entire film. Her portrayal of Katniss suffering in the depths of PTSD is spot on. At points it is almost difficult to watch because of the level of pain she is in.

Philip Seymour Hoffman (Plutarch Heavensbee) gives a fine performance in one of his last roles. Elizabeth Banks (Effie Trinkett) takes her character to a new level, giving us some much needed comic relief. And Woody Harrelson (Haymitch Abernathy) continues to become more vulnerable and deep. They create a trio of support for Katniss that we see is one of the few things that keeps her going.

This film is incredible from beginning to end. In fact there was only one small part that bugged me, just some made up drama with Katniss not able to find Primm. If you liked the first two films you will really enjoy this one as well. If you liked the book then you will love this film, because you get so much more in the movie.


NOTE: I am now also doing the NERD RIDERS DRIVE THROUGH MOVIE REVIEW for YABooksCentral.com. If you would like to see that review, here you go:

Movie Review For February 6, 2015

JUPITER ASCENDING
Rated: PG-13
Stars: Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, Eddie Redmayne, Sean Bean
Plot: A young woman finds out she is royalty from another planet and must figure out who to trust before she gets killed and the earth gets destroyed.
Trailer

Clint Says: Wait until after opening weekend, but see this in theaters

This movie is 100% sci-fi. If you don't like the sci-fi genre, this is not the film you are looking for. For those of you that love a good sci-fi flick, this has almost everything you could want.

JUPITER ASCENDING is a visual masterpiece, the action scenes are incredible, and the world building is fascinating. The downside though is that the story is pretty thin, there are several holes in the back story that make it difficult to understand why certain things are the way they are, and the acting is mediocre. (Granted it's got to be nearly impossible to act out a scene when you are running around on green boxes in a green room and pretending that you are in mortal danger).

This is a really fun popcorn flick. It's not going to rock your world, but it will afford you a great night out. I would recommend spending the extra money to see this in 3D and on the biggest screen possible.

NOTE: You can check out my DRIVE THROUGH MOVIE REVIEW of JUPITER ASCENDING on YABooksCentral.com.




SEVENTH SON
Rated: PG-13
Stars: Ben Barnes, Julianne Moore, Jeff Bridges
Plot: A mystic that fights dark magic takes on a new apprentice just as the queen witch begins her return to power.
Trailer

Clint Says: Wait for the DVD and let somebody else rent it

Julianne Moore has two films in theaters this weekend. One she deserves an Oscar for (STILL ALICE) and then there is this one. I hope she got paid a lot of money to be in this, because that is the only thing that would make it worth it.

This film lacks character development, a compelling story, and good effects. Basically, that leaves you with Jeff Bridges and his chosen speech pattern for this film is so annoying that you just want him to stop talking about 5 minutes into the movie.

There are a few amazing effects and the scenery is beautiful, but that is all too little too late. If you are looking for a good adventure flick this week JUPITER ASCENDING is a much better choice.




THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE OUT OF WATER
Rated: PG
Stars: Tom Kenny, Antonio Banderas, Bill Fagerbakke
Plot: Spongebob goes on a quest for the stolen Krabby Patty recipe and ends up as a super hero on land among the humans
Trailer

Clint Says: If you are a Spongebob fan you'll love this movie

Fans of the Spongebob TV series will really enjoy this movie. Like the TV show it is funny, goofy, slapstick and heartwarming. For those of you worried about the transformation of drawn Spongebob to computer generated Spongebob, never fear. The CG version is well done and only about one third of the movie is in CG.

The story is simplistic, but still interesting and the references to pop culture are really funny. Plus there is an awesome rap battle that is worth the price of admission by itself.

Even if you've not seen any episodes of Spongebob before, this movie will make you laugh and feel good.




STILL ALICE
Rated: PG-13
Stars: Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, Kristen Stewart
Plot: A language professor at Columbia University finds out she has Alzheimer's Disease and must learn to cope with the aftermath.
Trailer

Clint Says: See this movie if you can find it

Julianne Moore gives the performance of her career is this heartbreaking film. She perfectly captures the essence of someone losing the mind that she has spent her entire life cultivating. And while not based on a true story, this movie has the feel of what thousands of families must go through every year when one of their loved ones is diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease.

This is not an easy movie to watch, nor will it leave you anytime soon after you see it. So, if you are able to find a theater that is playing this film make sure you are mentally prepared before seeing it. However, if you do see it you will be treated to what should be an Oscar-winning performance by Julianne Moore.

DVD Review For January 27, 2015

FURY
Rated: R
Stars: Brad Pitt, Logan Lerman, Shia LeBeouf, Michael Pena
Plot: Five brave soldiers take their tank behind enemy lines to do their part to help win World War II.
Trailer

Clint Says: Rent this if you like war movies, buy this if you love war movies

If you are a war movie fan this is a masterpiece. The action is intense, non-stop and brutal. For you, I would recommend buying this and watching it on the biggest screen with the loudest sound system possible.

For those of you looking for a great film that happens to be about war, you'll be left wanting. While it is a phenomenal story of five men facing insurmountable odds and the acting is superb, the depth of character just isn't there. We catch tiny glimpses into what makes each of these men who they are, but it's not enough for the audience to be fully invested in their lives.

The plot is very simplistic, which in this case is fine, because the movie is so intense I doubt we could handle much more.

As far as straight up war movies go, this may be one of the best ones ever made.




THE BOOK OF LIFE
Rated: PG
Stars: Diego Luna, Zoe Saldana, Channing Tatum
Plot: Two men battle for the love of one woman while the masters of death have a wager on the outcome.
Trailer

Clint Says: It's worth seeing once

This is a fascinating film. If you only look at the plot it's an average movie at best, but because of the unique animation style and the cultural aspect of the film it makes it worth seeing.

The Day Of The Dead imagery throughout the film is spectacular and the glimpse into the Hispanic culture relating to one of their most important holidays is fascinating. I was intrigued by this movie, but I realized the cultural significance of it when I observed a family of Hispanic descent after seeing the film. The adults were all wiping away tears of joy and the children were bouncing with excitement.

The soundtrack of the film is also unique and very good. Most of the songs are either current hits or very popular songs remade into music that fits the theme of the movie. Trust me, you've never heard Mumford and Sons like this.

Surprisingly, given the subject matter of the film, there are very few scenes that I would consider scary for the younger kids. It's not squeaky clean, but if your child can handle a little bit of tension and drama they will enjoy this film.




THE JUDGE
Rated: R
Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall
Plot: A big-time lawyer returns to his home town and his estranged father, a judge, who is accused of murder.
Trailer

Clint Says: See this film as soon as possible

This film is powerful, intense and emotional. Downey Jr. and Duvall give masterful performances that are award-worthy and probably just shy of Oscar nominations.

It is almost 2 1/2 hours long and there are parts where it feels like it's dragging, but overall it's paced well.

This is much less a courtroom drama than it is a story of family, loss and reconciliation. It's by no means a fun, popcorn flick. It will break your heart and make you want to try harder with your own family.




BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP
Rated: R
Stars: Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth, Mark Strong
Plot: A woman wakes everyday without remembering anything from her past, but she begins to realize that the people around her may not be who they claim to be
Trailer

Clint Says: Rent it when you get around to it

Nicole Kidman does an outstanding job of playing a person that can't remember anything one day to the next. She pulls off the "terrified of the unknown" malady in a very convincing fashion. Unfortunately, the plot is rather slow-moving and easily predictable.

It feels like the director realized he didn't have a lot to work with story-wise to make a thrilling film, so he added a bunch of jump-out-of-the-closet-and-say-boo moments to get the audiences' collective heart rate up. It feels really contrived and lazy.

Without Kidman's fine performance this movie probably would have bordered on unwatchable. Thankfully, she makes it tolerable enough to at least give it a watch once.

Movie Review For December 28, 2014

THE GAMBLER
Rated: R
Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Jessica Lange, John Goodman, Brie Larson
Plot: A university professor with a gambling addiction has one week to pay back a quarter of a million dollars to loan sharks.
Trailer

Clint Says: Don't even bother

THE GAMBLER is full of spectacular acting in a spectacularly bad flick. This is one of those films where I feel like I saw a completely different movie than most of the critics. I've seen many of them raving about this film, but I just don't get it.

When the film begins it dumps us in the middle of the story, which I am fine with and many time enjoy, but THE GAMBLER doesn't give us any flashbacks or back story to fill in the gaps. At no point are we shown why he has the addiction in the first place, nor do we ever see any motivation the main character has to do the things he does.

The romance feels weird and forced, John Goodman is a creeptastic, human version of Jabba The Hutt, and the editor must have been on vacation for most of the editing because there are many scenes that drag on endlessly for no reason.

This movie got so long, boring and annoying that near the end I was hoping the main character would get hit by a bus and the credits would roll. (You'll recognize the scene I'm referring to if you are unlucky enough to have to sit through this mess).

Wahlberg and Lange both give performances that are incredible to watch, unfortunately the story is total crap.



FOXCATCHER
Rated: R
Stars: Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo
Plot: The story of John du Pont and his obsession with USA Wrestling.
Trailer

Clint Says: See this in theaters if you can find it

Steve Carell has already received several award nominations for his spot-on portrayal of John du Pont and I'm sure there are many more nominations to come. All of them are well-deserved. Steve Carell is not on the screen, it is John du Pont, and it's not just because of the makeup.

Tatum and Ruffalo also hold up their end of the film as well as evidenced by the award nominations they are both receiving .

This is one of the rare instances where I think it might be a better movie-going experience if you don't already know the story. The twists and turns are fascinating and intriguing, but for those that know the story you will notice the major plot changes and the film will feel slow.

FOXCATCHER is a disturbing and creepy film that is strangely gripping and mesmerizing. It is the kind of film that gets into your brain and will sit there for days.

Hopefully, this film will gain more attention and be released in more theaters as the bigger nominations come in, but as for now, you'll have to search it out to see it.

Movie Review For June 13, 2014

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2
Rated: PG
Stars: Jay Baruchel, Cate Blanchette
Plot: Hiccup and Toothless must fight to keep the dragons from falling into the hands of an evil warlord.
Trailer

Clint Says: Wait until after opening weekend, but see it in theaters

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2, simply put, is another outstanding offering by the DreamWorks team, and it is just as good at the first in the series.

It is action-packed, funny and heartwarming. The story is compelling and will keep audiences of all ages engaged throughout. There was very little that I didn't like about this film, and those things were easily overlooked due to the general amazingness of the rest of the film.

The artwork on HTTYD2 is incredible. Several times I found myself mesmerized by the intricate detail, especially the fur on the clothes and the scales on the dragons. It's worth the price of admission just to see the artwork, but you get so much more.

Grab the whole family and enjoy this film together.




22 JUMP STREET
Rated: R
Stars: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum
Plot: Two undercover drug cops enroll as college students and try to blend in to the college scene in order to make a huge bust.
Trailer

Clint Says: Wait until after opening weekend, but see this in theaters

Very rarely is a sequel better than the original, but in this case it is. 22 JUMP STREET is riotously funny and Channing Tatum completely steals the show.

The story-line is similar to the first film, which typically would be boring, but in this case they use it to their advantage to make fun of themselves and, on several occasions, they make self-aware, tongue-in-cheek comments about the fact that they are in a sequel.

This film is almost as raunchy as the first one, but it makes up for the juvenile humor with a surprisingly interesting story that has several twists and turns uncommon for a typical action/comedy movie.

I haven't laughed this hard at a movie in a long time. If you are looking for a really fun date flick, check this one out.




WORDS AND PICTURES
Rated: PG-13
Stars: Clive Owen, Juliette Binoche
Plot: A washed up, alcoholic English teacher and an ailing Art teacher use their rivalry to inspire each other and their students to push harder than they ever have through a Words versus Pictures contest.
Trailer

Clint Says: Save some money and see a matinee

I went into this movie having no idea what to expect and came out pleasantly surprised, for the most part. Clive Owen and Juiliette Binoche have a quirky, intriguing chemistry that keeps the movie afloat through the slow parts. Unfortunately, the film relies on secondary characters to move the plot along and they don't carry their weight as well as one would expect.

The film is about 30 minutes too long and the soundtrack makes you feel like you are watching a cheesy love story from the early 80's, but the words and pictures are beautiful. There were times when this film reminded me of DEAD POETS' SOCIETY, but this movie is nowhere near that level of mastery. At best it's a poor man's version of DPS, at worst it's a blatant, but wrongheaded, attempt to be a knockoff film.

I did enjoy the inspiring nature of the movie and the passion and reverence it exudes for the art, both written and painted, was worth the price of admission. This film will not change your life, but it may inspire you to try a bit harder at life.