DVD Review for July 22, 2014

TRANSCENDENCE
Rated - PG-13
Stars: Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall, Morgan Freeman
Plot: A dying scientist's thoughts are uploaded into an artificial intelligence device causing world-wide issues.
Trailer

Clint Says: If you have to see it, let someone else rent it

I had high hope for this film when I saw the first trailer and the cast, but unfortunately this film falls flat. It is brutally slow and when there is action it's anti-climactic.

The premise of the film is interesting. On one hand you have the people pushing the boundaries of technology past the limits of humanity, on the other you have the people that want all technology gone. Apparently, there is only a handful on the planet that can see a happy medium and have a plan to fix the problem.

I wish this film had more to offer the audience, but it's full of plot holes, undeveloped story lines and characters that are so two-dimensional it's really hard to care what happens to them.



TYLER PERRY'S THE SINGLE MOM'S CLUB
Rated - PG-13
Stars: Nia Long, Amy Smart
Plot: A group of single women with seemingly only that in common are brought together by their kids' school.
Trailer

Clint Says: Rent it if you have already seen everything else

This is nowhere near the best offering from Tyler Perry. It feels like this movie got rushed to print and the story was left in its wake.

This film is overly dialogue heavy with some scenes lasting several minutes and never really going anywhere or adding to the story. Even the musical montage to move the plot forward, (usually no dialogue), has words written all over the screen.

This is ultimately a relationship movie, but it's difficult to care about any of the relationships because they aren't developed well. If you want to see a Tyler Perry movie, I recommend saving your money and renting one of his better films.



HEAVEN IS FOR REAL
Rated - PG
Stars: Greg Kinnear, Kelly Reilly, Connor Corum
Plot: A boy suffers a near-death experience then returns to inspire the world with his tales of his time in Heaven
Trailer

Clint Says: Buy this DVD

This is a highly inspiring and encouraging film that will make you think a lot and challenge your faith. The kid is just about the most adorable thing ever and he does a great job in his role.

If you are familiar with the book, you know it is very short, so there wasn't a whole lot of material to draw from in making a feature-length film. While the film is good, and as far as "faith-based" films go it is one of the best I've ever seen, it still has many moments where it lags. That said, there are also several emotional moments that will have you reaching for the popcorn-covered napkins to dry your tears. I'm sure I heard some ugly crying from fellow movie-goers.

This film is absolutely worth seeing.



CESAR CHAVEZ
Rated - PG-13
Stars: Michael Pena, America Ferrera
Plot: A feature-length biography on the civil rights leader
Trailer

Clint Says: Rent it

Growing up in California, I was very excited for this movie to hit the theaters. Just about every town in California has a street named after Cesar Chavez. It took a while, but his contribution to the Latino community finally caught the attention of Hollywood. Unfortunately, this is the only wide-release Latino-based movie scheduled for release in 2014.

I really wanted this movie to be good, and it's not bad at all, but it is very slow. I'm sure it can't be easy making an exciting movie about migrant farm workers unionizing, but this movie could have been something really special given a better screenplay.

I hope this movie does well, because I'd like to see more like it coming out of Hollywood, but the truth of the matter is, this movie will appeal to only a small portion of movie-goers and will probably fade away quickly.



SABOTAGE
Rated - R
Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sam Worthington, Terrence Howard
Plot: An elite DEA crew find themselves in danger after taking down a drug cartel
Trailer

Clint Says: Don't even bother

This film has a good premise and great potential, but it falls back on the violence-for-violence-sake theme again and again.

Even if you are looking for a mind-numbing action flick this movie will disappoint you.

Movie Review for March 28, 2014

NOAH
PG-13
Stars: Russell Crowe, Emma Watson, Jennifer Connelly, Anthony Hopkins
Plot: A man is told by God to build a massive ship in order to save his family and animals from a world-destroying flood.
Trailer

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

Director Darren Aronofsky said NOAH was the most unbiblical bible movie ever made, and he wasn't kidding.

It feels like Aronofsky read a children's version of the Noah story, realized he had enough material for a 15 minute film, then filled up two more hours of preaching about how humans mess up the earth and why animals are better than humans.

Russell Crowe does a fine job as Noah, but again, this is not the biblical Noah. This is a man that is just as flawed and crazy as the people dying outside the ark.

Putting aside the issues bible believing people will have with this film, it's just not a very good movie. It's slow moving, it's preachy, and the special effects are sub par for a movie of this magnitude.

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
Rated R
Stars: Ralph Fiennes, Jude Law, Willem Dafoe, F. Murray Abraham, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Murray, Edward Norton
Plot: A world-class concierge trains his protege in the ways of hotel service while going on a fantastic adventure.
Trailer

Clint Says: Drop everything and go see this movie now

This may be Wes Anderson's best work yet. Ralph Fiennes is spectacular as are many of the other peculiar characters throughout the film. If forced to put this movie into a category, I'd have to call it a dark comedy, but it is much more than that.

The plot is uniquely interesting, the music is outstanding and, even though we are way too far out from the 2015 Academy Awards for Hollywood to remember this film, it wouldn't surprise me at all for this film to get an Oscar nod for cinematography. Every scene in this movie is framed like a beautiful painting.

Wes Anderson's work isn't for everyone, in fact, some of his former films I find to be a complete waste of time (FANTASTIC MR. FOX and THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS), but if you've ever enjoyed any of his quirky works, you will love your stay at THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL.

The best way I can describe this movie is that it is a cross between MONTY PYTHON and CLUE.



CESAR CHAVEZ
PG-13
Stars: Michael Pena, America Ferrera, Rosario Dawson
Plot: The biography of Cesar Chavez, a civil rights leader and labor organizer.
Trailer

Clint Says: Wait for the DVD

Growing up in California, I was very excited for this movie to hit the theaters. Just about every town in California has a street named after Cesar Chavez. It took a while, but his contribution to the Latino community finally caught the attention of Hollywood. Unfortunately, this is the only wide-release Latino-based movie scheduled for release in 2014.

I really wanted this movie to be good, and it's not bad at all, but it is very slow. I'm sure it can't be easy making an exciting movie about migrant farm workers unionizing, but this movie could have been something really special given a better screenplay.

I hope this movie does well, because I'd like to see more like it coming out of Hollywood, but the truth of the matter is, this movie will appeal to only a small portion of movie-goers and will probably fade away quickly.



BAD WORDS
Rated R
Stars: Jason Bateman, Kathryn Hahn, Rohan Chand
Plot: A 40 year old man finds a loophole in the rules of a spelling bee meant for young kids and, to the dismay of everyone, joins the competition.
Trailer

Clint Says: Wait for the DVD

Jason Bateman makes his feature directorial debut with the darkly funny BAD WORDS. While the movie isn't awful (it's actually quite good in several parts), it tries to be too many things to suit too many people. It is full of the raunchy joke style we saw from Bateman in HORRIBLE BOSSES, but it also tries to be heartwarming in the end.

This movie could be so much better if Bateman decided to choose one or the other. Basically, all you need to know about this movie is how to spell D-V-D.



SABOTAGE
Rated R
Stars: Arnold Schwarzennegger, Sam Worthington, Terrence Howard
Plot: A group of highly-trained DEA agents find themselves under attack after taking down a cartel safe house.
Trailer

Clint Says: No review yet

The studio did not put SABOTAGE out early for reviews. (Usually not a good sign). If you happen to see it, feel free to post your thoughts about it in the comments section.