Rated: R
Stars: Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, Samuel L. Jackson
Plot: A young man joins a secret, elite spy team to help bring down the apocalyptic plans of a madman
Trailer
Clint Says: Buy this DVD as soon as possible
This is still one of my favorite movies of 2015. It is so much fun. It's a great flick to grab your friends, a bucket of popcorn and just have a blast.
The movie is based on a comic book so there is a level of absurdity to it that makes the film even more enjoyable than it would have been as just a simple spy movie. (If you aren't laughing and cheering when the elites get theirs, you might want to re-evaluate your priorities, because it is one of the most insanely, ridiculous scenes to come along in a long time).
The characters are all intriguing and complex, and the villain (Samuel L. Jackson) is anything but one-dimensional. The story is exciting, compelling, intense and thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to end. Even though this movie clocks in at just over two hours, it never feels long.
If you like a good spy flick, you will love KINGSMAN.
THE DUFF
Rated: PG-13
Stars: Mae Whitman, Robbie Amell, Bella Thorne
Plot: A girl tries to change her high school social status after she learns she is a DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend)
Trailer
Clint Says: Buy this DVD as soon as possible
This may well be the first great high school comedy since John Hughes gave us everything awesome about the 1980s. It is funny, heartwarming, a great story, but above all else it rings true. There isn't a scene or even a line that feels like it was written by an adult trying to get into the mind of a teen.
The book was written by Kody Keplinger, a 17 year old high school senior, and thankfully the powers that be let her writing stand for itself in the transition from book to screen.
The casting for this movie is spot on. Whitman is brilliant, Amell is great as the dumb jock with a heart, and Bella Thorne kills it as the girl everyone loves to hate.
As I watched THE DUFF I found myself constantly smiling like a goofy idiot, that is, when I wasn't laughing so hard I could barely breathe.
This is a movie that will become an instant classic and a must-own by teenage girls everywhere.
PROJECT ALMANAC
Rated: PG-13
Stars: Amy Landecker, Sofia Black-D'Elia, Johnny Weston
Plot: A group of teens build and use a time machine, but things start happening beyond their control
Trailer
Clint Says: Rent it after you've seen the other films out this week
PROJECT ALMANAC is an okay film. It's not horrible, but it's not great either. It is a "found footage" style movie, but it really should not have been. There are several scenes in the movie where there is no way any of the kids would have been filming.
The movie has several large plot holes and, for all of the cool effects, it really doesn't go anywhere new and exciting. There are also several scenes that are straight rip-offs from classic 80s and 90s movies. After the third or fourth copied scene it becomes really tedious.
The film clocks in at just over 1 1/2 hours, but it feels significantly longer than that.
