DVD Reviews For February 17, 2015

BIRDMAN OR (THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE)
Rated: R
Stars: Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton
Plot: An aging actor tries to revitalize his career by writing, directing and staring in a Broadway play.
Trailer

Clint Says: Buy or rent this movie today

This is one of the most original films I've seen in a while. The way this movie is shot is so innovative and fun you can't help but to be mesmerized by it. The first 97% or so of the movie is shot with what is supposed to be a single camera, continuous shot. It is absolutely fascinating.

Aside from the creative cinematography, the acting is outstanding and the story is compelling and the characters are deep. You really feel for these characters and understand their struggles.

There is an aspect to this film that will turn off some movie-goers. At times it seems interesting at other times it feels out of place to the rest of the story, but for those that are willing to suspend disbelief and just go with it, you will truly enjoy this film.




THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING
Rated: PG-13
Stars: Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, David Thewlis
Plot: The story of the life and marriage of Stephen Hawking
Trailer

Clint Says: Buy or rent this movie today

Eddie Redmayne should not only be nominated for the Best Actor Oscar, but we should just go ahead and give him the statue now. His performance is astounding.

The Academy is partial to pretty people making themselves much less physically desirable for a role, and Redmayne does that in this movie, but he goes beyond the physical. He transforms into Stephen Hawking.

Felicity Jones gets an Oscar nod as well and it is well-deserved. She plays the "I've given up my own dreams for the sake of my family" role spot on.

This movie is brilliant, heartwarming, heartbreaking and inspiring all at once. Even if you are not a fan of Stephen Hawking, this film will still entertain you.




ST. VINCENT
Rated: PG-13
Stars: Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy
Plot: A young boy and a crotchety old man develop an unlikely friendship.
Trailer

Clint Says: Rent this movie this week

This is one of the better films I've seen this year and while I am a fan of Bill Murray, I think this film would have been an Oscar contender if he had been replaced by a more dramatic actor. It will still be up for awards and, don't get me wrong, Murray does an outstanding job in this film. I just think Hollywood doesn't respect him enough to give him the nod for the big hardware.

I was also pleasantly surprised to see Melissa McCarthy in a role other than the raunchy, bumbling goofball with a sharp, witty tongue. She plays it straight in this film which is refreshing, because she was starting to become very one-dimensional in her roles.

There is a lot about this film that is good. The characters are all deep and complex, the multiple story lines are compelling and the acting is well done.

If you are looking for a movie that will give you all the feels, this is your pick.




DUMB AND DUMBER TO
Rated: PG-13
Stars: Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels
Plot: Lloyd and Harry go on a trip to find Harry's long-lost daughter to help save his life.
Trailer

Clint Says: If you love stupid humor flicks go rent this now

Rarely does a sequel live up to the original. Even more difficult? A sequel that can hold its own against an iconic original. That was the task laid out for DUMB AND DUMBER TO as the second installment to the potty humor franchise. (We do not count DUMB AND DUMBERER as a prequel...in fact, it shall henceforth be know as THE MOVIE THAT SHALL NOT BE NAMED).

I had my expectations set low as I sat down to watch this film, and much to my pleasant surprise, the cast and crew delivered an awesomely dumb movie. I was laughing hard throughout the flick, cringing in all the right places, and shaking my head in gleeful disgust at the stupidity and depths of the juvenile humor.

If you are a fan of DUMB AND DUMBER this movie will not disappoint. For the new generation of movie-goers, this is a stellar introduction into the DUMB. If you are not a fan of stupid humor flicks, stay far, far away from this film. There is nothing for you here. The plot is dumb, the jokes are dumb, and the acting is dumber. Not to mention that we get to see WAAAYYYY to much of Jeff Daniels back side.

I saw this movie with a 13 year old guy. He thinks it should win the Best Picture Oscar. That's all you need to know.




THE INTERVIEW
Rated: R
Stars: James Franco, Seth Rogen
Plot: A gossip journalist and his producer get the opportunity to interview Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, but the CIA has other plans
Trailer

Clint Says: It was already on Netflix so don't waste your money

This may be the most talked about film of 2014. Sony couldn't have begged for better publicity or come up with a better marketing plan than all of the controversy and hacking caused by this film. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

I saw this movie in a sold out theater full of people you would never expect to see at a Franco/Rogen flick. This movie has become a cultural icon that everyone wants to see. In fact, this was more of an event than just seeing a movie. The crowd was totally into it 30 minutes before the film started. The theater was playing patriotic music, strangers were talking to each other in a "Go 'merica" way, and the mood was basically a huge F.U. to anyone that didn't want us to see this movie.

As for the movie, it's okay. It has a lot of funny moments and the story is pretty good. It's a typical Franco/Rogen flick with lots of crude body-part humor and other assorted raunchy jokes. It's not as good as THIS IS THE END, but it isn't a horrible mess either. If it were a typical release it would probably make about $50 Million then fade off into DVD land never to be thought of again, but because of the controversy this may end up being one of the highest grossing films of 2014.

It's an okay film to see once, but it's not worth the rental price if you can still stream it.

Movie Review For November 14, 2014

DUMB AND DUMBER TO
Rated: PG-13
Stars: Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels
Plot: Lloyd and Harry go on a trip to find Harry's long-lost daughter to help save his life.
Trailer

Clint Says: If you love stupid humor flicks drop everything and go see this now

Rarely does a sequel live up to the original. Even more difficult? A sequel that can hold its own against an iconic original. That was the task laid out for DUMB AND DUMBER TO as the second installment to the potty humor franchise. (We do not count DUMB AND DUMBERER as a prequel...in fact, it shall henceforth be know as THE MOVIE THAT SHALL NOT BE NAMED).

I had my expectations set low as I sat down to watch this film, and much to my pleasant surprise, the cast and crew delivered an awesomely dumb movie. I was laughing hard throughout the flick, cringing in all the right places, and shaking my head in gleeful disgust at the stupidity and depths of the juvenile humor.

If you are a fan of DUMB AND DUMBER this movie will not disappoint. For the new generation of movie-goers, this is a stellar introduction into the DUMB. If you are not a fan of stupid humor flicks, stay far, far away from this film. There is nothing for you here. The plot is dumb, the jokes are dumb, and the acting is dumber. Not to mention that we get to see WAAAYYYY to much of Jeff Daniels back side.

I saw this movie with a 13 year old guy. He thinks it should win the Best Picture Oscar. That's all you need to know.




BEYOND THE LIGHTS
Rated: R
Stars: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Nate Parker, Minnie Driver
Plot: A pop-star falls in love with the cop that saved her life, and they try to build a relationship while dealing with the bright lights of stardom.
Trailer

Clint Says: Save some money and see a matinee

This is one of those films that is just fine. There is nothing great about it, there is nothing bad about it. There is nothing that I will remember about this movie and there is nothing that I desperately wish to forget.

Five months from now when the DVD is released I'll say, "Oh yeah, I remember seeing that film. Now what was it about again?"

It's a nice love story with an interesting, if not unique, premise. Both of the leads play their parts well and for the most part it's believable.

If you are looking for a decent love story without having to think to hard about plot, this film would be a good choice this weekend.




SAVING CHRISTMAS
Rated: PG
Stars: Kirk Cameron, Darren Doane
Plot: A man that hates the commercialism of Christmas is taught by his brother-in-law a new way to look at the holiday.
Trailer

Clint Says: I. Can't. Even.

I honestly don't know what I saw when I saw SAVING CHRISTMAS. It's not a movie (as the trailer makes you believe), it's not a documentary (as some have suggested), and it's not a sermon (although it feels like that for 90% of the film). For simplicity's sake, I'm going to refer to it as a movie.

I feel it necessary to disclose that I have worked with Kirk Cameron in the past, I like the guy a lot and I want to see him do well. I also have friends that work at Provident (one of the companies behind this film) and I wish them nothing but the best.

That said, this movie is horrible. I get the idea of the film, but the execution is super-low-budget and it feels like the entire concept was thought up, written down and set in stone over lunch at Panera Bread with no further creative meetings allowed.

This is one of those "I have a point to make" films that pushes the plot to the side. In this case, the plot is pushed almost completely off the screen. Nearly an hour of the 75 minute long movie is a straight up sermon you might hear at any non-denominational church on any given Sunday in December. The other 20 minutes or so are random diatribes about conspiracy theories, dance breaks or well, that's about it.

This film also ends at least four times. I mean it really, truly ends. Like, I'm sitting there and I see the scene fade to black and I start to get up and then there is more. It was really weird. It's hard to believe that a 75 minute long film can feel long, but this one felt like it dragged on for hours.

I will say this for the film, if you are a Christian and you have an issue with the commercialism of Christmas, you may want to see this movie. It may change your mind, it may not, but it will at least give you another perspective on the holiday.