DVD Review For June 9, 2015: KINGSMAN, THE DUFF, and PROJECT ALMANAC

KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE
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.

Movie Review For February 20, 2015

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

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 when it comes out on DVD.




HOT TUB TIME MACHINE 2
Rated: R
Stars: Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke
Plot: Three friends must travel through time to solve the murder of one of their own
Trailer

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

This movie is absolute proof that nobody on earth has the ability to time travel. How do we know this? Because this movie is so bad I'm sure the movie execs searched high and low for a time machine so they could go back and either make a better movie or let the franchise live a pleasant existence with only the original film released.

The film does have a few good moments. The "you look like a..." improv scenes are great, even though they go on too long, and there are some other moments of genuine comedy, but the plot is simply ridiculous.

This might have been a better movie if it was about half as long seeing as though almost every joke was told and rehashed at least twice throughout the film. And it could have been a great film if they had focused the story on the things we finally see in the last three minutes of the movie.

This could have been another BILL AND TED'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE, unfortunately we got BOGUS JOURNEY. Lame.




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

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 to take the whole family to this weekend, give McFARLAND, USA a shot. It might inspire you and your family.

DVD Reviews for April 1, 2014

ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES
Rated R
Stars: Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Steve Carell
Plot: Ron Burgundy and his misfit TV news team move to New York to help start the first 24-hour news channel.
Trailer

Clint Says: Let somebody else rent it.

ANCHORMAN 2 has moments of brilliance and several moments that are simply cringe worthy. This film is about half an hour too long and that half hour is brutal.

If you want to see a really good version of ANCHORMAN 2, watch the movie until he falls on the ice, then skip ahead to the last few minutes of the movie. You'll be glad you did and you won't miss anything worth watching.

I do give this movie an A+ for the completely hysterical way it makes fun of the 24-hour news cycle, but most of the humor in the sequel is just a rehash of jokes from the first ANCHORMAN movie.



47 RONIN
Rated PG-13
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada
Plot: A small group of dishonored Samurai fight to avenge the death of their leader.
Trailer

Clint Says: Rent it

47 RONIN is an interesting movie that fans of the genre will enjoy, but if you are only a casual observer, this will probably bore you.

Its slow pace allows for some incredible cinematography, but there is a noticeable lack of action. The movie takes more than an hour before it feels like it starts moving. When is does finally get going, it is intense and action-packed.

Like the pacing, the special effects are hit and miss. Sometimes they are incredible, other times they look like they were done on an old computer for a movie in the 80s.

It's not a bad movie at all, it's just not a movie for everyone.



THE PIRATE FAIRY
Rated G
Stars: Mae Whitman, Christina Hendricks, Tom Hiddleston
Plot: Zarina, an inquisitive fairy, finds herself in trouble and alone. She joins a band of pirates and plans to steal all of the pixie dust from the fairies, but Tinkerbell and her friends have plans of their own.
Trailer

Clint Says: Buy this for the little princess in your home

If you've seen any of the Disney Tinkerbell DVDs you know the feel of this movie as well. I took the toughest little four year old critic to see a screening of this movie and although she was not overly thrilled with the entire movie she liked it, and that's saying a lot coming from her. (The only movies worthy of her time are CINDERELLA and THE LITTLE MERMAID).

Personally, I loved the foreshadowing to Peter Pan. We get our first glimpses of Skull Island, the Tick Tock Croc, and Captain Hook (voiced by Tom Hiddleston...awesome).

If you have a Tinkerbell fan in your home, she will be thrilled with THE PIRATE FAIRY and will watch it again and again.