Movie Review For May 1, 2015: AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON, THE WATER DIVINER

AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON
Rated: PG-13
Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, James Spader, Paul Bettany, Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Plot: The Avengers must work together to stop one of Tony Stark's creations that has decided the world must be destroyed
Trailer

Clint Says: Drop everything and go see this movie now

And the crowd said, "AMEN!"

AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON is two hours and 21 minutes of total awesomeness. It is fast-paced, high-stakes, and intriguing story-telling at its comic-book finest.

Director Joss Whedon should be given a lot of credit for allowing the cast to have the range they needed to explore and develop their characters even more. Because of that we get some of the best scenes we have ever had the privilege to witness in the MARVEL universe.

This movie is hysterically funny, way more so than any of the other MARVEL films, with the exception of GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, but it is also deep and at times will pull at your heartstrings.

There is a freedom and a depth to this movie that we've yet to see in any other comic book flick that may even lead to its eventual nomination for awards other than just the technical stuff. It is fun and spectacular from beginning to end.

I don't say this often because the price of going to the movies is so ridiculous, but this is the movie you need to see in IMAX or RPX and in 3D. It's worth the money. This is easily the best popcorn flick of 2015 so far and it's going to take some serious doing to knock it from the top spot.




THE WATER DIVINER
Rated: R
Stars: Russell Crowe, Olga Kurylenko, Jai Courtney
Plot: A grieving father travels from Australia to Turkey to find the remains of his sons killed in the same battle during World War I, but he soon finds out that one of them may still be alive
Trailer

Clint Says: Wait for the DVD

This is an interesting film because it is a fascinating story that is heartbreaking and compelling yet it is brutally boring in its execution. It is an Australian film that has made its way to the US. Maybe they find this style of movie-making much more palatable down under, but for US audiences it feels slow, drawn out and dialogue heavy.

Russell Crowe is incredible and believable in his role, but it's not enough to overcome the nearly two hours of dullness on screen.

This film won three Australian Academy Awards including Best Picture, but it's not even worthy of a nomination here. It is worth seeing at some point if you like post World War period pieces, but it won't be a life-changing or even much of a moving experience for you.

DVD Review For January 20, 2015

LUCY
Rated: PG-13
Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman
Plot: A young woman is drugged and as a result is able to tap into 100% of her brain's capacity.
Trailer

Clint Says: If you have to see this, I pity you

Luc Besson, writer and director of LUCY, needs to get some people on his team that are willing to tell him "no"...quickly. I'd be hard pressed to try to come up with another movie that falls apart so thoroughly in the last 20 minutes.

Besson has done some very good work in the past, but he's had some real stinkers too. This film falls into the latter category. Morgan Freeman's character is completely useless to the plot and is really only there to preach at us for 90 very long minutes. There are plot holes and inconsistencies throughout the entire film, some of which are so blatantly obvious that even the most casual movie-goer will notice.

I saw LUCY with my wife. And while I am a stickler for story integrity, she, being an author, puts me to shame in that category. Her rant about this film for the entire 45 minute ride home was epic. I've heard her rip some movies to shreds before over plot, but this one was one for the ages.

The first hour of this film is actually pretty exciting despite the preachiness and plot holes. My recommendation is, if you really must see this, watch until Lucy lands in Paris. At that point, get up, turn off the movie, go get some coffee with a friend and come up with your own ending. I guarantee you that your ending will be way better than the actual ending.



THE DROP
Rated: R
Stars: James Gandolfini, Noomi Rapace, Tom Hardy
Plot: A bartender in a rough neighborhood finds himself in the middle of criminal activity.
Trailer

Clint says: Rent it if you've got a free night

James Gandolfini returns as a rough mobster in his last feature film, and Tom Hardy gives an exemplary performance once again.

While the story itself isn't overly compelling or even very interesting, the fact that it is Gandolfini's last movie makes it worth a watch.

It's not a bad film at all, but it isn't the great film that it could have been.

DVD Review For September 30, 2014

TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION
Rated: PG-13
Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Nicola Peltz, Stanley Tucci
Plot: A down-on-his-luck inventor finds one of the few remaining transformers and sets off a chain-reation of events that may lead to the end of humanity.
Trailer

Clint Says: If you have to see this movie, make someone else rent it

This is currently in the top 5 highest grossing films of 2014, but this movie is horrible. The only thing it has going for it are the incredible special effects and world-class explosions.

If you care at all about plot, character development, or meaningful dialogue rent something else. If you are only interested in things that go boom while spouting off cheesy lines you'll still think this 2 hour and 45 minute movie is an hour too long, but you'll be relatively happy. I would compare the cheese factor of this movie to a lame Saturday morning cartoon, but that would be an insult to the cartoon.

I also found the way the film treats the female lead throughout the movie to be thoroughly offensive. She spends the entire movie in tight shirts and either super-short cutoff jeans or painted on pants, her dialogue mainly consists of her yelling for her dad to rescue her, and her age is mentioned several times as 17. So, basically, she's supposed to be a minor that has daddy issues and is only there to provide eye candy rather than have a meaningful role. It's frustrating to see another summer blockbuster that uses the female lead as scenery rather than a legitimate plot-important character.

Just over halfway through the movie I was begging for it to end. When it finally did end it was left so wide open for a sequel that they barely finished this movie.

Save your money.

CHEF

Rated: R

Stars: Jon Favreau, Sofia Vergara, Scarlett Johansson, John Leguizamo, Emjay Anthony

Plot: After a bad review a head chef loses his job and works to regain his love for cooking and his family through working a food truck.

Trailer

Clint Says: Rent this movie as soon as possible

This is one of those movies that is really good, but for whatever reason seems to fly under the radar. Foodies will love it for the tasty dishes, movie fans will love it for the heartwarming story and the superb acting by Jon Favreau.

It's an interesting mix of typical film genres. On one hand you have the trying-to-get-back-my-lost-love theme, but you also have the father-son-road-trip theme. Even so, the two styles mix together well. Like salty and sweet.

It's a fun film that is worth seeing.

DVD Review for September 9, 2014

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER
Rated: PG-13
Stars: Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan
Plot: Captain America is forced into a battle with an old foe, but he must be careful because he's not sure who he can trust.

Trailer

Clint Says: Buy this DVD

This movie fits all the criteria for a great comic book movie: explosions, action, explosions, hot girl that might be good but is probably bad, explosions, epic fight scenes, a good guy that turns out to be bad, explosions, a bad guy that turns good, oh...and a super-good looking hero that slowly walks away from explosions.

CAPTAIN AMERICA is exactly what we have come to expect from the MARVEL series. It's an excellent action movie and a really good, fun time for viewers. Chris Evans (Steve Rogers/Captain America) and Scarlett Johannson (Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow) play well off of each other giving the audience entertaining and witty banter throughout the film.

There are several great moments throughout the movie that had our audience breaking out into applause a good six or seven times. (MARVEL movies are always best to see with uber fans). We also get some answers to long-held questions from the first CAPTAIN AMERICA movie.

THE WINTER SOLDIER is better than the original because it is much faster paced and we get to see a more developed hero. It's still not quite as good as the IRON MAN or THOR series, but it is definitely a worthy competitor.

If you like action movie and/or comic book based movies I highly recommend this one. 

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: This is worth a rental after you've seen what you really want to see

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.



BRICK MANSIONS
Rated: R
Stars: Paul Walker, David Belle, RZA
Plot: An undercover cop and an ex-con must work together to bring down a crime lord overseeing a walled-in section of Detroit.

Trailer

Clint Says: Don't even bother

BRICK MANSIONS is the last film that Paul Walker worked on in its entirety. Unfortunately it is one of the lamest action movies I've seen in a long time. It is completely cliche and predictable and the dialogue is laughable.

I will say that there are some pretty good fight scenes and some cool parkour, but it's not worth spending even the $2.99 rental fee to see that.



THE HORNET'S NEST
Rated: R
Stars: Mike Boettcher, Carlos Boettcher
Plot: This war documentary follows US troops in Afghanistan battling the Taliban.

Trailer

Clint Says: Rent this DVD if you can handle it

This is one of the most intense films I have ever seen. All of the footage is real. It is terrifying, brutal and horrific. But it is also heroic, strangely beautiful and mesmerizing.

This film is not for everyone, but if you think you can handle it, I highly recommend seeing what our troops go through every day to help keep our nation safe. You will have a new-found respect for our military men and women after seeing this film. 

Movie Review for July 25, 2014

AND SO IT GOES
Rated - PG-13
Stars: Michael Douglas, Diane Keaton
Plot: A curmudgeonly old widower and his singing widow neighbor must learn how to care for a granddaughter he never knew he had.
Trailer

Clint Says: Wait for the DVD

This movie is a prime example of why we hear people complaining how Hollywood has lost its creativity, and nothing original comes out of Hollywood anymore. Hollywood has learned that most of their "original" ideas are old, dried up and a waste of time.

While this film has a few laughs and a few warm, fuzzy moments, overall it is a slow, boring tale. Douglas and Keaton spend most of the movie just going through the motions. And the plot is so ridiculously predictable and stereotypical that most in the audience will spend a large part of the movie rolling their eyes.

Watching this felt a bit like watching a superstar athlete trying to keep up after he is well past his prime in a league that has passed him by. It's sad in a way to see the likes of Rob Reiner, Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton trying to remain relevant in an industry that has moved away from their style of movies.

If you really want to see these actors in something good this weekend rent some of their better works. You'll be happier for it, and it will save you from wasting your money and your time.



LUCY
Rated: PG-13
Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman
Plot: A young woman is drugged and as a result is able to tap into 100% of her brain's capacity.
Trailer

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

Luc Besson, writer and director of LUCY, needs to get some people on his team that are willing to tell him "no"...quickly. I'd be hard pressed to try to come up with another movie that falls apart so thoroughly in the last 20 minutes.

Besson has done some very good work in the past, but he's had some real stinkers too. This film falls into the latter category. Morgan Freeman's character is completely useless to the plot and is really only there to preach at us for 90 very long minutes. There are plot holes and inconsistencies throughout the entire film, some of which are so blatantly obvious that even the most casual movie-goer will notice.

I saw LUCY with my wife. And while I am a stickler for story integrity, she, being an author, puts me to shame in that category. Her rant about this film for the entire 45 minute ride home was epic. I've heard her rip some movies to shreds before over plot, but this one was one for the ages.

The first hour of this film is actually pretty exciting despite the preachiness and plot holes. My recommendation is, if you really must see this in theaters, watch until Lucy lands in Paris. At that point, get up, walk out of the theater, go get some coffee with a friend and come up with your own ending to the movie. I guarantee you that your ending will be way better than the actual ending.



HERCULES
Rated - PG-13
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Ian McShane
Plot: A mercenary fights alongside a small band of warriors while trying to live up to the legend of Hercules
Trailer

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

This film really surprised me. I'm typically not a fan of Greek legend movies because they are either over the top with violence or long and plodding. HERCULES is neither. It is action-packed, fast-paced, thrilling, humorous, and the story is compelling and well done.

This is a new take on the legend and myth of Hercules that will satisfy fans of the classic Hercules story as well as fans of good action flicks.

Dwayne Johnson does a marvelous job of portraying Hercules, but in a way that doesn't make the demi-god too serious. Ian McShane is a scene stealer throughout, and the rest of Hercules's team round out a fun cast with great on-screen chemistry.

The special effects are well done and not overbearing. I would even recommend seeing this film in 3D or even IMAX 3D because this is one of the few films that actually uses 3D technology to make the film better rather than the usual gimmicky shots we see in lesser 3D action flicks.

It's nice to see that someone finally made a movie about Hercules that is worth seeing and is not only entertaining, but fun and exciting as well.

DVD Review for May 13, 2014

THAT AWKWARD MOMENT
Rated R
Stars: Zac Efron, Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan
Plot: Three friends make a pact to stay out of deep relationships until one of them is ready to move forward.
Trailer

Clint Says: It's worth a rental

THAT AWKWARD MOMENT is basically one big awkward moment because it's a romantic comedy for guys. It follows the same tried and true formula for RomComs, but is full of raunchy jokes and typical 20-something guy behavior. The movie has a few good laughs and a couple of horrifically awkward moments, but there isn't an audience that is going to like this movie in it's entirety.

It's an ok movie that is worth seeing once, but don't waste your money buying it.



HER
Rated R
Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Scarlett Johansson
Plot: A loner falls in love with his computer's artificial intelligence operating system.
Trailer

Clint Says: This is worth a rental if you can handle the weird

When I first heard about the premise of HER I thought, "that sounds creepy and weird." Then I went to see it and thought, "that was creepy and weird." Don't get me wrong, the movie is well done and very well acted, especially by Joaquin Phoenix, but it's still creepy and weird. It's played out in a not-too-distant future and is set up in a way that makes it seem like it is something that could actually happen. That's probably why it came across as creepy and weird.

There are people that will love every aspect of this film and others will be offended by the very premise. My recommendation, see this movie based on your level of comfort with the plot.



I, FRANKENSTEIN
Rated PG-13
Stars: Aaron Eckhart, Yvonne Strahovski, Bill Nighy
Plot:  200 years after his creation, Frankenstein's monster finds himself in a battle between demons and gargoyles
Trailer

Clint Says: If you have to watch this movie, make someone else rent it.

After seeing the trailer, my first thought was, "this could either be really good or really bad." Unfortunately, it is really bad. And even more unfortunate, they set it up for possible sequels. Bill Nighy is one of my favorite actors and even he couldn't come close to saving this boring, uncompelling, go-through-the-motions, snoozer.

Movie Review for April 11, 2014

DRAFT DAY
Rated PG-13
Stars: Kevin Costner, Jennifer Garner
Plot: The GM of the Cleveland Browns has a seemingly no-brainer draft pick, but he, at the risk of losing his job, has other ideas.
Trailer

Clint Says: Save some money and go see a matinee

DRAFT DAY is a well-done, fast-paced film that, thankfully, is about relationships and the art of the deal rather than football. It's not nearly as good as JERRY MAGUIRE, but it's born of the same ilk.

I found myself engaged and entertained throughout the movie even though I'm not a fan of the NFL and I find the draft to be painfully boring. (I know, I'm weird). This is a plus for the film, because it will appeal to a much broader audience than just the NFL fan needing something that resembles football during the long off season.

Costner and Garner are vanilla as usual, but the action and intensity of the story keep things moving along well.

It's a good date movie because it's feel-good, you don't have to think too much and it has wide appeal.



RIO 2
Rated PG
Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway
Plot: Blu and his family go to the Amazon jungle to find a group of birds just like them. When they do, Blu finds himself amidst several rivals.
Trailer

Clint Says: Wait for the DVD

RIO 2 is your typical sequel. It's not quite as good as the original movie in the series and the story is so thin they have to use a lot of filler. In fact, if the decision makers on this film just stuck to the story, the movie would be about 30 minutes long. Instead, there is about 60 minutes of useless, but colorful, choreographed filler.

It kind of reminded me of watching the opening ceremony of the Olympics. It's quite a spectacle, but when it's all done you quickly forget it.

There are several scenes that may be a bit too scary for the under 5 crowd and there isn't enough entertainment value for the adults, so I would suggest only seeing this move with older children, and then only if they really loved the first movie.




OCULUS
Rated R
Stars: Karen Gillan, Brenton Thwaits
Plot: A woman tries to overturn her brother's murder conviction by claiming a possessed mirror creates evil twins.
Trailer

Clint Says: See this in theaters...if you can handle it

I was pleasantly surprised that this was a horror movie that was actually scary. It does do the usual scare tactics that most horror films use, but this film has an interesting plot and a cast that is able to carry it off in a way that isn't cheesy.

This is a great popcorn flick that will have you avoiding mirrors for a while.



UNDER THE SKIN
Rated R
Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Paul Brannigan
Plot: An alien dressed in a skin suit seduces lonely men then destroys them.
Trailer

Clint Says: Don't even bother

 

 

This may be the single dumbest movie I have ever seen. It's one of those "experimental" films (read: really bad with horrifically lame music, camerawork, acting, plot, dialogue, sound editing and direction).

 

This is a two-hour waste of time. If it hadn't been a press screening where they require a quote from you after the film, I would have walked out about 20 minutes in. (I've never walked out of a movie...that's how bad this is).

 

By 30 minutes in I was checking my watch and begging for the movie to either do something or end. And when I say "do something" I mean ANYTHING! The first several minutes of the movie are weird visuals and ridiculously long establishing shots. Then it's just Scarlett Johansson driving around, picking up lonely guys and then walking backwards in a black room while the guys get naked and sink into black ooze.

 

The dialogue (what little there is) is almost entirely in super-thick Scottish accents with no subtitles. Not that it matters because I didn't care at all what they were saying or doing. I just wanted everyone to die and have the credits roll.

 

I have seen that some film critics are calling this Johansson's "performance of her career" and "iconic". They must have seen a different movie than I did. All Johansson does in this flick is drive around, stare awkwardly at people or things for excruciatingly long moments and walk backwards away from lonely, naked guys.

 

I would rather watch C-SPAN for a week straight than have to endure watching this utter haggis again.

Movie Review for April 4, 2014

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER
Rated PG-13
Stars: Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan
Plot: Captain America is forced into a battle with an old foe, but he must be careful because he's not sure who he can trust.
Trailer

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

It is surprising that the studio decided to release this movie in early April rather than wait for the summer blockbuster season. It fits all the criteria for a summer blockbuster: explosions, action, explosions, hot girl that might be good but is probably bad, explosions, epic fight scenes, a good guy that turns out to be bad, explosions, a bad guy that turns good, oh...and a super-good looking hero that slowly walks away from explosions.

CAPTAIN AMERICA is exactly what we have come to expect from the MARVEL series. It's an excellent action movie and a really good, fun time for viewers. Chris Evans (Steve Rogers/Captain America) and Scarlett Johannson (Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow) play well off of each other giving the audience entertaining and witty banter throughout the film.

There are several great moments throughout the movie that had our audience breaking out into applause a good six or seven times. (MARVEL movies are always best to see with uber fans). We also get some answers to long-held questions from the first CAPTAIN AMERICA movie.

THE WINTER SOLDIER is better than the original because it is much faster paced and we get to see a more developed hero. It's still not quite as good as the IRON MAN or THOR series, but it is definitely a worthy competitor.

As with all of the other MARVEL movies there are a couple of things to look for while munching on your popcorn: 1. Stan Lee (MARVEL creator) has a cameo. Look for him in the Smithsonian, 2. There are two secret scenes at the end of the movie. Wait until the very end of the credits to see both.

The end-of-the-movie tease aheads will make for some interesting conversation among the MARVEL geekdom and fans of the movies. I won't say much as not to ruin anything other than, yes, that belongs to Loki.

If you like action movie and/or comic book based movies I highly recommend this one.

Movie Review for January 10, 2014

LONE SURVIVOR
Rated R
Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch
Plot: A small group of Navy SEALs have their mission compromised and find themselves surrounded by hundreds of Taliban supporters.
Trailer
Clint Says: Drop everything and go see this now

LONE SURVIVOR, based on the true story of Operation Red Wings, is very difficult to watch, but it worth every minute of your time. Wahlberg and the rest of the cast do an exemplary job of portraying the impossibility of their situation without straying from their military training. The tribute to the real heroes of Operation Red Wings at the end of the movie is worth the price of admission itself. If you liked ZERO DARK THIRTY you will love LONE SURVIVOR.


THE LEGEND OF HERCULES
Rated PG-13
Stars: Kellan Lutz, Gaia Weiss
Plot: The story of the birth, rejection and rise to power of the demi-god Hercules.
Trailer
Clint Says: Wait for the DVD and let someone else rent it

Can somebody please make a great movie of the story Hercules? This movie misses the mark in every way possible. First off, he's a demi-god with super-human powers and he only uses them twice. What!? Second, there are plot holes you could drive a truck through. Third, the graphics (which most of this movie is done in CGI) look like they were done in 1998. Fourth, the 3D version uses gimmicky 3D tricks to make the movie look more intense, but audiences are over that now. Finally, I thought that dialogue was important to a movie, I guess the execs on this film disagree with me.

The only audience that will find this movie enjoyable are males between 17 and 22. Everyone else shouldn't bother.



HER
Rated R
Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson, Amy Adams
Plot: A loner falls in love with his computer's artificial intelligence operating system.
Trailer
Clint Says: Save some money and go see a matinee

When I first heard about the premise of HER I thought, "that sounds creepy and weird." Then I went to see it and thought, "that was creepy and weird." Don't get me wrong, the movie is well done and very well acted, especially by Joaquin Phoenix, but it's still creepy and weird. It's played out in a not-too-distant future and is set up in a way that makes it seem like it is something that could actually happen. That's probably why it came across as creepy and weird.

There are people that will love every aspect of this film and others will be offended by the very premise. My recommendation, go see this movie based on your level of comfort with the plot.



AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY
Rated R
Stars: Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts
Plot: The Weston women return home with all of their dysfunctional baggage in tow.
Trailer
Clint Says: Wait for the DVD

This movie is best summed up this way: An incredible cast overacting a mediocre script allowing for a slightly above average film.



INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS
Rated R
Stars: Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan
Plot: A folk singer tries to hit the big time, but his life keeps pulling him down.
Trailer
Clint Says: Don't even bother

This is easily one of the worst films I have ever seen. I know a lot of Hollywood types think this film is brilliant, but they are the same people that are convinced the Coen brothers fart unicorns on glitter rainbows. This movie starts about 5 chapters too late and ends 5 chapters too soon. Even so, I don't know if that would have saved this plodding, obnoxious borefest.