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.

DVD Review for March 25, 2014

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
Rated R
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie
Plot: The story of the meteoric rise and criminal fall of Wall Street tycoon and con man Jordan Belfort.
Trailer

Clint Says: Rent it at your own risk (and keep the kids far away)

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET was hailed by most movie critics as one of the best films of 2013. While I agree that the plot was very compelling and the acting was superb, I found the movie to be over the top, obnoxious and about an hour too long.

A word of warning as well, this movie is rated R, but it is VERY R. It was probably mere seconds away from getting an NC-17 rating due to graphic nudity and hard core drug abuse.



DELIVERY MAN
Rated PG-13
Stars: Vince Vaughn, Chris Pratt, Cobie Smulders
Plot: A loser in life finds out he is the surrogate father of hundreds of children when 142 of them file a lawsuit to force him to make himself known to them. He then has to make the choice to continue his loser life, or be the man his children need.
Trailer

Clint Says: Let someone else rent it

DELIVERY MAN is just like every other Vince Vaughn movie...an adult acting like a child gets himself into an underdog predicament and, through the cunning use of wit and charm, simultaneously grows up, finds love and fixes the predicament like a boss.

If you are looking for a night on the couch with a few laughs, a few feel good moments and not having to tax your brain at all, this is a good choice. If you are looking for anything that might resemble intellect, this movie is not for you.



WALKING WITH DINOSAURS 3D
Rated PG
Stars: John Leguizamo, Justin Long
Plot: Patchi, an underdog dinosaur, rises up to be a hero.
Trailer

Clint Says: Don't even bother

 

While this movie is a visual marvel, the lack of plot and 3rd grade potty humor make this almost unwatchable.

If you want to watch a great dinosaur movie with the kids, go buy a copy of THE LAND BEFORE TIME.

Movie Review for March 21, 2014

DIVERGENT
Rated PG-13
Stars: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Cate Winslet
Plot: Post-war Chicago's inhabitants are divided into five groups, each assigned with a specific task to help the others. Tris, a Divergent that doesn't fit into the system, finds herself on the run from a sinister government that wants all Divergents dead.
Trailer

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

DIVERGENT is a perfect example of a good book being made into a very good movie. I would put it on par with THE HUNGER GAMES and significantly better than THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: CITY OF BONES. It has great moments of suspense and intensity, the world building is top notch, and Tris's arc is played out very well.

If I had to say anything bad about the movie it's that Peter, Will and Al look so similar, if you didn't read the book you may have trouble telling them apart. Also, there are a couple of plot holes that will drive detail-oriented viewers crazy.

Fans of the book will really enjoy the movie as will fans of the dystopian young adult genre. Adults should not skip this movie thinking it's just another teen movie, it is definitely worth a watch.

FUN FACT: Be on the lookout for a Veronica Roth cameo. She shows up as a Dauntless.


MUPPETS MOST WANTED
Rated PG
Stars: Kermit The Frog, Miss Piggy, Tina Fey, Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell
Plot: During a world tour Kermit and the gang get mixed up in a jewelry heist orchestrated by a Kermit look alike.
Trailer

Clint Says: Save some money and see a matinee

MUPPETS MOST WANTED is exactly what you expect from a Muppet movie. Not much of a plot, not overly funny, but a lot of good music, good cameos by several of Hollywood’s hottest stars, and enough humor to make the movie enjoyable for kids and tolerable for adults.

 If you’ve got the money to spend at the theater, this would be a good treat for the younger kids, but you won’t miss out on anything if you just wait for the DVD.

DVD Review for March 18, 2014

SAVING MR. BANKS
Rated PG-13
Stars: Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Colin Farrell
Plot: The, based on a true story, relationship between Walt Disney and P.L. Travers as he tried to get the rights to make the movie of Mary Poppins.
Trailer

Clint says: Drop everything and go buy this DVD now

This was my favorite movie of 2013. It is an incredible story told in a very compelling and emotional way. This movie stuck with me for days after I saw it, and for someone that sees close to 100 movies a year, that is very impressive. I highly recommend SAVING MR. BANKS.

Do not be fooled that this is Disney and Mary Poppins, this is not a movie for young children. It has several adult themes and a few scenes that are difficult even for adults to watch.


AMERICAN HUSTLE
Rated R
Stars: Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Renner
Plot: A small-time con couple are forced into working with the FBI to try to bring down some powerful political figures.
Trailer

Clint Says: Buy this DVD as soon as possible

With 10 Oscar nominations, AMERICAN HUSTLE proved itself to be one of the elite films of the past year. The plot is exciting and fast-paced and the cast is superb. You can't go wrong buying this DVD.



FROZEN
Rated PG
Stars: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Josh Gad, Jonathan Groff
Plot: A young girl must journey to find her self-exiled sister and help her find a way to control her magical powers in order to bring their kingdom out of an eternal winter.
Trailer

Clint Says: Buy this DVD as soon as possible

FROZEN is an incredible movie that kids and adults will enjoy. This is one of those films that you just know is an instant classic. The story is fun and exciting, the music is wonderful and the animation is ground-breaking.

This will be the DVD in your mini-van for a long time.



MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM
Rated PG-13
Stars: Idris Elba, Naomie Harris
Plot: The story of the life of Nelson Mandela from childhood to the President of South Africa.
Trailer

Clint Says: Rent it

This is a very impressive film, but, let's face it, Nelson Mandela is bigger than any one movie could ever hope to capture. It is worth a watch if you didn't get a chance to see it in theaters, but it's not the kind of movie you'll want to watch again and again. Rent it, enjoy it and then move on to another movie.

Movie Review for March 14, 2014

NEED FOR SPEED

Rated PG-13

Stars: Aaron Paul, Imogen Poots

Plot: A small town racer gets himself into the biggest underground, illegal street race of the year to avenge the death of his friend and take down his rival.

Trailer

Clint Says: Save some money and see a matinee

 

I was pleasantly surprised by NEED FOR SPEED. As far as car movies go, (and they are almost always horrible), this one was one of the best. Aaron Paul does a great job, Jesse Pinkman fans will not be disappointed.

 

Incredibly, according to Aaron Paul, this movie is 100% camera caught, meaning no CGI or green screen technology was used. If that is the case, kudos to the director because some of the racing scenes are almost too amazing to believe.

 

One warning on this movie: Watch your speed when leaving the theater. You'll want to tear up the asphalt like never before.

TYLER PERRY'S: THE SINGLE MOMS' CLUB

Rated PG-13

Stars: Nia Long, Amy Smart

Plot: A diverse group of moms bond over issues at the school their children attend and form a support group.

Trailer

Clint Says: Wait for the DVD

 

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.

DVD Review for March 11, 2014

THE BOOK THIEF
Rated PG-13
Plot: During WWII, a young girl shares hope and a way of escape through books she steals and is taught to read by her adoptive family as well as a Jewish refugee hidden in their home.
Trailer

Clint Says: Rent it

If you've read the bestselling book, don't ruin it for yourself by watching the movie. If you haven't read the book, it's worth a rental.



HOMEFRONT
Rated R
Stars: Jason Statham, James Franco
Plot: A former DEA agent and his daughter move to a small town to escape their haunting past, but trouble follows them.
Trailer

Clint Says: Let someone else rent it and mooch off of them.

HOMEFRONT is predictable all the way through but I will give it two pluses: 1. Jason Statham goes beyond his martial arts stereotype and does some really good acting, 2. It's always awesome to see James Franco get the ever-loving crap kicked out of him.


OUT OF THE FURNACE
Rated R
Stars: Christian Bale, Casey Affleck, Zoe Saldana
Plot: When a man's brother goes missing, and the cops aren't moving fast enough, he takes matters into his own hands.
Trailer

Clint Says: Don't watch unless you have nothing better to do

OUT OF THE FURNACE is full of incredible actors and acting, but it's not enough to pull this below average script and mediocre direction out. It belongs in a furnace somewhere.


INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS
Rated R
Stars: Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan
Plot: A folk singer couch hops across the country trying to hit the big time.
Trailer

Clint Says: Run away screaming if this movie is playing anywhere near you

This is one of those "critically acclaimed" movies that proves that Hollywood thinks the Coen Brothers fart unicorns on glitter rainbows. This movie is horrible. It is obnoxious and utterly boring. It starts five chapters too late and ends five chapters too soon.

I put this in my top two worst films of 2013, the other being SPRING BREAKERS. If I had a choice between being stranded on a deserted island or having to watch this movie again I'd need some time to think about it.

Movie Review for March 7, 2014

300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE
Rated R
Stars: Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green
Plot: The Persian Navy led by Xerxes and Artemisia invade Greece while Greek General Themistokles tries to stop the onslaught.
Trailer

Clint Says: Don't even bother

This movie is nothing more than war porn. It does everything it can to quickly push through the sub-par plot with boring narration and team-building speeches in order to get to the action shots. When it does finally get to the war scenes, the director goes lazy with shaky camera and super slow motion kill shots.

The only people that will like this movie are 20-year old male gamers because it is full of the two B's: Blood and boobs. If you don't fit that category stay far away from this flick.



MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN
Rated PG
Stars: Ty Burrell, Max Charles
Plot: A genius dog and his adopted son must try to find a way to fix a rift in the time/space continuum that they created.
Trailer

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

 

MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN is the latest impressive animated offering from Dreamworks. It's from the same team that created THE CROODS and HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, both exemplary films.

This film is fun for the kids and is entertaining for the adults as well. It is refreshing to see an animated movie that allows the characters to use brain power, creativity and ingenuity to solve problems rather than the typical lucky bumbling of a goofball.

The relationship between Mr. Peabody and Sherman is sweet and endearing. I highly recommend this film for all ages and I personally can't wait until this movie comes out on DVD.