Love ’em or hate ’em, these are my movie reviews. Cheers, MLB
(alphabetical by title, including “The”)
American Hustle – 4 Stars.
Awesome acting, story, soundtrack. Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence. They kiss. ‘Nuf said!
Anchorman 2 – The 2 is for 2 stars.
Some funny stuff, but way too cheesy, and I’m talking Provell cheesy, not Gouda. Not notable and quotable like the first one. This sequel will soon be forgotten.
Flight – 2 1/2 Stars – MLB Movie Review 11-08-2012
This movie should have been titled something else. It was not an aviation movie. The recovery from the MD80 nose dive was far secondary to Denzel’s character’s heavy battle with alcoholism. If you want an introspective, character-driven movie, go see this one. As advertised, the acting was great. As for the flight scenes, the ‘aviation advisor’ should have had his name removed from the credits to avoid embarrassment. It’s obvious that the director wanted high tech computer graphic effects instead of aeronautical accuracy. Pointing out the flying flaws would make for a short drinking game. All players would pass out before Denzel even meets his love interest. In summary, this is a drinking drama, not an aviation saga. If it were renamed “The Bottom of the Bottle,” and it still interests you, then go ahead and buy a ticket. By the way, in addition to the numerous adult themes, this movie starts right off with full frontal nudity. This is not a feature flick for the easily offended. I give it two-and-a-half MD80s out of four. It was worth my time and money, but I felt like I was watching a different movie than I went to the theater to see.
Cheers, MLB
Hobbit, The – 2 Stars – MLB Movie Review 12-25-2012
Stretching JRR Tolkien’s furry-footed prequel only emphasizes Hollywood’s commitment to quantity over quality. Penciling in the rabbit-sleigh-riding brown wizard–complete with bird poop in his beard–jumps the shark much the way Jar-Jar Binks dumbed-down the Star Wars series. Special effects and Lord of the Rings returning actors salvage a 2-star rating, but save this and the next Hobbit installment for RedBox or Netflix rentals when the 3rd and final portion of the single-novel movie adaptation comes out in 2014. This movie is neither precious, nor does it rule them all.
Jack Reacher – 3 1/2 Stars – Review by MLB 12-22-2012
I went into this movie as a die-hard fan of Lee Child’s books and didn’t think Tom Cruise could pull off Jack Reacher because of his non-giant stature. Both Alison and I loved the movie. Another reviewer wrote “Cruise stands tall as Jack Reacher.” As an advocate for the novels, I endorse this big screen performance. Apparently more Lee Child fans need to give Cruise a chance because only two dozen viewers occupied the prime time 7:40 p.m. screening on opening night. Or perhaps current events have killed interest in the subject matter. 3 1/2 stars for Jack Reacher.
Killing Them Softly – 1 1/2 Stars – MLB Movie Review 12-10-2012
Could be renamed Killing Them in Slo-Mo. Far less action than drama, this straight-forward, chronological tale is star packed, but lacks punch. Long stretches of dialog with empty soundtrack are broken up by artistic effects, folksy song snippets, and retro car scenes. I read that Brad Pitt shot this movie in five weeks. His charisma shines through, but this is far from his best work. Superior style comparisons would be Pulp Fiction and Grand Torino, although Killing Them Softly is a distant third. Worth renting if you wait for this movie to reach Red Box, probably in less time than it took to shoot.
1 1/2 Stars.
Lovelace – 2 1/2 Blowup Dolls (signed by the actress as she actuality had a line of them)
Alison and I rented this movie. I’d seen “Deep Throat” as a kid and she had not. Halfway through the movie I whispered “I guess this has ruined sex for the next month.” “Lovelace” is not a porn movie; it is an intense documentary that is quite the opposite of “Zack and Miri Make A Porno.” It is a serious film with a dark edge.
Spoiler Alert:
If you don’t know the premise, Linda Lovelace came out with a memoir years after “Deep Throat” and revealed that she was coerced by her abusive husband into making this movie (as well as several experiences with prostitution and rape), literally at gun point. “Deep Throat” was celebrated as part of the sexual revolution, but only years later was it revealed that Linda was not an enlightened willing participant, but instead a victim. This is a dark story, with more suffering than sex. It is worth watching, but be warned: It’s a good movie to watch with your date if you want to sleep alone for awhile.
Skyfall – 3 Stars – MLB Movie Review 11-17-2012
Solid, exciting, but a little drawn out. The antagonist carries elements of The Joker, complete with a facial mutation and a familiar jail break m.o.
Movie best described by M as “and old dog… and new tricks.”
More punch than Quantum of Solace, not quite the hand grenade of Casino Royal.
3 Stars.
Wolf of Wall Street, The – 1 Star for excessive nudity.
Instead of reading my words about this movie, you’d be better served to read Christina McDowell’s (link below). I spent some time in Manhattan and experienced the Wall Street life vicariously through friends (I grew up in the northeast and many of my childhood schoolmates aspired to work in Manhattan—the apex of the financial world, among other professional peaks). They lived excessively, at least compared to “Joe the Plumber’s” standards, but treated their clients with integrity. This movie celebrates the unscrupulous few that ruined the reputation of all traders, and caused economic damage to our nation that we are still recovering from. Yes the movie is long, and full of life at the edge–gratuitous sex scenes, drugs, yachts, helicopters, literally throwing money around (wadded as well as loose hundred dollar bills), etc.–but it loses its appeal when it’s done by self-serving con artists at the expense of everyday people.
http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2013/12/wolf_of_wall_street_prousalis.php