Mandy

Mandy was a movie that was talked up by a friend of mine as being Nicolas’s Cage best movie. I of course believed him having high hopes for a Nicolas Cage comeback film since I was a bigger fan with his earlier movies. Rotten Tomatoes also had a convincing influence on me seeing they rated it in the top ten percentile.

All I knew about this movie is that it was suppose to be scary/a horror/or suspenseful. I knew nothing else about it. I hadn’t seen a trailer or read a synopsis, I just new it was suppose to be good. The movie was a selective release in certain theaters one of those being the Alamo Draft house which the nearest to me was Austin Texas, a whopping  4 hours away from me, so there was no way I was driving out to see it. Fortunately my friend who is a huge Nicolas Cage fan bought it on Amazon and so we decided to watch it last night.

The first thing you would notice in the movie is that it is slow, real slow and your not sure if it is just an opening thing or if its going to last the whole movie. Hoping it doesn’t it does. Another thing you notice is the picture of the scenery. The cabin in the woods, the sky, the roads, the trees, the horizon, everything really just looks majestic and unreal. At first I had a hard time believing that they were really even on earth but rather in some fictional land. It was very cool and this, and the other artsy features like the slowness of the film that really seemed liked they played the film in slow motion had me mesmerized. The actual dialog I could care less about and really sucked for all I knew but the artistic features was what made the movie, Im guessing good to some critics.

The basis for the film is Nicolas Cage and his wife living out in the middle of the woods. His Wife gets kidnapped by a cult. ( I would like to stop and say that this is the 4th cult movie/show I have seen in the last month. This must be trending this halloween or something.) The Cult master is subject to some satanic demon biker gang who they make sacrifices to. The cult ends up killing Cage’s wife and Cage ends up going on a rampage killing the satanic biker gang and the cult.

The plot and upcoming scenes were truly typical as me and my friend  pretty much predicted every thing that was coming up. Of course we had plenty of time to think about it as the film was literately going in slow motion. The people moved slow, they talked slow and this went on pretty heavily for the first 3/4 of the film.

Nicolas Cage hardly has any lines in the film for being the main character and he really isn’t in the film much until the last half. Of course the only reason me and my friend watch Nicolas Cage films is because he is so funny in the way he acts. He’s really not that good of an actor. He’s just funny because he’s so bad. There is a full range of emotions that you get to see him act out and by my opinion is the best part of the movie. At one point, and I think this is the best scene, he is in the bathroom after he had just watched his wife die and he is in pain, then crying, and then angry all within a span of 5 minutes. Its great, it had me and my friend falling over. It was hard to say that this movie was really scary, It had some scary looking demonized people in it, harsh violence, and scary talk but thats about it.

The best of the movie is the last 40 minutes where Cage goes on a rampage revenging his wife. You never expect for Cage to have the energy or the power to do what he does. He forges his own sick weapon and then can literately kick but, and go through pain like the strongest of assassins. There are a lot of funny one liners and facial expressions made by Cage that really are the highlights of this movie. Theres just a lot of obscene stuff that happens in this movie that really gives it that extra kick. Nevertheless I don’t recommend it and Im starting to lose faith in Rotten Tomatoes even though they rule the movie industry and its hard not to be manipulated by them into watching what they deem worthy. 

5/10

Arachnophobia (1990)

Going back almost 30 years Arachnophobia qualifies as a top thriller even compared to todays best films. Presuming I was going to get my self into something that was similar to Eight Legged Freaks I did not expect that this movie would grab my attention, but it did. I really am a sucker for old movies especially if there good. You see these old films are the originals, the original movie ideas that todays movies often have to pull from because its hard to come up with any new material these days. Even up against todays best thrillers I would say this one compares and is just as good as anything else these days if not even better. Now if your looking for horror this is not your movie for one its not really scary, its not going to make you cringe in your seat or anything. And two, there is a happy ending, that hardly ever happens in scary movies.

What this movie has to offer is a simple concept made excellent with good acting and filmography. the acting may have been good because there was a decent cast but I also believe it was because it was an older firm. It differed in that the acting wasn’t over the top and they acted like how normal people would act. Todays movies people are always acting over the top frantic or just strange, something you wouldn’t see in normal life. So I appreciated that classic feature. The filming was really well in how much time and precision was done for the spiders. It really made the film more eerie because it felt like you were really watching the spiders move as they do in real life. Of course the spiders really were a big part of this. They looked terrifyingly real. Except maybe for a few scenes where the spiders were doing things you really wouldn’t expect a spider to do like leap 7 ft across a room at somebodies face.

Its really quite amazing how they can make a movie with little blood and sick material, like people torching other people and still make it a good scary movie. It’s clean, and that takes skills. It was also sprinkled with light humor like most scary movies but this made you feel good about the characters in that they were not all going to be eaten alive. Its a great movie for the whole family to watch on a halloween night.

7/10

Tully

When this movie was in theaters I contemplated seeing it there being attracted to the mysterious preview and picture advertisements. But after reading the synopses I figured that I would not be so amused about a movie of a mom and her hardships being a mother. But don’t you know how some movies don’t look as attractive one day then later they do enough that you give them a chance. It might have been the persuasion of good reviews and awards but either way I pulled the trigger in watching a movie I thought I would never watch.

Tully is considered a Drama/Comedy about a mother of three children who has a lot on her plate and not enough help to live happily. She already has two kids and is about to pop out her third and with one kid being a harder case than normal she does not know how she is going to handle it. Marlo (the main character and the mother) also suffers from postpartum depression and her husband Drew and her brother knowing this convinces her to get a night nanny. despite being reluctant about this decision the nanny turns out to be a blessing for Marlo and transforms her and her whole household for the better.

The movie seems to be nothing more than a outsiders look at the hardships of a hardworking mother. There seems to be no plot for the first 30 minutes. but then we see Tully (the nanny) becoming part of the picture and there is a little more to the story. The course of the movie slowly develops between Tully and Marlo as they become closer and closer in their relationship. Still not seeing that there is much to this movie the watcher starts to pick up on clues that there is something more going on but can’t put their finger on it. Finally in the end we are left with the punch line, and twist and begin to recount all the rest of the movie that took place as we put together the pieces. Even though the writers were not straight out with it, it is evident of what has happened.

Tully generated less of a comedy and more of a mysterious romantic drama as the movie becomes more about Marlo and Tully and less about mothering. Of course there where parts that could be funny to the right person that might enjoy satiric remarks, pessimistic perspectives, morbid comments, and unordinary behavior. Especially mothers and women will appreciate the realism of this critically acclaimed film.

7/10

Game Over Man (A Netflix original)

Starring the three guys from Workaholics this Netflix original makes its way as being one of the hot new comedies to invest your next hour and a half in. I never watched Workaholics and for a reason I did not think it was funny. I would compare it to Tosh.0, or Tyler The Creator which I think are more offensive than funny. Thankfully it was just the show and not the actors who I didn’t like. The actors were pretty good in this film and the movie itself was very funny.

The plot contains a classic heist with tons of laughs. The boys are maids/waiters who are trying to get rich off some big idea they are trying to make famous, all they need is somebody to pitch it to. luckily for them a very rich young man who loves to spend money is at the hotel that night for a party with many other celebrities who they will pitch there idea to. The boys unintentionally save all the hostages and kill all the bad guys trying to pitch there virtual reality video game idea.

The film includes much male nudity, sexual content, drugs, blood and gore, and profane language. This movie really has it all but i’m not surprised seeing that this movies is about these 3 guys. There was much entertainment in every scene with quirky characters, screwing events, and absurd action.

If your looking for a quick decision and don’t know what to watch turn on your Netflix on watch Game Over Man, you will not be disappointed. But I warn you be prepared for obscenities.

6.5

The Ridiculous 6

This is a Netflix movie that came out a little while ago, I want to say around the same time as The Hateful 8. Though I neglected in watching it for thinking it was a spoof off of that movie and couldn’t be near as good. You see I’m not a big fan of spoofs as you might guess. Yet while running through the regular issue of trying to find something good to watch on Netflix I thought I would give this a chance.

The movie wasn’t that bad. In fact it was a little bit good. There wasn’t any dull parts in the movie and it was filled with bunches of corny and cheesy scenes that were great.

The story plot it self was kind of lame and could have been made up by a 10 year old writing a story for his english class. Yet even though the plot was bad the actual scenes made up for it being hilarious and creative. In comparison to A Million Ways to Die in the West this was about the same in overall quality but different in style.

Probably my favorite addition of this movie was how many cast members they brought into it. And the best part was they each did a good job in performance.

Don’t neglect watching this Netflix winner just because it’s the 10,000th Adam Sandler movie on there by now.

6/10

The Greatest Showman

The Greatest Showman may have gotten the hype as one of the greatest movies out in theaters. But after I had given it a watch with no expectations or bias going into it I would say that it is no better than average. I do have to say I did want to see it but only because it had Hugh Jackman in it with him being one of my more favored actors.

I did not expect this movie to be a musical, not that I don’t like musicals but I’m usually more picky about them. It takes a lot more to make a good movie that’s a musical than a regular movie, I think. The songs were decent and the dancing was not as good as the songs but none of it was that impressive. I can’t even remember one of the songs and how it goes, that’s never a good sign for a musical.

The story as a whole was good and it had a good story of a man making something of himself from the ground up, falling to pride and being humbled, then coming back to what his original dream was in the first place. I did expect a little more from the circus crew, they were kind of bland in being what they were meant to be, that is exotic, but at the same time I can see how it can be difficult to get real crazy with it.

I think some people will like this movie like my friend did, who saw it three times in theater, once back to back and bought the sound track. Then there are those like me who won’t as much. According most the top critics they would have made the former group. For once I can say I was more along the lines of Rotten Tomatoes.

Favorite quote: “You don’t need every body to love you, just a few good people.” -Charity Barnum

5/10

New Years Eve

My girl friend and I decided to watch this movie on account that it was New Year’s Eve. I had never seen this movie fully before but had only seen parts. It was probably because it was a difficult movie I get into and to follow despite how appealing it looked with its advertisements and the extravagant cast it held. Nevertheless what better time to watch it than on the night which the movie is all about.

There is so many different story’s going on in this film and the story jumps back and forth from one to another. There are many great actors and actresses that all play an important yet equal role in this film and the the movie progresses there is even more surprise stars. Yet none of them really go into any depth on there parts and each story is really shallow in substance. I guess they were trying to go for the sum of the parts makes the movie what it is, but I think it sadly failed here.

Each of the main characters is either in some sort of stressful position or strained relationship or trying to reach to attain something. The point is no body is really at peace on this day and they are trying to make the best out of it before it ends.

Most the characters played by my favorite actors turned out to be less than what I expected out of them in terms of the face they made out of themselves in previous roles. And despite the movie being more boring than watching grass grow It did a have a minor come back in the end. All the little separate story’s came together in some odd fashion and most every body got a happy ending.

This movie could be a New Year’s Eve tradition for some who are looking to start one. It was a neat night for me and my girl. To make this movie even more special is to time it just right to where the ball drops at midnight at the same time it does in the movie. That’s what we did and it was pretty cool.

Happy New Years y’all!

2/10

Sleepy Hollow (1999)

I never read the book for sleepy hollow and waited thus long to watch the 1999 mystery film. I don’t know what sparked my interest in it this late but I felt lead to watch it. It might have been because it was a Johny Depp Film or directed by Tim Burton or because it was in my to watch list on Netflix. No matter trying to figure out the reason, lets just say it was a mystery ;).

Based on the book I would imagine by Washington Erving this movie features a classic seen shot in 1799. in a place not to far from network called sleepy hollow. Johny Depp plays the investigator who knows better than to just glance at recent death that has and unknown cause and say it is an accident. He ready to put to the test modern day science and forensic techniques to the test solve the questionable deaths nobody els will.

Not surprising to the audience but to Johny Depp the Murders in sleepy hollow are more that what he expected let alone dreamed of. The story keeps the watcher unsure if these murders are caused by the physical world or something beyond what the eye can see.

Mixed into the movie you have some witch craft, pretty ladies or lady I might correct my self, Men with Wigs, and the eerie ghostly little town of sleepy hollow. This town I might add I quite enjoyed as it was beautiful yet made you feel like something was going to pop out and get you behind every dark corner.

Johny’s Investigation skills are top notch and quite impressive making the movie just that much more amusing. They also did a great job in not letting the audience figure out to early the mystery behind sleepy hollow. Now what was cheesy and Im going to give this some merry being as old as this movie was was the scary effects. Lets just say man have they came a long way in what they now consider frighting.

This movie is nothing to jump off your bum and go run to the movies about and don’t bother it not in the movies anyways. But give it up for something different will yah.

6/10

Sand Lot

This is the first see it again review I am doing. I don’t usually watch movies a second time but I watched this one at a pool party with a projector playing the movie on a giant sheet.  First time seeing the movie in this type of environment an as a lot older I might add.

I had forgotten a lot of the little extra scenes they added in there besides the ordeal with the Babe Ruth ball and the gnarly dog. There was actually more to the movie than what I could remember as well as being longer than I thought it was.

What cracked me up most was all the little silly names and words we use to use back in those days and what people thought was offensive to use in dissing matches. The characters were a hoot in reminding me just how it use to be back in the day as I would often take on much of what they did in say in my own childhood.

Some of the things I noticed in this that I had dent noticed before was the decade it was set in. I guess you really don’t pay attention to those types of things as a kid. All the extra talk that is in the background that actually makes a lot of since but the shot is focused on something completely different. How fake and big the dog looks right up until the chase scene.

Some actors in this movie that I didn’t quite pay attention to or know about at the time where in this movie that have really made it the acting business are Marley Shelton and Denis Leary. Marley Shelton has played in many of my favorite Movies including Planet Terror and Death Proof. Denis Leary you will probably know from the series Rescue Me and The Amazing Spider – Man. I Love it when you recognize actors from old films, don’t you? 🙂

The ending of this movie is quite sad and makes me depressed to even watch it again. This is probably one of the reasons I don’t choose to watch this movie. Who wants to be left feeling empty and alone as this movie will make you feel. Any ways it was decent and it brings back memories. This movie gets a Six out of Ten. 

Rating: 6/10

Rogue One

The anticipation to see this movie was exhilarating being that it had been the only Star Wars film that I had yet to see. Also that I would be watching it at an outdoor theater sitting in the grass under the night sky. Unfortunately the lightning bugs and the kids swirling and tossing glow sticks was more of light show than I ended up getting from this moderate to disappointing side story.

At first I didn’t know it was a side story or that it would be missing most all the characters we love about the Star Wars series. But about 45 minutes in, it became obvious that this wasn’t your typical Star Wars movie.

The beginning was hard to follow and I didn’t understand where the characters came from and what they were trying to accomplish, besides the main goal of stoping the Death Star . There was no beginning rolling story introduction giving us the gist of the plot or the usual introduction music that every body knows and loves. I mean did they really have to do away with all the unique parts that make Star Wars what it is.

Never the less of not using the original characters, the characters were good. There is Jyn who plays the lead character, the brave hero who can hold her own and wants to save the galaxy. Cassian, her main companion and partner in the mission; not surprisingly they end up having feeling for one another. And another one of my favorites Chirrut, who is very funny. He plays the blind old man who believes that he has the force and fights along side them blind as bat. Then there is the Robot K-2SO, without him this movie would lose a lot of its personality. I think he ranks top on the Star Wars Robots thus far.

The progression of the movie was fine and flowed nicely but it did not have me drawn in to where I was afraid I was going to miss something worth seeing. Especially the whole first half there was just not much going, and I was starting to wonder is this really what Star Wars has become. Thankfully during the last half of the film things had gotten good.

Okay so this is my biggest hang up with this movie, there are absolutely no light sabers or Jetties. Well not absolutely but it seems that way till the very very end and even at that, 20 seconds of light saber time just does not cut it. I don’t know about you, but the whole reason I watch Star Wars is to see the Jetties wield those awesome glowing swords around and use the force to pretty much do what ever they want. This was a big no no. I don’t care if they quoted in the film or not ” There are no Jetties left” or something to that extent.

This movie has a pretty good ending and there are some surprise guests from a few of the characters we remember from Episode IV. Princes Leia’s brief appearance actually fooled me as I thought they got a double for a sec. I said “dang she looks just like her”. Right then I was told that it was cropped in from a previous Star Wars film.

I would not really call this a side story but rather Star Wars Episode 3 1/2, being proper fit in the sequence of events. Even though the movie had a rocky start, it ended well with a similar ending to another Episode which was smooth!  Score… I’m thinking about a Six out of Ten.

Rating: 6/10