Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Year: 2012

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson

Director: Joss Whedon

My Review: Screenplay and direction by Joss Whedon. Story by Zak Penn and Joss Whedon - based on the Marvel Comics / Marvel Characters. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and many others. This is an awesome movie, it was on my 'Must Watch' list (briefly) and then my 'Must Own' list (just long enough). Yes I was a comic book collector. I still have some old copies in a box somewhere. I read many Marvel comics. I knew the Avengers and I read the exploits of many such heroes when I was a young boy. Despite my less than enthusiastic response to some of the individual Avenger movies (Thor, Captain America, The Incredible Hulk), this movie is outstanding. The cast (Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Ironman; Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America; Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk; Chris Hemsworth as Thor; Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow; Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton/Hawkeye; Tom Hiddleston as Loki; and many others) worked well together and the acting was pretty good. Mark Ruffalo was much better as the Hulk than previous attempts. As individuals, the acting and movies weren't all that good. Together as members of S.H.I.E.L.D. they did an excellent job. The movie was expertly written and directed by one of my favorite directors: Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Serenity, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog). It's entertaining, filled with action, humor, heart and thrilling drama. A summer block-buster with plot cohesion, plenty of character development, outstanding cinematography, choreography, and some amazing production. Be sure to stay through all the credits to see the extra scenes. I give this movie a 5 out of 5.

Summary: Nick Fury is director of S.H.I.E.L.D, an international peace keeping agency. The agency is a who's who of Marvel Super Heroes, with Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When global security is threatened by Loki and his cohorts, Nick Fury and his team will need all their powers to save the world from disaster.

Genre: Comedy

Year: 2014

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts, Chris O'Dowd, Terrence Howard

Director: Theodore Melfi

My Review: Screenplay and direction by Theodor Melfi (Also directed Hidden Figures. More of a producer than director). Starring Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts, Chris O'Dowd, Jaeden Martell (as Oliver) and others. In this charming movie, Bill Murray plays Vincent (st. Vincent) a disgruntled, misunderstood, cantankerous, interesting, Vietnam war veteran, and next door neighbor to the new kids on the block - Oliver (played by Jaeden Martell) and his mom, Maggie (played by Melissa McCarthy). The writing and dialog are great. The acting splendid, and the production top notch. Vincent hasn't got a care in the world, and no one really cares about him either - That is until Maggie and Oliver move in next door. Melissa McCarthy and Jaeden are outstanding in this comedic drama that tugs ever so slightly at the heart. Bill Murray plays his usual character, and the St. Vincent character seems written for Bill Murray. Vincent's path to salvation may lie through the broken family that needs his help, and his giving nature, buried under years of hard luck. I liked this movie more than I thought I would. 4 out of 5.

Summary: Vincent is an old Vietnam vet whose stubbornly hedonistic ways have left him without money or a future. Things change when his new next-door neighbor's son, Oliver, needs a babysitter and Vince is willing enough for a fee. From that self-serving act, an unexpected friendship forms as Vincent and Oliver find so much of each other's needs through each other. As Vincent mentors Oliver in street survival and other worldly ways, Oliver begins to see more in the old man than just his foibles. When life takes a turn for the worse for Vincent, both them find the best in each other than no one around them suspects.

Genre: Comedy

Year: 1989

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Burt Young, Adam Sandler, Scott LaRose, Lisa Collins, Tom Hodges

Director: Valerie Breiman

My Review: Screenplay (some additional material by Adam Sandler) and direction by Valerie Breiman (five credits, highest rated directed movie was 'Love & Sex' at 6.2 on IMDB). Starring Adam Sandler, Scott LaRose, Billy Bob Thornton, Billy Zane and others. I'm not sure how this movie came to be in my collection. I believe I purchased a VHS copy at a garage sale. I like many of Adam Sandler's later movies, but this one isn't something anyone likes. Apparently it rates in the bottom 20 worst movies by IMDB users. In this movie, Adam Sandler plays Schecky Moskowitz. As part of the cruise ship staff, Schecky works menial jobs while he fantasizes about being a stand-up comedian and oggles the 'Hotty' guests (contestants in the Miss Universe contest). The onboard entertainment is Dickie Diamond (played by Scott LaRose), he's Schecky's nemesis. A lady's man and a 'big-time' Rocker with a group of hot fawning followers. For some reason a boat full of terrorists (two?) and General Noriega (played by Burt Young) hijack the ship, in order to kill Ms. Australia who insulted him. The terrorists run around the ship, chasing Schecky, other crew members and the hot young contestants. Honestly there's not much more to the movie, aside from Adam Sandler trying out bad lines on the contestants and finally getting his big break to appear on stage when Dickie Diamond becomes Ill/is locked in a bathroom. The writing and direction were horrible. The camera work was terrible, the sound track abysmal and the jokes - Not Funny. The only bright spot in the whole movie was the pacing and editing. Whenever I'm feeling particularly low, I watch this movie as a reminder that everyone starts out as an amateur, and everyone can have a bad day. One of the worst parts of the movie is the way it's 'narrated' by Adam Sandler. He's constantly looking at the camera and talking to us, the audience. Thankfully he's the only one who can see us. It's really annoying, and doesn't really serve to help the plot, unless of course you assume that we (the audience) are so stupid that we can't figure out the incredibly shallow plot without this ridiculous narration. For some reason, this movie is rated R. I thought, maybe there's some nudity. The movie is full of beautiful women (the Miss Universe contestants), so maybe some of them will get naked or topless? Not - Aside from some profanity and mock drug use, the movie is actually prettey tame. Definitely not worthy of an R-Rating. This movie disappoints on many levels. I give it a 1 out of 5.

Summary: Shecky Moskowitz, a deservedly struggling young comedian, lands a menial job on a cruise ship as the Miss-Universe contest is being held on-board. The Big Man On Deck for this voyage is Dickie Diamond, the ship's comedian and all-around ladies' man. As an assorted array of thugs, Panamanian mercenaries and terrorists try to storm the ship, Shecky hopes for one big chance to prove himself and enter the exciting world of cruise ship comedy.

Genre: Sci-Fi

Year: 2000

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Val Kilmer, Carrie-Anne Moss, Benjamin Bratt, Tom Sizemore, Simon Baker

Director: Antony Hoffman

My Review: Screenplay by Chuck Pfarrer and Jonathan Lemkin. Directed by Anthony Hoffman (This is his only feature length film). Starring Val Kilmer, Carrie-Anne Moss, Tom Sizemore and others. Visually, this is an excellent movie. Unfortunately, the dialog and 'science' are pretty useless. The premise is unoriginal - In the near future, the Earth is Dying - It's overpopulated, over-polluted, and almost bereft of resources; so we need a new place to live - The obvious answer is: Let's 'Terraform Mars'. Now that we've been changing the atmosphere and seeding the planet with algae for decades, it's time to send some astronauts to explore the planet. The premise is the start of all poorly written scripts… If they're not done terraforming, why would they send astronauts? Why not send satellites? Why didn't they send astronauts a long time ago? What's the point of sending the astronauts? What exactly is their mission? And why, why, do they have a navigation robot with them that's capable of murdering the astronauts? Couldn't they manage with a robot that you can outrun or turn off if you might need to? It's a navigation robot? Wouldn't a navigation calculator suffice? There are many predictable plot points, many scientific snafus, ridiculous plot holes, and poorly considered dialog. As I said earlier, the visuals and digital effects were very well done. The sound was excellent, as was the score. The costumes and lighting were also well done. The acting was adequate, but the poorly constructed plot and numerous physics faux-pas continue to bring this movie down. I give the movie a 3 out of 5 this time around, and any repeat viewings might result in a lower score.

Summary: Astronauts search for solutions to save a dying Earth by searching on Mars, only to have the mission go terribly awry.

Genre: Action, Comedy

Year: 2015

Country: UK, USA

Rating:

Starring: Johnny Depp, Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Bettany, Ewan McGregor, Olivia Munn

Director: David Koepp

My Review: Screenplay by Eric Aronson, based upon a series of novels by Kyril Bonfiglioli. Directed by David Koepp (Stir of Echoes, Secret Window and screenplays for dozens of movies). Starring Johnny Depp, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ewan McGregor, Olivia Munn, Paul Bettany, and others. In this movie, Johnny Depp plays Charles Mortdecai the Lord of Silverdale - The character is a well established stereotype - A debonair art dealer and part time rascal who dabbles in the occasional adventure. In this movie, Mortdecai is recruited by Mi5 to recover a stolen painting. If rumors are true, the stolen painting might reveal a code which could lead one to a cache of lost gold - Oh, how intriguing! Mortdecai and his faithful manservant - Jock. Together, Mortdecai must overcome the terrorists, a fiendishly seductive temptress, the Russians and even Mi5 in order to recover the missing painting. It's quite obvious that Johnny Depp is having a grand old time playing this character, and he's a joy to watch in this role. The supporting cast do a good job, but Johnny Depp outshines them all to the detriment of the story. A comedic mystery, with a bit of suspense makes the film watchable and entertaining. It even rates a re-watch. I give it a 3 out of 5.

Summary: Juggling some angry Russians, the British Mi5, his impossibly leggy wife and an international terrorist, debonair art dealer and part-time rogue Charlie Mortdecai must traverse the globe armed only with his good looks and special charm in a race to recover a stolen painting rumored to contain the code to a lost bank account filled with Nazi gold.

Genre: Action, Fantasy, Sci Fi

Year: 2015

Country: USA, Australia

Rating:

Starring: Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne, Douglas Booth

Director: Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski

My Review: I watched this movie on a plane - enroute to London, to begin a Big European Vacation - You can read all about that in my blog. Screenplay by Lana and Lilly Wachowski (aka Larry (Laurence) and Andy (Andrew) Wachowski). They also directed this movie, and many more (Bound, the Matrix (the entire trilogy), Cloud Atlas). The Wachoskis are transgender writers/directors/producers. The movie stars Channing Tatum, Mila Kunis, Eddie Redmayne, Sean Bean, and others. I had high hopes for this movie. It was advertised as a summer block buster of epic proportions. In this movie, Mila Kunis plays Jupiter Jones the young heiress to a galactic empire. She doesn't know she's destined for greatness - all she knows is her hum-drum, less than stellar life as a domestic in a small town in America. The movie quickly morphs into the blockbuster we were promised when she's adbudcted, marked for death and then rescued by Caine Wise (played by Channing Tatum), a genetically engineered soldier/hunter, who acts as her protector. The Wachoskis have managed to create a visually stunning world apart from our own. An entire universe made up of fantastic imagery and alien beings. The actors, costumes, sets and cgi are all spectacular; beautiful and entrancing. Unfortunately, the story is a bit short on depth. With all the action and stunning imagery, one might fail to notice that the plot is paper-thin. A chosen one will save us all, if she can survive the plotting of her evil brother Balem (played by Eddie Redmayne), who schemes to eliminate her and keep the universe for himself. Flash, bang! Fizzle - I give this movie a 3 out of 5.

Summary: Jupiter Jones was born under a night sky, with signs predicting that she was destined for great things. Now grown, Jupiter dreams of the stars but wakes up to the cold reality of a job cleaning other people's houses and an endless run of bad breaks. Only when Caine Wise, a genetically engineered ex-military hunter, arrives on Earth to track her down does Jupiter begin to glimpse the fate that has been waiting for her all along - her genetic signature marks her as next in line for an extraordinary inheritance that could alter the balance of the cosmos.

Genre: Drama, Music

Year: 2014

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Paul Reiser, Melissa Benoist, Austin Stowell

Director: Damien Chazelle

My Review: Screenplay and direction by Damien Chazelle (La la land, First Man). Starring Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Melissa Benoist and others. A low budget drama that moves me big time. The story is relatively simple. Miles Teller plays Andrew, a talented young drummer who enrolls at a prestigious conservatory in order to hone his skills. J.K. Simmons plays the sadistic, relentless instructor who rips away all the useless cruft in Andrews' repertoire, crafting a drum machine with human hands and uncanny skill. The movie captured me - Enthralled me - Enslaved me. I couldn't pry myself away from the performances. It's not often you see films about musicians, and this one demonstrates the directors love of music and performance in ways that make you crave more by Damien Chazelle. The casting was outstanding - Simmons and Teller are very well matched in their roles and their performances were remarkable. The movie doesn't need fancy CGI or visual effects, it succeeds on the power of writing, direction and acting. Powerful, dedicated and tense. This movie reinforces a work ethic that is quickly disappearing in our society. You cannot be the best by being mediocre. Stop being o.k. Be the best - This movie tells that story. 5 of 5.

Summary: A young and talented drummer attending a prestigious music academy finds himself under the wing of the most respected professor at the school; one who does not hold back on abuse towards his students. The two form an odd relationship as the student wants to achieve greatness, and the professor pushes him.

Genre: Comedy

Year: 2015

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Kevin Hart, Josh Gad, Affion Crockett, Kaley Cuoco, Jorge Garcia

Director: Jeremy Garelick

My Review: Written (in part) and directed by Jeremy Garelick. Starring Kevin Hart, Josh Gad, Kaley Cuoco and others. This is a great showcase for Kevin Hart's comedic talent. Kevin plays Jimmy Callahan, aka Bic Mitchum, aka 'The Best Man'. Jimmy is the Owner and talent behind 'Best Man Inc.' a service oriented company that provides best men, groomsmen, and other services for dudes who got no friends. Jimmy meets his greatest challenge ever when Doug Harris (played by Josh Gad) begs him for help. He's sweet on Gretchen Palmer (played by Kaley Cuoco) and needs to impress Gretchen in order to seal the nuptial deal. It's a bromance comedy with some great one-liners and preposterous situations. The movie is a bit predictable and formulaic, but Kevin Hart was hillarious. I give this one a 3 out of 5.

Summary: Doug Harris (Josh Gad) is a lovable but socially awkward groom-to-be with a problem: he has no best man. With less than two weeks to go until he marries the girl of his dreams (Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting), Doug is referred to Jimmy Callahan (Kevin Hart), owner and CEO of Best Man, Inc., a company that provides flattering best men for socially challenged guys in need. What ensues is a hilarious wedding charade as they try to pull off the big con, and an unexpected budding bromance between Doug and his fake best man Jimmy.