‘Creed’ Is My First Champ of 2015 (Movie Review)
I’m not sure where I was or what I was doing when I first heard news of a Rocky spinoff, but you better believe my reaction was a series of enthusiastic fist pumps into the air. And for anyone that still has a flip phone, locked up in a house against their will in Cleveland, OH or just sadly aren’t in the know about what the cloud is really all about, Creed is the seventh film in the Rocky series, so to speak, and is the story of Apollo Creed’s son. You remember him, right? Apollo Creed as in Rocky’s arch nemesis in the first two films turned compadre in the next two subsequent ones. Pretty cool, huh? So nonetheless, I was very elated to be going into last week’s press screening of…okay I can say it now in a deep voice…CREED (not the band documentary, the fictional boxing film). And for anyone who doesn’t know what the Rocky franchise means to me, let me refresh your memory. Continue reading ‘‘Creed’ Is My First Champ of 2015 (Movie Review)’
In the event that you like numbers like I do, try this on for size. Spectre is the twenty-fourth James Bond film. That’s important because twenty four is an even number (also the name of a once great television show) and you can divide it by two. Haha. I have no idea where I’m going with that so let’s move on. What’s even more important than the useless trivia information I just armed you with is the fact that Daniel Craig is back in the titular role and once again we have a whole lot of continuity to play with in the Bond universe. Despite not being the biggest fan of Skyfall (I have my reasons), continuity is very important in my life and within the movies I decide to view, but I digress. Let’s talk some Spectre! 
Mirroring its subject, the documentary Original Copy takes its time to show the attention that Sheikh Rehman puts into crafting hand-painted movie banners for a small theater in Mumbai, India. With this careful examination, the viewer is treated to not only a look at one man’s passion for his nearly obsolete craft, but also a reminder of the enchanting power that film can have on people. While it takes a little while to get going and perhaps spends a little too much time on the ancillary figures, the ending of Original Copy more than makes up for any slow spots with a jaw-opening and heart-wrenching final few minutes. 
Watching the first 99% of Second Coming is a somewhat pleasant experience. The cinematography is beautiful, with some excellent, tense long takes and a tight, cramped focus in a small apartment that accentuates the intensity of the lives of the three main characters. The performances are strong and full of passion or subtle and full of nuance whenever appropriate. And the viewer is moving along, thinking that this will be a pretty solid drama with just a few lulls and some issues with the main character’s meekness, but still worth it for Idris Elba. Then, in the last 15 seconds of the film, the entire experience is destroyed. The final shot of Second Coming is so infuriatingly unnecessary and poorly set up, that when it shifts the meaning of the entirety of the film before it, one cannot help but wonder if the filmmakers had no idea what they were doing. A film that could have been about something immediately loses its topic. A film that may have been trying to say something immediately loses its voice. 
It doesn’t take long to put two and two together when watching the trailers for Crimson Peak. The onscreen visuals scream unmistakably of Guillermo del Toro. So much so that I couldn’t see anybody else directing this one, neither could Universal according to the history of this production. At least Johnny Depp isn’t in this one. However, I digress. What really whets my appetite for Crimson Peak is the following quote from del Toro. “But basically what it is is a really, really, almost classical gothic romance ghost story, but then it has two or three scenes that are really, really disturbing in a very, very modern way. Very, very disturbing, it’s a proper R rating. And it’s adult.” If the man’s planning a gothic romance ghost story that’s really disturbing and scary, who am I to argue with him? The fact that it has an R-rating is icing on the cake for me. That means no weak sauce in my wheelhouse. Enough with the big words, let’s talk some Crimson Peak. 
How bad can a film be to reach cult status? Watching “Interwoven,” I wondered how many people will invite friends over to embrace is complete bat-shit craziness. There were moments where I had to rewind because I couldn’t believe what just happened. It’s bonkers, sure, but it fails to go all the way. There’s a level of insanity that’s missing, one preventing it from catapulting into midnight screening territory.
If A Faster Horse proves nothing else than the fact that we all have our own “Mustang” story, then the documentary film is already a winner in my book. For me, I suppose my father had a little something to do with my infatuation and affectionate love for the legendary pony car. You see, my dad had a little makeshift shrine in our basement devoted to his 1964 1/2 red convertible that included pictures of it, the original window sticker and whatnot. One of his most famed tales is how he almost walked away from that new vehicle deal over a hundred dollar disagreement with the salesman. Now between you and me, one-hundred dollars seems like chump change today, but back then that would be like saying you owe me seven-hundred and fifty-two dollars. Come to think of it that is still chump change. Alright, my dad’s just cheap. There I said it! However, he taught me the value of money and how to manage it so there’s always a silver lining. I suppose that since my room was decorated with posters like the Cobra branded logo on my bedroom door and the models I crafted were all Ford Mustangs had a little something to do with my obsession over the muscle car too. I remember this one model fondly. It was a black 
Sicario is one of those titles that when the press screening invite hit my inbox I immediately fist pumped the air and screamed “oh hell yeah.” There was just something about the theatrical trailer (in particular that hallway of dead bodies behind the walls), never mind my love for Villeneuve’s Prisoners, that instantly sucked me in and had me believing without a shadow of a doubt that I was really going to love this one. Does that even make any sense? It does to me, but I digress. So while the rumor mill has Lionsgate already eagerly working on a sequel to Sicario, let’s not put the cart in front of the horses. We still need to tackle one very important subject here first and foremost. What’s that your wondering? Well, the movie review of the first Sicario of course. So here we go… 
The Martian is one of those rare moments where I went into the movie knowing full well what was going to happen. No, I’m not clairvoyant. I read the book written by Andy Weir. However, what makes the headlines even more interesting besides me reading a book is the fact that Andy’s novel was first self published in 2011. It wasn’t until 2014 that the world really knew of Andy’s work here when Crown Publishing purchased the rights. How do you like those apples? Pretty damn impressive, huh? You know it! And you also know sooner or later with Mars One in the mainstream headlines everything is going to be about Mars so you better just get used to it now. However, what’s not to love with Ridley Scott in the director’s chair here? Oh yeah baby! So sit back and blast off with me as I take you to Mars and back below with The Martian. 
Ever since I saw the trailer for The Walk in IMAX at a screen of Mad Max: Fury Road I have been enthralled about seeing it. The weird thing though is I hate heights. However, I’m oddly drawn to that vertigo feeling seeing a film such as The Walk on a large IMAX screen can induce. Is that weird? I think so, but then again I am weird so maybe it only makes sense. Anyway, the time has finally come to see Joseph Gordon-Levitt walk that green screen stretch between at the time in 1974 the very real Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. What say you? You ready to take that death defying plunge in IMAX with me this week? Don’t worry. I assure you Joseph Gordon-Levitt will be just fine. It’s just a movie, and remember, he’s Robin (aka The Boy Wonder) after all. Come on. Put your tightrope walking shoes on and following me in. 
The following is public knowledge. James Joseph “Whitey” Bulger, Jr., born on September 3, 1929, is a convicted murderer and a former organized crime boss of the Boston Irish mob crew known as the Winter Hill Gang. US prosecutors indicted Bulger for 19 murders based on grand jury testimony. Word is he was once an informant for the FBI too. Bulger fled Boston and went into hiding on December 23, 1994, after being tipped off by his former FBI handler about a pending indictment under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). You may remember the RICO Act from The Dark Knight, eh? And so for sixteen years, he remained at large. For twelve of those years, Bulger was listed second on the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, behind only Osama bin Laden. Talk about being a celebrity, huh? However, like most gangsters in movies, Whitey was eventually found (in Santa Monica of all places) and captured, in other words, all good things must come to an end. 
I feel like a broken record saying this, but never in a million years did I ever think I’d be back in a theater seat giving another M. Night Shyamalan film a chance, or even a second thought for that matter. After Earth and The Last Airbender were the straw that broke the camel’s back for me (not to mention ones previous to those), but you have to admit The Visit does look freaky cool and crazy interesting in its theatrical trailers, doesn’t it? Of course it does! So primarily speaking, that’s the real reason we are all gathered here investing in and reading this movie review today. M. Night Shyamalan has your attention, and most of all, your curiosity. Remember, that’s what killed the cat so tread carefully here. However, don’t fret! Let me be your guide. Take this plunge with me. Here goes nothing! Off to grandma’s house we go! 
The movie title No Escape (not the 1994 one) sounds so familiar, doesn’t it? At least to me it does. It sounds like it could easily be a name of a KISS song from the 1980s or something when they were struggling to find their sound during the Killers era, but I digress. Perhaps what shocked me even more was seeing Owen Wilson on the movie poster when I received the press invite to cover this one. I instantly thought why have I never heard of this film and of course what is funny man Owen Wilson doing in a film like this. I almost dismissed this one had it not been for the trailer. After viewing it I thought wow if it’s a great story and Owen Wilson can really pull this one off, it could be quite good me thinks. After all, I thought his brother Luke did a great job in the serious role he portrayed in 2007’s Vacancy, one of my earliest Blu-ray titles in my collection (a little Brian White trivia for ya). So let’s do this. Let’s talk some No Escape. 
For the first time in a very long time I’m honestly not even sure where to start with this review. I really never had any interest in the hip hop, rap musical group NWA even though I grew up with them during their rise and as a result, many controversies. I always thought their music was a bit too obscene and controversial for my tastes. At least I knew my parents would have never went for it. However, one thing’s for sure. Universal’s trailer for Straight Outta Compton knocks it out of the ballpark and reels you in, hook, line and sinker with what they put out their on display. It looked like a biopic pic I could really get behind. Perhaps Ice Cube said it best when it comes to this film. He said “I don’t know any other movie where you can mix gangster rap, the F.B.I., L.A. Riots, HIV and feuding with each other.” Ain’t that the truth. Ladies and gentlemen I present to you Straight Outta Compton. 
