Home Theater Review: “Dope”

Dope, directed by Rick Famuyiwa, is a movie I had been wanting to see for almost a year now, but I never got around to seeing it in the theater. After receiving high praise at the Sundance Film Festival, Dope hit theaters in June 2015, going up against Jurassic World, Inside Out, Spy, and San Andreas on its opening weekend. Now it’s on Netflix for the time being, and it’s definitely one of the better recent movies you can stream.

Dope is an African American coming of age story set in present day Los Angeles. It follows a trio of geeky friends from an underprivileged neighborhood who love ‘90s hip hop, comic books, bike riding, skateboarding, and some other things they call “white shit”: Donald Glover, trash talk, TV on the Radio, getting good grades, and applying to college.

Malcolm (Shameik Moore) is the main protagonist. He sports a Kid ‘N Play style high top fade and he has Harvard Ambitions. At the beginning of the movie, a meticulously researched essay on Dr. Dre is his planned thesis. Diggy (Kiersey Clemons) is a lesbian who acts just like the other guys. Jib (Tony Revolori) doesn’t have any real distinguishing characteristics, but he’s an essential part of the trio as friends and as part of their band Awreeoh (pronounced “Oreo”). The trio is busy navigating high school life, being bullied, playing in their rock band, and having a good time when things go really sideways.

They get themselves invited to a club party hosted by Dom (A$AP Rocky), a new acquaintance who’s both a rap artist and a drug dealer. As the party is busted up with gunfire going off in all directions, their new acquaintance sticks a few bricks of MDMA in the bag of Malcolm (Shameik Moore), our main protagonist. Malcolm, Jib (Tony Revolori), and Diggy (Kiersey Clemons) then embark on a journey to rid themselves of the drug stash without it being traced back to any of them.

In the midst of all this, Malcolm alternates between trying to make headway with Dom’s girl (in his eyes) Nakia (Zoe Kravitz), or just plain trying to get laid with new acquaintance Lily (Chanel Iman). The journey is at turns intelligent, funny, and sexy . In the end, Dope caps off the usual coming of age fare with a gut punch to the audience. Malcolm is 2 students – a kid from an underprivileged neighborhood who sold some drugs, and also a straight-A student who made a lot of money with his own business. Which is he? But if he was white, would you even ask the question?

Dope hits all the marks for an entertaining coming of age movie while adding its own satisfying twists. The story is pretty solid, the acting is great, it adds some great diversity to the genre, and it’s a great movie. The classic hip hop doundtrack is amazing and fitting. If I was still in the target demographic, Dope would be one of my current favorites. Even from the perspective of a middle aged guy, Dope is highly recommended.

Grade: A-

“SHARK EXORCIST” Would You Watch This?

Every so often I come across ridiculous movies being promoted shamelessly on Twitter. This past week I came across this little humdinger, “Shark Exorcist”. This film is directed by Donald Farmer, and distribution by Wild Eye Releasing. The popularity of B-film shark movies has been trending, especially with the popular cult franchise of “Sharknado”. So how do you raise the ante in this genre? Well my friends you add satanism, a shark, and a crazy ass demonic nun! I gotta say this looks like the perfect Saturday night film with the guys and a few beers. You can order your copy of the film here. 

DVD Vault: Moonrise Kingdom

I’m not a film elitist. Aside from a few directors, saying a director’s name doesn’t immediately recall a mental treasure trove of data on that director’s work. My mental director database is more like a 5.25” floppy disk than a 1 TB solid state drive. So I’m not overly familiar with Wes Anderson’s work. When I learned that the director of Moonrise Kingdom directed The Royal Tennenbaums, all that told me was that he’d previously directed a very bizarre movie that I hated.

But when Moonrise Kingdom first came out in 2012, I immediately knew I wanted to see it. It looked quirky, kitschy, retro, and fun. It looked weird in all the right ways. And it included Bill Murray. So it had that going for it. And last week, I finally got around to watching it.

My initial reaction was regret for ever thinking I wanted to watch the movie. The action is slow to get going, and it wasn’t anything like the trailer made it out to be. It felt, in a way, like watching The Royal Tennenbaums again. It was that weird. But by the end, my opinion changed significantly.

There are different layers to Moonrise Kingdom that in the end converge beautifully.

Visually, Moonrise Kingdom is like a series of postcards from the middle of the 20th century. Or an old-timey book for boys. Each scene is laid out incredibly meticulously, with nothing that seems like it doesn’t belong or is out of place. The air of nostalgia is heavy. Mid-century props were chosen very carefully, and the camera angles are such that it feels like a series of postcards that fill each frame, then come alive.

The dialog is both simplified and stilted. It’s also reversed, in a way. The adults’ dialog in particular is more simplified, in a way that their speech conveys broad, basic ideas, but it sounds more like wooden dialog from a children’s story. The children’s dialog, on the other hand, is amplified. Their words are the ones that provide more colorful detail and carry greater weight.

The actions of children and adults are reversed in the same way. The adults’ behavior is painted with broader brushstrokes, while the children’s universe, though still childlike, takes on the importance of adult behavior. The children drive the story.

It is a story on an East Coast island, where an orphaned boy runs away from the Khaki Scouts. His foster family doesn’t want him back, and he’s convinced his pen pal dream girl to run away with him on an adventure. The boy is an outdoors savant. He knows everything about survival and camping.

We learn that the girl has family problems of her own, and that she’s much more complicated than her appearance would indicate. The action really picks up as the Khaki Scout troop begins to give chase; when cornered on a cliff, the girl stabs one of the boys. The rest of the movie is as wild and fantastic as the preview made it out to be, with the two runaways delving into taboo territory with a kiss and dancing in their underwear on the beach, getting “married” by a scoutmaster, evading an entire Khaki Scout army, and eventually finding a resolution to the situation with their families.

The stilted, awkward structure ends up meshing together with the quirky epic adventure perfectly. This is because it eventually becomes clear that there is a reason that the children have a more three dimensional story; it is the story as told by the runaway boy years later. The missing nuance in adult speech and action is due to boy’s perspective as the events of the story were unfolding. The significance ascribed to the children’s lives is due to the story being the narrator’s story as experienced by him.

When viewed through this lens, the entire movie clicks. It is not weird or stubbornly paced. It is a fun, visually clean, deeply nostalgic movie that is like taking a journey back in time through the main character’s memory. All of the actors are also great at selling the story. For those that appreciate quality stories that are out of the ordinary, Moonrise Kingdom is a very satisfying movie.

 

Grade: A-

DvD/Blu-Ray Releases – November 2015

November 3^rd

Inside Out – This is a story about a girl who is guided by her emotions (that live in an imaginary place called, ‘Headquarters’) who recently moves to San Francisco. Perhaps the synopsis isn’t the best selling point but I do know that many really enjoyed this film when they saw it in theaters. I tend to wait for these family movies to be available to rent. This has a 98% approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes. The animated film stars the voices of Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling, Bill Hader and Lewis Black.

 

Vacation – Rusty Griswald wants to do a family vacation right and make up for the Wally World vacation years earlier. Shenanigans seem to follow Rusty’s family as they make their way to America’s coolest theme park (that happens to be closing soon). I initially thought this film looked enjoyable but upon the extreme backlash it received from critics (Rotten Tomatoes: 26%), I decided to stay away. Look, I use the aggregator website to make more informed decisions so that I have a better chance of seeing a movie that I enjoy in theaters and not spend $10 a ticket. This is why I’ll likely rent this Vacation sequel. The film stars Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Beverly D’Angelo (original Griswald), Chevy Chase (original Griswald), Chris Hemsworth, and Leslie Mann.

 

The End of the Tour – This is a drama that follows conversations between writer, David Foster Wallace (Jason Segel), and journalist, David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg), as they journey across the Midwest on Wallace’s book tour. This was a story Lipsky was following for Rolling Stone that was never actually published. The film is directed by James Ponsoldt (The Spectacular Now). I like both of these actors. Why not?

 

Saving Christmas – Kirk Cameron is dropping those silly Left Behind movies and doing a silly Christmas movie! The movie follows a dude named Christian (oh, come on!) that is tired of the commercialization of Christmas and proceeds to be a Scrooge until his brother in-law shows him that Jesus has always been at the center of their family traditions. Have you ever seen how Kirk Cameron celebrates his Birthday? Reason I ask is because the image below details my level of excitement for this ‘film’.

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Digging for Fire – This follows a rather bored couple as they find a gun and a bone that thrusts them into an adventure that has them following clues with ridiculous results. The clues lead the couple to come to a realization about themselves and the meaning of life. The film stars fan favorite Jake Johnson (New Girl), Rosemarie DeWitt, Brie Larson, Orlando Bloom, Sam Rockwell, and Mike Birbiglia.

 

A LEGO Brickumentary – This documentary focuses on how Legos have affected pop culture from kids to ‘master builders’. The film is narrated by Jason Bateman. This looks mildly interesting. There are now Lego movies and video games for fans to enjoy. The term ‘Lego’ is derived from a Danish phrase meaning “play well”. I never really got into Legos. What does that say about me?

 

She’s Funny that Way – Izzy (Imogen Poots) is a Broadway actress that used to be a prostitute. Her former life catches up with her when the director of the play hires her to be an escort. It doesn’t help that the director is married to the star of the play or that the writer is dating Izzy’s therapist. The comedy is directed by Peter Bogdanovich (Mask). And no, that’s not The Mask but the one with Eric Stoltz, Sam Elliot and Cher. This film also includes Jennifer Aniston, Owen Wilson, Will Forte and Kathryn Hahn. If my ‘description’ didn’t pull you in, I’m not sure what will. Pass!

 

Before We Go – As a woman attempts to get home before her husband does, she ends up missing her train and meeting a street musician who helps guide her on the way home. As they walk the streets of New York, they form a romantic bond as they share perspectives of life and love, etc. This is Chris Evans’ directorial debut in which he also stars alongside Alice Eve.

 

10,000 Days – In this TV looking movie, a comet hits Earth and wipes most everyone out but a few survivors. Twenty seven years later, the Earth plummets into a new Ice Age where a family struggles to survive. We’ve never seen one of these movies before! There aren’t any critic reviews for this film because they were all smart enough to stay away.

 

The Final Girls- This is about a group of people that are sucked into a 1980s Slasher/Horror film and must work together with the film’s camp counselors to try to survive. This actually looks pretty interesting. It at least has a half way original script. The film stars Taissa Farmiga, Malin Akerman, and Adam Devine. I wonder why they are releasing this after Halloween.

 

Tiger House – Kelly, an injured gymnast, decides to surprise visit her boyfriend but finds herself defending the house against a home invasion (I guess?). The house ends up turning into a bloody arena where Kelly must use her skills to escape. Ed Skrein (the new Transporter), Dougray Scott (the bad guy in Mission Impossible 2) and Kaya Scodelario (The Maze Runner) star. I still don’t know why this is called ‘Tiger House’ and I don’t really care to find out either.

 

November 10^th

Trainwreck – Oh, this movie. It started out so well and then took a turn into mediocrity towards the run of the mill 3^rd act. For a full review check here. Amy was taught by her father that monogamy isn’t realistic and lives her life that way until she is forced to do a sports article for her magazine employer. Her subject, Dr. Conners, ends up challenging her conventions on monogamy. The film stars Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Brie Larson, Mike Birbiglia, Lebron James and John Cena (who was hilarious). The film wasn’t a total letdown but ended up achieving mediocrity by its end.

 

Terminator Genisys – Arnie is an aging Terminator in this attempt (again) to reboot the franchise. The idea behind this one involves the manipulation of timelines. John Connor (in the future) sends Kyle Reese to protect his mother, Sarah Connor, in 1984. An expected turn of events changes what we know of Sarah Connor. Sarah is no longer a helpless waitress but rather a skilled fighter that has a Terminator guardian by her side (Arnie). Together they must prevent a new future from happening. Blah blah….been there, done that. ‘Genisys’ ended up making $100 million domestically (which is pretty terrible when considering previous installments) and another $300 million (thanks to China). The film more than made up for its budget ($155 million) so you can expect another ‘Terminator’ film sooner rather than later — because money.

 

Mr. Holmes – You can sign me up for whatever Sherlock Holmes. Ian McKellen stars as the aging, legendary detective that tries to solve a case that has eluded him and sent him into retirement. With the help of his housekeeper’s son, Sherlock will have to use his master skills despite having a failing memory. I cannot wait to see this! The film is directed by Bill Condon (Kinsey, Dreamgirls) and co-stars Laura Linney and Milo Parker.

 

Selfless – An aging billionaire (Ben Kingsley) with cancer decides to cheat death and turns to a shadowy corporation that promises him a new lease on life by transferring his consciousness to the cadaver of a young man (Ryan Reynolds). Things begin to go awry when he starts to have flashbacks of the host body that lead him to believe the cadaver was murdered. The movie seems very similar to the film Seconds by John Frankenheimer (French Connection II, The Manchurian Candidate) that starred Rock Hudson. I believe everyone just wants to see Reynolds in Deadpool at this point. It’s clear he can’t really shake the type of character that made him famous – Van Wilder. Also, what is it with Ben Kingsley just saying ‘yes’ to every film project? Anyways, the movie co-stars Matthew Goode, Michelle Dockery, Derek Luke, and Victor Garber and was directed by Tarsem Singh (The Fall, Immortals).

 

Tangerine – A hooker is recently released from jail only to find out that her pimp cheated on her. She races across L.A. during Christmas to uncover the truth behind her lover’s affair. What a strange story. If you cared, the comedy/drama stars Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, and Karren Karagulian.

 

Pay the Ghost- Nicolas Cage is at it again in another straight to video movie! In a truly inspiring story, Mike Cole (Cage) loses his son during a Halloween parade and must team up with his estranged wife to locate their child. Both of them soon come to realize that their son’s disappearance is due to a vengeful ghost. Time is ticking as they must rescue their son from the spirit world. The movie is directed by Uli Edel (The Little Vampire).

 

November 17^th

The Man from UNCLE – This seems to be one of those films that didn’t look the best based upon their previews but hit well with critics (for the most part). This is based off the 1964 TV series and forces CIA agent, Solo (Henry Cavill), to work with KGB agent, Kurakin (Armie Hammer), to work together during the height of the Cold War to stop an international crime organization bent on using nuclear weapons to destabilize power worldwide. The film is directed by Guy Ritchie (Snatch, Sherlock Holmes) and co-stars Alicia Vikander, Hugh Grant and Jared Harris.

 

We Are Your Friends – In this ‘film’ Zac Efron stars as Cole, an aspiring DJ that is trying to make a name for himself in Hollywood. He is taken under the wing of an older DJ named James so that he can have his first break. Things get complicated when Cole falls for James’ girlfriend and he must choose between his potential big career or love. This movie made no friends with critics or audiences. It holds a 42% on Rotten Tomatoes and made a dismal $3.5 million at the box office worldwide. It may be a beautiful disaster but not one I’d waste my time with, at least not until my options are limited or someone kidnaps me trying to torture my eyes and brain.

 

The Stanford Prison Experiment- I believe this experiment is examined/discussed in most Psychology courses now right? The experiment was controversial as it raises interesting questions about human behavior and morality. The study was to examine the psychological effects of becoming a prisoner or prison guard. Willing participants signed up for their roles in the experiments but never knew that they fall into a psychological trap where they would really feel that they were in the positions they pretended they were in. Example: Guards were abusing the prisoners and many prisoners accepted psychological abuse. Even Zimbardo, the scientist behind the experiment, was affected by his role as ‘superintendent’. Controversial for sure but not sure what a movie would do for entertainment. The film has an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes. I bet the ‘awe’ factor is simply taken away as people like me know the outcome of the infamous experiment. The film stars Billy Crudup, Ezra Miller, Michael Angarano, and Tye Sheridan.

 

Jimmy’s Hall – This movie follows a dude named Jimmy who was exiled from Ireland for ten years and decides to come back and start a dance hall. However, not everyone is happy about it, including the priest. Meanwhile, everyone in the town seems to be in good spirits again with the dance hall. Sounds like a Footloose rip off to me!

 

Trash – This movie is trash! I couldn’t help myself. Actually, this film is about two trash diving guys that seem to have struck gold when they realize a misplaced wallet gets a whole group of people up in arms. The film boosts an impressive cast that includes Rooney Mara, Martin Sheen and Wagner Moura (Narcos). The film is directed by Stephen Daldry (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, The Hours, The Reader). This might be worth of checking out if you’re a fan of intriguing dramas.

 

November 24^th

No Escape – A family moves to Southern Asia but things get crazy when there is a political coup with new leaders looking to eradicate all foreigners from the country. Owen Wilson (in a dramatic role), Pierce Brosnan (he’s still got it!) and Lake Bell star. The director, John Erick Dowdle, did that Quarantine movie in 2008.

 

Ricki and the Flash – In this box office disappointment, Meryl Streep plays an aging rock star named Ricki that is informed that her daughter is going through a messy divorce. Ricki later comes to a realization that she missed out on her children’s lives while trying to chase stardom. Kevin Kline, Sebastian Stan and Rick Springfield co-star. You may wanna use your time watching something else.

 

Shaun the Sheep Movie – This family adventure follows a sheep (Shaun) that doesn’t always go with his flock. Shaun takes the day off and causes havoc on a farm which ends up leading the rest of the flock to the Big City to find the farmer that left his post due to Shaun’s antics. The film is highly praised (believe it or not) with a 99% score on Rotten Tomatoes. This is obviously animated but does have me curious how there would be a live action adaptation.

 

American Ultra – In a really creative premise, this follows a stoner, Mike (Jesse Eisenberg), who is about to propose to his girlfriend, Phoebe (Kristen Stewart), but then begins having panic attacks and is later revealed to be a highly trained sleeper agent that the government wants to get rid of. Mike and Phoebe end up learning further truths while trying to escape the many killers after them. The movie co-stars Topher Grace, Tony Hale, John Leguizamo, Walter Goggins, and Bill Pullman. The action/comedy/drama is on my radar.

 

The Badger Game – In this crime/drama, Alex and Jane are two mistresses that try to blackmail a rich adulterer, Liam, but things don’t go as planned when it is revealed that their bargaining chip is worthless – Liam doesn’t care that his wife knows of his affairs. In a battle of wills, the mistresses must come up with a new plan.

 

Underdogs – This animated film centers on a talented foosball player, Amadeo, who loves foosball and even beats the town bully, Flash. Everything seems right in the world until a few years later when Flash becomes the world’s best soccer player with plans to destroy Amadeo’s village with a new sports stadium. The film is directed by Juan Jose Campanella (The Secret in Their Eyes).

August 2015 Movie Releases (DvD & Blu-Ray)

August 4^th

Insurgent – The movie cousin to The Hunger Games has a sequel. Based upon the YA(young adult) novel, this sequel focuses on the war between four factions (Amity, Abnegation, Erudite, and Dauntless). Tris is one of the divergents (having all 4 characteristics) as she helps lead the way in a fight for peace or something like that. Starring: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Kate Winslet and the god awful Jai Courtney.

Do You Believe? – A religious movie about how a pastor influences another pastor to be more pastorly. Starring: Mira Sorvino, Sean Astin (Rudy), and Cybill Shepherd.

True Story – This is that James Franco and Jonah Hill movie that was based on a true story. It focuses on the relationship between a writer, Finkel (Hill) and a murderer, Longo (Franco), taking upon Finkel’s identity. Finkel was a writer for the New York Times Magazine and was actually fired for fabricating parts of a news story in 2002.

Child 44 – Tom Hardy plays a Russian Intelligence agent (in the Joseph Stalin era) who takes on a case involving multiple murders of children. Leo Demidov’s (Hardy) case leads to high authorities in the Russian government. Based upon the first in a trilogy of novels by Tom Rob Smith, the story follows Demidov’s exploits. Starring: Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace (Prometheus), Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight, The Professional), Joel Kinnaman (The Killing, upcoming Suicide Squad), Jason Clarke (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes), Vincent Cassel (Trance), and Charles Dance (Game of Thrones, The Golden Child).An incredible cast doesn’t always spell box office success. Still, I am likely to rent this.

A Little Chaos – A movie about competitive garden designers that are tasked to create a one of a kind water fountain on the grounds of le chateau de Versailles. I’m not making this up. Starring: Kate Winslet (The Reader), Alan Rickman (Harry Potter), Stanley Tucci(Transformers 4: Age of Extinction), and Matthias Schoenaerts (Bullhead).

Adult Beginners – A drama about a businessman (Nick Kroll) that loses it all but while staying with his sister (Rose Byrne) learns valuable life lessons. Starring: Nick Kroll (The League), Rose Byrne (X-Men: First Class), Bobby Cannavale (Ant-Man), Joel McHale (Ted) and Jason Mantzoukas (The Dictator, The League).

The Salvation – Mads Mikkelsen stars as a vengeful settler in the American West circa 1870s after the murder of his family. After killing the man responsible, the leader of their gang also seeks revenge. Looks like a decent flick. Starring: Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale, Hannibal), Eva Green (Casino Royale), and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Watchmen).

Barely Lethal – This movie follows a 16 year old teenager assassin after she fakes her own death and enrolls in a suburban high school. She quickly learns that school clicks and popularity come at a price. Starring: Jessica Alba (Sin City), Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones), and Samuel L. Jackson (every movie). Yawn!

Madame Bovary – A drama focusing on an adulterous wife as she tries to escape her boring lifestyle. Starring: Mia Wasikowska (In Treatment, Alice in Wonderland), Ezra Miller (Trainwreck, upcoming Flash), Paul Giamatti (Sideways) and Rhys Ifans (The Amazing Spider-Man).

Jackie & Ryan – Katherine Heigl still manages to headline movies, although this one looks straight to video. The story involves two musicians as they find themselves in love. Starring Katherine Heigl, Ben Barnes and Clea DuVall.

 

August 11^th

Hot Pursuit – All of the previews for this mess looked like a rip off of The Heat with Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy. This is a ‘female buddy’ film that has a conservative cop (Reese Witherspoon) and the wife of a drug dealer (Sofia Vergara) that must team up against a drug cartel. If Sofia’s blabbering accent on Modern Family isn’t enough for you, then check this out!

Unfriended – A high school girl that killed herself due to a cruel prank now communicates via Skype in video group chats! Okay, it sounds lame but at least it’s a different way for the genre of horror to reach another generation of kids.

Robot Overlords – Humans are slaves to a race of robots that conquered the world. People are confined to their homes and must wear implants. I’m not sure how this escaped me as it stars Ben Kingsley (Ghandi, Tut) and Gillian Anderson (X-Files). I may watch if the SyFy Channel picks it up.

 

August 18^th

Little Boy – A seven year old boy ventures off to bring his father back home from the World War II. The boy’s innocence incites those embedded in the war. Starring Emily Watson, Kevin James (you read that right), Michael Rapaport, Tom Wilkinson and Ali Landry (that hot Dorito’s commercial girl).

Lambert & Stamp – This documentary chronicles the journey of aspiring filmmakers, Christopher Stamp and Kit Lambert, as they try to produce a movie during the 1960’s underground music scene. The doc also features footage with famous people related to The Who, Richard Barnes, Roger Daltry, and Pete Townshend.

5 to 7 – This is a romantic comedy that follows a woman who writes about falling in love. Things get crazy when the person she is in love with is the French diplomat’s wife! Gasp! Caged Heat sounds better.

Strangerland – A family moves to the Australian outback when a dust storm results in the loss of their children. A search party forms to find the missing children amidst rumors and suspicion. Spooky! Starring: Nicole Kidman (Fur), Joseph Fiennes (Voldemort’s brother) and Hugo Weaving (The Matrix, Lord of the Rings).

The Riot Club – In this thriller, two freshman join an infamous club at Oxford. One day, all of the spoiled, rich students get in over their heads. Based upon the play, Posh.  The movie,Skulls, is probably much better than this but that ain’t saying much!

Vendetta – Remember Dean Cain? Well, if you haven’t went out of your way to research where he’s been, you’d still only remember him for playing Superman in the TV series, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. Mr. Cain has been playing in direct to video movies for quite some time. In this movie, he plays a cop who must get revenge after his wife is murdered by The Big Show (Paul Wight or WWE fame). This looks like hung-over viewing.

 

August 25^th

Aloha – An all-star cast surrounds this box office disappointment. Brian Gilcrest is a US weapons consultant that becomes disgraced, then later talks to a robot and then eventually heads to Hawaii to oversee the launch of a spy satellite. He must also get permission for the launch from the Hawaiian council as part of his assignment. Directed by fan-favorite Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire) and starring: Bradley Cooper, Emma, Stone, Rachel McAdams, John Krasinski, Danny McBride, Alec Baldwin, and Bill Murray.

Citizenfour – This riveting looking documentary showcases how filmmaker, Laura Poitras (who focuses on gov’t surveillance of private citizens post 9/11) receives an encrypted email by “citizenfour” who claims to have inside knowledge of covert surveillance by intelligence agencies. “Citizenfour” ends up being Edward Snowden. The documentary focuses on key interviews with Snowden and Julian Assange. Looks very interesting.

Where Hope Grows – Holy 1980s! This movie stars Danica McKellar (The Wonder Years) and William Zabka (bad guy from The Karate Kid). The story focuses on a former professional baseball player who retires because of panic attacks. He eventually develops a relationship with a store clerk who has Downs Syndrome. His perspective on life changes and hope is learned…blah…blah…blah….I’ll pass.

Two Days, One Night – Marion Cotillard (Inception, La Vie en Rose) stars in this drama about how working class people who may have been disenfranchised from society. Sandra (Cotillard) tries to return to her job after an episode of depression only to find that her employer no longer needs her. She learns her fate is to be decided by her fellow employees in a vote.

Big Game – A teenager finds the President of the United States in a pod while hunting. Together they must make it through the woods alive as terrorists close in. Starring: Samuel L. Jackson (every movie) and Onni Tommila.

Skin Trade – Dolph Lundgren stars as a detective out for revenge after his family was slain by the mob. The mob is eventually connected to a human trafficking ring and Dolph must work with Tony Jaa (Ong Bak, The Defender), a Thai detective, to destroy them once and for all. Hung-over viewing.

Justice League: Gods and Monsters – Set in an alternate universe, DC’s trinity (Wonder Woman, Batman and Superman) find themselves framed for a bombing. DC’s main guns all have different origin stories and must decide whether they want to save the world or conquer it. Voice actors: Benjamin Bratt, Michael C. Hall, Tamara Taylor, Jason Isaacs and C. Thomas Howell. It’s a comic book animated movie! Count me in.

Lila & Eve – A drama/thriller surrounding a mother, Lila, who loses her son in a drive by shooting.  Lila eventually meets Eve, another mother who lost her daughter the same night. Together they go after the criminals responsible. Starring: Viola Davis and Jennifer Lopez. Lifetime should starting making theatrical releases.

October Gale – This follows a doctor who tries to assist an injured man on an island from a man that is hunting him. Starring Patricia Clarkson, Scott Speedman, and Tim Roth.

The Runner – Nicolas Cage is back again as a once idealistic politician that must re-examine his life after a sex scandal destroys his career. Not to be confused with a good movie, this stars Nicolas Cage, Sarah Paulson (12 Years a Slave), Peter Fonda (Easy Rider) and Connie Nielsen (Gladiator). Will Nic Cage ever make a comeback from box office obscurity?

July 2015 DvD/Blu-Ray Releases

July 7^th, 2015

Woman in Gold
Ryan Reynolds and Helen Mirren in the same movie! The story focuses on how an older woman tries to get her family’s possessions back after she left Vienna, Austria while fleeing from the Nazis during World War II. Quite a great supporting cast as well: Katie Holmes, Max Irons, Charles Dance, Daniel Bruhl and Elizabeth McGovern.

5 Flights Up
A drama about an aging couple questioning whether they should move from their apartment. This seems like a drama for rich, white people. Okay, maybe not. The movie stars Morgan Freeman and Diane Keaton. My anticipation for seeing this is at ‘nope!’.

Maggie
Arnie Schwarzenegger must take care of his zombie daughter. Critics were praising his performance in this. However, why can’t Arnie find a different story where he is being a good actor?

Kill Me Three Times
The only thing good about this is Simon Pegg. You can forget everything else. You follow a myriad of despicable characters going after money. This attempted off beat, dark comedy is anything but funny. Stay away I say! Review here.

71’
This is a war thriller chronicling how a solider tries to survive in a hostile Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1971. This stars Unbroken star Jack O’Connell.

Absolution
Steven Seagal is still fat and making direct to video/video on demand movies. Seagal plays a mercenary who is haunted by his past but most complete one last assignment….yawn!

Slow West
Saw this at the Omaha Film Festival like 3 months before it came out because I’m important and/or I live in Omaha. This is a solid western with excellent performances. It’s more of a character study than a western. This stars Michael Fassbender and Kodi Smit-Mcphee. Review here.

Alien Outpost
One of the descriptions of this turd states “what would terrorism look like in the future – from alien invaders?” A group of soldiers must remember what it means to be a soldier to battle aliens at an outpost. Sounds like a plot from a sh*tty video game.

Echoes of War
This western seems to have a decent cast. Just as the Civil War ends, a personal war begins for a man trying to run a fur trading business. The film features James Badge Dale, Ethan Embry (Can’t Hardly Wait), William Forsythe (Boardwalk Empire), and Maika Monroe (It Follows, The Guest).

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July 14^th, 2015

Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2
The most anticipated sequel finally makes its way to your living room as the goofy mall cop shows that he’s the best security guard out there. The plot centers around a national Security Guard Expo (ugh…) and how Blart must stop art thieves in Las Vegas.

The Longest Ride
Britt Robertson (Tomorrowland) and Scott Eastwood (Clint Eastwood’s son) star in this romance about a couple that handle their ambitions and their love for one another. At least Melissa Benoist (the new Supergirl) is co-starring.

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
The targeted demographic for this movie is the elderly. Now, I’m not being an ageist by any means, but I believe I would have a hard time being attracted to this material if I were in my 70s. This sequel to the 2012 hit, focuses on self-reflection and humor in the face of imminent death while an Indian wedding is looking to bring everyone together. Judi Dench, Dev Patel, and Richard Gere star.

Ex-Machina
This is one of my favorite films of the year (review here). This is the thinking man’s sci-fi movie. The story which features the issues arising from A.I., includes great performances, believable dialogue, beautiful cinematography and awesome film direction.

It Follows
I really cannot wait until July 14^th. This is my other favorite of the year (so far). A story about how a girl, after having sex with her boyfriend, becomes marked and is followed by an entity until she has sex with another person and the curse is passed on. It’s almost like a cautionary STD tale. The film has hipster elements as well as harkens back to the original Halloween in both film direction and eerie film score, courtesy of Disasterpeace (review here).

Clouds of Sils Maria
Juliette Binoche stars as an actress that is asked to participate in a play that launched her career. Her former role is now being played by a scandalous actress (Kristen “fart face” Stewart) and a parallel is being drawn between the character she must play and the one she used to play. Chloe Grace Moretz co-stars.

Goodbye to All That
Paul Schneider (1^st season of Parks & Recreation) stars as a recently divorced man who must come to terms with dating again, all while raising a daughter. This is a story about second chances. I wouldn’t mind a Rob Schneider movie with the same synopsis but this looks so boring!

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July 21^st, 2015

Kung Fu Killer
Martial arts legend, Donnie Yen (Ip Man) stars in this film as a man wrongly convicted of murder. In order to obtain his freedom he must capture a man that is going around killing top martial artists in Hong Kong. Stupid plot leaves this open to potential awesome martial arts scenes. I’ll sign up for this one…make it a late night viewing.

Starve
Three friends, attempting to write a novel on feral children, are captured and become part of a game where they must kill other captives or starve to death. Meh…

What We Do in the Shadows
This film follows three vampires attempting to live together in New Zealand. They have to have a human retainer in order to pay the bills and they have to share chores and nightclub policies. I’d definitely check out the trailer to get an idea of the tone of this movie. Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Concords) star in this film. I don’t know about you but I’m pumped for this!

Wild Horses
After a rancher walks in on his son engaging with another man, he chases the man off and banishes his son. Fifteen years later, the rancher is trying to put his estate in order and asks his son to return. At the same time, a Texas ranger reopens a case of a missing man (the man the rancher chased off) and begins investigating a possible hate crime. The film stars Robert Duvall, James Franco and Josh Hartnett. Rotten tomato score of 17%.

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July 28^th, 2015

Home
Dreamworks presents a movie about an alien trying to avoid its own race while on Earth and befriending a teenage girl along the way. In their globe-trotting adventure, they begin to understand what it means to be human. Voice stars include Jim Parsons, Rihanna, and Jennifer Lopez.

Comet
This is a story about a six year love affair starring Justin Long (Waiting…, Tusk) and Kayla Servi. A meteor shower and a parallel universe serve as a backdrop to the couple’s bond. Their chemistry goes to show that anything is possible. You cannot force me to watch this.

Justice League: Gods and Monsters
Set in an alternate universe, different versions of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman find themselves framed for a bombing. They must prove their innocence. Will they save or conquer the world? Even as a comic book fan, it’s hard for me to get behind this storyline.

The Water Diviner
An Australian father (Russell Crowe) searches for the remains of his three sons as he journeys from the Outback to the Gallipoli Peninsula. His journey gives him new purpose in life and forces strong relationships. Someone pass the Nyquil!!!