"American Made" good, but shaky

While I enjoyed this movie, there is a technique which is utilized that I absolutely hate: shaky cam. I avoid "found footage" films for this very reason. I can't understand what the shaky camera is all about. Is it to add "tension" to the scene? Is it to give the moviegoer a "you are there" feeling? Is it just artsy-fartsy? I don't know. What I do know is that it really annoys me, and it is used quite a lot in this film. Fortunately, not the entire movie, but nevertheless...

Other than that, this is a nice film. I've known for a long time that the CIA was in up to its ears dealing with arms and drug smuggling over the decades, and this film is about an individual who's was smack dab in the middle of it all during the late 70s and early 80s.

I really don't know how much of this Tom Cruise vehicle was true and how much was Holly wood spin, but the overall effect was quite fun. Cruise has his trademark affability while doing very illegal stuff, and the combination is right on.

I didn't recognize most of the supporting cast, but they all did a great job.

At the end of the film, the government employs a major screw job on one of the characters, and that I believe happened. No doubt.

The insanity of it all is quite a hoot, and this is a worthwhile film to go see.

"Kingsman: The Golden Circle" a very nice diversion

I enjoyed this sequel, as I enjoyed the first one. It's not the greatest action flick, but it certainly satisfies those who are into this type of film (Namely me).

Some of the camera work was nicely done. I really enjoyed certain set pieces. The overall production values of the film are great.

My nitpicks are that the protagonist cursed a bit too much for my taste, and Julianne Moore played the antagonist a little too over the top for me. Neither is close to a deal breaker, though.

The action sequences were breaking the laws of physics; however, since this film is definitely poking fun at the spy hero genre, just lie back and enjoy the ride. It reminds me of James Coburn's take on the James Bond movies in his "Our Man Flint" series in the 60s (Which was just as fun. I really like the soundtrack of the first one).

There was a great notable personality who appeared in Kingsman that was quite a surprise. He/she was really funny. I don't want to name the person so that anyone who reads this who hasn't seen it will be pleasantly surprised as well.

I was a little leery of the setting moving to the United States, but it worked for me, at least. I like the mythology of the Kingsman (and Statesman), so I'm looking forward to any additional films that might be made.

All in all, a very fun film!

"Amercian Assassin" is entertaining

I'm a big fan of the Mitch Rapp series authored by Vince Flynn. This movie is an origin piece that was around ninth in the series. It's a good start for people unfamiliar with who Rapp is. Rapp is another member of filmdom's "special agents" fighting for truth, justice and the American Way after he suffers a personal loss.

When I started seeing the trailers for this film, I had doubts about the actor playing Rapp (Dylan O'Brien). He was not at all how I pictured Rapp. I was thinking along the lines of Chris Hemsworth. O'Brien seemed wimpy to me. As the months went by, I came around to accepting him. He does fine with the lead role. His action sequences are well done, and I like his intensity of the character.

Michael Keaton is great as Rapp's mentor. Of course, I really like Keaton in most things he does.

The plot is pretty basic (Terrorist are BAD people), but well handled for me. They certainly left it open for another film. I'm sure everyone involved with the production is thinking "Franchise." We'll see. I'm certainly open to it!

All in all, if you're an action fan like me, you will be fine seeing this movie. If not, Girls Trip is still playing.

"Girls Trip" a successful journey

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by this film. I really wasn't expecting much out of it, but it succeeded in winning me over.

It's an R rated comedy about four BFFs in high school who drift apart for five years and decide to get back together for a trip to New Orleans. As in all these buddy comedies, hilarity ensues, then conflict followed by reconciliation. It getting there that's makes or breaks a film.

This one succeeded for me. I like the fact that the humor was very adult. Most film companies are so worried about getting young teenagers in the seats that the prevailing rating is PG-13 for this kind of film. I have to say a couple of the scatological gags were a bit over the top for me. I didn't find them particularly funny, but, overall, there were some great laughs.

Kudos to the four leads. They worked together very well. Particular praise goes to Tiffany Haddish as the no-nonsense-in-your-face friend. She was terrific. If the reader is curious, the other women in the cast are Regina Hall, Queen Latifah and Jada Pinkett Smith. I hadn't realized how short Smith is. According to IMDb, she's five feet tall.

Of course, there was the standard lesson learned be true to yourself message at the end, and in this case, it was very heartfelt and something we can all take to heart. Though I admit I think the message was geared toward women. But men can apply it to themselves as well.

"27 Meters Down" floats my boat

I was going to pass seeing 27 Meters Down at the theater, but since I have Movie Pass, I thought I'd check it out. While it's not a great movie, I was pleasantly surprised by it, and isn't that what movie going is all about?

Sure, it will never be considered a great movie, but it did its job for me. The movie had a few good tense moments and the leads were sympathetic. Nothing like being trapped in a shark cage at the bottom of the ocean with great white sharks cruising about.

I did feel that the ending was a bit confusing, or at least I missed a couple of things. No matter.

The film has been successful enough that a sequel has been ordered entitled 28 Meters Down. I'm not sure if it will involve the same characters or another sad lot will be trapped one meter deeper than these characters.

This is a total non sequitur, but shouldn't the U.S. join the rest of the world and embrace the metric system?

Movie-a-day for only $9.95/mo.

This is really cool. About three weeks ago, a company named "Movie Pass" announced that for only $9.95 a month, you can see a one movie a day every day (They lowered the price from $50/mo.). That's it. For just $9.95 a month.

Well, since I'm retired and walking to two nearby theaters quite frequently, this is manna from Heaven for me. I actually didn't quite believe it. How on Earth can they sustain this?

Of course, I enrolled in the program. The debit card I had to use would be delivered by mail in about a week. After a week, I got an email from the company explaining that due to popular demand (No kidding!), I wouldn't get the card for another two weeks.

I got the card a week later. It even has a MasterCard logo in the corner. The next day, I walked to one of my theaters and tried it out. You have to download the company's app to get started. I launched the app and was asked to give the last four digits of the card. Once that was done, I got a list of movie theaters participating in the program that were in my vicinity (All theaters around my residence are participating) .

Since I was standing in a particular theater, I chose that one. A list of the movies available appeared, and I chose the film (Logan Lucky for a second viewing) and the time. I touched on the button and was taken to a "Confirm" page. I touched the "Confirm" button, and voila! The amount of the ticket was loaded onto the card. I went to the theater's kiosk, swiped the card at the appropriate time and out popped the receipts! Easy-peasy!

Two days later, I went to the other theater I walk to and used it again (The Hitman's Bodyguard for a second viewing). Right now, I've already covered my monthly fee, plus I'm $2.50 ahead. I'm looking forward to utilizing the card two-three times next week.

A word of note: the card is not good for IMAX or 3D movies. Probably special engagements as well.

I really don't understand the business model for this thing, but I'm certainly going to enjoy using their services until they fold (I hope they don't). This is going to be fun!

UCLA football comeback one for the ages

Yesterday, I watched the UCAL/Texas A&M football game on TV with my cousin. I am Bruin fan and have been all my life.

Sad to say they Bruins were totally hapless for the entire first half and were on the losing end of a 38-10 score. We were so disgusted we quit watching and turned to other TV entertainment. A little while later (I don't recall how much time), my cousin's mother-in-law called to express her wonderment at the UCLA comeback. My cousin and I looked at each other in disbelief. No frakking way!

Fortunately, my cousin was recording it, so we got to watch the incredible second half comeback with the final score being 45-44. Amazing! The greatest comeback in Bruin history and the second greatest comeback in college football history. Wow!

Obviously, the moral of the story is to never give up on your team. You never know what can happen. Unfortunately, I'm sure that down the road I will be giving up on my Bruins when they're losing badly. I'm such a jerk...

"Queen of the South" - Two versions, both fun

I watched the season finale of Queen of the South starring Sonia Braga on the USA network last night, and I find the show really entertaining. Fortunately, it has been renewed for a third season. It's based on a novel by Arturo Perez-Reverte.

I also saw a couple of years ago on Netflix the 63-episode Spanish version of the same story (La Reina del Sur - for those who don't speak Spanish this translates to "Queen of the South") starring Kate del Castillo. It's very interesting how the two stories differ. Of course, there is a long way to go in the American version so they may become similar down the road, but here are my thoughts comparing the two.

The Spanish version (subtitled) is more akin to a telenovela. It may even be considered that, I don't know for sure. There is a soap opera feel to the entire production. The acting is a bit over the top, yet it is still a good presentation.

The story concerns the rise of a street girl in a small Mexican town who eventually becomes a major drug lord (lady?). Of the two leads, I prefer Ms. Braga as Teresa Mendoza over Ms. del Castillo. I will say that del Castillo plays the innocent naïf better than Braga, but Braga plays the hard-ass Teresa much better.

The first two seasons in the American version have been concentrating on Mexico and Texas locations. In the Spanish version, Teresa actually has her gravitating to southern Spain to escape retribution from another drug lord. It is there where she builds her empire. The ending of season two has Teresa on a boat sailing somewhere, but we are not apprised of her ultimate destination. I don't think she's going to end up in Spain. I would think that the budget for filming overseas would be prohibitive, but who knows.

Now from here on, this is going to get a bit spoilery.

What is definitely different in the English version is that the Big Bad has been changed from the Spanish version. That villain was just killed at the end of the second season. In the Spanish version he is a threat throughout the entire series. Interesting. It appears the wife of the villain is going to be Teresa's series-long nemesis. We'll see.

I could go on, but I'm sure this piece has already gone into TL;DR territory. Suffice it to say, both versions are a fun watch. If you decide to see either or both versions, let me know what you think.

"Rememory" is worth remembering

I had been aware of Rememory for a while and put it in the back of my mind to check it out. So it was serendipitous when I fired up my Roku and there on the side of the screen was an advertisement to see this film free ("For a limited time") on Google Play.

Well, that sounded good to me, so I installed the Google Play app and, sure enough, there it was.

I'm glad I took the time to watch this. It's a very nice mystery starring Peter Dinklage of Game of Thrones fame. One of those "What goes around, comes around" movies.

The cast does well, and tragically, it was the last film of Anton Yelchin, who died in a very freakish accident last year. Julia Ormond is also fine as the widow of the victim. I really like her. I think she is an underrated performer.

There is a smidgeon of science fiction to it, but the main thrust of the film is confronting one's past and dealing with it.

The high concept of memory retrieval was of particular interest to me. Wouldn't it be something if we could retrieve our timed-faded memories and  relive them in very fine detail? Just the good ones, of course!

"What Happened to Monday" happens to be a pleasant surprise

So there I was, launching my Netflix app on my Roku and what should appear in the main splash but "What Happened to Monday." Now I was a bit familiar with the movie because I check almost daily the latest trailers appearing on YouTube. So I did see the trailer a few weeks ago, but it really didn't register.

Anyway, since I had nothing better to do, I clicked on on the splash screen and started the movie.

Was I surprised! It was a very fun thriller with a lot of intense action. The setup takes about 20 minutes, but once it gets rolling the movie rarely lets up.

The plot is a bit far fetched. Basically, in the dystopian future, having siblings is outlawed. (Does it seem to be that one out of every three movies released these days involves a dystopian future, or is it just me?) A woman dies giving birth to septuplets and her father, ably played by Willem Dafoe, hides them from the government as they grow into adulthood. Since there are seven of them, Dafoe names them for a day of the week. Each gets a turn going into the outside world on the day of the week of their name. They have to play the same character, Karen Seppman, in their sojourns. Of course, one day things go to hell in a hand basket.

There is a great fight sequence in the siblings' apartment. Really brutal. I loved it.

Noomi Rapace plays all the septuplets (each named for a day of the week) à la Orphan Black, and she does handles the chore very well. I've been a fan of hers since her turn playing Lisbeth Salander in the Swedish movie versions of Stieg Larsson's "Girl" series of books.

Let's not forget Glenn Close playing the villain of the piece. She's great in anything she does, and she doesn't disappoint.

The ending is redolent of Minority Report, but that's OK.

As I mentioned before, the violence does have a bit of brutality to it, but I'm fine with that. This is a great way to spend a couple of hours.

"Wind River" nice finish to trilogy

While this final trilogy of the modern American West, Wind River, written and directed by Taylor Sheridan, is very good, I feel it's the weakest of the three. The first two, for those who want to know, are Sicario and Hell or High Water. Don't get me wrong, this is a fine film, just not quite up to the excellent standards of the others.

This movie takes us to the cold winter of Wyoming where the death of a woman who is found in the frozen waste on the Wind River reservation brings together Jeremy Renner, playing a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employee and Elizabeth Olsen, portraying a relative newbie F.B.I. agent. They team together to investigate the woman's death.

The path toward the solution of the mystery takes us on a trip through the plight of the Native American. Olsen is used as the fish out of water trope to explain to us just how bleak life on a reservation is, and how we are totally oblivious to the quality of life on reservations. I was particularly amazed at how complex jurisdiction is when it comes to crimes committed on a reservation.

The acting is top notch and I really enjoyed the story. My interest was held throughout the film. There were gorgeous panoramic views of the snow covered countryside that really enhanced the mood of the piece. The cinematography is magnificent and is an integral element within all three of Mr. Sheridan's films.

My one nitpick is the use of what I call the shaky cam. I'm sure there's a technical term for it, but I'm not keen on the technique. In certain scenes, usually intense, the camera goes into a free form, hand held shake mode. I'm sure there is some artsy-fartsy reasoning such as it makes the audience uncomfortable like the characters are, but I just find it annoying. It takes me out of the movie for a bit.

There is a graphic at the end of the film that I found quite startling and a travesty. I don't understand why, but I hope that this film can help remedy the situation.

I look forward to Mr. Sheridan's future works. His writing and directing are excellent.

"Logan Lucky" pulls it off

Steven  Soderbergh is back. He had said that he was retiring from film making, but obviously that didn't stick.

This film is a poor man's version of his Ocean's 11 movies. It takes place in West Virginia/North Carolina territory. The film centers around a robbery of a speedway hosting a NASCAR race.

I really enjoyed it. It had me from the first scene. Plus, throwing a little John Denver in the mix didn't hurt at all. There were great lines thrown out, and the cast was fun to watch. I particularly liked Daniel Craig as a convict who is needed to pull off the crime. Farrah Mackenzie was also a standout as the Logan daughter. I really hadn't checked out the cast list before seeing the film, so I was pleasantly surprised to learn in the credits that I had completely missed some well-known actors in it. That's always fun!

The scheme to rob the speedway was intricate and quite involving. A bit far fetched, but as I've said before, I'm not that anal about plot holes. I liked these characters, and I wouldn't mind a revisit sometime down the road.

A film technique that was used is becoming a bit trite, but I still love how the heist is pulled off and later in the film it goes back and shows you what really happened behind the scene. Getting a bit old now, but still fun for me.

"The Hitman's Bodyguard" does its job

Though I know I'm pretty much in the minority on this one, I liked The Hitman's Bodyguard. I'm sure it helps that I'm a big fan of both Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson. The two actors play characters who fit right in with their personas, and that's fine with me.

This film is a typical buddy picture ala Midnight Run, but it does what's it's supposed to do, in my opinion. There are engaging characters and plenty of action. Gary Oldman is great as the antagonist (and a bad dude he is). Of course, Oldman is a very reliable actor in whatever he does. It will be interesting to see him as Winston Churchill later this year. I've seen the trailers, and he is excellent.

I've got to say that Salma Hayek was a particular standout for me. She plays a great pissed off gutter mouth locked away in prison. I've never heard her swear up a storm like this. I found it hilarious.

I've stated before that my tastes are for rock 'em sock 'em action movies, and this movie fits right in. I'm not particularly anal about plot holes unless they are really egregious.

Another reason I like the film is that it's R rated. There aren't to many of them these days in order that the studios can get under the 17 crowd for more profit. I'm not averse to PG-13, it's just nice to have a more adult action film to see now and then.

I would love to see a sequel of this. Who knows?

Oh, just to let know that at the end of the credits, there is an outtake that is pretty funny.

A final note, there seems to be a trend evolving in which the director of the film introduces the movie by thanking us, the audience, for seeing the film in a theater. Patrick Hughes does it in this movie, and Director Edgar Wright did it as well for his film Baby Driver (a very good film, by the way, though the ending is a bit rankling). I have no idea if there are other directors doing the same thing, but my seeing two sort of makes me think there are others.

GoT sacrifcing plot development for action

I've been a big fan of HBO's Game of Thrones (GoT) since its inception. When I heard that HBO had picked up George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy series, I immediately read all the books. Thoroughly enjoyed them.

This season has certainly been fun; however, I'm disappointed about the rapidity of the whole thing. Last year, the showrunners announced that there would only be two seasons remaining with limited episodes per season. And it sure looks like they are speeding things along.

What I admire about GoT is its almost leisurely pace unfolding the epic. This allows for complex character interactions and political intrigue. When a character went from, say Winterfell to King's Landing, it would take several episodes to get there, with lots of adventures and intrigue along the way. This season, Tyrion went from Dargonstone to King's Landing and back in the same episode!

In addition, some of the decisions made by the characters are a bit sketchy, and there are a few plot holes that might have been addressed if there were more time (I'm  looking at you, White Walkers with the chains...).

I understand the sacrifice of time to get to the nitty-gritty plot developments what with the climax looming, but it just seems we're losing a lot of fun along the way.

"The Defenders" a good binge watch

Just finished bingeing all of The Defenders episodes that dropped today on Netflix. Really fun! I admit that I've like all the individual Marvel heroes (Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Lucas Cage and Iron Fist) that Netflix has presented in the past. Combining all of them into a single eight-episode movie (series?) is very cool with me.

For those not interested in seeing the previous works, the series provides enough exposition for each of the heroes that the reader will be fine viewing this as a stand alone.

Sigourney Weaver pays the Big Bad, and she's excellent. Scott Glenn reprises his role as Daredevil's mentor. Rosario Dawson continues her presence in the Marvel universe as well.

Like most of these multi-episode tales, there is a bit of dragging here and there, but nothing untoward. The pace moves right along.

My one nitpick is that some of the fight scenes seemed too dark (lighting wise) for me to fully appreciate what's going on. In addition, there was a lot of fast cutting that made it hard to follow the action at times. But, overall, the fight scenes were great.

The ending leaves things a bit up in the air, and that's a good thing. I can look forward to the continuation of the superheroes in their individual sequels.

"Annabelle: Creation" is OK summer fare

I'm sad to say that I've really gotten jaded in my later years (I'm in my 60s). I can't remember the last time a movie just had me riveted through the entire film (Aliens comes to mind). Annabelle: Creation is another in a long line of movies that try to instill fear, but just doesn't work for me. Oh, there are a couple of jolts here and there, but nothing consistent. No lingering fear of dread throughout. It's probably just me.

I avoid spoilers in these observations so the reader can go into the theater without really knowing much about the film from my writings. Suffice it to say, Annabelle gets created all right.

This film is part of "The Conjuring" universe. Another one concerning a nun is coming down the pike.

I don't mind watching these things. They're OK for a diversion. The acting is fine. I like both Anthony LaPaglia and Miranda Otto, who play the parents.  An actor I'm unfamiliar with, Talitha Bateman, plays the lead "Janice" and is very credible in her performance. She definitely carries a heavy load. And, as I said before, there are a few jolts to keep it interesting.

My favorite scene was at the beginning of the film. It was quite an unexpected surprise. You'll know what I mean when you see it. Now that was a jolt!

These films will keep coming. They make them for about $20 million a pop and gross anywhere from $60 million on up for a tidy profit. I'm fine with them. They are an OK diversion in between great films. The upcoming nun film should be interesting.

"Kidnap" so-so

OK, Kidnap is a very average film. No great shakes. There is nothing great at all about this. However, it is a nice ride if you're just into Halle Berry talking to herself  and action sequences.

I hadn't realized exactly what the film was about. It's basically a quick 82-minute car chase (after Berry's child is kidnapped in a public place) until reaching the climax of the film, which occurs at a remote house.

This is a movie that you can wait until it comes to DVD or streaming, unless, of course, you're looking for a place to cool off during this summer heat!

I will end this with a vague reference to Sherlock Holmes: It's about the dog barking at the end of the movie. A very loose end!

"Atomic Blond" works for me

I've seen Atomic Blonde twice, and I was surprised how much I fell in love with it the second time around. It is very visually interesting, and the action sequences are top notch.

The film takes place at the end of the 80s as the Berlin Wall is just about to fall. It's directed by one of the makers of the John Wick series, so of course the action is on point. I also loved the lighting in the heroine's hotel room, which has a really cool neon look. In addition, there was constant 80s music augmenting the scenes throughout the film. I actually responded well to Major Tom by Peter Schilling. I've listened to it several times since I saw the movie. I wonder if having published music in the background of almost every scene is going to be some sort of new wave of film making. Baby Driver does the same thing, and it's very effective in that movie as well.

The weakest part of Atomic Blonde is the plot. It's very muddied and hard to follow. I probably liked the film better the second time around because I had a general knowledge of what was going on from my first viewing.

Charlize Theron is Charlize Theron, of course. She's great. She's an excellent hard ass secret agent, and I really hope that she will do more of these types of films. Of course, her choice of films are very eclectic, so I'm not sure if she will be doing this genre on any semi-regular basis.

This movie will not make any great waves in the action genre (Hopefully, it will inspire more women to portray action heroes), but it certainly is a fun time if you're just into being entertained by an action film.