2011 * PG-13 * 2h 7m I vaguely remember when this movie came out. I didn't know anything about it except that some of it was fixed in Detroit (my hometown), and I was pretty excited about that. Well, I finally got around to seeing it, and what a fun movie it turned out to be.
The story takes place in the near future where people are fascinated with robot boxing. Charlie (Hugh Jackman) is a retired boxing champion who has taken up robot boxing. He's just barely scraping by when he finds out his ex and the mother of his chile Max (Dakota Goyo) has died. His sister-in-law wants to adopt him but before the deal is sealed, Charlie negotiates to get his son for the summer and a bunch of cash. He uses the money to buy a new robot which is quickly destroyed. Then Max discovers an old, previous generation robot in a junkyard, which he rehabs and starts using to win bout after bout.
I thought the movie was great fun. It's wonderful to see the two learn about each other and bond. And the fight scenes are extremely engaging. Of course, the film is fairly predictable, but that's what you want in a family movie. If you've never seen "Real Steel" I encourage you to check it out.
3 1/2 out of 5 stars
Currently streaming on Netflix and to rent on Prime Video.
2007 * R * 2h 4m Director Alan Ball has mainly worked in tv and has "Six Feet Under"to his credit. He's also made interesting films and controversial movies like "American Beauty," and "Uncle Frank." His 2007 film "Towelhead" isn't for everyone, that's for sure. It tackles several difficult topics like teen sex, racism, and pedophilia. It's hard to watch at times, but ultimately, I thought it was excellent.
The story revolves around a young girl Jesira (Summer Bashir), who after her parents divorce, goes to live with her super-strict Lebanese-American father Rifat (Peter Macdissi) in Texas. The movie takes place during the onset of the first Gulf War and as a result, she has to deal with overt racism, both in school and her neighborhood. She just starting to awaken sexually, and is preyed upon by her neighbor's father, played by Aaron Ekhart. He's really creepy and you just want to smack him in the face. You keep your fingers crossed that something terrible will happen to him.
She starts hanging out with a young black schoolmate, and feels the backlash when her father forbids her from seeing him, due to his own racism. Just when things look terrible, she's taken under the wing of a kindly neighbor Molina (Toni Collette), who knows what she's going through. Without giving away the anding, let's just say things get resolved.
I thought the acting in this was terrific. Ms. Bashir really shined as did Toni Collette (as you've come to expect). If you're looking for something pretty powerful, check this one out.
3 1/2 out of 5 stars
Note to parents: This is definitely not for kids.
Streaming for free with your library card on Kanopy.com. And to rent on Amazon Prime.
2011 * R * 1h 52m If you're in the mood for some raunchy, guys humor, I thought this one was pretty funny. It's one of those switched identity movies that, while pretty predictable, is good for lots of laughs.
Dave (Jason Bateman) and Mitch (Ryan Reynolds) have been friends since college. They haven't seen each other win ages and arrange an evening out for some drinks. The two of them are polar opposites, Mitch is pot-smoking, lazy bum, who acts like he's still in college. Dave is a successful, corporate laywer who's married with three kids. After talking about their lives, they each wish they were in the other's shoes. As luck would have it, they make this wish while peeing in a magical fountain. And PRESTO! They switch bodies.
It's great fun watching them try to fake their lives. Dave in Mitch's body somewhat hesitantly starts going after women--chiefly a younger protégée at his law firm. And Mitch in Dave's body learns what it means to be a dad with two babies. And when they discover the magic fountain has been moved, they scramble to find its new location so they can switch back.
I really enjoyed "The Change-Up" and honestly laughed out loud several times. I think you will too!
2019 * R * 1h 59m Who doesn't love a good revenge movie? Ive noticed that there are two types of movies that fall into this category. The ones featuring a total badass and includes a lot of explosions and over the top violence. Then there are the ones where an average Joe takes his revenge methodically. "Cold Pursuit" falls into the latter category. And with an actor like Liam Neeson, it's great fun.
The movie starts out when Nels' (Neeson) son is inexplicably killed by some drug dealers. Slowly, Neeson starts discovering everyone involved in the death. One at a time he starts picking them off. The head dealer is "The Viking" ((Tom Bateman), who's a total sleezebag. Through a mix up, the local Native American drug dealers get involved in the turf war. But Neeson bides his time as he works towards extracting his revenge.
It's one amusing ride where you root for the good guys the whole time. Adding to the adventure is the beautiful location. The film takes place in the Rockies and the scenery is just gorgeous. Laura Dern is also great in a supporting role. She's married to Nels, however she leaves him when he won't talk about the loss of their son. If you're looking for a fun action flick, don't miss this one.
3 1/2 out of 5 stars
Currently streaming on Netflix and to rent on Prime Video.
2010 * TV-14 * 1h 34m For some reason, I've been seeing a lot of excellent teen movies lately. Maybe the algorithms have been pointing me in that direction. Anyway, this is one of those "Rebel with a Cause" type films. It was somewhat predictable, but I thought the acting and writing was above average. Very entertaining little flick.
Eddie "Gonzo" Gilman Ezra Miller) is a smart young upstart. He works on the school paper which is run by the super jock Gavin (Jesse McCartney). Gavin doesn't like to make waves and runs boring articles. When Gonzo has finally had enough, he starts his own radical paper. And what a stir he makes. He teams up with Evie (Zoe Kravitz) and runs the paper with a bunch of misfits, who are totally into bucking the system. They run articles about the school and its bullies that soon get the attention of the principal. As you'd expect, it gets Gonzo suspended. Then he takes it a little too far and he manages to make enemies of every single classmate.
Does he end up learning a lesson? You'll just have to give it a watch and see for yourself!
If you're looking for a fun movie with a bunch of young stars on their way to making it big, check out "Beware of the Gonzo."
Streaming for free on Kanopy and Hoopla (with your library card), Tubi, and Freevee. Also on Plex, Peacock, Pluto TV, and The Roku Channel.
2018 * Not Rated * 1h 45mOne of my favorite movie genres is science fiction. I’ve been a science nerd since I was a kid. So when I first saw the movie“2001: A Space Odyssey,” when I was a teenager, it blew me away. To this day it’s my favorite movie of all time. I’ve probably seen it at least a dozen times. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed numerous other sci-fi flicks like “Contact,” “Arrival,” and “Interstellar” to name but a few. What they all have in common is they’re intelligent movies that are totally believable, they’re well crafted, and they feature great performances.
I recently stumbled upon the film “Clara.” When I saw it described as a romantic science fiction movie I was a bit skeptical, to say the east. After all, romance and science are somewhat opposite notions. But that’s one of the main themes in this remarkable movie. It’s the sophomore effort of director Akash Sherman and what an impressive outing it is. “Clara” is a gently paced movie where the story slowly unfolds. You won’t find a lot of action but that’s its strength. What you will find is a beautiful story, sensational acting, and an ending that I can assure you, will take you by surprise.
We first meet Dr. Isaac Bruno (Patrick J. Adams), a professor of astrophysics giving a lecture. The good doctor is not exactly a people person, to say the least. In fact, he’s downright rude and condescending to his students. It’s this attitude that not only gets him in trouble, it gets him fired. At first he’s shocked, but he soon realizes that it’s a blessing in disguise. Bruno has long been obsessed with searching for intelligent life out in the universe, and this newly found free time could prove to be beneficial to his quest.
One day he spots a young woman in the atrium painting a mural of a colorful galaxy and he makes a mental note of her. Bruno is excited about a couple of recent events related to space exploration. One is the launch of the TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) Space Telescope, which is an upgrade of the Kepler, which discovered a huge number of planets. The second event is the future launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, which will significantly enhance the search for new planets.
The race in on for scientists to discover potentially habitable planets using data gathered by TESS. The winner will be the first one to engage the use of the Webb Telescope. Isaac decides to hire an assistant and is a bit miffed when only one person responds to his flyers—Clara (Troian Bellisario), the muralist he noticed earlier. She turns out to be a bit of a mystery. When he interviews her he discovers she has no scientific training, and in fact, she hasn’t taken any college classes at all. She’s spent the past several years vagabonding around the world. Clara’s been living on the streets with her stray dog, and since no one else applied for the position, he hires her.
Clara turns out to be exactly what Isaac needs. She’s a hard worker, and brings a sense of passion and creativity to their work. While Isaac is the quintessential scientist, Clara is a freethinking, romantic soul. The scientific methodology for their search is explained in layperson’s terms, and it’s easy to understand. It adds credibility to the story and makes the film even more engaging. Isaac also relies on assistance from his colleague Dr. Charles Durant (Ennis Esmer) and his ex-wife Dr. Rebecca Jenkins (Kristen Hager). The pace of the film picks up as it heads to a conclusion that caught me totally off guard.
I really enjoyed the seamless blending of the romantic and scientific sides of the story—neither one overwhelmed the narrative. I thought the cinematography was decent as well. You might be surprised when I tell you the soundtrack included a mix of early Bob Dylan and quiet electronics from composer Jonathan Kawchuk. But trust me, it really does work. It enhanced an already wonderful viewing experience.
5 out of 5 stars
Note to parents: The film is Not Rated and I thought it would probably garner a PG-13 rating.
Currently streaming for free with your library card on Kanopy and Hoopla. Also on Plex, Crackle, and to rent on Prime Video.
2016 * PG-13 * 1h 42m If you're looking for a heartfelt, offbeat, powerful drama, be sure to check out this wonderful film. I don't know why it didn't receive more attention when it was released, but that's Hollywood for you. It features some outstanding performances, gorgeous settings, and a beautiful story.
Wes (Jacob Tremblay is an eccentric young boy. His parents, Alise (Vera Farmiga) and Connor (Marton Csokas) are having a difficult time moving on after the loss of a child. One day Wes decides he's actually a Mongolian goat herder. At first his parents humor him, but eventually they have to come to terms with the fact that he really believes it. Wes befriends Ismail (Sure Sharma), a twenty-something man who works at the local car wash. Ismail dreams of becoming a filmmaker, and begins documenting Wes's story.
After posting clips of Wes on social media, the young man becomes an international celebrity. Then, Wes is off to Mongolia with his mom to meet with his peeps. And of course, Ismail is along for the ride to document the journey.
This is one of those films that you can't help but fall in love with. It's an emotional, tear-jerker that'll have you puddling up.more than once. The actors all do a great job, especially Jacob Tremblay. I think we're going to see a lot more of this young lad. Bravo!
5 out of 5 stars
Streaming for free with your library card on Hoopla.com and on Tubi. Also on Prime Video,
