tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88400285744958377952024-03-24T02:22:15.246-07:00Hot Butter ReviewsHitting the movie theater every week to bring you the movie reviews you deserve. Spend your box office dollars wisely!CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.comBlogger474125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8840028574495837795.post-6852117065438653312013-12-15T18:21:00.002-08:002013-12-15T18:21:18.355-08:00American Hustle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">8.0 </span></b>out of 10</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> |<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> Rental</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Rated: R </strong>Pervasive language, some sexual content and brief violence</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Director:</strong> David O. Russell<br /><strong>Writers: </strong>Eric Singer, David O. Russell<br /><strong>Cast:</strong> Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Jennifer Lawrence, Louis C.K., Alessandro Nivola</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECMHgFnhTqU">Watch Trailer</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>SYNOPSIS: </b> A con man, Irving Rosenfeld, along with his seductive British partner, Sydney Prosser, is forced to work for a wild FBI agent, Richie DiMaso. DiMaso pushes them into a world of Jersey powerbrokers and mafia.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /><b>REVIEW:</b> <i>The Fighter</i> director David O. Russell reunites with Christian Bale and Amy Adams for another period drama based on real circumstances. Written by Eric Singer (<i>The International</i>) and director Russell, Bale, Adams and Cooper try to grift their way to their biggest score.</span><br />
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Irving (Christian Bale) lives a different type of life, growing up in a way that eventually led him to a life of grifting. Even with legitiment businesses from his father, he gravitates to taking advantage of those circling the bottom of the barrel where the desperate and despondent live. At a winter pool party Irving meets a kindred spirit in a woman named Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) who incidentally elevates his con game. But even keeping the cons small enough to manage, Irving and Sydney get pinched by eager young FBI man Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper). Forcing the pair into helping him make a name for himself, Richie promises to let them go if he is handed four significant busts. When Richie gets a taste for success he demands bigger busts from Irving and Sydney. Feeling way over his head, Irving must figure out how to balance his and Sydney's tentative freedom, the good name of the Mayor of Camden Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner) who he has grown to respect, the wants of DiMaso of the FBI and a bunch of mobsters and congressmen who want to invest in the Atlantic City boardwalk.<br />
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Set in the Spring of 1978 New York and New Jersey, <i>American Hustle</i> is a great throwback to the con artist movies of the past. Con games and artists are entertaining to watch. It is one of the reasons why White Collar works so well on the USA Network and why Paul Newman and Robert Redford's <i>The Sting</i> is such a classic. It's also why an audience will sit through a 138 minute movie. An audience will put into the time as long as there's a great payoff at the end.<br />
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But it's not just the con game that keeps this film rolling. Filled with great dramatic and comedic dialogue delivered by great actors and actresses, as well as a paced plotline, <i>American Hustle</i> boogies down. Adams, Cooper, Bale and Lawrence create unique and nuanced characters filled up with their talent. Louis C.K. and Cooper do great work on a comedic side, making audience laugh at how ridiculous their work relationship is. Bale's Irving and Adams' Sydney are in constant jeopardy, pinning their well-being and livelihood on their grifting talents. The problem is that they have never worked on this large a scale.<br />
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The style is 70s tones and disco abandon, letting the characters loose with necklines that extend to the waistline, wide lapels, hairy chest and gold medallions. The real world of 1978 was wrought with a recession, a war that left a bad taste in America's mouth and skyrocketing interest rates. While <i>American Hustle</i> is a story about scamming the system, it is also a backdrop for the state of the union. The FBI was still young and not even thinking about crime at the white collar level. Because of that and people's desperation grifting was very lucrative indeed.<br />
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The cast is brilliant, the story is superb and well paced. <i>American Hustle</i> is worth the money to watch, not unlike watching a street hustler move the hidden ball move under the three cups of the shell game. </span><br />
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CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8840028574495837795.post-18605267093074403422013-12-11T18:13:00.001-08:002013-12-11T18:13:41.893-08:00The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">7.75 </span></b>out of 10</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> |<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> Rental</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Release Date:</strong> December 13, 2013</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Runtime: </strong>2 hours 40 minutes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Director:</strong> Peter Jackson<br /><strong>Writers: </strong>Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, Guillermo del Toro, based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien<br /><strong>Cast:</strong> Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Ken Stott, Graham McTavish, William Kircher, James Nesbitt, Stephen Hunter, Dean O'Gorman, Aiden Turner, John Callen, Peter Hambleton, Jed Brophy, Mark Hadlow, Adam Brown, Orlando Bloom, Cate Blanchett, Luke Evans, Sylvester McCoy, Barry Humphries, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfflhfn1W-o">Watch Trailer</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>SYNOPSIS: </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> The dwarves, along with Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Grey, continue their quest to reclaim Erebor, their homeland, from Smaug. Bilbo Baggins is in possession of a mysterious and magical ring.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /><b>REVIEW:</b> Peter Jackson, director of the <i>Lord of the Rings</i> trilogy and <i>The Lovely Bones</i>, returns to the reins of the story that made Jackson such a premiere and acclaimed director of our time. Writers Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Jackson reunite to delve back into the world of J.R.R. Tolkien and the realms of Middle-Earth.</span><br />
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Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), his dwarf company, Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) and Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) narrowly escape from an Orc ambush. Still being pursued, the company of dwarves, a hobbit, and a wizard make their way ever closer to the Lonely Mountain. On the road they travel through more Orc infested hills, the giant spider infested Mirkwood, elf guarded forests, and an ailing fishing town at the base of the Lonely Mountain under the keep of men. During their travels Gandolf the Gray must say goodbye to the company in order to prove his own worries of a darkness that may becoming back into the world. With the evils of Orcs, the threat of the dark Necromancer, isolated Elves, and the greed and sloth of Men, Oakenshield, Bilbo and the rest of the company of dwarves may never reach the secret passage to the Lonely Mountain in time to face Smaug the Dragon.<br />
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Picking up immediately after the end of <i>The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey</i>, <i>The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug</i> serves as the heart of <i>The Hobbit</i> trilogy of films. Using the same formula as Peter Jackson's original <i>Lord of the Rings</i> trilogy, hobbits, dwarves and wizards spend much of their time running toward their final destination, being captured and imprisoned, fighting off all manner of evil menace, and dealing with close minded and isolationist kings and kingdoms. Most return to the second film, and some new characters are introduced or pulled from the The J.R.R. Tolkien source materials.<br />
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Martin Freeman's Bilbo Baggins finds himself better prepared for the task of this adventure. He found something in the Goblin mines - namely his courage and an odd little ring. The company of dwarves, led by Thoren Oakenshield's Armitage, continue their venture as well looking more haggard and weary than Bilbo. McKellan's Gandalf is as enwizened and curious as ever, still able to wield a powerful staff and sword. Luke Evans plays Bard, a barge operator barely making a living in the small town of Laketown at the foot of the Lonely Mountain. Alan Cumberbatch lends his voice to the centuries old Smaug. Evangeline Liily is a new S</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">he-Elf name Tauriel, a captain of the guard of the Wood Elves. Orlando Bloom returns - for the first time - as Legolas the prince son of the Wood Elf king Thranduil (Lee Pace).</span><br />
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Peter Jackson's second installment of <i>The Hobbit</i> is as epic as ever, coming in at two hours and 40 minutes. With impressive vistas and long rolling shots of the hills and dales of the world of Middle Earth, the tale seems to have lost some of its urgency and magic. WingNut worked overtime to create more elaborate and epic CGI sequences. From the extended escape in the barrels from the Wood Elves and Orcs to the elaborate and gorgeous rendering of Smaug in his stolen under mountain treasure vaults, most of the effects are wonderful. And while the effects get better the repetitive nature of the film's storyline makes some of the quieter moments stale. Tauriel walks a fine line of repeating some of the same work that Liv Tyler's Arwen did in <i>LOTR: Fellowship of the Ring</i>. Even Stephen Fry's Master of Laketown is in possession of a wormy servant name Alfrid (Ryan Gage) a la a certain pale apprentice to Saruman in <i>LOTR: The Two Towers</i>.<br />
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Fans of the stories will appreciate all the love and care that Jackson, Walsh and Boyens put into <i>The Hobbit</i>. Newcomers to the franchise may be unprepared for the film's length or that it is the centerpiece of a three part single story. Beautiful and epic, Jackson makes fantasy as real as possible.
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CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8840028574495837795.post-21819196210181280992013-12-09T18:12:00.002-08:002013-12-09T18:12:44.939-08:00Saving Mr. Banks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Rated: PG-13 </strong>Thematic elements including some unsettling images<br /><strong>Release Date:</strong> December 13, 2013<br /><strong>Runtime: </strong>2 hours 5 minutes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">P.L. Travers (Emma Thompson, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2013/02/beautiful-creatures.html">Beautiful Creatures</a></i>), writer of the Mary Poppins stories, has been pursued by Walt Disney (Tom Hanks, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2013/10/captain-phillips.html">Captain Phillips</a></i>) for 20 years to adapt her beloved characters to the big screen. When she finds herself struggling to maintain her finances, Mrs. Travers travels to California to the Walt Disney production complex to meet with Walt and a team of writers and composers to see if Walt will be faithful to her work and the vision of her characters. She doesn't sign her rights to her characters away, doesn't want sappy and snappy music, and forbids - above all else - any use of animation. Every swatch of cloth, every choice of a cast, every nuance of the story plot is a battle between Mrs. Travers and Walt's creative team. Can either side compromise enough to create a finished film?<br />
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We all know that Walt Disney Studios produced and put out <i>Mary Poppins</i> as a feature film. That could never come under dispute. What this film shows is the turmoil, both internal and external, that Mrs. Travers underwent while trying to rationalize why and how to bring her beloved nanny to the big screen. The film is aptly named, the P.L.Travers collection of Mary Poppins stories a reflection of her own youth spent at the end of the line in Australia. She idolized her father who held a strong grip on his own imaginative spirit. She idolized him as she was a kindred Celtic spirit. Writing Mary Poppins allowed Travers to pay homage to her father and to attempt to reconcile her own demons concerning family.<br />
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The story flashes between Pamela's youth in Australia around 1901, then moving forward to 1960s London, England and Hollywood, California for a fateful few weeks where the battle for Mary Poppins' future commenced. Moving back-and-forth, we catch glimpses of what P.L.Travers has been dealing with her entire life. What starts off as an author's catharsis by putting finger to typewriter ends up being a much larger realization when she is faced with the decision of letting go of her creations.<br />
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Emma Thompson is superb as the P.L. Travers. She is prim and proper, holding her values and creations in the highest regard. She is difficult to deal with and more difficult to read. Tom Hanks, as Walt Disney himself, plays the man behind the Mouse with ease and a childlike enthusiasm. He also holds his own values in high regard, as well trying to keep a 20 year promise to his daughters. Paul Giamatti (<i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2013/07/turbo.html">Turbo</a></i>) plays Travers' chauffeur Ralph, bringing his own positive attitude to the aid of a difficult woman and situation. B.J. Novak as Robert Sherman and Jason Schwartzman as his composer brother Richard are both very professional when it comes to being the creative force to put Mary Poppins on screen. Both over-the-top and subtle, each gets their points across to the Mary Poppins creator. Colin Farrell who plays Pamela's father and Annie Rose Buckley who plays his young creative daughter have a chemistry matching their creative and imaginative spirits.<br />
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Semi-biographical, semi historical, and pulling source material from both archived recordings from the Disney creative team meetings and sketches and movie sequences from the Disney Vault, <i>Saving Mr. Banks</i> has an air of realism mixed with whimsy. As with all stories of this kind there is always embellishment and license, but this feels just right. As Mary Poppins herself would say to the author and her need for closure and letting go, a spoonful of sugar will make the medicine go down.</span></span></div>
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CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8840028574495837795.post-23274628175543385902013-11-28T08:26:00.004-08:002013-11-28T08:41:09.739-08:00Homefront<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">7.25 </span></b>out of 10</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> |<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> Rental</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Rated: R </strong> Strong violence, pervasive language, drug content and brief sexuality <br /><strong>Release Date:</strong> November 27, 2013<br /><strong>Runtime: </strong>1 hour 40 minutes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Director: </strong>Gary Fielder<br /><strong>Writers: </strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Sylvester Stallone, based on the novel by Chuck Logan<br /><strong>Cast:</strong> Jason Statham, James Franco, Izabela Vidovic, Kate Bosworth, Marcus Hester, Clancy Brown, Winona Ryder, Frank Grillo</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjSOj8b804U">Watch Trailer</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>SYNOPSIS: </b>A former DEA agent moves his daughter to a quiet town, where he soon tangles with a local meth druglord.<br /><br /><b>REVIEW:</b> Runaway Jury director Gary Fielder is no stranger to suspense or action, spending a lot of time directing action-oriented episodes for <i>The Shield</i> and <i>Life on Mars</i>. Now, with a script from none other than Sly Stallone (<i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-expendables-2.html">The Expendables 2</a></i>) Fielder combines suspense and action together for a Thanksgiving weekend release.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">Phil broker (Jason Statham, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2013/01/parker.html">Parker</a></i>) leaves the DEA after an undercover assignment goes sideways. Retiring to Rayville, Louisiana with his 10-year-old daughter Maddy (Izabela Vidovic), he tries to lead a normal life. When Maddy defends herself from a bully at school, it sets off a chain reaction of violence and revenge that starts with the boy's mother Cassie (Kate Bosworth, <i>Superman Returns</i>) and father Jimmy (Marcus Hester, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2012/09/looper.html">Looper</a></i>) before escalating to the mother's meth drug lord brother Morgan 'Gator' Bodice (James Franco, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2013/06/this-is-end.html">This is the End</a></i>). When Gator learns of Phil's past life involving the leader of the biker gang The Outcasts, he tries to secure expansion opportunities by serving up Phil's location using his girlfriend Sheryl (Winona Ryder, <i>Star Trek</i>) as the go between.
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<br />From a story by Chuck Logan and adapted to the screen by the one and only Sylvester Stallone, <i>Homefront</i> is prototypical action flick. The protagonist is a capable ex-military, ex-agent who is just trying to leave his past behind and lead a normal life with his family. He tries to be a good man and devoted father, but his training and sense of right and wrong put him in the middle of circumstances that force him to take action to protect those he loves.
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<br />While not original in the action genre, the movie does bring some fresh life to it. Jason Statham is always fun to watch as an action hero, up there with Bruce Willis and Stallone. He has an easy way about him that makes him a good character for the forced upon vigilante while knowing how to kick some serious ass when he needs to. The choreography and action sequences illicit oohs and ahhs. Statham has great chemistry with his on-screen daughter played by newcomer Izabela Vidovic, making the duo very likable as a family unit. But as good as Jason Statham's presence and physicality are, it still would be nothing without a serious threat and villain.
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<br />James Franco, as the meth lord nicknamed Gator, puts a good performance as a ruthless meth cooker and brother trying to do right by his strung out sister. When Gator finds an opportunity to expand his business and change his own life at Phil Broker's expense, he jumps at the chance. Gator is only one of the villains that make this movie so good. Winona Ryder's Cheryl, ex-biker groupie and current Gator drug partner, seems only concerned about her own preservation. Trained killer and biker Cyrus, played by Frank Grillo (<i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2012/12/zero-dark-thirty.html">Zero Dark Thirty</a></i>), is sent to deal with the Phil Broker loose end. As a collective this group of deviants could, at any moment, prove more than a match for Statham's character.<br />
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Homefront</i> is a good blend of family bonding and villain pounding. Most of it may be a little cliché but Franco, Statham, Ryder and Grillo makes for a action and popcorn lovers spectacle, especially after stuffing oneself with turkey and stuffing.</span></span></div>
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CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8840028574495837795.post-62136610079539817172013-11-25T19:18:00.002-08:002013-11-25T19:18:50.651-08:00Nebraska<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;"><b>Winning Ticket</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">8.0 </span></b>out of 10</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> |<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> Rental</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Rated: R </strong>Language and sexual connotation<br /><strong>Release Date:</strong> November 15, 2013<br /><strong>Runtime: </strong>1 hour 55 minutes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Director: </strong>Alexander Payne<br /><strong>Writers: </strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Bob Nelson<br /><strong>Cast:</strong> Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb, Bob Odenkirk, Stacy Keach</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT5tqPojMtg">Watch Trailer</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>SYNOPSIS: </b> An aging, booze-addled father makes the trip from Montana to Nebraska with his estranged son in order to claim a million dollar Mega Sweepstakes Marketing prize.<br /><br /><b>REVIEW:</b> Alexander Payne, director of <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2011/12/descendants.html">The Descendants</a></i>, takes a script from Bob Nelson (<i>The Eyes of Nye</i>) to create a black-and-white tribute to a story of fathers and sons - and the things we learn along the way.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"> Woody Grant (Bruce Dern, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2012/12/django-unchained.html">Django Unchained</a></i>) receives a letter in the mail alerting him that he's won $1,000,000 in a sweepstakes. He is found by the police department on the highway in Billings, Montana trying to walk his way to Lincoln, Nebraska to claim his winnings. Even though his wife Kate and sons Dave (Will Forte, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2012/06/rock-of-ages.html">Rock of Ages</a></i>) and Ross (Ken Odenkirk, <i>Movie 43</i>) try to explain why the letter is not proof that he won anything, Woody will not be deterred. Realizing this, Dave gives in and agrees to drive his father to Lincoln in order to put a stop to his father's fantasy. Along the way Dave and Woody run into issues with Woody's health, as well as a costly and enlightening detour to Woody's hometown of Hawthorne, Nebraska.<br />
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Shot in black-and-white, <i>Nebraska</i> is a testament to good storytelling, character focus, and subtle nuances. Stripped down to its purest form the movie makes the audience focus on what is happening at the moment. Choreographed with gorgeous cinematography, like an Ansel Adams photograph giving the film a richer and weathered quality, every stationary or panning shot adds to both the beauty and sometimes the despair of America's middle.<br />
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More a character study of aging in America and the aging of America, <i>Nebraska</i> posts wonderful acting by Bruce Dern and June Squibb. Dern's Woody is the forgetful yet driven man who lives in a country where he had served his country, pays his taxes and should be over to do whatever how he wants to do. Squibb is a piece of work throughout the whole film, but shows she is not always the one at fault. Will Forte's Dave moves away from his roots in sketch and situational comedies to play a more down-to-earth and real character as Woody's son. Boasting only Dern and Stacy Keach as major stars, the film is filled with beautifully casted siblings and family members to make anyone from the breadbasket of America feel like they are at home themselves. <br />
<br />Bruce Dern's Woody represents a dying America that may not survive. All he wants is to feel like he has done enough to leave a legacy. Looking at small towns that Dave and Woody drive through on the way to Lincoln, Nebraska, you see that while homesteads from a man's youth may still stand, it doesn't carry the emotional way it should. The towns are dying and somewhat forgotten, paint peeling off the walls and columns, the dry leaves blowing through the streets and closed up shop of Main St., America. People who built this country are now left to slowly fade away.<br />
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The film is endearing as Woody strives to fulfill a life goal of leaving something behind. It also is very funny in parts with Woody and sharp dialogue between father and son, husband and wife, and sometimes no dialogue at all between several brothers who have lived a full life. Coming in at a little under two hours the film does seem a bit long. There's no doubt that Bruce Dern, Will Forte and Stacy Keach hold our attention and keep us engaged. That being said, some of the more artistic aspects of the film tend to go on for a little bit longer than needed. Shortening a film by just a few minutes would've helped.<br />
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An artistic independent film, <i>Nebraska</i> is worth your time. It's not necessarily big-screen fair but if you have the right ticket it may still be a winner.
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CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8840028574495837795.post-84070314896221679512013-11-23T13:14:00.002-08:002013-11-23T13:14:23.794-08:00The Hunger Games Catching Fire<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;"><b>Girl Still On Fire</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">8.75 </span></b>out of 10</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> |<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> Movie and DVD</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Rated: PG-13 </strong>For intense sequences of violence and action, some frightening images, thematic elements, a suggestive situation and language<br /><strong>Release Date:</strong> November 22, 2013<br /><strong>Runtime: </strong>2 hours 26 minutes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Director: </strong>Francis Lawrence<br /><strong>Writers: </strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Simon Beaufoy, Michael Arndt, based on the novel 'Catching Fire' by Suzanne Collins<br /><strong>Cast:</strong> Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Jack Quaid, Taylor St. Clair, Woody Harrelson, Josh Hutcherson, Willow Shields, Donald Sutherland, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Lynn Cohen, Jena Malone</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAzGXqJSDJ8">Watch Trailer</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>SYNOPSIS: </b> Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark become targets of the Capitol after their victory in the 74th Hunger Games sparks a rebellion in the Districts of Panem.<br /><br /><b>REVIEW:</b> Francis Lawrence, director of <i>I Am Legend</i> and the upcoming <i>The Hunger Games: Mockingjay </i>films, takes over the reins from Gary Ross and brings Katniss and Peeta back to the games. Simon Beaufoy (<i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2010/12/127-hours.html">127 Hours</a></i>) and Michael Arndt (<i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2013/04/oblivion.html">Oblivion</a></i>) adapt the second book from Suzanne Collins in the hopes that the tributes from District 12 can survive.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"> Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2011/06/x-men-first-class.html">X-Men: First Class</a></i>) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson, <i>Epic</i>) have returned to Panem's District 12 as victors of the 74th Hunger Games. Living in the Victors Village, the best homes in the desolate community, Katniss still desires to leave with Gale (Liam Hemsworth, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-expendables-2.html">The Expendables 2</a></i>) into the forest and away from the rule and oppression of President Snow and the Capitol. Sensing an uprising in the Districts, President Snow (Donald Sutherland) urges Katniss to portray the 'in love' winner with Peeta to quell the ideas of rebellion. When their victors tour results in squabbling crowds and unrest, Snow changes the rules of the game by announcing that the 75th Hunger Games, the 3rd Quarter Quell, will reap its tributes from the past winners of the event. Peeta and Katniss are forced back into the fray as the games commence, banding together with some if the other tributes in order to stay alive and to remember who the real enemy is.<br />
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Jennifer Lawrence returns as the reluctant heroine Katniss in the second of the Hunger Games series. No longer novices from the first film, Katniss and Hutcherson's Peeta better understand the political machine behind the oppression and fear of the Capitol and the presidency. Katniss sees graffiti of her signature mockingjay everywhere she goes, signifying a change in attitude of the populace against the government. Winning the 74th Hunger Games in front of the entire world with the virtue of love and sacrifice has sparked a faint, but strengthening, life of hope throughout the Districts.<br />
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A darker and more stark entry, <i>Catching Fire</i> starts by reintroducing Katniss and Peeta in the aftermath of winning the Hunger Games. Winners of the games and living a slightly better life than their District 12 neighbors, the pair suffers a strained relationship as each tries to rationalize their true feelings. Katniss still loves Gale, Peeta pines for Katniss, and President Snow desires the continued success of his rule in the Capitol and over the Districts. More entrenched with politics and subterfuge, Katniss and the others have to deal with more painful emotions and the realization that they are again forced to fight against an almost infallible opponent.<br />
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Jennifer Lawrence has an even more raw edge in her second outing as Katniss. Josh Hutcherson, as Peeta, shows that he is not just that defenseless young man from the 74th games, growing into his role as a leader and defender of District 12 and Katniss. Under-appreciated Woody Harrelson shines as Haymitch, the tortured former winner of the Games. He straddles the line between gifted diplomat and ragged alcoholic. Effie Trinket, played by Elizabeth Banks, is softer and more humanized, showing that living in the shine and decadence of the Capitol does not necessarily mean that she has no heart. Philip Seymour Hoffman steps in as the new games master Plutarch Heavensbee. Sutherland and Tucci are phenomenal in their returning roles.<br />
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From a fairly faithful adaptation of the book, to superb performances by a stellar cast, to a story that seems to start off as a retread but ends up with intrigue, action, pain and suspense, <i>Catching Fire</i> takes <i>The Hunger Games</i> to the next level. Katniss may be the Girl on Fire, but she may set all of Panem ablaze.</span></span></div>
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CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8840028574495837795.post-74375556258640843212013-11-20T18:48:00.002-08:002013-11-23T13:33:08.463-08:00Disney's Frozen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">10 </span></b>out of 10</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> |<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> Movie and DVD</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Rated: G </strong>Animated peril and adventure<br /><strong>Release Date:</strong> November 27, 2013<br /><strong>Runtime: </strong>1 hour 45 minutes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Director: </strong>Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee<br /><strong>Writers: </strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee, Shane Morris, inspired by the 'The Snow Queen' by Hans Christian Andersen<br /><strong>Cast:</strong> Kristen Bell, Alan Tudyk, Josh Gad, Jonathan Groff, Santino Fontana</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF_GqzKiMv4">Watch Trailer</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>SYNOPSIS: </b> Fearless optimist Anna teams up with Kristoff in an epic journey, encountering Everest-like conditions, and a hilarious snowman named Olaf in a race to find Anna's sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom in eternal winter.<br /><br /><b>REVIEW:</b> Writer/director Chris Buck (<i>Surf's Up</i>) and writer,first-time director Jennifer Lee (<i>Wreck-it Ralph</i>) create a wintery, not-so-wonderland, along with writer Shane Morris and a little inspiration from 'The Snow Queen' by Hans Christian Andersen. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"> Elsa (Idina Menzel. <i>Enchanted</i>) and Anna (Kristen Bell, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2012/08/hit-and-run.html">Hit and Run</a></i>) are princesses in the kingdom of Arendelle. Anna loves it when her sister sneaks out of her room at night to makes snowmen with her. The only difference is that Elsa has magic that can create ice, snow and wintery weather. When an accident forces the king to take Elsa and Anna to a group of mystical rock trolls, they heal Anna and advise the king to have Elsa get control of her powers. Shut away from the rest the kingdom, Elsa lives a lonely life in fear of the powers inside her. Years later on the day of Elsa's royal coronation, she accidentally sets in motion an eternal freeze that endangers the kingdom and her people. Anna must help her sister using ice cutter Kristoff (Jonathan Groff, <i>The Conspirator</i>), his reindeer Sven, and an enchanted snowman named Olaf (Josh Gad, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-internship.html">The Internship</a></i>). Will Anna and her new friends reach Elsa in time to reverse what she has done, or will Arendelle continue to suffer the forever winter?<br />
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From the Walt Disney Animation Studios, <i>Frozen</i> is a CGI spectacle without the use of Pixar Studios. Following more in the footsteps of classic Disney animated films like <i>Snow White and the Seven Dwarves</i> and the more recent <i>Tangled</i>, <i>Frozen</i> is filled with song, drama, heart and laughs. You never hear Woody or Buzz Lightyear break into song at a moments notice. Once you settle in to the musical quality of the film, you are transported back to those earlier Walt Disney classics coupled with the enjoyment of state-of-the-art CGI animation.<br />
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As with most Walt Disney animations, tragic events put in motion an adventure of enchanted proportions. With lost parents, estranged sisters, and blessed magic turned into a curse, from the tragedy comes drama, adventure, and comic hijinks. With ice queens and kingdoms in jeopardy, Anna holds hope in her hearts that she can undo everything that Elsa been done. Helping Anna is Kristoff, his endearing and funny reindeer companion Sven, and a hilarious ice snowman named Olaf. Similar to <i>Tangled</i>, Sven says more with a snort and a raised eyebrow then with words. Everything that the snowman Olaf does, from words to deeds, will keep you laughing. And while Kristoff does not want to get involved he finds himself helping anyway. <br />
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The music is beautiful, the arts and scenery of the animation is gorgeous telling a story all its own, and the characters are likable and worthy of rooting for. From a great story with hearts, action and drama, <i>Frozen</i> is a delight for kids young and old. Not too scary for the young ones, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>Frozen</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"> still boasts an epic snow monster that chases Anna and her friends off a mountain. Otherwise it's good wholesome fun and fret for everyone.<br />
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Coming from Disney, you expect great storytelling and wonderful animation. Rebounding from the less-than-well received <i>Pixar's Planes</i> earlier this year, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>Frozen</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"> does not slip or falter in its attempt to thaw your hearts and keep you warm from the cold.</span></span></div>
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CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8840028574495837795.post-38123128664227674942013-11-18T18:50:00.002-08:002013-11-18T18:50:59.041-08:00Delivery Man<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;"><b>Potency</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">6.75 </span></b>out of 10</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> |<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> Rental</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Rated: PG-13 </strong>Thematic elements, sexual content, some drug material, brief violence and language<br /><strong>Release Date:</strong> November 22, 2013<br /><strong>Runtime: </strong>1 hour 45 minutes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Director: </strong>Ken Scott<br /><strong>Writers: </strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Ken Scott, Martin Petit<br /><strong>Cast:</strong> Vince Vaughn, Chris Pratt, Cobie Smulders, Bobby Moynihan, Adam Chanler-Berat, Britt Robertson, Jack Reynor</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF_GqzKiMv4">Watch Trailer</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>SYNOPSIS: </b> An affable underachiever finds out he's fathered 533 children through anonymous donations to a fertility clinic 20 years ago. Now he must decide whether or not to come forward when 142 of them file a lawsuit to reveal his identity.<br /><br /><b>REVIEW:</b> Writer and director Ken Scott takes his own 2011 film <i>Starbuck</i> and remakes it with American sweetheart Vince Vaughn. Scott did have help from co-writer Martin Petit the first go-around but seems to have found his own way this try.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"> David Wozniak (Vince Vaughn, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-internship.html">The Internship</a></i>) lives a carefree and responsibility free life as a meat delivery driver for his father's business. He owes money to the wrong people, can't seem to keep from getting parking tickets, and has all but abandoned his girlfriend Emma (Cobie Smoulders, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2012/05/avengers-3d.html">The Avengers</a></i>). When he learns that his sperm donating years ago has resulted in him fathering over 500 kids - and that over 100 of those offspring are petitioning to discover David's identity. He must make the impossible choice whether to reveal himself to the enquiring kids or stay anonymous no matter what. While deciding David has to juggle work, his newly pregnant girlfriend, and serving as a guardian angel for the kids he wants to be close to.<br />
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Vince Vaughn takes a more dramatic turn in <i>Delivery Man</i>. His wingman Owen Wilson is absent from the story, replaced by mediocre lawyer and best friend of twenty years Brett (Chris Pratt, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2012/12/zero-dark-thirty.html">Zero Dark Thirty</a></i>). The normal silly hi-jinks are replaced by something more akin to a possible dramatic edge. Dealing with over one hundred kids who want to find out their sperm father's identity can be a logistical nightmare.<br />
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Unable to include all of the kids, Vaughn and his character Dave focus on just a few of them. From a barista who want to be an actor, to a girl at the end of her rope, to a handicapped young man living in a group home, the story tries to give a little slice of all the lives that David had created. Unfortunately some of the dramatic elements that come with telling these individual tales leads to one child left out by the end. Understanding that it is difficult to tell so many stories in a hundred minute film, some threads start and do not really end to satisfaction.<br />
<br /><i>Delivery Man</i> is a Vince Vaughn movie with dramatic potential, but the story really doesn't offer enough of either the drama or the company to know what it wants to be when it grows up. There are loose ends used strictly as a device to get to the next point of the story, Cobie Smulders is underused and forgotten through much of the film, and the brothers in the Wozniak family, including Tommy Moynahan, don't get enough screen time to really make a difference. Chris Pratt does the flick proud as his typical <i>Parks and Recreation</i> self, his character mugging and scratching his head throughout.<br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>Delivery Man</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">, based on the story <i>Starbuck</i>, could have been an utterly chaotic slapstick comedy or a straight heart tugging drama. Vince Vaughn does all he can to straddle and blur the line between them. At the end of the day </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>Delivery Man</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"> is what you would expect from a father of over five hundred children - exhausted and confused.</span></span></div>
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CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8840028574495837795.post-30753913948301337632013-11-08T14:53:00.000-08:002013-11-08T14:53:50.446-08:00Thor: The Dark World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">8.25 </span></b>out of 10</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> |<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> MOVIE and DVD</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Rated: PG-13 </strong>Intense sci-fi action and violence and some suggestive content<br /><strong>Release Date:</strong> November 8, 2013<br /><strong>Runtime: </strong>1 hour 51 minutes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Director: </strong>Alan Taylor<br /><strong>Writers: </strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Christopher Yost, Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely, Don Payne, Robert Rodat, based on the character created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Jack Kirby<br /><strong>Cast:</strong> Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Christopher Eccleston, Jaimie Alexander, Zachary Levi, Ray Stevenson, Tadanobu Asano, Idris Elba, Rene Russo, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Kat Dennings, Stellan Skarsgard</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">Millennium ago, before the light over the Nine Realms was formed, Dark Elves ruled. When light came to the worlds the Dark Elves fought to keep it at bay. Eventually the Asgardians, led by Bor, beat the elves back into annihilation and kept their leader Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) from releasing the Aether that would bring darkness back to all the realms. Now, as the Nine Realms move into alignment known as a Convergence the physics and separation between realms becomes thin and unpredictable. After the events of the alien invasion in New York Thor (Chris Hemsworth) has been busy with quelling marauders and warring factions across the worlds. When his love Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) comes in contact with the Aether, Thor takes her from Midgard to Asgard for treatment. Sensing that the Aether has returned, The Dark Elf king awakes from his slumber to retrieve it and finish plunging the realms back into darkness. Thor and his imprisonment brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) must go against Odin (Anthony Hopkins) in an attempt to save Jane, destroy the Aether, and ultimately defeat the Dark Elves.<br />
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The battle for New York is over, and the Avengers have disbanded to return to their own lives. Tony Stark has rebuilt Stark Tower and deal with the menace of Pierce and the Mandarin. Thor returns to Asgard to defend both his kingdom and the other worlds from the chaos that has erupted. And soon Steve Rogers will have to deal with patriotic nostalgic notions set against a more violent and covert modern world. While some say that no single hero film will top what the Avengers and Joss Whedon brought to life in the summer of 2012, both Ironman and Thor have returned to deal with their own single adventures. After Thor's origin story and his stint in the Avengers, <i>The Dark World</i> opens up the character and mythos and brings to life a tale of tragedy, loss, humor, action, redemption and action.<br />
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Taking a page directly from Norse mythology, the Dark Elves are an integral parts of viking lore. Malekith and his elf brothers add another formidable menace to Thor's rich history. Also, each realm brings to life a unique mesh of mechanics, sorcery, religion and technology. For the Dark Elves their battleships are reminiscence of those of the necromancers from <i>The Chronicles of Riddick</i>. The elves are both elegant and utterly dangerous.<br />
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The god of thunder, as mighty as he is with his hammer, is still most interesting when humanized. He surrounds himself with his friends Sif (Jaimie Alexander), Hogan Tadanobu Asano), Fandral (Zachery Levi), and Volstagg (Ray Stevenson). Thor struggles with his responsibility as heir to the kingdom of Asgard. He battles against the "wisdom "of his father Odin, and he yearns for a return to Jane in Midgard. But aside from his worries and responsibilities, this tale is made most interesting by his relationship with his brother Loki who was the engineer of the alien invasion in New York City. <br />
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Hiddleston's Loki always steals every scene with his conniving tricks. Played to perfection, Loki is at the same time earnest and power-hungry. Hemsworth's Thor may be muscle bound but his strength doesn't keep him from the worries of his responsibility to his kingdom and his love. Kat Dennings' unpaid intern Darcy provides plenty of one-liner laughs, as well as Stellan Skarsgard's Dr. Eric Selvig running around through half the film in some form of undress. Natalie Portman's Jane Foster is more developed and in more jeopardy in this film, serving as a focal points to the events that unfold. And you can't discount Anthony Hopkins' always Shakespearean turn as the All-father Odin.<br />
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Thor wields his mighty hammer Mjolnir to wrestle with both the safety and security of Asgard, Midgard and of the rest of the Nine Realms. <i>Thor: The Dark World</i> is a well-paced fantasy adventure tale perfect to follow up both the original film and <i>The Avengers</i>, filled with action, romance and dire consequence. This time around the god of thunder truly brings the boom.<br />
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Note: Remember to stay for both the mid end credits and after the end credits for scenes that foreshadows events in future feature films and a bit of closure for this film.
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CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8840028574495837795.post-3314986623667467242013-11-06T16:34:00.003-08:002013-11-06T16:36:52.406-08:00About Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;"><b>Picking the Right Moments</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">7.8 </span></b>out of 10</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> |<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> DVD or RENTAL</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Rated: R </strong>Language and some sexual content<br /><strong>Release Date:</strong> November 8, 2013<br /><strong>Runtime: </strong>2 hours 4 minutes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Director: </strong>Richard Curtis<br /><strong>Writers: </strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Richard Curtis<br /><strong>Cast:</strong> Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy, Lydia Wilson, Lindsay Duncan, Richard Cordery, Joshua McGuire, Tom Hollander</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs1kpGNSRVk">Watch Trailer</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>SYNOPSIS: </b> At the age of 21, Tim discovers he can travel in time and change what happens and has happened in his own life. His decision to make his world a better place by getting a girlfriend turns out not to be as easy as it sounds.<br /><br /><b>REVIEW:</b> Richard Curtis, director of <i>Pirate Radio </i>and <i>Love Actually</i>, writes and directs a new romantic tale taking place on the British Isle. Can his new effort stand up to the success of his previous works? Only time will tell.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">A young man Tim (Domhnall Gleeson, <i>Dredd 3D</i>) is told by his father (Bill Nighy, <i>The World's End</i>) on the day after a huge annual family New Years Eve party that all the men in the family can travel back in time. Will he try and gain riches and fame with his power? Actually, all he really wants is to find a girlfriend. Moving to London to pursue a career as a barrister, Tim finds himself on a date with a young woman Mary (Rachel McAdams, <i>The Vow</i>). Completely smitten, Tim does all he can to make every moment perfect with her. Will his time traveling lead to a perfect life, or will he alter it so much that it will be unrecognizable?<br />
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Built as a dramedy with a science-fi plot device, <i>About Time</i> can be categorized in the same genre as Keanu Reeves' <i>Lake House</i>, Paul Dano's <i>Ruby Sparks</i>, and Eric Bana's <i>The Time Traveler's Wife</i>. Time traveling is paramount to the story and serves it well, but the story is more than just that notion, revolving about love and loss, regrets and realizations, and life decisions made.<br />
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Decidedly British, <i>About Time's</i> Tim is a young Hugh Grant, awkwardly stumbling around his words around girls and strange situations. As he grows up, he matures but keeps his innocence and naivety. Time travel is not an easy concept to wrap one's mind around, but Tim does his best to find his way through it. Tim's dad tries to guide him in the intricacies of the legacy ability as best he can without keeping Tim from finding his own way and own voice. The American Mary is the perfect blend of girl next door and romantic pursuit. She is worthy of Tim's time and the audience's investment. rounding out the ensemble is Lydia Wilson as the free spirit and younger sister Kit Kat, Richard Cordery as the eccentric Uncle D, and Joshua McGuire as barrister pal Rory.<br />
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The sci-fi time travel angle is quaint and its rules simplistic. The traveler can only move along his own lifeline and affect only immediate change in his own life. He does not overlap with multiple versions of himself, instead embodying his one body at any one time. There are other rules, but they are more important to the story, so they will be left unsaid. Needless to say, some of Tim's actions do result in increasingly obvious consequences.<br />
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Tim and Mary are fun to watch, their chemistry evident. Dramatic with dry comedic edges, you root for their success. Add in the light sci-fi angle and you have an intriguing and engrossing tale of sweet romance, no matter what time it is.
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CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8840028574495837795.post-22662277155713539742013-11-04T19:55:00.002-08:002013-11-04T20:07:40.718-08:00Ender's Game<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Rated: PG-13 </strong>Thematic material, some violence and sci-fi action<br /><strong>Release Date:</strong> November 1, 2013<br /><strong>Runtime: </strong>1 hour 54 minutes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Director: </strong>Gavin Hood<br /><strong>Writers: </strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Gavin Hood, based on the novel by Orson Scott Card<br /><strong>Cast:</strong> Harrison Ford, Asa Butterfield, Ben Kingsley, Hailee Steinfeld, Abigail Breslin, Ben Kingsley, Viola Davis, Aramis Knight, Moises Arias</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs1kpGNSRVk">Watch Trailer</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>SYNOPSIS: </b>The International Military seek out a leader who can save the human race from an alien attack. Ender Wiggin, a brilliant young mind, is recruited and trained to lead his fellow soldiers into a battle that will determine the future of Earth.<br /><br /><b>REVIEW:</b> Gavin Hood, director of <i>X-Men Origins: Wolverine</i>, returns to the big screen after a short stint working for the small screen. Adapting the work of Orson Scott Card, Hood brings Ender Wiggins to screen at the perfect time.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"> 50 years after an alien invasion by the Formic, Earth's military dedicates itself to enhancing its strategic preparedness to combat future extra-terrestrial threats. The International Military focuses on recruiting brilliant young boys and girls to train in the arts of war. Third child Ender Wiggins (Asa Butterfield, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2011/11/hugo.html">Hugo</a></i>) follows in the footsteps of his older sister Valentine (Abigail Breslin, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-call.html">The Call</a></i>) and his older brother Peter (Jimmy Pinchak, <i>Let Me In</i>). Competing to get into Battle School, Colonel Graff (Harrison Ford, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2013/04/42.html">42</a></i>) takes interest in Ender and pushes the young boy as far past his limits as he can. When Ender excels at all his schoolwork and tactical training, Graff promotes Ender to the orbiting space station for Battle School. Disliked, mistrusted or envied by the other 'Launchees', Ender must do everything he can to win over his fellow cadets. Rising up the ranks, Ender eventually finds himself face-to-face with endless simulation battles between the International Military and the planetary defenses of the Formic homeworld. Will Ender and his misfit squadron beat the Formic in a final simulation in order to graduate? And will they eventually be ready to face the true threat?<br />
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Based on the worldwide sci-fi bestseller novel 'Ender's Game' by Orson Scott Card, this adaptation remains as faithful as possible to the original story. Reading the novel as an adult, I have a greater appreciation for the story Card was telling. Not just a story of kids battling each other for supremacy in a academic school system – a la the <i>Harry Potter</i> franchise. Sure, the fate of the world between wizards and Muggles was threatened by Voldemort, but Ender's included the added components of having to save an entire planet from annihilation.<br />
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A sci-fi classic by Orson Scott card, 'Ender's Game' is the most accessible of the Enders stories for reading. As a series goes on, it gets more philosophical and deep. Cards later works, including 'Speaker for the Dead', 'Xenocide', and 'Children of the Mind', start to rival Frank Herbert's 'Dune' in terms of religion, philosophy, and exploration of xenomorphic entities. At the center of all the stories in the series, Ender struggles with is own nature, the solitary life he is forced to lead, and the choices he must make.<br />
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Ender's Game</i> boasts a fine cast including Harrison Ford as Graff, Viola Davis (<i>The Help</i>) as Major Gwen Anderson, and Ben Kingsley (<i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2013/05/iron-man-3.html">Iron Man 3</a></i>) as Mazor Rackham. On the younger side Abigail Breslin plays Valentine, Moises Arias (<i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-kings-of-summer.html">The Kings of Summer</a></i>) plays Bonzo Madrid, and Hailee Steinfeld (<i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2010/12/true-grit.html">True Grit</a></i>) plays Petra. But the jewel of the crown in casting is that of Ender, played by Asa Butterfield. He is not the normal the muscular and chiseled adolescent protagonist. His portrayal is wide-eyed with innocence, all the while struggling with his dual nature of violence and empathy.<br />
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On the strategic and tactical side <i>Ender's Game</i> uses wonderful CGI and wire work to bring to life scenes most integral to the story. From the zero gravity Arena at Battle School, to the mountain lake and skiff on Earth, to the captured forward Formic outpost that the International Military uses as a base of operations to plan assaults on the Formic homeworld. <i>Ender's Game</i> is a mirror of the book. The final simulated battle between the International Military and the Formic armada is rendered in beautiful detail with military precision. It is a sight to be seen, especially in IMAX.<br />
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Fans of Orson Scott Card's original and revised work should be thrilled at the adaptation to the silver screen. Now is the time when movie magic FX can tell this tale in grand style. For those who have not read the book, they will find enjoyment in every surprising twist or turn. <i>Ender's Game</i> is a superb sci-fi daylight, grounded in the mind of a young man on the precipice of greatness.
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CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8840028574495837795.post-5193821342557333252013-11-02T15:00:00.001-07:002013-11-02T15:27:24.921-07:00Dallas Buyers Club<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">7.75 </span></b>out of 10</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> |<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> DVD or Rental</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Rated: R </strong>Pervasive language, nudity, drug use, and some strong sexual content<br /><strong>Release Date:</strong> November 1, 2013 (limited)<br /><strong>Runtime: </strong>1 hour 57 minutes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Director: </strong>Jean-Marc Vallee<br /><strong>Writers: </strong>Craig Borten, Melissa Wallack</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /><strong>Cast:</strong> Matthew McConaughey, Jered Leto, Jennifer Garner, Denis O'Hare, Steve Zahn, Dallas Roberts, Michael O'Neill</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs1kpGNSRVk">Watch Trailer</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>SYNOPSIS: </b> The story of Texas electrician Ron Woodroof and his battle with the medical establishment and pharmaceutical companies after being diagnosed as HIV-positive in 1986, and his search for alternative treatments that helped established a way in which fellow HIV-positive people could join for access to his supplies. <br /><br /><b>REVIEW:</b> Director Jean-Marc Vallee, known for <i>The Young Victoria</i>, takes a script by Craig Borten and Melissa Wallack (<i>Mirror Mirror</i>) to bring the true story of early HIV-diagnosed Texas electrician Ron Woodroof and his search for alternative medical treatments to combat the virus.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"> Ron Woodroof (Matthew McConaughey, <i>Magic Mike</i>) is a womanizing, cocaine snorting rodeo rider and electrician, taking bets on whether his competition can ride for 8 seconds. When he collapses on his trailer floor and follows that up with an electrical accident on the job, he is told that he has the HIV virus. Woodroof tried to get on an FDA drug trial of AZT. When he can't be guaranteed that he would receive the drug instead of a placebo, he pays off orderlies, and eventually travels to Mexico for the drug. In Mexico, he meets a doctor who explains that AZT is worse than the virus, sending </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Woodroof</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"> to come up with a plan to make a profit on drugs that seem to work. When he can't bring himself to associate with homosexuals, he partners with a transsexual (Jared Leto, <i>Mr. Nobody</i>) to bring the medication to the masses of HIV positive and AIDS afflicted people in Texas. All the while the FDA bullies </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Woodroof</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"> at every turn, confiscating and bringing charges against him for his unsanctioned drug program.<br />
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Matthew McConaughey joins Christian Bale, Robert De Niro, and Sean Penn as an actor who transforms his body to sell his character. Shedding on unhealthy amount of weight to play Woodroof, McConaughey is nearly unrecognizable. The one thing that remains is his distinctive voice and piercing eyes. Becoming a scarecrow thin version of David Wooderson in <i>Dazed and Confused</i>, adorns a long hairdo, porn mustache, and cowboy hat and boots. Sometimes an underrated A-list actor, McConaughey again proves why he is on the list. After a turn as male stripper mogul, he turns out to riveting and powerful performances in <i>Mud</i> and now for <i>Dallas Buyers Club</i>.<br />
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McConaughey is not alone in his brilliant performance. Jared Leto and Jennifer Garner also turn and inspired efforts. Leto, as the pre-op transsexual Rayon, is both beautiful and bitching. He/she commands and demands attention, for good and bad. Garner, as Dr. Eve Saks, plays her role with subtlety and grace. Steve Zahn's police officer, who shows up periodically throughout the film, reflects that McConaughey's Woodroof was well liked in spite of his antics.<br />
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The story is both an account of the pandemic that was the death sentence of the HIV virus and AIDS in the 80s and a quasi-documentary on the politics and lobbying that latched itself in and around the Food and Drug Administration. Much of the film deals with Woodroof's attempts to battle against the FDA and the way they do business. As AZT works its way through the FDA approval process, it shows that the government agency, the pharmaceutical companies, and even the courts make it impossible to believe that the best interests of terminal patients was in mind.<br />
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Dallas Buyers Club is a David and Goliath tale, as well as a story of man battling against his own mortality. When Ron Woodroof first succumbs to his diagnosis he does everything in his power to heal himself. Once he heals himself - and lines his pockets - he realizes there is greater work to be done.<br />
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Another feather of excellence for McConaughey, <i>Dallas Buyers Club</i> is a slowly spun tale of survival and perseverance. Paced to capture every nuance of the characters and their fights, this story is both important and relevant, showing far we have come as a society. Even so, tolerance and acceptance is still a fleeting ideal in some cases. <i>Dallas Buyers Club</i> has an indie feel and sensibility to it, not pulling any punches to bring Ron Woodroof's story to life.
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CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8840028574495837795.post-58878142515772966462013-10-30T20:12:00.004-07:002013-10-30T20:12:44.783-07:00Freebirds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 19px;">ANIMATED, FAMILY</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">6.5 </span></b>out of 10</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> |<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> Rental</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Rated: PG </strong>Animated action<br /><strong>Release Date:</strong> November 1, 2013<br /><strong>Runtime: </strong>1 hour 24 minutes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Director: </strong>Jimmy Hayward<br /><strong>Writers: </strong>Jimmy Hayward, Scott Mosier, David I. Stern, John J. Strauss</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /><strong>Cast:</strong> Owen Wilson, Woody Harrelson, Amy Poehler, Colm Meaney, Keith David, Dan Fogler, Jimmy Hayward</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWOQkTwTgZk">Watch Trailer</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>SYNOPSIS: </b> Two turkeys from opposite sides of the tracks must put aside their differences and team up to travel back in time to change the course of history - and get turkey off the holiday menu for good.<br /><br /><b>REVIEW:</b> Jimmy Hayward, director of <i>Horton Hears a Who!</i> and <i>Jonah Hex</i>, returns to animation to bring us the self-proclaimed Greatest Thanksgiving film of all time. Hayward also writes the film with the help from Scott Mosier, David I. Stern and John J. Strauss.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">Turkey Reggie (Owen Wilson, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-internship.html">The Internship</a></i>) finds himself at the losing end of trying to convince his farm brothers that the farmer is just trying to fatten them up for Thanksgiving dinners. When Reggie is pardoned by the President of the United States, he switches a life at the end of an axe handle for a life of pizza and relaxation at Camp David. One night, Reggie is visited by another turkey Jake (Woody Harrelson, <i>Zombieland</i>) who is convinced that he and Reggie must travel back in time to stop turkeys from being on the menu at the first Thanksgiving between the pilgrims and the local Indians. Actually finding a time machine with the acronym S.T.E.V.E. (George Takei) to take the duo back in time, Reggie and Jake meet intelligence and resource turkeys hiding from the pilgrims led by Chief Broadbeak (Keith David), his son Ranger (Jimmy Hayward) and his daughter Jenny (Amy Poehler, <i>Parks and Recreation</i>). The only things standing in the way of the turkeys' safety are the pilgrim's greedy and gluttonous Governor Bradford (Dan Fogler) and his driven turkey hunter Captain Myles Standish (Colm Meaney).<br />
<br />How many animated films are there with the theme of turkeys and Thanksgiving? A<i> Charlie Brown Thanksgiving</i>? <i>Mouse on the Mayflower</i>? A few select others? Hayward's claim of <i>Freebirds</i> as the greatest Thanksgiving movie of all time probably will not hold true. Centered on the plight of the turkeys themselves, <i>Freebirds</i> is a slick flick similar to recent animated effort <i>Epic.</i><br />
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Freebirds</i> looks good, every plume and feather in place. Hayward's experience as an animator for Pixar truly came in handy for this film. The problem with <i>Freebirds</i>, as well as the aforementioned <i>Epic</i>, is that as an animation the film is colorful and kinetic but not that amusing. Usually, an animated film has something for both the children and for the parents or adults. This time, other than a few cries during Captain Standish's scary pursuits and a few awwws for the baby turkey puffs, there was not enough to provide more than a few chuckles. <br />
<br />Owen Wilson does have a great drawl for voice work, and Woody Harrelson and Amy Poehler are capable. Colm Meaney is mean as Standish - or is he just drawn that way. I could listen to Keith David all day long. But with just an adequate story to tell, all the glitz of CGI and all the talented voices cannot get this turkey off the table.</span></span></div>
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CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8840028574495837795.post-12390930568344228992013-10-25T16:26:00.001-07:002013-10-25T16:34:24.616-07:00Last Vegas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">7.5 </span></b>out of 10</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> |<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> Rental</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Rated: PG-13 </strong>Sexual content and language<br /><strong>Release Date:</strong> November 1, 2013<br /><strong>Runtime: </strong>1 hour 45 minutes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Director: </strong>Jon Turteltaub<br /><strong>Writers: </strong>Dan Fogelman</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /><strong>Cast:</strong> Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline, Mary Steenburgen, Jerry Ferrara, Romany Malco, Michael Ealy, Roger Bart</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvK3m0wJutI">Watch Trailer</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>SYNOPSIS: </b>Three sixty-something friends take a break from their day-to-day lives to throw a bachelor party in Las Vegas for their last remaining single pal.<br /><br /><b>REVIEW:</b> <i>National Treasure</i> franchise director Jon Turteltaub ditches his favorite actor Nicolas Cage for some more mature A-listers. Dan Fogelman (<i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2011/07/crazy-stupid-love.html">Crazy, Stupid, Love.</a></i>) takes a stab at writing a story centered in Las Vegas that doesn't involve losing time and memory.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">Billy (Michael Douglas, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2012/01/haywire.html">Haywire</a></i>), Paddy (Robert De Niro, <i>The Family</i>), Sam (Kevin Kline, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2011/04/conspirator.html">The Conspirator</a></i>) and Archie (Morgan Freeman, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2013/05/now-you-see-me.html">Now You See Me</a></i>) are lifelong friends who grew up on the streets of Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York, USA, inseparable and thick as thieves. 58 years later, Billy unexpectedly proposes to his 32-year-old girlfriend at his mentors funeral. Deciding on a Las Vegas wedding, Billy calls his best friends to join him. Archie must lie to his son as to his whereabouts. Sam is given a hall pass from his wife in an effort to bring some life back into their marriage. Paddy goes with his friends, reluctant to leave his empty widowers house and reluctant to let go of the beef he has with Billy. Gambling, dancing, drinking, hot girls, and a lounge singer named Diane (Mary Steenburgen, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2011/08/help.html">The Help</a></i>) make the trip fun... and complicated.<br />
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This is not the old man version of <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2011/05/hangover-part-ii.html">The Hangover</a></i>, even though the location is the same. They do call Las Vegas 'Sin City', and it is appropriate for older men to reflect on the regrets in the sense of their past. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas… But can these older gentlemen learn new lessons from their life experiences to make it worthwhile? Morgan's Archie wants to be the man he once was before the stroke made everyone in his life think he was incapable of doing anything at all. Kline's Sam has lived in a marriage with a wife he loves and is comfortable with, but has lost his passion for life. De Niro's Patty sits in his bathrobe and accepts soup from the neighbor girl like a charity case. And Douglas' Billy lives in extravagant life with a young girlfriend, all in an effort to stave away old age.<br />
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Filled with geriatric jokes and based on a formulaic plotline, this Vegas tale does manage to amuse throughout. Billy's relationship with his soon-to-be wife is instantly called into question when he swoons over the lounge singer Diane when the quartet arrive at Binion's Casino. From that point forward you know that the wedding probably will be called off at some point. Will Sam find his mojo with some young hottie that will strengthen his marriage? That I will not reveal. And will De Niro's Paddy bury the hatchet with Billy or will he bury the hatchet in him for what he's done to him and his late wife Sophie.?<br />
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Do these men still have it? Every one of these actors is a superstar A-Lister. From <i>The Godfather</i> to <i>Basic Instinct</i> to <i>Glory</i> to <i>Dave</i>, these guys still got it. They may be slowing down a few steps but they can still spin a good yarn that entertains both young and old. They poke fun at themselves and each other when it comes to their age, making the film funny for us. Nobody want to see old dudes getting it on with young women but these guys clean up nice and keep everything is PG as possible.<br />
<br />Coupled with Jerry Ferrara and Romany Malco to give Las Vegas a little younger edge, its still Douglas, De Niro, Freeman and Kline who make sure to have the times of their lives. Getting old is not a laughing matter, but they make us want to see what it may be all about.
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CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8840028574495837795.post-87922659875608035872013-10-22T20:20:00.000-07:002013-10-22T20:20:07.918-07:00Bad Grandpa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">7.0 </span></b>out of 10</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> |<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> Rental</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Rated: R </strong>For strong crude and sexual content throughout, language, some graphic nudity and brief drug use<br /><strong>Release Date:</strong> October 25, 2013<br /><strong>Runtime: </strong>1 hour 32 minutes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Director: </strong>Jeff Tremaine<br /><strong>Writers: </strong>Fax Bahr, Spike Jonze, Johnny Knoxville, Adam Small, Jeff Jermaine</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /><strong>Cast:</strong> Johnny Knoxville, Spike Jonze, Jackson Nicoll</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MSrAwfagG4">Watch Trailer</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>SYNOPSIS: </b> 86-year-old Irving Zisman is on a journey across America with the most unlikely companion: his 8 year-old grandson, Billy.<br /><br /><b>REVIEW:</b> Jeff Tremaine, director of all of the Jackass films, tweaks his vision to include an actual story surrounding a hidden camera exploitation effort written by a gang of writers including the director, Fax Bahr, Spike Jonze, Johnny Knoxville, and Adam Small.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">Octogenarian Irving Zisman (Johnny Knoxville, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-last-stand.html">The Last Stand</a></i>) finds himself free from the shackles of marriage when his wife of over 40 years passes away. At the funeral, irving's daughter brings his grandson Billy (Jackson Nicoll, <i>Fun Size</i>) with instructions to ship the kid to his father Chuck in Raleigh North Carolina. Making a road trip out of it, Irving and Billy get into all manner of misadventures. It doesn't help that Billy seems to be more mature than his grandfather, and not have vices concerning women, stealing, and booze.<br />
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Johnny Knoxville takes a page out of the book of <i>Borat</i> and mixes it with his own brand of <i>Jack-Ass</i>-ery for a complete story sprinkled with pratfalls, vulgarity and just a little bit of heart. What could be more touching than a grandfather mourning the loss of his wife by going on a grand adventure with his young grandson?<br />
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As Irving and Billy travel from his hometown to the destination of Raleigh, Irving spends his time chasing 'tail' wherever he can find it. Of course those locales includes bingo parlors, fast good drive thru windows, strip clubs, and the front curbs of a grocery store. Billy is sometimes left to his own devices, looking around downtown city plazas for a replacement dad, looking for his grandfather at any place that has an adult theme, or hanging out with Grandpa doing inappropriate things.<br />
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Knoxville knows how to make vulgarity, toilet humor, and physical stunts work to his advantage for laughter. But the main points that sells the film are the looks of astonishment, horror, shock, and awe that the people around Johnny emote. Some of the stunts that Johnny orchestrates get priceless reactions.<br />
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Probably made on a shoestring, <i>Bad Grandpa</i> will not win any awards or break any box office records. What it will do is provide plenty of belly laughs and a few tears of laughter as Irving and his grandson Billy continue on their adventure together. If you are a fan of Johnny Knoxville and his sophomoric humor then this will keep you happy.</span></span></div>
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CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8840028574495837795.post-54753838255533882602013-10-18T21:59:00.000-07:002013-10-18T21:59:14.774-07:00Carrie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">7.75 </span></b>out of 10</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> |<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> Rental</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Rated: R </strong>Bloody violence, disturbing images. language and some sexual content<br /><strong>Release Date:</strong> October 18, 2013<br /><strong>Runtime: </strong>1 hour 39 minutes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Director: </strong>Kimberly Peirce<br /><strong>Writers: </strong>Lawrence D. Cohen, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, based on the book by Stephen King</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /><strong>Cast:</strong> Chloe Grace Moretz, Julianne Moore, Gabriella Wilde, Portia Doubleday, Ansel Elgort, Alex Russell, Judy Greer</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANPXTXbHzmA">Watch Trailer</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>SYNOPSIS: </b> A reimagining of the classic horror tale about Carrie White, a shy girl outcast by her peers and sheltered by her deeply religious mother, who unleashes telekinetic terror on her small town after being pushed too far at her senior prom. <br /><br /><b>REVIEW:</b> Kimberly Peirce, director of the acclaimed 1999 <i>Boys Don't Cry</i>, takes on the daunting task of remaking and re-imagining the classic tale from horror master Stephen King and the 1976 film with Piper Laurie and Sissy Spacek. Based on the screenplay by Lawrence D. Cohen, a longtime Stephen King story adapter, and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (<i>Dark Matters</i>), Peirce tries to bring new life to a bloody tale of bullying and revenge.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">Carrie White (Chloe Grace Moretz, <i>Kick-Ass 2</i>) is a shy and quiet outcast trying to survive her high school experience. Raised and home schooled by her religious zealot of a mother Margaret (Julianne Moore, <i>Crazy, Stupid, Love.</i>) Carrie faces sneers and ridicule from her classmates, desperate to fit in and be a normal teenage girl. When Carrie experiences her first period in the girls' locker room, she is belittled and mocked by the other girls, led by mean girl Chris Hargensen (Portia Doubeday, <i>Youth in Revolt</i>). Fellow classmate Sue Snell (Gabriella Wilde, <i>The Three Musketeers</i>), trying to make amends for her part in Carrie's bullying, asks her boyfriend Tommy (Ansel Elgort) to ask Carrie to Prom. When Carrie accepts Tommy's invitation and starts enjoying her first social dance she finds herself the butt of another prank perpetrated by Chris and her boyfriend Billy (Alex Russell, <i>Chronicle</i>). After being pushed too far, Carrie unleashes her full vengeful telekinetic fury against the students, teachers and town.<br />
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In 1976 Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie embodied the unwieldy and strange relationship between a mother and her daughter - dreamed up and put to page by Stephen King. Should such an iconic film be remade for a new audience? If a new film is just a retread of the original, is it necessary to make at all? Director Peirce takes the original material and updates its in the right spots. Cyber bullying is included as an added insult. The story takes a moment more to explain how Margaret and Carrie come to have such an odd co-dependent relationship. And Carrie, played by Moretz, takes the character to the appropriate angst-ridden age.<br />
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When Sissy Spacek played the role of the teenage Carrie White, she was well into her twenties. She played the role with both an air of naive innocence and pent up anger. Chloe plays the age closer to age, still in her teens. She brings a fresh real perspective to the role, rivaling what Sissy portrayed. Piper Laurie, who dominated and put the fear of God into most of us as Margaret White, is given a run for her biblical money by the very talented Julianne Moore. The villains, in the form of Portia Doubleday and Alex Russell, bring modern day snark to Chris and Billy. Gabriella Wilde and Ansel Elgort bring more understated study to the desperate to do good Sue Snell and Tommy Ross. Judy Greer does gym teacher Mrs. Desjardin justice with an edge of her own.<br />
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Performances aside, the story follows a more modern version of the same tale brought to screen years ago. Most of the major plot points are the same as they were before, or twisted just a little bit to be just a little bit different. Peirce does bring a little more of the original source material back, but doesn't take enough license to make the iconic pop culture story something truly her own. The more things change, the more they stay the same.</span></span></div>
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CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8840028574495837795.post-69191283374435809382013-10-10T08:39:00.003-07:002013-10-18T19:29:44.345-07:00Captain Phillips<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 19px;">ACTION/ADVENTURE, DOCUMENTARY, SUSPENSE/THRILLER, DRAMA</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;"><b>Piracy</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">8.0 </span></b>out of 10</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> |<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> Movie, DVD</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Rated: PG-13 </strong>Sustained intense sequences of menace, some violence with bloody images, and for substance abuse<br /><strong>Release Date:</strong> October 11, 2013<br /><strong>Runtime: </strong>2 hours 13 minutes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Director: </strong>Paul Greengrass<br /><strong>Writers: </strong>Billy Ray, based on the book "A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea" by Richard Phillips</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /><strong>Cast:</strong> Tom Hanks, Barkhad Adbi, Catherine Keener, Michael Chernus, Corey Johnson, Max Martini, Yul Vazquez</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp6jpeDeQmE">Watch Trailer</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>SYNOPSIS: </b>The true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years.<br /><br /><b>REVIEW:</b> Paul Greengrass, director <i>The Bourne Ultimatum</i>, brings his gritty style of kinetic cinematography to screen again to adapt the harrowing tale of the first American seafaring vessel to be hijacked in over 200 years. Based on a story by Billy Ray adapted from the first account book by Richard Phillips, <i>Captain Phillips</i> is a realistic portrayal of the actual events.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Captain Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks, <i>Cloud Atlas</i>) leaves his wife (Catherine Keener, <i>40-Year-Old Virgin</i>) and his home in Vermont to take on the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama as its captain to deliver goods</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> around the Horn of Africa to several destination points. Running the freighter through the Somalian Basin, frequented by Somali pirates, Captain Phillips uses his years of experience to deliver his cargo with speed. On this voyage the captain and crew of the Alabama are pursued by two skiffs manned with armed bandits. Using whatever countermeasures at his disposal the captain tries to out run the Pirates. When the pirate captain Muse (Barkhad Adbi) and his pirates do get aboard the vessel, the Captain tries to distract the pirates from his crew. Faced with an eventual stand-off Captain Phillips finds himself in the Alabama's lifeboat with the pirates. What follows involves the U.S. Navy, Navy SEALs, and a directive from the White House to keep the Pirates from ever reaching shore – no matter what.
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Helmed by director Greengrass of the <i>Bourne</i> franchise, Paul shoots <i>Captain Phillips</i> with the same hand-held and grainy stock film as he did in those previous films. Adding in both steady cam and handheld camera work, the film has an inherent realism to serve as a backdrop for the true story it is based on. Greengrass stays away from a slick overproduced look that could have made this into a lesser film. Greengrass's style works best for the type of film that he intended to develop.
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<br /><i>Captain Phillips</i> is truly about him. Tom Hanks, always the consummate A-list acting talent, takes on the captain's New England accent and demeanor to reinvent himself as this new character. From start to finish, Hanks proves why he is a two-time Oscar winning actor. Some celebrities eventually have to succumb to their Hollywood status, no matter what role they play. Hanks still manages to morph into whatever character he pursues.<br />
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The other major character is that of Somali pirate Muse, trying to prove himself as a man who can earn for his warlord bosses. He seems uneducated, but he is deadly and driven enough to try and make a name for himself by trying to hijack the massive cargo freighter. Greengrass portrays Muse as a dangerous young man, but manages to offer background to allow for some sympathy of his plight. Adbi plays the "skinny rat" as an unpredictable man to be feared.
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Based on the true story of the pirated </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> in 2009, the film does an amazing job telling both sides of the story with equal measure. While we will never root for the Somali pirates we do understand the reasons why they do what they do. We applaud the cleverness and ingenuity of the Alabama's captain and crew, as well as the businesslike precision of the US Navy and SEALs. Greengrass and Ray make sure we see both sides of the coin.<br />
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A tour de force effort by Hanks, <i>Captain Phillips</i> is a harrowing tale of how the world now works. Hanks is understated in the perfection of his performance, staring down the wily crazy eyes of his attackers. If there's a first Oscar contending performance of the fall season, this is it.
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CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8840028574495837795.post-91422738534638150832013-10-03T19:09:00.001-07:002013-10-03T19:14:33.345-07:00Gravity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 19px;">DRAMA, SCI-FI/FANTASY</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;"><b>Weightless</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">8.0 </span></b>out of 10</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> |<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> Movie or DVD</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Rated: PG-13 </strong>Intense perilous sequences, some disturbing images and brief strong language<br /><strong>Release Date:</strong> October 4, 2013<br /><strong>Runtime: </strong>1 hour 31 minutes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Director: </strong>Alfonso Cuaron<br /><strong>Writers: </strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Alfonso Cuaron</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">, Jonas Cuaron<br /><strong>Cast:</strong> Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Ed harris, Orto Ignatiussen </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KJHRF6RlTQ">Watch Trailer</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>SYNOPSIS: </b> A medical engineer and an astronaut work together to survive after an accident leaves them adrift in space.<br /><br /><b>REVIEW:</b> Alfonso Cuaron, director of <i>Children of Men</i> and <i>Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban</i>, writes a tale with co-writer Jonas Cuaron about the vastness of space and the perils of being alone. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Aningaaq (Orto Ignatiussen) Above Mother Earth in the near reaches of space mission specialist </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock, <i>The Heat</i>) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">and space shuttle commander </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Matt Kowalski (George Clooney, <i>The Descendants</i>)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> work on replacing and updating components to the Hubble telescope. When </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Mission Control (Ed Harris, <i>Pain and Gain</i>)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> relays to the space shuttle Explorer that the Russians had sent a missile against one of their own spy satellites, raising concerns that debris from the explosion may interfere with their mission. When the debris destroys other satellites, more debris causes the threat to becomes critically imminent. Stone is blown off the telescoping arm of the space shuttle. The commander must save Stone and come up with a way to make their way to the International Space Station in order to use one of their escape pods. Fighting against time and a constant barrage of streaking metal, the pair must do everything they can do to survive.<br />
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Gravity</i> is a beautifully crafted film, with stunning special-effects, dazzling cinematic shots and a intriguing story. Shown in IMAX 3-D, the film leaps off the silver screen as man rages against the heavens and the advances of his own technology. Alternating between human insignificance, the vastness of space and a claustrophobic confines due to technology, <i>Gravity</i> is true to its namesake as the situation soon becomes untenable for the mission specialist and commander. Every nut, bolt and solar panel is gorgeously rendered and destroyed in grand fashion - as satellites and space stations collide in an ever decreasing trajectory. Not is seam or air hatch is out of place.<br />
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Coupled with astounding special-effects and beautiful camerawork, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>Gravity</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> has a simple but elegant storyline. Similar to run Howard's <i>Apollo 13</i> with Tom Hanks and Kevin Bacon, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>Gravity</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> has the impossible task of returning humans back from the stars. Every movements is an efforts, every decision critical and with consequence. With Bullock's Ryan Stone, there seems to be an endless list of improbable tasks to complete in order to space walk one step closer to earth.<br />
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George Clooney and Sandra Bullock, along with the voice of Ed Harris, seem to be the only distracting spot for me in this film. While both are phenomenal actors, their sheer star power are a detriment. As beautifully crafted a story as </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>Gravity</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> is, Alfonso Cuaron could have cast lesser-known talent for as good a result. Both do their best, but they both fall into familiar trappings.<br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>Gravity</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> is a fast-paced and beautiful film, tied in with an intense story of survival. Cuaron does use some symbolic cinematography to represent life and rebirth, but most of the story is straight on drama and gripping action. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>Gravity</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> may be a simple tale without all the summer blockbuster formula, but it does prove that sometimes mans pursuit to the heavens should be left to the gods.
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CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8840028574495837795.post-50224003582700276362013-08-29T21:28:00.006-07:002013-08-29T21:28:48.441-07:00The World's End: Anatomy of the Golden Mile<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 19px;">ACTION/ADVENTURE, COMEDY</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost create an other-worldly action/adventure masquarading as a simple pub crawl comedy. With this trio, nothing is as it seems at first blush.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>The Characters</b>
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Gary King (King: the male ruler of an independent state, esp. one who inherits the position by right of birth) - The boy-turned-man King who rules with charisma, charm, and reckless abandon. Gary yearns for a quest befitting a nobleman of his statue, ready to ride with his men at his trusty men at his side.<br />
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Andy Knightley (Knight: a man who served his sovereign or lord as a mounted soldier in armor) - Gary's former best friend who would follow his King into battle at the slightest word. Andy is the King's most trusted ally, and the most loyal to the King.<br />
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Steve Prince (Prince: the son of a monarch) - Steve is the most like his king, most like brothers-in-arms. Whatever the King wants, the Prince yearns for the same. He is ready to ascend to the crown, but must wait for the King to abdicate the throne.<br />
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Oliver Chamberlain (Chamberlain: an officer who manages the household of a monarch or noble) - The most organized of the lot, Oliver is successful and thriving in spite of his associations with the other nobility. He is always on the move, making things happen, and keeping order.<br />
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Peter Page (Page: a boy in training for knighthood, ranking next below a squire in the personal service of a knight) - Peter is the most sedate of the bunch, wishing to be more than the whipping boy that he has grown up from. He yearns to be a hero in battle, waiting for the opportunity to prove himself worthy.<br />
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<b>The Golden Mile</b><br />
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Gary King's Newton Haven Golden Mile Pub Crawl List<br />
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The First Post </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">(The Peartree)</span></li>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">The Old Familiar </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">(The Doctor's Tonic)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">The Famous Cock </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">(The Cork)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">The Crossed Hands </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">(The Parkway Tavern)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">The Good Companions </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">(Wendy's Shop)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">The Trusty Servant </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">(Three Magnets)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">The Two-Headed Dog </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">(The Colonnade)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">The Mermaid </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">(Broadway Cinema)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">The Beehive </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">(Thai Garden Restaurant)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">The King's Head </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">(The Arena Tavern)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">The Hole in the Wall </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">(Railway Station)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">The World's End </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">(The Gardener's Arms)</span></li>
</span></ul>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>The Pubs</b>
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<br />
The First Post - The start of the glorious quest, seemingly tame for the adventure that the King is looking for. Old faces and old acquintences barely recognize that their King has returned.<br />
<br />
The Old Familiar - Like in their previous adventure, the King is reunited with a conquest he conquered those many years ago. <br />
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The Famous Cock - The King is remembered at this old haunt, banned from entry for the misdeeds of his past.<br />
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The Crossed Hand - In this pub, the King and his men are forced to come together to defend themselves against young men who represent who they used to be. At this point, they are all for one, and one for all.<br />
<br />
The Good Companions - <br />
<br />
The Trusty Servant - <br />
<br />
The Two-Headed Dog - While reuniting with an old flame, the King and his men encounter twins who transfrom into a more mythical creature that they have to defend the damsel from. <br />
<br />
The Mermaid - The King and his men are seduced by beautiful sirens' songs. The King and his men must resist their charms in order to escape.<br />
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The Beehive - The King and his men must fend off an army of enemies, led by a "Queen Bee" who the army listens.<br />
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The King's Head - In order to prove himself true to his men, the King smashes his head into a column.<br />
<br />
The Hole in the Wall - The King and his Men get to the eleventh destination on their journey. This place surely lives up to its name, because it truly is a hole in the wall. The fact that an object physically crashes through the wall helps to reinforce its namesake.<br />
<br />
The World's End - This is truly the end of the King's quest, representing the last step of success or failure. Can the King and his men prevail against overwhelming odds?</span>
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</div>
CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8840028574495837795.post-78082912056173561162013-08-29T19:55:00.001-07:002013-08-29T19:55:21.435-07:00Getaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 19px;">ACTION/ADVENTURE, SUSPENSE/THRILLER</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;"><b>Constant Chase</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">6.5 </span></b>out of 10</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> |<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> Rental</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Rated: PG-13 </strong>Intense action, violence and mayhem throughout, some rude gestures and language<br /><strong>Release Date:</strong> August 30, 2013<br /><strong>Runtime: </strong>1 hour 30 minutes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Director: </strong>Courtney Solomon<br /><strong>Writers: </strong>Sean Finegan, Gregg Maxwell Parker<br /><strong>Cast:</strong> Ethan Hawke, Selena Gomez, Jon Voight </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0K6iHF5h4N0">Watch Trailer</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>SYNOPSIS: </b> Former race-car driver Brent Magna is pitted against the clock when his wife is kidnapped by a mysterious villain. He commanders a young woman's car and takes her on on a high-speed race against time.<br /><br /><b>REVIEW:</b> Courtney Solomon is a third time director (<i>An American Haunting</i>, <i>Dungeons & Dragons</i>) who now looks to tackle a different type of monster - A Ford Mustang GT500 Shelby Super Snake! Written jointly by newcomers Sean Finegan and Gregg Maxwell Parker, try to pack a lot of horsepower into the span of 90 minutes.</span></div>
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Brent Magna (Ethan Hawke, <i>Sinister</i>) was a gifted race car driver who ended up believing all the hype about himself. After a crash he leaves the sports. When his wife is abducted from their home in Sofia, Bulgaria, Magna receives a phone call ordering him to steal a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Super Snake from a parking garage and await further instructions or his wife will be killed. As he obeys the orders from the Voice (Jon Voight) in the dash, he endangers his life, the lives of pedestrians, and cause untold property damage and injury to the local police force. When a young woman (Selena Gomez, <i>Hotel Transylvania</i>) tries to take the car by gunpoint, she is overpowered and taken along for the ride to be part of the Voice's master plan. Magna must follow all instructions to a tee in order to have a slim possibility of being reunited with his wife. As Magna and 'The Kid' try to outrun the authorities and try to figure out the voice's plan, they stumbled upon important information and maybe a bargaining chip to help get Magna's wife back.<br />
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Take all the car chase movies you are familiar with – <i>Bullitt</i>, <i>The Fast and the Furious</i>, <i>Smokey and the Bandit</i>, and countless others – and roll them all into this 90 minutes of high octane pursuit. Throw in a bodiless menace with the upper hand, a la Colin Farrell's <i>Phone Booth</i>, and you have the outline of a film with miles of possibilities. After the first extended chase scene, many may have been on the edge of their seats or gripping the armrest with white knuckles. But as the movie revs on the chase sequences get repetitive and less interesting. There are only so many police cruiser car flips and cars ramping down stairs steps keep a person riveted. The mastermind voice keeps us curious as we try to unravel out what his scheme really is. But it doesn't have intricacy and planning to be as perfectly timed a plan that it could have been.<br />
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Ethan Hawke plays his down and out race car driver Brent rid of any acclaim through an accident, and left leading a unsavory life to make ends meet based on his skill set. The only thing that he finds redemptive is his wife who he adores above all each. That makes him easy prey for manipulation. On the other side of the coin is Selena Gomez's 'The Kid' who is a daddy's little rich girl throwaway who is educated at all the best schools, given material things instead of parental love, and just happened to be a genius with cars and computer hacking. All that seems random is connected as per the Voice's plan. Ethan Hawke can play this role to sleep, and it seems like he may have. Selena Gomez has yet to grow into an adult actresses, but her role as 'The Kid' doesn't put too much demand on her available talent.<br />
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Aside from the Voice behind the master plan and under the dash, the biggest character in the film is the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Super Snake itself. Lovers of muscle cars will be saddened to see the wear and tear that this Detroit Steel has to endure. It is a beautiful iconic thoroughbred that, in this film, is ridden hard and put away wet.<br />
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The director and cinematographer do give us a couple choice sequences that leads to gasps and some applause. Since the film is 90% car chase, it is difficult to come down to a lull from the intensity of any of the sequences. Two notable shots include a water runoff basin where one of the police cars slams into a pillar, lands in the water, and starts floating away, and when the Mustang is in pursuit of a vehicle and we see the chase in first person through the Mustangs headlamps. This last sequences that makes you feel like you are part of the film.<br />
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Getaway</i> is the film to go see if you want to enjoy buttery popcorn bucket in a darkened theater, but the film strips the gears of cinematic car chases and intricate storytelling and puts this flick into neutral to most likely stall. </span></div>
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CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8840028574495837795.post-60964668162525087742013-08-21T20:40:00.000-07:002013-08-21T20:40:08.262-07:00The World's End<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 19px;">ACTION/ADVENTURE, COMEDY</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;"><b>The Golden Mile</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b>8.25</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> </span></b>out of 10</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> |<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> Movie or DVD</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Rated: R </strong>Sexual references and pervasive language<br /><strong>Release Date:</strong> August 23, 2013<br /><strong>Runtime: </strong>1 hour 49 minutes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Director: </strong>Edgar Wright<br /><strong>Writers: </strong>Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright<br /><strong>Cast:</strong> Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine, Eddie Marsan </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ibQvQUpMTg">Watch Trailer</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>SYNOPSIS: </b>Five friends who reunite in an attempt to top their epic pub crawl from 20 years earlier unwittingly become humankind's only hope for survival.<br /><br /><b>REVIEW:</b> Edgar Wright has made a name for himself with brilliant and off-beat genre comedies, starting with the zombie/romantic/comedy he wrote with star Simon Pegg - <i>Shaun of the Dead</i>. Following that, Wright, Pegg and actor Nick Frost returned with the buddy cop flick <i>Hot Fuzz</i>. Now, the trio returns with the last bookend of their film trilogy with the flick <i>The World's End</i>. </span></div>
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Gary King (Simon Pegg, <i>Paul</i>) ruled the town of Newton Haven as a young man. On the last day of his high school career, Gary decides to take his friends on the local pub crawl. Steve Prince (Paddy Considine, <i>The Bourne Ultimatum</i>), Peter Page (Eddie Marsan, <a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2013/02/jack-giant-slayer.html">Jack the Giant Slayer</a>), Oliver Chamberlain (Martin Freeman, <a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-hobbit-unexpected-journey.html">The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey</a>) and Andy Knightley (Nick Frost, Paul) all join Gary, making the night the best of Gary's life. Flash forward twenty years and Gary tires of regaling that night, deciding to get all of his old friends back together to finish the pub crawl at The World's End instead of three bars short during the attempt in the summer of 1990. But this time around, the quintet is surprised at how different the town, ultimately making the discovery that some of the towns citizens have been replaced by robots versions. Desperate to survive, Gary comes up with the plan to continue with the Golden Mile to finish the pub crawl at The Worlds End - even if it the last thing he and his friends do.<br />
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Gary King's Newton Haven Golden Mile Pub Crawl List<br />
</span><br />
<ol><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<li>The First Post
</li>
<li>The Old Familiar
</li>
<li>The Famous Cock
</li>
<li>The Crossed Hands
</li>
<li>The Good Companions
</li>
<li>The Trusty Servant
</li>
<li>The Two-Headed Dog
</li>
<li>The Mermaid
</li>
<li>The Beehive
</li>
<li>The King's Head
</li>
<li>The Hole in the Wall
</li>
<li>The World's End</li>
</span></ol>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost did not plan to create a trilogy of films. <i>Shaun of the Dead</i>, a brilliant addition to the zombie genre, made the trio household names in the industry. The film quickly became a cult favorite, allowing Wright, Pegg and Frost to come back to riddle another genre full of bullet holes - <i>Hot Fuzz</i>. They even referenced action flick DVDs in the film itself. For fans of these creative visionaries, the police shoot-em-up became the second must-have DVD to add to the collection. Now, with some theaters planning to show all three of Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg's films in a row, <i>The World's End</i> may becomes the possible must-have bookend to the 'triliogy'.<br />
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The World's End</i>… The elusive holy grail that Gary King is searching for. Questing after the pub as if he was King Arthur of Camelot. While his friends have found their footing in life with jobs, families and homes, Gary lives his life of freedom, imprisoned by the fact that his best days are most likely behind them. While the group's fearless leader when they were younger, the reality of modern day is too hard on Gary. His friends still join him, though, in spite of their better judgment.<br />
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What starts off as an effort to recapture ones youth turns into a cross between <i>The Stepford Wives</i>, <i>Invasion of the Body Snatchers</i>, and <i>Village of the Damned</i>. To Gary it is obvious why nobody remembers the 'King', because they are all robot versions of the people he remembers. Once the melee ensues between human and nonhuman, Jerry and his drunken band of friends soldier on to finish the pub crawl and survive the night intact.<br />
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Taking a serious look at yet a third genre, Edgar Wright and Simon Peg look at a small town turn alien proving ground at a different level. Snarky and witty as Simon is want to do, <i>The World's End</i> doesn't treat itself like a comedy. Instead it takes a serious note on the story, while maintaining an air of humor with Simon at its center. Like <i>Shaun of the Dead</i> before it, Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg do not try to make their efforts slapstick for the sake of it. They just take a different slant and keep all of the characters on the straight and narrow.<br />
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What makes <i>The World's End</i> so fun is the over-the-top, but 'dim' performance of Simon Pegg as Gary King. We all know individuals from our adolescence whose life peaked in high school. Gary is somebody to be pitied and felt sorry for, while still being charming enough to get old friends to along with his insane schemes. Gary King may be trying to find his elusive past, but his friends are also trying to recapture something lost as well.<br />
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Edgar Wright has come along way from <i>Shaun of the Dead</i>, more wise and seasoned in his film making and putting together a solid cinematic experience. The story and its progress are chaotic and "all over the place "but for me that just works in it's favor. Admittedly I am a Simon Pegg fan through and through, so I enjoy how he tackles every roll with a different persona but the same timing and wit.<br />
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Simon Pegg's merry band of misfits consists of straight laced businessmen needing a night out. Nick Frost returns in a role contrary to the stoner freeloader we expect. Martin Freeman's Oliver has a career but has forgotten how to let loose. Eddie Marsan's Pete, settles into a subservient role to his father at work and his wife and kids at home, shaped by a childhood filled with bullying and cowardice. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Paddy Considine's</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Steve also holds a long standing issues, resenting Gary for his freewheeling life that he thought he deserved. Even though he follows Gary back to their hometown, Steve is quick to point out the failures of their youth.<br />
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The World's End</i> is a little dodgy and a little drawn out in spots, but classic in terms of expectations of what Wright, Pegg, and Frost are known for. If you are an existing fan, then you will get a kick out of this flick. If not a fan of British styled sci-fi dramedies, then maybe you'll want to skip this pub crawl.
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CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8840028574495837795.post-6906172077610312013-08-20T18:30:00.001-07:002013-08-20T18:45:44.442-07:00You're Next<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b>7.75</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> </span></b>out of 10</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> |<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> DVD or Rental</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Rated: NR </strong>Language, strong bloody violence, and some sexuality/nudity<br /><strong>Release Date:</strong> August 23, 2013<br /><strong>Runtime: </strong>1 hour 34 minutes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Director: </strong>Adam Wingard<br /><strong>Writers: </strong>Simon Barrett<br /><strong>Cast:</strong> Sharni Vinson, Nicolas Tucci, Wendy Glenn, AJ Bowen, Joe Swanberg, Margaret Laney, Amy Seimetz, Ti West, Rob Moran, Barbara Crampton, LC Holt, Simon Barrett, Lane Hughes </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFOJszDf_24">Watch Trailer</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>SYNOPSIS: </b>When the Davison family comes under attack during their wedding anniversary getaway, the gang of mysterious killers soon learns that one of victims harbors a secret talent for fighting back.<br /><br /><b>REVIEW:</b> <i>V/H/S</i> director Adam Wingard takes on a horror sub-genre that we all love. Like <i>The Strangers</i> or <i>The Last House on the Left</i>, Wingard takes a screenplay from his frequent collaborator Simon Barrett to realize that being secluded in a isolated house always brings with it strange invaders bent on terrorizing the occupants within. </span></div>
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Crispian (AJ Bowen, <i>Among Friends</i>) and his girlfriend Erin (Sharni Vinson, <i>Step Up 3D</i>) drive up to isolated mentioned in the countryside for his parents 35th wedding anniversary. All the children will be there to celebrate with their family. As they sit around the dining room table arguing about their place in life, a crossbow bolt shatters the dining room window and kills one of the boyfriends named Tariq (Ti West, <i>All the Light in the Sky</i>). More arrows fly through the windows to terrorize the people inside the house. One by one, family members and their guests are subjected to brutal killings and unbridled hysteria. Only Erin seems to have a level enough head to defend the house against the masked attackers on the estate grounds. Can she alone prevail against overwhelming odds?<br />
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Shot in 2011, <i>You're Next</i> has finally emerged from the shadows of production turnaround with the release date here in the states. Very similar to other isolated house/relentless invaders horror suspense subplot dollars, including films like <i>The Strangers</i>, <i>The Last House on the Left</i>, and others, <i>You're Next</i> takes a little bit different tact in it storytelling. Starting off with a brutal murder scene seemingly unrelated to the rest of the story, the film captures both the absurdity of this genre of film while it uses the same absurdity for great laughs as the film plunges ahead. The film is purposeful, capturing just how ludicrous people can act in these types of situations if these events were ever to occur. Sometimes you have to laugh or you will just cry.<br />
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The production quality of the film is a little rough, but adds additional depth to the film itself. A dated feel seems to work in it's favor. From the 80s style synthesizer score to haunting heavy strings, to repetitive pop rock sound track kids by Dwight Twilley, the sights and sounds of this film produced some thing better then the sums of its parts.<br />
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Erin somehow has all the training she needs to repel a trio of masked intruders - Lamb Mask (L.C. Holt, <i>V/H/S/2</i>), Tiger Mask (Simon Barrett, <i>24 Exposures</i>) and Fox Mask (Lane Hughes, <i>What Fun We Were Having</i>. She emerges from her nice Aussie accents to become a serious survivalist bad ass who is handy with a meat tenderizer. She is the center of this film in all respects, all the other characters playing comic relief to her straightman. Like <i>High Tension</i> or <i>Halloween</i>, this timid girlfriend finds that she has everything she needs to get the job done.<br />
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While most of the cast is lesser-known actors and actresses, every one of them help to deliver tension, thrills, suspense and laughs. While Wingard used a lot of classic and establish genre techniques and gags, he does it in such a way to bring freshness to the mix as well. The levity that balances the gore and blood is a little subtracting from the level of suspense that the director may have wanted to maintain, but it does set the film apart as something different as to where it fits in as a horror/suspense flick.<br />
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With the real horror film season still a month away, and <i>The Conjuring</i> wrapping up its run in the height of summer at the box office, <i>You're Next</i> may be the next suspense film that you want to go see.
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CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8840028574495837795.post-2251360903746413972013-08-19T20:57:00.002-07:002013-08-19T20:57:35.280-07:00The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;"><b>She Has Been Chosen</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b>8.75</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> </span></b>out of 10</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> |<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> Movie and DVD</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Rated: PG-13 </strong>Intense sequences of fantasy violence and action, and some suggestive content<br /><strong>Release Date:</strong> August 21, 2013<br /><strong>Runtime: </strong>2 hours 10 minutes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Director: </strong>Harald Zwart<br /><strong>Writers: </strong>Jessica Postigo, based on the novel by Cassandra Clare<br /><strong>Cast:</strong> Lily Collins, Jamie Campbell Bower, Kevin Zegers, Jemina West, Robert Sheehan, Kevin Durand, Godfrey Gao, Lena Headley, CCH Pounder, Jared Harris, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Aiden Turner</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGFk2qpOxqU">Watch Trailer</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>SYNOPSIS: </b>When her mother disappears, Clary Fray learns that she descends from a line of warriors who protect our world from demons. She joins forces with others like her and heads into a dangerous alternate New York called Downworld.<br /><br /><b>REVIEW:</b> <i>The Karate Kid</i> director Harald Zwart tackles subject matter all too popular these days. Teenage angst under the guise of supernatural and fantasy story and action. The screenplay is written by Jessica Postigo (who is also writing the follow-up <i>City of Ashes</i>), based on the novel written by Cassandra Clare. </span></div>
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A young woman named Clary (Lily Collins, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2012/03/mirror-mirror.html">Mirror Mirror</a></i>) starts drawing a very specific symbol in her doodles and drawings. When her mother Jocelyn (Lena Headley, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-purge.html">The Purge</a></i>) sees it, she and her friend Luke (Aidan Turner, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-hobbit-unexpected-journey.html">The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey</a></i>) become concerned. Like any angst-ridden teenage girl, Clary takes her uncertainties and internalizes them, choosing to take her friend Simon (Robert Sheehan, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2011/01/season-of-witch.html">Season of the Witch</a></i>) into a dance club. When Clary witnesses a man being stabbed to death in the club, she flees. Returning home, she finds her mother missing and their apartment trashed. The mysterious man reveals himself to be Jace (Jamie Campbell Bower, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2011/10/anonymous.html">Anonymous</a></i>), a Shadow Hunter imbued with the blood of an angel, and that the man he killed was not a man but a demon. To search for her mother, Clary teams with Jace, Isabelle (Jemina West, <i>Lines of Wellington</i>), Alec (Kevin Zegers, <i>The Colony</i>) and Simon. Along the way, Clary discovers a world called Downworld previously unknown to her - filled with witches, vampires, werewolves, warlocks, demons and angels. She also discovers new memories and powers within herself. The question is whether her new allies and her new abilities will be enough to save her mother.<br />
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Based on the international best-selling series by Cassandra Clare, <i>The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones</i> is the origin tale of young Clary as she descends into the fantastic and frightening world hidden from the Mundane humans consciences. But Clary is less concerned about her new surroundings that she is about finding the woman who is first in her life and foremost on her mind - her mother.<br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> is much better crafted then this year's earlier <i>Beautiful Creatures</i>, combining good effects, a decent story, action, and lightness. I cannot speak to the adaptation of the book, but as a standalone efforts is enjoyable and much better than other recent supernatural teenage angst films. The fact that Clary has a purpose to go along with her super natural awakenings gives the film the weight it deserves.<br />
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When half angel/half human Shadow Hunters come together, it's important that they dress as goth as possible and show off their arsenals of swords, knives and weapons. They have all manner of armaments to deal with the likes of demons and vampires. Werewolves exist in the Downworld, too, and are worthy opponents of the Shadow Hunters, but the accord between the two groups is one that has not been broken. But sometimes the enemy is much closer than one would think.<br />
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The Shadow Hunters are as chiseled and beautiful as one would expect from the descendants of drinkers of true angel blood. It would be absurd to think they would look any less righteous. These type of movies could never be without the most gorgeous of young actors and actresses. Even Clary's speckled close friend Simon is handsome once the glasses come off. But beautiful actors, slick leather clothes and shiny weapons are just part of what makes this film look good. The CGI for the demons and the "hidden" sanctuaries of the Shadow Hunters is slick as well. The action sequences are fast-paced and kinetic, supplying a few good oohs and ahs as vampires shatter through tables or Shadow Hunters are thrown into walls.<br />
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As an avid moviegoer, I have seen most of the elements that the author presents in </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">. A portal that will transport the shadow hunters to any other place on the planet is reminiscent of Stargate. The runes that are etched on the Shadow Hunters bodies can be found in any number of adventure novels, comics, or in real life. Even the concept of a hidden supernatural world is similar to Marvel's <i>Blade</i> movie trilogy, using a similar tone for the characters and fight scenes. While a lot of the elements are not new, the author does a fine job blending them into a story that is new and fresh.<br />
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With clever and funny dialogue, well-crafted action sequences, a well paced story, and a fresh look at an established young adult genre, the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> has something to satisfy the monster in all of us.
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CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8840028574495837795.post-84000378241040804962013-08-16T20:10:00.001-07:002013-08-16T20:10:14.985-07:00Kick-Ass 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Rated: R </strong>Strong violence, pervasive language, crude and sexual content, and brief nudity<br /><strong>Release Date:</strong> August 16, 2013<br /><strong>Runtime: </strong>1 hour 47 minutes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Director: </strong>Jeff Wadlow<br /><strong>Writers: </strong>Jeff Wadlow, from comic book by Mark Millar, John Romita Jr.<br /><strong>Cast:</strong> Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chloe Grace Moretz, Morris Chestnut, Claudia Lee, Clark Duke, Augustus Prew, Donald Faison, Garrett M. Brown, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Yancy Butler, John Leguizamo, Jim Carrey</span></div>
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The Internet costumed sensation turned drug kingpin killer Dave Lizewski a.k.a.Kick-Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson, <i>Savages</i>) has hung up his tights, paving the way for other costumed adventurers and vigilantes to patrol the streets and keep the city's citizens safe. Mindy Macready a.k.a. Hit-Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz, <i>Let the Right One In</i>) has even given up her blue hair and butterfly knives to just be a normal teenage girl under the care of her father's former partner Detective Marcus Williams (Morris Chestnut, <i>Identity Thief</i>). A new hero, Colonel Stars and Stripes (Jim Carrey, <i>The Incredible Burt Wonderstone</i>), leads the cadre of heroes against the evils of the night. Meanwhile, the former Red Mist / Chris D'Amico (Christopher Mintz-Plasse, <i>The To Do List</i>) seeks his own vengeance against Kick-Ass, leaving his innocence behind and taking the more brutal moniker of The Motherf%&*^r, and assembling his own legion of villains and criminals. Kick-Ass and Hit Girl must return to the fray as heroes in order to stop The Motherf%&*^r and his minions from destroying both their lives and the lives of those they love.<br />
<br />Taylor and Moretz brought the original comic to screen adaption to life to moderate box office, with greater success on DVD. Moretz's Hit Girl was brilliant, Nicolas Cage's Big Daddy was Adam west and William Shatner all rolls up into a vengeful, psychotic father, and Taylor managed to bring to screen a non-powered hero with all the hope of Peter Parker and all the heart of the caped crusader - without the gadgets or fighting prowess. It was faithful to the tone of Mark Millar's graphic limited series as best as it could be, changing things up with visuals and plot points that worked better on camera. Now we return to a non-powered superhero universe not unlike the real world, where a young hero like Kick-Ass can exist without much of a second look.</span><br />
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With Dave now a senior in high school and Mindy a freshman it seems that everyone is figuring out what to do next. Mindy struggles against wanting to help people as Hit Girl and Dave struggles with the mundane existence without being Kick-Ass. This film ups the ante like many sequels need to, with Kick Ass back out in the streets joining with other superheroes. Instead of being a couple heroes against a bunch of mobster, <i>Kick-Ass 2 </i>brings heroes and villains out by the dozens. No longer are Kick-Ass and Hit Girl the only masked avengers. More people have taken up the call to go to try to right the wrongs that they feel nobody else can – even the police.<br />
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From Colonel Stars and Stripes, to Kick-Ass girl Night Bitch (Lindy Booth, Dawn of the Dead), to Battle Guy (Clark Duke, <i>The Croods</i>) who ends up being unmasked as Dave's friend Marty, to Insect Man (Robert Emms, <i>Mirror Mirror</i>), to Dr. Gravity (Donald Faison, <i>Pitch Perfect</i>), the film fills the screen with ordinary people trying to do extraordinary things. In this world the bullets are real and people die, but fear of death does not deter the mission of these men and women. But Chris D'Amico has other plans for the lot of them, still brooding over the death of his father by the hands of Kick-Ass's bazooka.<br />
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Taking in both the Kick-Ass 2 and Hit Girl miniseries by Mark Millar, this film is funny, thoughtful, and utterly brutal. The fight scene scene end up being bloody melees, especially in the battle royale climax at the end. Hit Girl has some great choreographed scenes of action against D'Amico's thugs and against Mother Russia (Olga Kurkulina). What could have been considered a throwaway sequel actually has both teeth and something of a story backing it up.<br />
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Kick-Ass 2 is touted as this summer's last must-see film. Fans of the original film will get a kick out of watching Dave and Mindy trying to get on with their lives. Hit Girl may be less shocking than she was in the first film, but she is more grown up than ever. Sacrifices are made, blood is shed, and the reality of the wounds and scars collected are painful and deep.<br />
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Kick-Ass 2 is the perfect catharsis for the super powered summer blues. Snarky and comic-y, this film still holds a grain of humanity that the other genre films may have to marvel at.
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CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8840028574495837795.post-34376487447924165782013-08-13T19:14:00.002-07:002013-08-13T20:31:32.902-07:00Lee Daniels' The Butler<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;"><b>Part of History</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b>8.0</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> </span></b>out of 10</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> |<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> DVD</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Rated: PG-13 </strong>Thematic elements, sexual material, language, disturbing images, smoking and some violence <br /><strong>Release Date:</strong> August 16, 2013<br /><strong>Runtime: </strong>2 hours 12 minutes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Director: </strong>Lee Daniels<br /><strong>Writers: </strong>Danny Strong, from an article by Wil Haygood<br /><strong>Cast:</strong> Forest Whitaker, Mariah Carey, Vanessa Redgrave, Oprah Winfrey, David Oyelowo, Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding Jr., Lenny Kravitz, Robin Williams, John Cusack, James Marsden, Liev Schreiber, Alan Rickman</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ4xDTz8Avc">Watch Trailer</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>SYNOPSIS: </b>An African-American's eyewitness accounts of notable events of the 20th century during his tenure as a White House butler.<br />
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<b>REVIEW:</b> <i>Precious</i> director Lee Daniels tackles desegregation, the Civil Rights movement, and the election of the nation's first black president from the point of view of a cotton picker-turned-White House butler, his wife, and children. Written by Danny Strong (<i>Game Change</i>) from the article "A Bulter Served By This Election" written by Wil Haygood.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-last-stand.html">The Last Stand</a></i>) finds himself alone after the death of his father and the growing instability of his mother (Mariah Carey, <i>Precious</i>). Taken in by a kindly plantation owner widow (Vanessa Redgrave, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2011/10/anonymous.html">Anonymous</a></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">), Cecil is taken away from the cotton fields and raised to serve in the house. After several years as a butler, Cecil leaves the plantation and finds work as a server in a hotel in the Washington, D.C. area. In 1955, Cecil is invited to work as a butler in the nation's White House under the Eisenhower (Robin Williams, <i>The Big Wedding</i>) administration. As desegregation issues and Civil Rights become more important to the minorities of America, Cecil finds himself a fly on the wall of several presidents' administration, including Kennedy (James Marsden, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2011/09/straw-dogs-2011.html">Straw Dogs</a></i>), Johnson (Liev Schreiber, <i>The Reluctant Fundamentalist</i>), Nixon (John Cusack, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2012/04/raven.html">The Raven</a></i>), and Reagan (Alan Rickman, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2011/07/harry-potter-and-deathly-hallows-part-2.html">Harry Potter</a></i> series). At the same time as Cecil is privy to the inner sanctum and inner dialogues of the nations political machine, he finds he is unable to relate to a wife (Oprah Winfrey, <i>The Princess and the Frog</i>) and his oldest son Louis (David Oyelowo, <i><a href="http://hotbutterreviews.blogspot.com/2012/12/jack-reacher.html">Jack Reacher</a></i>) who strives to become a part of the civil rights movement.<br />
<br />In the 1920s in Macon, Georgia young Cecil work's alongside his father and mother in the fields. Tragedy alone allowed Cecil to learn more than he would have and allow him the ability to venture out prepared into a harsh world. Raised and conditioned to be neither seen nor heard other than to serve Whitaker's Cecil slowly ascends to be pristine position in the presidental White House.<br />
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Based on a true story of real White House butler Cecil Gaines, the story revolves around his duties and his family who serve as a backdrop to the trials and tribulations of the decades of the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and even the new millennium where African-Americans suffer under segregation as second-class citizens. Cecil shows the audience firsthand what he had to show is his career, his home life, and the politics that he claims he doesn't take part in. Cecil gives the utmost importance to his job, leaving behind his family to struggle through the times for themselves. His wife turns to alcohol-filled infidelity to fill the void that Cecil leaves behind. By trying to make a life better for his family by doing what he was trained to do, Cecil finds that he's unable to relate to his educated and civic-minded son Louis. <br />
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The director Lee Daniels puts together all-star cast for this film. Whitaker is no stranger to fine drama. He was riveting in <i>The Last King of Scotland</i>. Oprah Winfrey, Terrence Howard, Lenny Kravitz, and Cuba Gooding Jr. dig into their roles with passion. Robin Williams, James Marsden, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Liev Schreiber</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">, John Cusack, and Alan Rickman all add their own personal spin on their individual roles as President. <br />
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This film, in a little over two hours, tries to balance political evolution with the personal impact that decisions had on the nation's African-American population. There is a lot to experience with over almost 80 year of American history to follow, and <i>Lee Daniels' The Butler</i> serves it well.</span></div>
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CHUCK I.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11938560324886421964noreply@blogger.com0