G.I. Joe Retaliation

Framed for crimes against the country, the G.I. Joe team is terminated by the President's order, and the surviving team members face off against Zartan, his accomplices, and the world leaders he has under his influence

Holy Shit!! Yes, that’s how I’m starting this review.  First I have to say that the wait was worth it for this film.  Last year Paramount pulled it last minute to add some more Channing Tatum and retrofit it for 3-D.  I have to say this, more Channing Tatum or not, if this film was only pulled to go 3-D, it didn’t need to be, this thing is packed with action and is one hell of a fun ride.  I don’t know if I will ever get on board the 3-D train because I feel it’s too distracting for action movies, and over the shoulder shots just don’t work.  With that said, I saw this in 3-D, damn this is one hell of an upgrade from its predecessor.  You can’t go wrong with guns, military, ninjas, action, Dwayne Johnson, and Bruce Willis.  This is a great ride, filled with non-stop action that Jon M. Chu directed perfectly.  Dwayne is his bad ass self and is tossing people around and using the big guns the way we expect him too.  Bruce is Bruce with his fantastic calm, cocky, and sarcastic way that he has always entertained us.  Adrianne Palicki is going to rise quickly to the top of the IMDB star meter after this weekend and everyone woman who watches this movie will never wear red again.  The toys in this movie have a nice throwback feel to the cartoon, which made me feel young again.  This movie in combination with Olympus Has Fallen is a great start to the action movies.  Not much of a review I understand, but my true action brethren will understand that less is more for this movie and it speaks for itself. 

Enjoy the show. 

Olympus Has Fallen

When the White House (Secret Service Code: "Olympus") is captured by a terrorist mastermind and the President is kidnapped, disgraced former Presidential guard Mike Banning finds himself trapped within the building. As our national security team scrambles to respond, they are forced to rely on Banning's inside knowledge to help retake the White House, save the President and avert an even bigger disaster.

OOH-RAH!! That’s how you explain this action packed in your face action movie.  Gerard Butler plays a fantastic hero and badass!! Finally we have a no nonsense hero who doesn’t have time for bullshit and takes extreme measures to get what he wants.  This summer is packed with movies that involve taking over the White House and it’s going to be a monumental (pun intended) task to do it better than Antoine Fuqua (director) does.  He is climbing the charts quickly as one of the best action directors, and this is going to do nothing but help boost him even farther.  I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and was always fully engaged.  When the American Flag is thrown off the roof of the White House I went into complete attack mode and wanted to kick ass with the military and take back the house.  America!! Fuck Yeah!! That’s what this movie does to you, at least me; I felt the urge to go enlist in the military just to kick some bad guy ass.  I’m going to admit that the trailer to this movie doesn’t do it justice, but after seeing the movie you understand why they couldn’t include more action.  Aaron Eckhart (President Asher) and Morgan Freeman (Speaker Trumbull) play the roles the way you hope our President and Speaker would act if this attack actually happened.  I’m still pumped up 2 hours later and want to go back and see it again.  Action lovers you will not be disappointed, if this is how the action movie summer starts, I can’t wait to see how it ends.  AMERICA!!

Enjoy the show.  

Oz the Great and Powerful

Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz. At first he thinks he's hit the jackpot-fame and fortune are his for the taking. That all changes, however, when he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz), and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone's been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity-and even a bit of wizardry-Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well.

I went into this movie with an open mind and had no idea what to expect, except how it would probably end since we have all seen The Wizard of Oz.  It started out slow and was getting a little boring but then the storm comes and transports the movie into OZ.  Finally, we get some in your face color and in your face 3D.  The 3D I could do without, I’m still not in love with it and think it makes everyone look like paper actors and distracts from the movies.  ANYWAY!!  Once we land in Oz the Hollywood crush of most men (Mila Kunis) comes to great Oz and takes us on a journey of love and made me wish I could see her in leather pants everyday.   James Franco appeared to be channeling his inner Johnny Depp because a few times I felt like his character was acting like Jack Sparrow, and then I thought about how Johnny Depp would have done this character.  Yeah, I got a little distracted.  The introduction of the rest of the witches, Weisz, and Williams really picked up this movie and got it going.  It is a gentle ride but in the end I wanted more of the witches since they provided most of the entertainment and action.  Always nice to see Bill Cobbs make an appearance and they would have done well to include more Bruce Campbell.  I wouldn’t rush out to see this one in the theaters; you can wait for the rental. 

Enjoy the show. 

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

Superstar magicians Burt Wonderstone (Steve Carell) and Anton Marvelton (Steve Buscemi) have ruled the Las Vegas Strip for years, raking in millions with illusions as big as Burt's growing ego. But lately the duo's greatest deception is their public friendship, while secretly they've grown to loathe each other. Facing cutthroat competition from guerrilla street magician Steve Gray (Jim Carrey), whose cult following surges with each outrageous stunt, even their show is starting to look stale. But there's still a chance Burt and Anton can save the act-both onstage and off-if only Burt can get back in touch with what made him love magic in the first place.

Finally, the return of the great comedy!! This is what we expect from a Steve Carell and Jim Carrey comedy and it delivered.  I put this movie on par with Anchorman, the humor, characters, and silliness of it is what we expect our comedies to be and I hope Hollywood will stay on this path.  This is Steve Carell at his finest, playing an arrogant and clueless magician whose time has passed him by and his intelligent but ignored sidekick played magically by Steve Buscemi.  Jim Carrey returns playing doing one hell of a job having fun with the street magician act and delivering his ridiculous yet hilarious comments of old.  Olivia Wilde who has become the sexiest and most versatile actress delivers with her amazing looks and equal talent showing us that she can hang with the boys of comedy and she isn’t afraid of Alan Arkin who as always is perfect in his role.  It’s true we don’t do negativity at Nuckul Head, but it’s crazy that this movie didn’t do better than The Call.  Maybe audiences are still afraid of the comedies not living up to their hype and trailers.  Let me be the first to tell you that they are back and this is hopefully the start of many to come.  Remember Anchorman didn’t do well opening weekend but went on to become a classic; I am seeing that for the future of Burt Wonderstone. 

Enjoy the show.  A MUST SEE

Dead Man Down

Victor, a rising gangland player, has infiltrated the crime empire run by ruthless kingpin Alphonse, with the single purpose of making Alphonse pay for destroying his once happy life. As he meticulously orchestrates his vengeance from his high-rise home, Victor watches and is watched by Beatrice, a mysterious young woman who lives in the apartment across from his. On the surface a fragile woman-child, Beatrice seethes with a rage of her own. When she uncovers Victor's dark secrets, she threatens to expose him unless he helps her carry out her own campaign of retribution. Each fixated on avenging the past; they devise a violent and cathartic plan that could change their worlds forever.

            Maybe I’m a movie nerd but when I heard Niels Arden Oplev was directing this movie I couldn’t wait for it to be released.  Anyone who has seen the original Girl With the Dragon Tattoo that he directed you know why.  Colin Farrell, Noomi Rapace, and Dominic Cooper are on my list of favorite actors, and if you see this movie you will know why.  Let’s be honest, Colin Farrell makes everything look cool, even if he was punching you in the face you would have to admire the way he does it because he makes it look so effortless and does it with a style only he can deliver.  Noomi Rapace, and Dominic Cooper are so good at burying themselves into their characters that I sometimes forget they are acting.  Niels does such an amazing job of getting the audience to connect with his characters, so much that I almost jumped into the movie to kick the hell out of some juveniles with big mouths who were mocking Noomi.   Here is how well done this movie is, I had to use the restroom about 10 minutes into the movie and I didn’t dare get out of my seat for fear of missing a single second of this movie.  Well-written story and it keeps you engaged the entire time, it was fun trying to figure out the story as it unravels while including some entertaining action scenes.   I don’t know how to get more people to see movies like this, maybe if I said there are giant robots that transform and super heroes come to save the day will do it?

Enjoy the show.