The Lifeguard

A former valedictorian quits her reporter job in New York and returns to the place she last felt happy: her childhood home in Connecticut. She gets work as a lifeguard and starts a dangerous relationship with a troubled teenager.

If you have ever felt lost in life or still do, this movie will hit home and help us realize that what we want the most in life is fun, and happiness.  Minus the relationship with a minor this turned out to be a heartwarming movie.  As Leigh (Kristen Bell) struggles to find happiness she learns that even her best friend Mel (Mamie Gummer) although from a distance her life appears perfect, she too struggles for happiness.  They begin to hangout with some misfit teenagers who have no intentions of graduating and want nothing more than to get out of the shit hole they live in to escape their problems and begin a new life.  Of course everything goes wrong and blows up in everyone’s face until they all take a step back and are forced to find the real.  Fantastic performances by the cast, especially Kristen Bell and Mamie Gummer, whom in my opinion delivers her best performance yet, but hey, she’s learning from the best so I her only getting better.   

Enjoy the show.  4 out of 5 life preservers.

The Wolverine

On 9 August 1945, in a WWII prison camp near Nagasaki, Japan, from a guard tower, a young Japanese officer Yashida (Ken Yamamura) watches a pair of B-52 bombers appear over tranquil Nagasaki. Air Raid alarms sound and Yashida sounds an alarm and hurriedly descends from his watchtower at the POW camp. While other Japanese Officers prepare for death, Yashida quickly breaks open prison cells, freeing dozens of captured American soldiers and lastly comes to a peculiar-looking cell: what looks like a tank turret securely welded over a well, chained securely to the ground; a hyper-secure prison cell. Inside is Logan (Hugh Jackman), who while suspended by his bone claws) watches as all the inhabitants of the camp run for their lives. Yahisda cut the chains from Logan’s cell and tells him to run. Each Japanese officer kneels in line and ritualistically commits seppuku (or ritual suicide) Yashida cannot bring himself immediately to die. As he prepares, Logan stops him. Yashida ultimately watches the bomb fall from one of the bombers, and a massive fireball consumes Nagasaki. Yashida tells Logan to escape, but Logan tells Yashida to climb down into the pit, as he'll stand a better chance of surviving the nuclear blast below. He makes up his mind and jumps into the pit, followed by Logan. Logan grabs a metal door and covers Yashida with it. Seconds later the wall of fire is swept into the well, and Logan is consumed by it; burnt to a crisp. Yashida survives the bombing, with only a scar on his cheek, and watches, in horror, as a black-and-red Logan heals before his eyes.

In modern day Japan, Wolverine is out of his depth in an unknown world as he faces his ultimate nemesis in a life-or-death battle that will leave him forever changed. Vulnerable for the first time and pushed to his physical and emotional limits, he confronts not only lethal samurai steel but also his inner struggle against his own immortality, emerging more powerful than we have ever seen him before.

“You don’t want what I’ve got.”  But we do is what I was thinking when I heard this line.  Why would I not want to be made of Adamantium? I see nothing but positive things that can come from it.  There are a lot of mixed reviews on this movie and I understand why but if you really get into this story and go along with it, it’s actually a great movie.  We have become so used to Wolverine being so strong and indestructible that when a story comes along that makes him mortal some people get upset with this and I’m not sure why because we all know he will never stay that way.  This was a very interesting story and it was filled with enough action to give it the perfect balance.  A fun story that I really enjoyed and be sure to stay for the extended scene that appears about 2 minutes into the credits, it sets up a big plot point for the upcoming X-Men movie. 

Enjoy the show.  5 out of 5 bubs. 

RED 2

Now a happily contented man indulging his domestic instincts, retired CIA field agent Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) has settled down with Sarah (Mary-Louise Parker), the much younger woman who fell in love with him after he repeatedly saved her from various attempts on her life by the CIA, FBI and various law enforcement agencies in Red.  But coupled life has gotten rather routine for Sarah, so when Frank’s perennially paranoid former partner Marvin Boggs (John Malkovich) unexpectedly turns up spouting warnings about a plot to take them out, Sarah’s more than ready to listen, despite Frank’s resistance. He’s quickly persuaded, however, when a car bomb kills Marvin, and he’s dragged in for questioning about a clandestine Cold War-era mission called “Nightshade” that he’s suspected of having coordinated. Denying any knowledge, Frank quickly becomes a liability to Pentagon special agent Jack Horton (Neal McDonough), who’s about to finish him off when Marvin turns up very much alive and well-armed, rescuing Frank as they go on the run, with Sarah once again in tow.

That’s what I’m talking about!  Those are the words I muttered to myself after the movie was over.  It makes me happy that Dean Parisot gets what is fun about a movie like this and makes it a lot fun with the help of an all-star high-powered cast.  When I think of a character actor immediately John Malkovich comes to mind and since Red I have been waiting for the sequel so I can enjoy his character yet again.  Similar to the way Johnny Depp enjoys playing Captain Jack Sparrow, I feel Mr. Malkovich enjoys this character as much.  Action comedies are always a fun time, especially when you hand Helen Mirren an automatic weapon and let her loose.  Throw in Byung-hun Lee packing his amazing martial art skills, Catherine Zeta-Jones being her sexy self, and Anthony Hopkins playing a mentally defeated scientist and you have the makings of a great time at the movies.  Women, action, cars, guns, humor, fighting, explosions, and amazing actors, yeah, that’s what makes for a great movie.  Trust me, if you enjoyed Red you’re going to enjoy this movie just as much, and you may even be cheering from your seat with that feeling in your stomach that you wish you could jump into the screen and join in the fun. 

Enjoy the show.  5 out of 5 Helen Mirren ass kicking’s!

R.I.P.D.

Ryan Reynolds plays a Boston cop Nick and is murdered by his partner Hayes (Kevin Bacon) over some pieces of the gold, whereupon Nick is transported to a kind of purgatory and paired with veteran Western sheriff Roy (Bridges). Sent back to Earth to pursue some justice, they appear to each other, and most of the time to the audience, as themselves, though there are momentary glimpses of how they look to unsuspecting Earthlings: Nick is seen in the guise of “an old Chinese guy” (James Hong), while the goateed and long-haired Roy has the stunning appearance of a blond bombshell (Marisa Miller).

Marisa Miller, that’s how I explain this movie.  Probably because her image is still in my head and that’s fine with me.  I was very excited to see this movie and it started out by getting me worried with how they jumped right into the pool without giving us some background on the characters or building up the story.  Men In Black is what I was hoping for in terms of character and story development since this is similar to MIB in many ways.  It had some fun moments and Jeff Bridges played a great character alongside what I enjoy from Ryan Reynolds and his sarcastic characters he plays so well.  As always it’s fun to see Kevin Bacon on the big screen and he plays it well alongside all the other “Deadies”.  A lot of resemblance to MIB but at a slower pace with less the fun.  An enjoyable movie but I would recommend it as a curious Sunday night rental, unless you want to see Marisa Miller on the big screen in which case I say go ahead. 

Enjoy the show.  3 out of 5 Marisa Millers dancing in my head.

Only God Forgives

Bangkok. Ten years ago Julian killed a man and went on the run. Now he manages a Thai boxing club as a front for a drugs operation. Respected in the criminal underworld, deep inside, he feels empty. When Julian's brother murders an underage prostitute, the police call on retired cop Chang - the Angel of Vengeance. Chang allows the father to kill his daughter's murderer, then 'restores order' by chopping off the man's right hand. Julian's mother Jenna - the head of a powerful criminal organization - arrives in Bangkok to collect her son's body. She dispatches Julian to find his killers and 'raise hell'.

If you’re a fan of Nicolas Winding Refn movies I’m sure you’re going to enjoy this movie, especially if you enjoyed Drive.  He’s a great storyteller, but his movies are a little too slow for me with the super slow camera moves, long pauses, minimal dialogue, slow movements and long stares.  It looked amazing no doubting that but it wasn’t until the Crystal character (Kristin Scott Thomas) shows up and picks up the pace by getting the action started trying to avenge her sons death.   This movie comes down to crime and punishment and in the end everyone gets what they deserve. Refn fans you will want to rush out and see this but if you saw Drive and it wasn’t for you I recommend this as a rental.

Enjoy the show.  2.5 out of 5 long stares.