TOP GUN 3D

It's Top Gun, what more do I need to say?  This is easily one of my top 10 favorite movies of all time, and seeing it in IMAX 3D with eardrum blowing sound is the only way to see this movie.  I really wasn't sure how it was going to look being converted to 3D but it was fantastic.  The opening montage of planes landing, taking off, barrel rolling, with deck hands orchestrating a magnificent city of planes instantly fires you up for this movie.  Maybe a lifetime of playing sports and developing a deep brotherhood with your teammates, or always having the deepest respect for our military is what draws me to this movie.  What a great audience to watch it with, all attendees were Top Gun fans whose faces all lit up when Danger Zone started to play and the ladies go very excited to see the volleyball scene in 3D.  This is a movie that will hopefully stand the test of time, and from the whistles and claps from the crowd after the movie ended, it seems to be putting up one hell of a dogfight.

Must see. Enjoy the show.

Hansel & Gretel

In this spin on the fairy tale, Hansel & Gretel are now bounty hunters who track and kill witches all over the world. As the fabled Blood Moon approaches, the siblings encounter a new form of evil that might hold a secret to their past.

FUN!!! That is the best word to explain this movie.  Thank God someone is willing to try something different in Hollywood.  What a fantastic spin on this story, I can’t stop thinking of how great it was and when I can go back to see it again.  Jeremy Renner who is no stranger to playing a bad ass, and Gemma Arterton who makes me want to be a troll just so I could be her friend looked quite comfortable as a bad ass and I hope to see her do some more movies involving action.

My ticket allowed me to use the entire seat but I only needed the edge.  Yes I have been waiting to say that.  It was nice to feel excited watching a movie again and laughing and cheering with the actors as the movie progressed.  If you are a visual person you will enjoy the set design on this movie, incredible job, it made we want to rush home and eat candy.  Run; don’t walk to see this movie.  Get your popcorn and favorite movie partner and get ready for some fun, I promise you this. 

Enjoy the show. 

Bullet to the Head

After watching their respective partners die, a New Orleans hit man and a Washington D.C. detective form an alliance in order to bring down their common enemy

If you’re looking for a fun, non-stop action movie, look no further than Bullet to the Head.  As I settled into my seat along with the other 10 people in the theater for my matinee of action, I was surprisingly caught off guard by the start to finish action of this movie.  Stallone seems to always keep it fresh with new was to keep the action fresh off the drawing board.  Sung Kang was a nice addition to this movie, he and Stallone were a good pair to watch, I was hoping for a few more jokes between the two, but none the less I walked away really enjoying this movie.  The only thing that bothered me was the headrest in the car Stallone’s character drives.  Hollywood likes to remove them to get the shots they need, and then make them suddenly reappear; someone has to be close to figuring out a way around this problem, right? 

I say see this one if you like good action but no need to run out immediately, if you are having second thoughts, put it on your must rent list.

Enjoy the show. 

The Last Stand

The leader of a drug cartel busts out of a courthouse and speeds to the Mexican border, where the only thing in his path is a sheriff and his inexperienced staff.

I have to admit, being the action junkie that I am I was really looking forward to this movie, and the return of Arnold to the big screen.   A lot of people aren’t excited to see him return, but after his role in Expendables 2, I couldn’t wait to see this picture.   This is what I enjoy, a good throw back to the days of when Arnold ruled the screen as the action hero. 

Plenty of action and comedy delivered by Johnny Knoxville (who plays a wacky gun lover) in this one along with Luis Guzmán (the sheriffs most capable deputy).  Prisoner escape, big guns, explosions, gunfights, fast cars, and beautiful women, yes, it’s the complete movie for guys.  It was sometimes hard to focus on what was happening when Jaimie Alexander, and Genesis Rodriguez appear on screen.  Two beautiful and talented women who we will be seeing much more of in the years to come as their careers begin to liftoff.   Much credit to Arnold who seems to be having a good time making fun of himself in his movies, nice to see from someone who is used to being in perfect for his entire life. 

The Last Stand is a reminder that Schwarzenegger, as rickety and frayed a bridge to the action films of old as he is, can still pack a mean punch,

Enjoy the show

Parker

A thief with a unique code of professional ethics is double-crossed by his crew and left for dead. Assuming a new disguise and forming an unlikely alliance with a woman on the inside, he looks to hijack the score of the crew's latest heist.

What I enjoy about Jason Statham movies is the throwback to ass kicking times of the 80’s, but with updated special effects and martial arts tactics, these movies are so much fun to watch because I enjoy how each one tries to top the other with new fight moves, and exciting car chases.  This movie is more than advertised.  Statham’s do no harm to those who don’t deserve it and bring harm to those who have wronged you character, really gets you on his side from the get go and had me swinging my fists in the seat, as I wanted to be next to him helping during the fights. 

This is one of his toughest characters that I have seen in awhile, comparable to The Transporter.  He delivers harm to others in some very creative ways, yet is able to calm down a panicking security guard who wants nothing more than to see tomorrow with some gentle and calming words.  Now we all know that Statham is one tough mother!@#$er, but watching him kick the shit out of a bad guy with a knife stuck in his hand, while hanging 30 stories off a balcony is a great reminder of how bad ass he is. 

Every bad ass needs a girlfriend, and even though Jennifer Lopez isn’t his girlfriend in the movie, (she plays a real estate agent that he uses for information.) she looked absolutely amazing and did a good job playing the ex-wife who got fucked over by her ex and is desperately trying to put her life back together.  Michael Chiklis and Clifton Collins Jr. also star as ex-partners of Statham’s who tried to kill him and as we all know he gets his revenge, and what fun it is to watch the revenge play out.  See this one.

Enjoy the show. 

Gangster Squad

Los Angeles, 1949: A secret crew of police officers led by two determined sergeants work together in an effort to take down the ruthless mob king Mickey Cohen who runs the city.

This movie starts out fast and keeps kicking your ass until the closing credits.  I was hearing some mumbles about it being slow and boring at times, not true.  The only thing I found distracting was Ryan Goslings tone, which sometimes was high, low, and sometimes he dropped all together.  It's understandable that he did it for his character but I would have rather he didn't do it at all, he is a great actor, no need for that.  

Who would have thought that watching a chase scene with vintage cars would have been entertaining but the director (Ruben Fleischer) did an amazing job of it.  The combination of action, drama, and comedy was a perfect mixture.  With all the car chases, gun fights, and drama going on, it's the brawl between Sean Penn, and Josh Brolin that really did it for me.  This is one of the best gangster movies, done action style, that I have seen.  Keep in mind this is a different take on gangsters, not to be confused with L.A. Confidential, or The Untouchables, which are fantastic movies, I'm just saying it's always refreshing to see a new take on an old story. 

Enjoy the show.

Parental Guidance

Artie (Billy Crystal) and Diane (Bette Midler)  agree to look after their three grand kids when their type-A helicopter parents need to leave town for work. Problems arise when the kids' 21st-century behavior collides with Artie and Diane's old-school methods

It's too bad that movies like this aren't as popular as they once were, like in the 90's when we had plenty of them and they were always a fun movie.  Pleasantly surprised by this movie. Going in I had a sense that Billy was going to be his funny self, and he delivers as usual.  He and Bette Midler actually have great chemistry and played their roles as tough, and protective grandparents perfectly.  This movie has a good number of tender moments that really reel you in and make you think about your parents and has you grabbing for your phone to call and tell them you love them.  Everyone knows that vomit scenes have been done all too often in movies like this but, you will not see this one coming, even mentioning it won't give it away.  

Hopefully Hollywood will create some more touching and fun family movies like this.  Now if we could only get families to attend movies like this instead of watching vampires and wolves chase one another around in the dark. 

Enjoy the show.