Straight Outta Compton

The group NWA emerges from the mean streets of Compton in Los Angeles, California, in the mid-1980s and revolutionizes Hip Hop culture with their music and tales about life in the hood.

This movie is one that brings me back to my youth and especially my love of 80’s music, a decade that is still undefeated in my mind as far as movies and music.  These guys started it all; they came at you with truth and feelings that they experienced with raw and unapologetic lyrics.  What these guys started is unbelievable and something that will most likely never be seen again in the history of music.  Watching the stories of all the greats come to life was a lot of fun and to see the next great after next great story come out on the screen was a lot of fun, especially if you had forgotten the time table of when these rappers hit it big.  I actually forgot how many greats Dr. Dre produced and how just how good he was at making beats. (Pun intended.)  I was very impressed with the cast and how well they portrayed their characters.  It was especially fun to watch O’Shea Jackson Jr. transform into his father right before your eyes.  Once he cut his hair it’s hard not to believe that it’s not actually Ice Cube.  In case you didn’t know, Ice Cube is actually his real life Father.  I have just one thing I wish would have been done different.  In my mind and this is just me, I wish we would have gotten more of an origin story on how they all met, some more family background, and along the way some dates or years of when all the events happened.   Before I go, the music is incredible in this movie; I forgot how many hits these guys put out and during the movie I wanted to get on iTunes and start downloading songs I had forgotten. 

1 Oscar Nomination 

Best Writing, Original Screenplay - Andrea Berloff, Jonathan Herman, S. Leigh Savidge, Alan Wenkus

Enjoy the show.

4 out of 5 popcorns.

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Bengazi

An American Ambassador is killed during an attack at a U.S. compound in Libya as a security team struggles to make sense out of the chaos.

It’s nice to see so many of these true war stories coming to the big screen.  We need more people to realize what our soldiers are doing for our country and the sacrifices they make on a daily basis.  Very impressed with the way Michael Bay created this movie, it’s a step outside of his normal filming process and he pulled it off in a way that appears almost as a Kathryn Bigelow or Clint Eastwood style of film.  This is going to be a breakout movie for the cast as well.   James Badge Dale and David Denman are well known on the big screen as well as John Krasinski.  In my mind this helps John’s career in a way that moviemakers will now see him as a leading man and offer more lucrative roles to him.  If you don’t know Pablo Schreiber, get to know him.  This is a breakout role for him and I have no doubt he will be racking up the IMDB credits very quickly in the coming years.  This movie is all about the bond and the brotherhood that the soldiers form with each other.  These guys aren’t war junkies; they are fighting to protect the man next to them.  An American Ambassador is killed in an attack and the closest support are these special operators who are only a mile away from the attack but because of the bureaucratic bullshit and red tape they are commanded to stand down until they say the hell with it and do what they are trained to do, protect lives.  There are some kick ass action scenes and some tense moments when these operators are being stalked by the enemy, along with walking the streets not being able to tell the bad guys from the good guys.  If you enjoyed, American Sniper, you will enjoy this movie.  I’m not putting this on American Sniper level being it’s a completely different story but it’s a great one and one that will make you laugh and cry watching some true American heroes. 

4.5 out of 5 popcorns.

STAR WARS The Force Awakens

 Three decades after the defeat of the Galactic Empire, a new threat arises. The First Order attempts to rule the galaxy and only a ragtag group of heroes can stop them, along with the help of the Resistance.

Do I need to even say anything about this movie?  I am almost certain that everyone knew this was going to be a fantastic movie, and if you didn’t enjoy it, you must be one heck of a Star Wars nerd who didn’t like a certain story line.  By now the only thing I think J.J. Abrams can’t do is walk on water, and I would not bet that he couldn’t.  J.J. is to directing what Dwayne Johnson has been to movies the last 5 years, whatever he touches, it turns to green, and lots of it.  Last time I checked it was past Avatar to become the highest grossing film of all time and it had yet to open in China!  I love Star Wars but I’m not deep into it like I am James Bond but this was still a great movie that anyone can follow and if you know a little history of the new characters you will be leaving the theater like everyone else.  Scratching your head to figure out who belongs where on the game board, which is amazing.  The story can go so many ways and if you follow all the fan boy sites you will know what the biggest mystery is and how much fun it is watching theories roll out.  If you are thinking that Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher have no place in this film, think again, because you are very wrong.  J.J. is a master story teller and he proves yet again why he is the next coming of Spielberg, and Lucas, yes I said it, tell me I’m wrong, you can’t.  The blend of action, comedy, drama, new ships, and droids is brilliant and after seeing this movie you’ll know what everyone wants their very own BB-8.  Take the kids and start a new adventure with them that will last for years to come, according to the release dates of all the new Star Wars movies and stand alone movies to follow.

5 out of 5 light sabers.    

Daddy's Home

Stepdad, Brad Whitaker, is a radio host trying to get his stepchildren to love him and call him Dad. But his plans turn upside down when the biological father, Dusty Mayron, returns.

Finally!!! Will Ferrell has come back to great comedy!! (Shout out to The Rock)  This was my annual Christmas Day movie with relatives and I have to say I am so happy that we chose this movie because it was such a surprise how funny it was.  Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg are a couple of my favorite actors but to put them in a movie like this could be a long shot.  Guess what? That’s why they put people like them in movies together.  We have comedy coming from so many different angles that it works so well together.  Sure we have seen some of the gags in this movie before but they are done in a fresh new way that made them hilarious.  The movie has grossed over 100 million already so that tells you people like it.  If it weren’t funny it would be hovering around the 25 million mark.  When I mention comedy comes at you from different angles I mean Thomas Hayden Church, and Hannibal Buress turn their turrets on you and unload with some heavy firepower that we have been missing in comedies.  The coverage of jokes in this movie is so vast that it is hard to find people, things, and places that didn’t get used as a joke.  Trust me you are going to enjoy this movie and all the Father’s are going to look differently upon Father, Daughter dances.  One thing I will say is this.  Dwayne Johnson instead of John Cena.  What’s interesting about that comment is that I heard a great number of people also say this.  Get ready to spill the popcorn and shoot soda out your nose with this movie. 

5 out of 5 Ford Edges

CREED

The former World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson, the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed.

I know I am behind on my posts and I apologize but I will do my best to get up what I can before awards season is into high gear.  Here we are with one of the greatest movie franchises ever, and one that I thought ended well with Rocky Balboa.  Guess what? That was 10 years ago and it was time to add on to the franchise.  Some people had their doubts about this movie, but to put it in the hands of director Ryan Coogler, well, you knew it would turn out well.  This movie is such a throw back in a way that it reminded me a little of Spectre in terms of how the story was told.  There are little throwbacks that really get you excited about Rocky and get you thinking of all the movies that came before.  Sylvester Stallone gives in my opinion one of if not the best performance of his career and Michael B. Jordan is a great choice to play Apollo Creeds son.  The feel of the movie takes a lot of the same paths that the original did but in an updated way that keeps it fresh and doesn’t feel like a remake.  The fight scenes are incredible, especially in the final fight with plenty of action to make you feel like it’s the war in Rocky IV all over again.  The pacing is great and doesn’t drag the fights out so you get bored and want to run pee.  I also felt some of Rocky III in the final fight scene, which was written perfectly just like Rocky III.  I highly recommend this movie to everyone, it’s all the Rocky films rolled into one so it is easy to please fans no matter which is their favorite of the franchise. 

1 Oscar Nomination 

Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Sylvester Stallone

12 out of 12 rounds.