This is Where I Leave You

This movie stars Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, and Jane Fonda.  The movie portrays a family who is observing a week of Shiva following the death of their father and husband.  You get to see the comradery and disagreements amongst siblings while they are in close quarters as adults. 

I really enjoyed all of the characters in this movie.  All their performances were great.  With so many characters in one movie, you expect one part to be poor.  However, all were fantastic.  I gave it 3 ½ out of 4 stars.    

The Maze Runner

This movie starred Dylan O’Brien as a boy who was unknowingly dumped into another world in which the only way out was through a maze that constantly changed.  This was one movie that I did not enjoy much.  The imagery in it was great and the acting was OK, it was just so far-fetched that I couldn’t get into it. 

I gave this movie 1 ½ out of 4 stars.  

Annie

There are several versions of this movie and I enjoy each one.  This one stars Jamie Foxx as Will Sacks, a wealthy mobile phone mogul and mayoral candidate.  Quvenzhane Wallis stars as Annie.  Annie is an orphan living as a foster child in the home of Colleen Hannigan, who was played by Cameron Diaz. 

While out and about one day, Annie is running down the sidewalk and bumps into Mr. Sacks and falls into traffic.  Mr. Sacks quickly snatches her from in front of an oncoming truck.  This act captures the attention of the news as well as his political advisor, Guy, who was played by Bobby Cannavale.  Guy convinces Mr. Stacks to take Annie in to his home in an effort to garner more votes. 

Jamie Foxx, Quvenzhane Wallis, Cameron Diaz, and Rose Byrne (who played Mr. Sacks personal assistant) were all fantastic actors, singers, and dancers.  Their performance was terrific.  I have seen this movie two times and left feeling uplifted and cheerful both times.  I would encourage everyone to bring the entire family to see this movie that grabs you by the heart.  I thought this movie was just as good as any previous version.  I gave this movie 3 out of 4 stars.

The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies

This was the final movie in a sequence of three directed by the great Peter Jackson telling the tale of the battle for middle earth.  The movie begins with Bilbo (played by Martin Freeman) and the dwarfs in the mountain that was the home of Smaug the dragon who was protecting the diamonds and riches within.  In the previous movie, Smaug had been angered and planned to seek his revenge on the town of Laketown, the home of humans including Bard who was played by Luke Evans.  Bard kills Smaug with an arrow but not before Laketown is destroyed. 

Meanwhile Thorin, the leader of the dwarfs and played by Richard Armitage, decides he wishes to keep all of the riches for himself and the dwarfs.  However, many other fractions have the same desire.  And so begins the battle.  

The 3D effects in this movie were spectacular.  I loved the imagery and of course the story.  Peter Jackson once again is in the leadership role of using the latest and greatest of technology.   He is one of the finest directors working today.  Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey had a smaller part in this movie than in the others but was still terrific as were all of the actors who also included Orlando Bloom as Legolas and Evangeline Lilly as Tauriel.  Christopher Lee even made a brief appearance as Saruman the White.  I think everyone should see this movie because it is unbelievably fantastic and meets all expectations.  Even though this movie is fairly long, the time will pass quickly.  I gave this movie 4 out 4 stars.  

Exodus: Gods and Kings

This movie starring Christian Bale in the lead as Moses tells the tale of how Moses led over 400 Hebrew slaves to their freedom from the pharoahs in Egypt.  The movie begins with Moses as a grown man who with his brother Ramesses are in line to be the next pharaoh.  In a battle, Moses saves the life of Ramesses as prophesized by Ramesses’ father Seti who was played by John Turturro.  This was to mean that Moses would become a great ruler. This drew the suspicion and distrust on the part of Ramesses.  Moses is asked to visit the city of Pithom to check on the people there.  While there, he meets with Nun (played by Ben Kingsley) who informs Moses in confidence of his true heritage as a Hebrew himself. 

After his return home, Ramesses is told of this story but is unsure of its accuracy.  But over time he comes to believe and banishes Moses and his family.  Moses soon comes upon a village of sheep herders where he falls in love and marries his wife Zipporah.  About nine years later, Moses is injured during a rockslide and sees a burning bush and a boy named Malak who tells him of God’s plan for him and his wishes.  Here begins Moses leading of the slaves. 

This movie was directed by Ridley Scott who did an excellent job with the portrayal of Moses and Ramesses.  While there was some controversy with the film, I truly enjoyed this movie.  I was entertained by it.  Some will not enjoy this movie as I did but that’s OK.  Everyone must form their own opinion.  The special effects were terrific as was the acting.  I gave this movie 3 out of 4 stars.  

Guardians of the Galaxy

This movie is also a top ten movie.  If you are a fan of the comics, you will love Guardians.  Everything about this movie was fantastic.  I loved the cast, the directing, and the action.    Chris Pratt was one of the stars, Peter Quill, who travels through the galaxy.

I once again recommend that you purchase this move.  Rumor has the characters from this movie as part of the upcoming Avengers movie.  I don’t know if that’s true but that’s the rumor I hear.  I gave Guardians of the Galaxy 4 out of 4 stars.  

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

I love the first Planet of the Apes movie.  It was fantastic, but the Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was one of the best films of the year.  I would highly recommend that everyone buy or rent both movies. 

In Dawn, the apes are living in their own community but again are asked to get along with some of the humans that survived the virus that almost wiped out the human race.  That virus had hit about 10 years ago. 

I gave this movie 4 out of 4 stars.  It’s a great movie.  

The Theory of Everything

This movie tells the life story of Stephen Hawking.  It starts with Stephen, played by Eddie Redmayne, as a high school graduate getting ready to go to college at Cambridge.  While there he meets Jane, the girl of his dreams, who was played by Felicity Jones.  Soon after he begins to notice that something is wrong.   

While walking through campus one day, he falls down.  After a visit to the doctor, it’s discovered that he has a motor neuron disease and is not expected to live past two more years.  Stephen tries to distance himself from Jane, but she convinces him of her love and they marry. 

Of course Stephen proves the doctors wrong but caring for Stephen becomes more than Jane can handle.  The choir director, Jonathan Jones (Charlie Cox) from Jane’s church is their son’s piano teacher.  They invite him to dinner and he volunteers to help Jane out.  Both Jane and Jonathan discover they have feelings for one another, so Jane ends the relationship and hires another woman to help with Stephen’s care. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful movie.  However, you will need to travel to Kansas City to see it.  The acting was fantastic, especially Eddie Redmayne’s portrayal of Stephen Hawking.  Felicity Jones was also superb in her role. The love between both was touching even if it didn’t last.  I gave this movie 3 ½ out of 4 stars.  

Penguins of Madagascar

I was really looking forward to this movie.  It disappointed me.  I found it way to long. 

The movie tells the story of three penguins who leave the “Penguin March” to rescue a runaway egg.  Once the egg hatches, the story covers their exploits.

The penguins were very cute, but the story becomes too complicated.  This was just another Madagascar movie that went nowhere.  I enjoyed the three older penguins (Skipper, Kowalski, and Rico) teaching the little penguin (Private) the ways of the world.  If the polar bear had been in the movie and they didn't leave home, I think it would have been more effective. 

The movie was good but it wasn't great.    This, however, will be a good family movie but my girls were more interested in checking their cell phones than watching the movie.  I gave this movie 2 out of 4 stars.  

A Madea Christmas

This movie was horrific from beginning to end. Tyler Perry cannot act or direct.  I cannot recommend it at all.  I advise you to stay clear of this movie and don’t waste your time.  I gave this movie 0 out of 4 stars. Enough said.  

The Expendables 3

I loved the first two Expendables movies and I loved this one just as much.  Sylvester Stallone did a tremendous job of putting this cast of stars together.  Stallone can get almost anyone he wants and was able to add Harrison Ford to this version.  Mel Gibson also joined playing a villain.  Both he and Harrison made perfect additions to the original members that included Stallone, Jason Statham, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Wesley Snipes, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Kelsey Grammer, Antonio Banderas, and Ronda Rousey.

The Expendables head out to battle Mel Gibson who was a former Expendable and now out to get the remaining team.   How can you not like a movie with this many stars?  This movie was fantastic.  I gave it movie 3 out of 4 stars.  I have heard that an all female Expendables is coming out and I can’t wait.   

Horrible Bosses 2

I loved the first Horrible Bosses and found it very funny.  The whole cast returns for the second movie.  In this movie the guys (Charlie Day as Dale, Jason Bateman as Nick, and Jason Sudeikis as Kurt) have all quit their jobs and put everything they have into producing and selling the Shower Buddy.  They meet up with Bert Hanson (Christoph Waltz) and his son Rex Hanson (Chris Pine) who agree to buy their product.

Bert and Rex go back on their word leaving the guys high and dry with no one to sell to and no money left. The guys again acquire the services of Dean Jones played by Jamie Foxx to come up with a plan to kidnap Rex. 

I thought the added characters of Bert and Rex were outstanding in their roles.  Jennifer Aniston was again in this movie and did not disappoint.  Jamie Foxx, Charlie Day, Jason Bateman, and Jason Sudeikis were hilarious.  Not everyone will enjoy this movie but I thought it was tremendous.  If you loved the first one, go see this one as well.  I gave this movie 3 out of 4 stars. 

Hunger Games Mockingjay - Part 1

I couldn’t wait to see this latest Hunger Games film.  It stars the beautiful Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss and Josh Hutcherson as Peeta.  In this movie, Katniss awakes in a hospital bed after being saved in the previous movie by Plutarch Heavensbee  who was played by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman.  Peeta, however is residing in the Capital and is under the control of President Snow who was played by Donald Sutherland.  

Katniss is living in District 13 which had been believed to be totally destroyed in the last uprising.  She is being asked by District 13’s President Coin (Julianne Moore) to be the face of the latest uprising to gain their freedom from the Capital.   Peeta is constantly shown on the Capital’s TV station trying to quell the revolution that is beginning in all of the districts. 

I thought this film was the best of the three Hunger Games movies and I cannot wait for the final edition.  I thought that Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson were tremendous in their performances.  Jennifer Lawrence had several instances where she had to sing and she nailed it.  Her voice was beautiful.   The other members of the cast, which again included Woody Harrelson as Haymitch and Liam Hemsworth as Gale, were so good as well that you will want to see this movie again and again.  I gave this movie 4 out of 4 stars.  I truly enjoyed it and I think you will as well.

If I Stay

This drama stars Chloe Grace Moretz as Mia Hall, a teenager who is faced with all of the normal problems of a teenager and has a loving family who provides support no matter what.  Jamie Blackley plays her boyfriend Adam who is an up and coming rock star. 

One day while on a family outing, there is a horrific car accident that kills both of Mia’s parents and her brother that leaves her fighting for her life. 

I loved every second of If I Stay so much so that I saw it twice.  I would highly recommend that you rent this movie but make sure you have a box of Kleenex on hand.  I gave this movie 4 out of 4 stars.  

22 Jump Street

I thought this movie was even funnier than 21 Jump Street.  Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, and Ice Cube were back as undercover police officers.  They go to a university to discover who is behind a large drug ring. 

I love the roles played by Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum in what was a very entertaining movie.  This movie will give you a real good belly laugh.  I gave this movie 3 1/2 out of 4 stars. 

Dumb and Dumber To

This movie was typical of a Jim Carrey movie.  It was fun to watch and I enjoyed the chemistry between Jim Carrey’s character, Lloyd Christmas, and Jeff Daniels character, Harry Dunne. 

Lloyd had been committed to a mental institution after a failed romance as shown in the first Dumb and Dumber movie.  He was there for 20 years before Harry discovered Lloyd had been faking all along.  Lloyd leaves the institution and they go to visit Harry’s family.   The family had been saving mail for Harry for years and it’s discovered after looking through it that Harry is a father. 

The movie also stars Kathleen Turner as Fraida Felcher, the mother of Harry’s daughter.   After Harry tracks her down, she sends them out to find the daughter she had given up for adoption. 

I loved every second of this stupidly funny movie.  Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels are terrific.  The movie is ridiculous but it fits the title.  The performance was outrageous and I loved it.  Even the dog car makes another appearance in the movie.  I gave this movie 3 out of 4 stars. 

Beyond the Lights

I went into this movie hoping to be entertained and at times I was.  But it was very similar to Kevin Costner’s movie the Bodyguard with Whitney Houston, and I found myself making comparisons throughout. 

It stars Nate Parker as Kaz, a police officer with aspirations of becoming a politician, Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Noni, a well-liked pop singer who was exploited by everyone as a sex object, Minnie Driver as Macy Jean, Noni’s mother and manager, and Danny Glover as Kaz’s dad who was also a police officer.

Noni was raised by her mother to be no less than perfect at all times.  As a child, they travelled around to talent contests.  If Noni did not come in first, it just wasn’t good enough.  But all of her hard work paid off, as she becomes a pop idol superstar.  However, being a celebrity comes at a price and being exploited gets to her.  She attempts to jump off of a balcony but is saved by Kaz, who had been filling in as her personal protector.  They hit it off, and become a couple much to Noni’s mother’s chagrin.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw is a terrific singer and I truly enjoyed listening to her sing.  Her acting skills were fantastic as well.  Of course Minnie Driver and Danny Glover played their parts perfectly also.  I just thought the story line could have been less predictable.  This movie was better than The Bodyguard but I wanted more than I got.  I gave this movie 2 out of 4 stars.  

Tammy

This comedy stars Melissa McCarthy, Susan Sarandon, Kathy Bates, Allison Janney, and Dan Aykroyd.   With a cast like this you can’t go wrong.  There were some really funny parts in this movie as well as a serious side.  I also thought there were points in the movie where nothing much seemed to be happening. 

I liked this movie but it didn’t overwhelm me.  I gave this movie 2 ½ out of 4 stars.     

Jersey Boys

This wonderful movie was directed and written by the great Clint Eastwood.  The movie is a tribute to Frankie Valli and the 4 Seasons.  It follows Franki’s rise to stardom from a troubled high school boy to an adored and well loved singer. 

This movie was brilliant and has a great cast.  The music is unbelievably good and worth purchasing the sound track for.  I gave this movie 3  ½ out of 4 stars.   

Birdman

Michael Keaton stars in this movie as Riggin Thomson.  He had been the star of the movie Birdman years ago.  He decides to make a comeback by writing, directing, and performing in his own Broadway play.  Included in the play are his best friend and producer Jake played by Zach Galifianakis, Riggin’s girlfriend Laura played by Andrea Riseborough, and Leslie, a first time Broadway actress played by Naomi Watts.  Riggin’s daughter (played by Emma Stone) is a recovering drug addict and serves as Riggin’s assistant.  Through a convenient accident, the other male star is severely injured.  Leslie’s boyfriend (who is played by Edward Norton) is brought on to take his place.  

Riggin is constantly hearing the voice of Birdman in his head both poking fun at and encouraging him.  He is flat broke as well as a heavy drinker.  He needs money to help finance his play.  After a discussion with his ex-wife (played by Natalie Gold), he decides to sell his Malibu house which was intended to be his daughter’s.  Everything he is and has is on the line for the success of this play. 

This latest movie by Michael Keaton just really stood out.  I loved all of the characters and their interactions.  The movie was so engrossing that time just flew by.  Michael Keaton played a very deep part and played it to perfection.  I hope that he is nominated for an Oscar because of his unbelievably fantastic performance. 

Edward Norton’s role required him to be very egotistical and full of himself.  He played the part well as did Naomi Watts as his girlfriend.  Emma Stone and Natalie Gold were terrific as well. 

You will have to go out of town to catch this movie, but it is worth the trip.  I gave this movie 4 out of 4 stars.  It’s the best movie I have seen so far this year.  

Big Hero 6

This movie was just spectacular.  It is about two brothers who have a passion for science.  The older of the two, Tadashi, is working on a robot who can immediately tell what kind of care is needed when someone is sick or hurt.  Tadashi convinces his younger brother, Hiro, to enroll in the same university as he is in. 

Hiro presents his invention, mind-controlled nano-bots, and impresses the school’s administration enough to allow his admission.  Before he can attend his first class, a fire destroys the lab on campus and Tadashi is killed.  It soon becomes apparent that the fire may not have been accidental. 

Hiro discovers that Baymax, Tadashi’s robot, was in his bedroom.  He makes some modifications and soon Baymax, Hiro, and their friends go about finding the truth. 

I think Big Hero 6 was unbelievably well-done and a terrific film.  This is one movie in which the 3-D format would be worth the price but the standard format would still be great.   The animation was so great that cars and buildings look some-what real. 

Ryan Potter voices Hiro, Daniel Henney voices Tadashi, and Scott Adsit voices Baymax.  All were great, especially Adsit who did a wonderful job with voice inflection.  I would highly recommend this movie for all families because it will appeal to people of all ages.  From beginning to end it was extremely entertaining.  The story was touching and contained a good amount of humor as well.   I gave this movie 3 ½ out of 4 stars.  

Interstellar

This tremendous movie directed by the great Christopher Nolan stars Matthew McConaughey as Cooper, a former astronaut and a widowed father of two.  Michael Caine plays a scientist named Dr. Brand, Anne Hathaway plays Brand’s daughter Amelia, and John Lithgow plays Cooper’s father-in-law.  Mackenzie Foy plays Cooper’s daughter, Murphy, as a preteen, and Jessica Chastain plays Murphy as an adult. 

They live in a time where they are constantly plagued by dust storms and it is increasingly harder to grow any crops that can be used for food.  None-the-less Cooper and his family are farmers.    One day he and his daughter stumble upon an underground NASA facility led by his former mentor, Dr.  Brand. 

Cooper is persuaded to go to outer space with a crew that includes Dr. Brand’s daughter Amelia in search of a habitable place to live for the human race.  Cooper must leave behind his family and cannot promise his return.  In outer space, time moves more slowly so 1 hour in space may be one year on earth. 

Christopher Nolan and his younger brother Jonathan both wrote this and did an amazing job putting it all together.   I love everything Christopher Nolan does as a director.  The imagery in this movie was spectacular as was the sound.   

Matthew McConaughey,  Anne Hathaway,   Jessica Chastain, and Michael Caine were all fantastic in their portrayals as was the rest of the cast.  I hope that Matthew McConaughey and Christopher and Jonathan Nolan are nominated for Oscars because I thought this movie was incredible.  I am going to see this movie again since I’m sure I missed something.  I gave this movie 3 ½ out of 4 stars.  

Hercules

This movie stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Hercules.  He is told in his dreams that his kids and wife will be murdered.  Hercules has always been a protector of everyone who crosses his path and is in need of his help.  He and a group of mercenaries go off to help the town of Thrace.

I thought the Rock was outstanding.  At times he just stood there in a pose as he did as a wrestler.  He’s also not a bad actor.  The special effects were not available 10 years ago but the movie industry has come a long way and I loved the special effects in this movie. 

I gave this movie 3 out of 4 stars.  

Maleficent

Angelina Jolie voices the lead role of the evil sorceress Maleficent who is on the prowl to abduct Elle Fanning who played Princess Aurora.  Maleficent casts all kinds of spells upon the innocent Princess Aurora. 

I loved the animation in this extraordinarily beautiful movie.  You can actually turn off the sound and view the wonderful sets.  The animators did a great job drawing the layouts for this movie.  Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning were fantastic in their roles.  I gave this movie 3 out of 4 stars. 

The Book of Life

This family friendly offering stars Christina Applegate as she tells a story of what happened many years ago on the Day of the Dead.  Maria, who was voiced by Zoe Saldana, must choose between two men with one to be her husband.  One was Joaquin, voiced by Channing Tatum, and the other is Manolo and was voiced by Diego Luna. 

Joaquin is a decorated veteran and has a good luck charm that he carries with him at all times.  Manolo has a love for music but becomes a bullfighter following his family’s tradition.  Maria is in love with Manolo but chooses Joaquin to marry in hopes that he will protect their town from a brutal bandit voiced by Dan Navarro. 

I very much enjoyed The Book of Life.  All the actors did a fine job but the director, Jorge Gutierrez, did a fantastic job especially considering this was his first movie.  I gave this movie 3 out of 4 stars.  

Nightcrawler

This action packed movie stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Lou Bloom, a petty thief trying to make it stealing copper and selling it to scrap yards .   After coming upon a car crash and talking with those filming the incident, he finds that there is good money to be made and so begins a new career as a film journalist.    He finds that he has a knack for getting the best shots and has a solid buyer in Nina, a local TV producer played by Rene Russo.  The riskier the film the more money he makes.

He hires an assistant to help him who is played by Riz Ahmed.  Soon after Lou gets greedy when he arrives on the scene of a home invasion and murder before the perpetrators have left.  He captures them on film as they leave the house. 

Jake Gyllenhaal was terrific in what was a difficult role to play.  He lost a significant amount of weight to fit the part. I love the fact that he always seems to choose difficult roles and is always successful in his portrayals. 

Rene Russo was also outstanding.  I loved the way that her and Jake Gyllenhaal played off of each other.  I think her role was an excellent portrayal of the stress and anxiety of being a TV producer and needing to always get the best ratings. 

I gave this movie 3 out of 4 stars. 

Begin Again

For a low budget movie, this one was fantastic.  It stars Keira Knightley as an up and coming English singer and Mark Ruffalo as a down on his luck agent.    Ruffalo wants to help Knightley begin her career and they become great friends. 

This movie was very heart warming and I really enjoyed it.   Begin Again will end up being on my top 10 list for the year.  I think everyone else will enjoy it as well.  Both Knightley and Ruffalo should be up for Oscars.   I rate this movie 4 out of 4 stars.  It’s tremendous.  

Deliver Us From Evil

This was one of the best horror films of the year.  Eric Bana stars as a married police officer with one child.  His wife was played by Olivia Munn. 

Eric Bana’s character, Ralph Sarchie, is called on to investigate a case in which some strange happenings are occurring between a number of individuals who seem to be under some sort of demonic force.  He teams up with a priest, played by Edgar Ramirez, in an attempt to exorcise the demons. 

I thought this movie was outstanding and it really got into your head.  I rate this movie 3 ½ out of 4 stars. 

St. Vincent

This movie was filled with comedy and drama.  It stars the great Bill Murray as Vincent Mackenna and Melissa McCarthy as single mom, Maggie Bronstein.  Jaeden Lieberher plays as Maggie’s young son Oliver. 

The movie begins with Maggie and Oliver moving in next door to Vincent.  Oliver is a very slight boy and quickly becomes an easy target for the other boys in his new school.  Vincent drives a 1960’s corvette, drinks heavily, plays the ponies, and has regular visits from a prostitute.  Maggie works a lot of late hours and Vincent soon becomes the baby sitter for Oliver. 

I think that Bill Murray should be nominated for an Oscar for his role in this movie.  In all counts he seems to be the drunken, grumpy old man that no one wants to be around, but as the movie progresses you find out why.  His character suffers a major stroke, and he hit the nail on the head in his portrayal during the recovery. 

The performance by Melissa McCarthy and Jaeden Lieberher was also fantastic.  Naomi Watts played the prostitute who Vincent sees regularly and she was also terrific.  I gave this great movie 4 out of 4 stars.  I enjoyed every second of it.  

The Fury

This was one of the best action movies that has been released in a long time thanks to writer/director David Ayer.  It stars Brad Pitt as Sergeant Don “Wardaddy” Collier and Logan Lerman as young Norman “Machine” Ellison.  The Fury was the name of the tank commanded by Sgt. Collier during World War II. 

Sgt. Collier’s gunner had died in combat and was replaced by very green Norman, who had only trained to be a typist.  The movie shows how Sgt. Collier goes about preparing Norman to deal with war on the front lines.   

The Fury does an excellent job in showing how life really was for those who actually fought in World War II especially those who were in the tanks.  The movie also did a fine job of portraying the Nazis and the feelings the American soldiers had for them.   

There were some drawbacks in this movie but I enjoyed it so much that I still gave it 3 out of 4 stars.  

John Wick

Keanu Reeves plays the character of John Wick, a former assassin who had just buried his wife.  He is met at the funeral by a former associate played by Willem Dafoe.  A few days after the service, a package is delivered.  The package contains a final gift from his wife of a puppy to care for. 

A few days later, some Russian mobsters break into his house.   They kill his dog and steal his 1969 vintage mustang.  John Wick wants revenge. 

The action in this movie was outstanding.  I thought that Willem Dafoe was excellent.  Adrianne Palicki who played another assassin and Ian McShane who played a hotel owner frequented by the assassins were also great.  I was a little disappointed with Keanu Reeves acting.  He’s never been great but he could have done better in this role.   I think he was concentrating more on stunts than dialogue.  I gave this movie 2 ½ out of 4 stars. 

Ouija

This movie stars Olivia Cooke as Laine Morris, a teenage girl who with her friend Debbie (played by Shelley Henning) play with a Ouija board as youngsters.  The Ouija board is a game that is said to be able to answer questions that you ask it and even allow you to talk with spirits.  However, you should never play with it alone.  Debbie finds the game as a teenager and plays alone anyway. 

Debbie begins to act strangely and would rather stay home than go out with Laine and her other friends, including her boyfriend Pete played by Douglas Smith.  One day Debbie is found hung from the ceiling and her friends decide to use the Ouija board to talk with her.  After that weird things begin to happen with this small group of friends. 

I thought the acting in Ouija was not bad.  Olivia Cooke was terrific and so were the others.  This movie was very entertaining.  There were some scary and startling scenes in it as there should be.  The cinematography was great as was the directing.  Keeping in mind that this was a horror movie, I still enjoyed it.  I gave this movie 3 out of 4 stars. 

Earth to Echo

If you have seen the movie ET from long ago, then you have also seen Earth to Echo.  Echo is an extraterrestrial being that comes to earth and then one thing after another happens.  The overall premise was kind of ignorant.

I thought that Earth to Echo was not very good.  I was a fan of ET but Earth to Echo was just too much of a copycat.  I was disappointed in the lack of knowledge from the ones who wrote this story.   You cannot remake ET even though they tried.  I thought that overall this movie was unnecessary to make.  I gave this movie 1 ½ out of 4 stars.    

Dracula: Season 1

Dracula was one of the more entertaining shows I saw this past season. Jonathan Rhys Meyers played Dracula and he is outstanding in this role.  His fellow costars were just as good including Jessica De Gouw and Thomas Kretschmann.  I was hoping they would pick up this show even though it had low ratings and air it after Grimm.  But unfortunately the network only kept Grimm. 

I thought Dracula was excellent and I highly recommend that you watch this series. I gave it 3 out of 4 stars.  

The Best of Me

Nicholas Sparks wrote the book, The Best of Me, and then produced the movie.  I went into this movie ready to enjoy it as I did The Notebook – also written by Nicholas Sparks.  I ended up enjoying The Best Of Me as well. 

It stars Luke Bracey as a young Dawson, James Marsden as an older Dawson, Liana Liberato as a young Amanda, Michelle Monaghan as an older Amanda, and Gerald McRaney as Tuck the father figure of Dawson.  Dawson and Amanda are in love as young high school students.  But Amanda’s family has money and Dawson’s family are from the wrong side of the tracks and the law.  Dawson leaves his family and lives with Tuck, but his family continues to cause him problems.  Dawson ends up in prison and refuses to allow Amanda to visit him so she can live a good life as she had planned.  After Dawson is released from prison, Amanda and Dawson again cross paths. It was a great movie but I wanted more than I got.  The acting was terrific and I thought that director Michael Hoffman (director of One Fine Day) did a pretty good job of directing this very talented cast.  Nicholas Sparks is a wonderful author but this movie could have been better.  I still gave the movie 3 out of 4 stars. 

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Day

I went into this movie with the hopes that it would keep me laughing but it never happened.  There were some funny parts but I found myself checking my watch to check the time.  It stars Steve Carell as Ben Cooper the father, Jennifer Garner as Kelly Cooper the mother, Dylan Minnette as Anthony Cooper the oldest son, Ed Oxenbould as Alexander Cooper the youngest son, and Kerris Dorsey as Emily Cooper the daughter. Jennifer Coolidge also had a small but memorable performance as a driving instructor. 

Alexander has a bad day and wishes that everyone else in his family could understand about bad days as they all have seemed to never have them.  The next day, everything that could go wrong does for the other family members.

As I said above the movie had its moments but I found myself very uninterested.  Jennifer Garner, Steve Carell, and the others were great but the movie was just slow and never got any momentum.  I gave this movie 2 out of 4 stars.  

Mr. Peabody and Sherman

This movie was based on a 1960’s cartoon called Rocky and Bullwinkle.    Mr. Peabody is a scientist who happens to be a dog and has a pet human named Sherman.  They travel back in time to find out what’s going on in the world and influence any big decisions. 

I thought this movie was fantastic and it held my attention throughout.  I really enjoyed it.  I gave it 3 ½ out of 4 stars.  

X-Men Days of Future Past

I thought this X-Men movie was very entertaining.  In fact I liked this one more than any of the other versions because they brought back so many of the former characters.  Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, and Ian McKellen were all great.

Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is the only one who can travel back in time to make sure that there will be a future for the mutants. 

The special effects were terrific.  I highly recommend this movie.  This was one of the best films of the year and I gave it 4 out of 4 stars.  

Dracula Untold

This movie tells the story of Dracula and how he came to be.  It stars Luke Evans as Dracula and Sarah Gadon as his wife. 

Dracula was originally a prince who was raised as a fierce and revered fighter.  Prince Vlad, as he was known, was ruling his country of Transylvania.  The Turks came in and demanded that all of the young boys be taken away and trained as fighters as Prince Vlad had once been.  They also insisted that one of those boys be Prince Vlad’s son. 

The movie is based on the love and devotion that Prince Vlad has for his wife and son.   I loved this proof of family loyalty.  I just expected more out of this movie than I received.  At times the movie was showing signs of greatness but it never came to fruition.  The cinematography was fantastic and there was lots of action but I wanted more.  I gave this movie 2 out of 4 stars. 

The Judge

This movie was absolutely terrific in all phases.  It stars Robert Downey Jr as a lawyer named Hank who is the son of Joseph, a hard-nosed judge played by Robert Duvall.  Both were remarkable actors and played their parts perfectly.

Long ago a guy had been charged with abuse of his girlfriend and Joseph was lenient on him hoping to give him time to turn his life around.  The guy later killed the girlfriend and that ate at Joseph for years.  While Hank is home for death of his mother, the guy from prison is hit by a car and killed. Joseph is charged with murder and Hank ends up defending him.  The relationship between father and son is rocky to say the least so Hank’s job is not easy. 

As I said before I thought that Robert Downey Jr, Robert Duvall, Vera Farmiga (as Hank’s former girlfriend), Vincent D’Onofrio (as Hank’s older brother),Dax Shepard (Joseph’s initial lawyer), and Billie Bob Thornton (the prosecutor) were all amazing actors in this movie.  Everyone contributed in making this movie fantastic from beginning to end. 

David Dobkin had some great talent to work with and came out on top.  I look forward to any new movie that he directs. 

I so enjoyed this movie that time went by very quickly.  I recommend that you check out The Judge and I think that Robert Downey Jr and Robert Duvall should both be nominated for Oscars for their performances.  I gave this movie 3 ½ out of 4 stars.  

Million Dollar Arm

I went into this movie not hoping for very much.  I was completely surprised by the wonderful acting of Jon Hamm, Pitobash, and Suraj Sharma.  The movie is about an agent who is looking for the next great pitcher.   He goes to India and discovers a couple of cricket players who he feels could be future hall-of-fame pitchers.  He has to teach them how to play baseball which proves to be a challenge in itself. 

I wanted more than I got but I was satisfied with the performances of all of the actors.  I gave this movie 3 out of 4 stars.  

A Million Ways to Die in the West

I think this was one of the worst movies I have seen.  It’s directed by Seth Macfarlane who starred in it as well.  It also stars Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson, and Amanda Seyfried.  It’s comedy about life in the West. 

The movie sounded like it would be hilarious but it was a waste of my time and will be your time wasted as well if you choose to sit through it.  I gave this movie 1 out of 4 stars.  

Annabelle

This movie was based on a true story about a doll named Annabelle who was possessed.  She makes her way into the home of Mia (played coincidentally by Annabelle Wallis).  Crazy and unexplainable things begin to happen in Mia’s household including the death in the night of their neighbors.  Mia’s husband John (Ward Horton), throws the doll in the trash but lo and behold she reappears while Mia is unpacking after they move to a new home. 

This movie had lots of opportunity for gotchas to startle you and make you hide your eyes but it missed out.  I thought the direction of the movie was OK but not great.  The actors were also just average.  I was hoping for a good horror movie that I could get into but it never came about. 

An explanation was provided as to where the doll is today which I liked because it comes from the story the Conjuring.  There were a lot of parts of this movie that didn’t make sense but there were a few high points.  So I gave this movie 2 ½ out of 4 stars.  

Gone Girl

This movie stars Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Carrie Coon, and Tyler Perry.  Ben Affleck plays the role of Nick, who discovers that his wife Amy, played by Rosamund Pike, has gone missing on their fifth wedding anniversary. After returning from the bar he owns with his sister Margo (Carrie Coon), Nick discovers the glass coffee table in the living room broken up and his wife is gone.  After notifying the police, a search party is sent out to look for her.  When Amy is still not found, a press conference is held and later a candlelight vigil.  Soon after Nick discovers he has now become a suspect. 

I thought this movie was outstanding.  David Fincher who directed the movie is one of my favorites.  He also directed Seven which stuck out as wonderful in my mind and Gone Girl will as well.  Fincher doesn’t direct a lot of movies but the one’s he does are fantastic. 

The entire cast including Ben Affleck and Tyler Perry were all tremendous actors.  I enjoyed every second of this movie and it kept me wondering what would happen next.  I feel this movie should be up for future Oscar nominations, especially David Fincher and Ben Affleck (who missed out in Argo in my opinion).  I rated this movie 4 out of 4 stars.  

Chef

John Favreau plays a chef (Carl Casper) who loses his job and goes to Florida with his wife played by Sofia Vergara.  She has business in Florida to attend to so Carl is left responsible for taking care of their son.  Carl then meets her ex-husband played by Robert Downey Jr.  The ex-husband talks Carl into starting a restaurant truck and he agrees to purchase a vehicle that requires a lot of work.  Carl and his son decide to clean up the truck and sell some delicious food to everyone.  I rate this movie 3 ½ out of 4 stars.

Transformers: Age of Extinction

This movie stars the great Mark Wahlberg.  That however didn’t help the lousy story line that made this movie.   The special effects were spectacular but overall this movie had nothing more to add.  Since it starred Mark Wahlberg I had high hopes but the movie fell short.  The movie was directed by Michael Bay who I think should stick to special effects because he isn’t a good director.  I gave this movie 1 out of 4 stars.

The Boxtrolls

I was excited to see this movie and I was not disappointed.  I loved the actors who voiced the movie, which include Ben Kingsley as Archibald Snatcher (the villain of the show), Simon Pegg as Mr. Trubshaw, Elle Fanning as Winnie (the girl who helped out the Boxtrolls), and Isaac Hempstead-Wright as Eggs (the boy who was raised as a Boxtroll). 

The Boxtrolls were a group of creatures who lived under the city.  They were excellent builders who came out at night to scavenge parts for their world.  The people of the city feared the Boxtrolls, so they were in constant danger when they came into the city through the sewer system.

Archibald Snatcher was a wanna-be White Hat.  The White-Hats were a group of men who made all of the decisions concerning the city.  He started a rumor long ago that the Boxtrolls killed Mr. Trubshaw and stole his son.  In truth, Mr. Trubshaw had befriended the Boxtrolls, and he gave his son to them in an effort to save him from the evil Archibald Snatcher. 

I thought this movie was fantastic and loved the characters.  The animation was terrific and I thought each scene got better and better.  I have to give this wonderful movie 3 out of 4 stars.  

The Equalizer

This action-packed movie stars the great Denzel Washington as Robert McCall who is the Equalizer.  The show is based on a TV series that came out in the 80’s that starred Edward Woodward.  This movie is spectacular and outshines the original version. 

Robert is a loner in his personal life working at a local hardware store.  He just wants to work his job but helps out co-workers and acquaintances whenever they are in need.  Chloe Grace Moretz plays an acquaintance named Teri who he knows from the local diner he frequents.  Teri is a hooker whose pimp is a member of the Russian mob.  The mob beats her up and the Equalizer comes to her rescue.  Robert doesn’t realize the long line of criminals that are out to get him after he kills Teri’s handler.  The battle is now on between Robert and the head of the Russian mob. 

The scenes were terrific and I recommend everyone see this movie.  Denzel Washington as usual was excellent in his role.  Chloe Grace Moretz is an up and coming actress also starring in If I Stay.  The rest of the cast was fantastic as well. 

The Equalizer was number one at the box office this last weekend.  If you haven’t seen the movie, take the time.  Don’t bring your kids because it’s rated R so get a baby sitter and enjoy!  I gave this movie 3 ½ out of 4 stars.  

Arrow Season 2

I think that this year is even better than the first.  There is tons of action and I liked the romantic scenes between the characters.  I loved the relationship between Arrow, his mom, and Arrow’s sister.  This really added something special to this completely and utterly amazing TV series.  I gave this series 4 out of 4 stars.  

Halloween the Complete Collection

This set of movies has all of the past titles including Rob Zombie’s two movies.  All are included in this fantastic array of horror films.  The first two movies were related but the third movie has nothing to do with the first two.  However, the third was highly suspenseful and I loved it.  There are ten movies in total, and each one is terrific.   

Jamie Lee Curtis and John Carpenter voice the first title which was released by Anchor Bay at Halloween last year.    There are many other great stars that provide voice in the other versions.  If you like horror films, this is a must buy.  I give this collection 4 out of 4 stars.  

The Maze Runner

This movie is about a bunch of boys who have been mysteriously delivered to a glade outside of a maze. However, the only way out is to find their way through the maze.  The kicker is that the maze is constantly changing. 

The star of this movie is Thomas, played by Dylan O’Brien.  Once Thomas arrives in the glade, life begins to change drastically for the other boys.  One boy in particular, Gally (Will Poulter), is not happy with the changes and makes life difficult for Thomas every chance he can. 

The movie shows a lot of interaction among the boys and the indecision as it relates to getting through the maze and all of its gotcha’s.  The movie was OK but I wasn’t blown away by it.  The acting was fine but could have been directed by a better director.  The action was great and kept you on your toes but that’s the end of the good in my opinion.  I gave this move 2 ½ out of 4 stars. 

A Walk Among the Tombstones

This movie stars Liam Neeson as Matt Scudder, an ex-police officer turned private detective.  Early in Scudder’s career he witnessed a robbery in which the owner of the business was killed.  He gives chase and in the midst of the shooting, one of his bullets ricochets and a child is killed.  This memory stays with him and he becomes an alcoholic.

He joins AA and while having coffee at a meeting is approached by another member for a job.  He is to meet a brother of the other member to help find the brother’s wife who has been kidnapped.  It turns out that the brother is a drug dealer and so the plot begins.

I was one of the few people that I know that actually enjoyed this movie.  I thought it was very suspenseful and Liam Neeson did a great job of acting in a difficult role.  I was very absorbed by this movie and I think everyone should give it a shot.  Once you watch the movie, you will appreciate Liam Neeson’s performance as well as that of the other actors.  I gave this movie 3 out of 4 stars. 

This is Where I Leave You

This terrific movie stars Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Adam Driver, Corey Stoll, Jane Fonda and many others.  It is the story of a family, the Altmans, mourning the death of their father. 

The mother, played by Jane Fonda, is an author of a very popular book discussing the intimacies of the family where nothing was off limits.  Even though the family was not Jewish, she arranged for a Jewish ceremony which included sitting shivah – seven days of prayer and mourning.  Jason Bateman plays one of the sons, Judd, who discovers that his wife has been cheating on him with his boss.  Tina Fey plays the part of the daughter, Wendy, who is aware of Judd’s personal problems and has two kids and a terrible marriage herself.  Adam Driver plays the youngest son, Phillip, who is a playboy.  Corey Stoll plays the oldest son, Paul, who took over the family business and remained in his home town. 

As in most families, there are always disagreements and heckling within the family.    The movie does a wonderful job of focusing on each individual’s issues with the other characters.  The fact that Jane Fonda was in charge of the whole family was a treat to watch because when she plays a role, it is always good. 

I love Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Jane Fonda, Adam Driver, and Corey Stoll in this movie.  They were all excellent actors.  I was looking forward to this movie and I was not disappointed.   The other characters were great as well.  I think everyone should go see this movie.  You won’t be disappointed either and will have a great time.  I gave this movie 3 ½ out of 4 stars.  

Brick Mansions

This is one of the last movies filmed by Paul Walker before he died.  There are some very exciting scenes in this movie but once again at other times the movie lacked solid entertainment.  I really feel bad about that because of the great actor that Paul Walker was. 

The low points unfortunately overwhelm this movie.  I gave this movie 2 out of 4 stars. 

Captain America: Winter Soldier

I think that this is one of the best movies that the Marvel universe has ever made.  Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, and Samuel L. Jackson are all terrific in their pivotal roles.   It just makes the upcoming movie, the Avengers, even more highly anticipated.  

Everything in this movie is top-notch, the special effects, the acting, and the directing.  I would highly recommend that you sit down and watch both the first Captain America and the even more brilliant Captain America:  Winter Soldier. 

I gave this wonderful movie 4 out of 4 stars.