Bearded Movie Guy Reviews
I'm the Bearded Movie Guy, I absolutely love movies. I do You Tube movie reviews and post written reviews on flickster, rotten tomatoes and here on IMDB. Check out my channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXTCVwxreGv2XhWMRRJjhRQ and feel free to comment, I love talking to other movie fans.
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- DirectorJames WhaleStarsBoris KarloffElsa LanchesterColin CliveMary Shelley reveals the main characters of her novel survived: Baron Henry Frankenstein, goaded by an even madder scientist, builds his monster a mate.Check out my video review. http://youtu.be/zOzWnkBEaGg An even better film then the original, Bride of Frankenstein is incredible in all facets of film making, from acting, directing, score, make up and set design, it is pretty much perfect all around, plus Boris Karloff gives the best performance of his career.
- DirectorDavid FincherStarsMorgan FreemanBrad PittKevin SpaceyTwo detectives, a rookie and a veteran, hunt a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as his motives.Check out my video review. http://youtu.be/WCVDBOziSrM Wow, here is the thing, most movies that have been out for a long time and I have been told that are great but have not got a chance to see yet, well, most of the time they never live up to the hype. That is not the case with Se7en. This is one amazing movie. The acting was stellar, directing was spot on and the use of the city and rain added so much atmosphere that it was almost another character in the film. I did see the end coming even though I was hoping that I was wrong.(I think I knew what was coming not because this movie was predictable, more so that after this movie lots of movies and tv shows have stolen from it, so it kind of easy to see where it was going, I am sure if I had seen this when it was first out I would have been surprised) This is a five star movie that I think will still be great 50 years from now,
- DirectorXavier GensStarsTimothy OlyphantDougray ScottOlga KurylenkoA gun-for-hire known only as Agent 47 hired by a group known only as 'The Organization' is ensnared in a political conspiracy, which finds him pursued by both Interpol and the Russian military as he treks across Russia and Eastern Europe.Check out my video review. http://youtu.be/41cxR_rDbyo Much better then I thought it was going to be. The action was really good, the acting was fine and the story although trying a bit too hard was definitively workable. Watch and turn your brain off and you will be pleasantly surprised.
- DirectorLeo McCareyStarsCary GrantDeborah KerrRichard DenningA couple falls in love and agrees to meet in six months at the Empire State Building - but will it happen?Check out my video review. http://youtu.be/hC0AnN28J0I There is just something about Cary Grant, he was manly, yet very unphysical, but man could he talk, which is a skill he uses to the utmost in this movie. He is balanced well by a great performance from Deborah Kerr, who talks quite well herself. The main reason this doesn't get 5 stars is that I found her reasoning silly for not telling him about her accident, and the kids singing scenes just didn't seem to fit, but other then that it is a great movie.
- DirectorGavin O'ConnorStarsTom HardyNick NolteJoel EdgertonThe youngest son of an alcoholic former boxer returns home, where he's trained by his father for competition in a mixed martial arts tournament - a path that puts the fighter on a collision course with his estranged, older brother.Check out my video review http://youtu.be/y7vwMZqzvrg This got a lot of comparisons to The Fighter, cause of the some of the similarities, but I think it is a great movie on its own part. It has terrific acting, story, and the fights are incredibly choreographed and realistic. Plus I hardly recognized Tom Hardy he was so big looking, and Nick Nolte was just awesome. I personally think it should have at least gotten nominated for an Oscar for best picture, guess it just wasn't artsy enough for them.
- DirectorMarc WebbStarsAndrew GarfieldEmma StoneJamie FoxxWhen New York is put under siege by Oscorp, it is up to Spider-Man to save the city he swore to protect as well as his loved ones.Check out my review http://youtu.be/PIP6_qESx-Q
And my Spoiler Rant http://youtu.be/CU-r28-_xqE
A good looking film, and Andrew Garfield gets the tone of Spidey right, but the plot is silly and bloated with unneeded subplots that go nowhere. Plus Jamie Foxx was terrible in this, he is a terrific actor when given good material, but this was awful. Sony really does not know how to make a good Spider-man movie, which is a pity cause it should be very easy to do with all the source material and history of the character. - DirectorMarc WebbStarsAndrew GarfieldEmma StoneRhys IfansAfter Peter Parker is bitten by a genetically altered spider, he gains newfound, spider-like powers and ventures out to save the city from the machinations of a mysterious reptilian foe.Check out my video review http://youtu.be/pJac65xDbbw A needless retelling of the Spider-man origin story. It looks ok, except for the Lizard and Andrew Garfield does a good job, but I would have preferred them just make a new movie without starting over.
- DirectorEdgar WrightStarsMichael CeraMary Elizabeth WinsteadKieran CulkinIn a magically realistic version of Toronto, a young man must defeat his new girlfriend's seven evil exes one by one in order to win her heart.Check out my video review http://youtu.be/tgU_7f3NcmU Incredibly quirky film that you either love or don't really understand. I for one thought it was awesome. It was funny, had a great cast, kicking soundtrack, was about a bass player for once, ( low end represent!) and was set in my home town, so all in all this is really cool film, and the comic and video game aspect made it even cooler, plus they have Thomas Jane as a member of the Vegan Police, and that alone makes it worth seeing.
- DirectorChad StahelskiStarsKeanu ReevesMichael NyqvistAlfie AllenAn ex-hitman comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters who killed his dog and stole his car.Click here for my video review. http://youtu.be/ouPQU2ufNqw
John Wick is a return to form for Keanu Reeves who fills John Wicks shoes and drivers seat perfectly. The story of a retired hitman who has just lost his wife to cancer, and was left a surprise dog by her to help him cope with the grief, only to be assaulted, robbed and have his dog killed, is incredible entertaining. John Wick retaliates by killing everyone who gets in the way between him and the killers, with bullets flying stylistically all over the place as he takes revenge. This is an action movie that delivers, with very even pacing and just enough of a world to buy into, John Wick is one of the best action movies of the year and is certainly the best American made action film in recent history. There is just something awesome about watching Keanu Reeves shooting people in cool ways that leaves a very satisfied feeling in the justice centers of my heart and brain, and I can only hope they do a sequel that is as good as this.
4.5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorWes CravenStarsSusan LanierRobert HoustonJohn SteadmanOn the way to California, a family has the misfortune to have their car break down in an area closed to the public, and inhabited by violent savages ready to attack.The Hills Have Eyes Review
I often saw the poster for the Hills Have Eyes when I was a kid and I have to admit, the bald guy scared the bejeezus us out of me, but now that I am all growed up and bearded, finding this at my local library, I thought I would give it a shot. And I have to say, The Hills Have Eyes is a fairly well crafted horror movie. The villains, who are basically super inbred redneck cannibals, do a good job at creeping you out as they terrorize a family who was stupid enough to get their car and trailer stuck in the dessert, even after a creepy gas station attendant told them to go a different way. The hill people basically rape, kill and eat members of the family, and then kidnap their baby for the desert later which puts the family on the offensive. Wes Craven did a decent job directing, making you think about what you would do in the place of the family, and the effects are surprising good for such a low budget film. This is not really all that scary now, but I am pretty sure I would have not liked it as a little Bearded Movie Guy.
3 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorTerence YoungStarsAudrey HepburnAlan ArkinRichard CrennaA recently blinded woman is terrorized by a trio of thugs while they search for a heroin-stuffed doll they believe is in her apartment.Many horror movies play on our fears of what goes bump in the night, or what is hiding in a dark basement. Wait Until Dark takes those fears to a new level, when it takes the premise of a main character being newly blind and being stalked by a thug in her own apartment. Audrey Hepburn does a fantastic job as a blind woman who is being pushed around, conned, and forced into letting a man into her apartment while her husband is away, all because her husband brought her a doll, which unknown to both of them had drugs inside. Alan Arkin is terrific as a bad man who will stop at nothing to get his drugs, even stooping so low as to trick a blind woman. The fear and terror that sits at the heart of Wait Until Dark is simple, if you can’t see, you can never be certain your truly alone, and that is a fear that most people can easily understand. For the most part the acting in Wait Until Dark is very good, with Hepburn standing out as usual, but Arkin was very good as a bad guy, which I never would have thought possible as he is always seen as a kinder gentler character for most of his films. It does drag a little in the middle, and the kid gives a regularly bad kid performance, but on the whole Wait Until Dark is a well put together thriller that hits the right notes for most of it running time.
3.5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorDon HallChris WilliamsStarsRyan PotterScott AdsitJamie ChungA special bond develops between plus-sized inflatable robot Baymax and prodigy Hiro Hamada, who together team up with a group of friends to form a band of high-tech heroes.Check out my video review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpmS0HfkfB0
Big Hero 6 is Disney's first crack at a Marvel property, so how did Disney do? Outstanding! Big Hero 6 is funny, fast paced, well scripted and has perfect voice casting. Add to that the beautiful visuals and one of the sweetest animated characters in recent movie history in Baymax, and you have one incredible movie. Disney did a great job of taking a lesser know Marvel comic and running with it. Overall it is pretty original, even if some of the themes are overused. All in all Big Hero 6 is a great addition to the Disney animated universe and opens the door for other Marvel properties to see some animated cinematic screen time, which could lead to some interesting comic book heroes that otherwise might never make it to the theaters. - DirectorMatt ReevesStarsGary OldmanKeri RussellAndy SerkisThe fragile peace between apes and humans is threatened as mistrust and betrayal threaten to plunge both tribes into a war for dominance over the Earth.Check out my video review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5b1mrY9HWw
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes manages to up the ante in every way possible from it predecessor and then some. In acting, motion capture, cgi, story and themes, it just raises the bar from everything the first movie did, and does it better. Andy Serkis is incredible, along with Toby Kebbell, both taking motion captured performances to the level where awards should be handed out for acting. The direction from Matt Reeves is terrific, especially the battle scene with the tank with the rotating top. He got the best out of both apes and humans, while capturing the scale of the city and forest habitats both to their utmost. All in all Dawn gives you everything you could ask for in a sequel, while furthers the story in a direction that set up an awesome third movie.
4.5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorJames WhaleStarsClaude RainsGloria StuartWilliam HarriganA scientist finds a way of becoming invisible, but in doing so, he becomes murderously insane.Check out my video review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW1ap-yvzb0
The Invisible Man is a 1933 Universal Classic monster movie directed by James Whale of Frankenstein and Bride Of Frankenstein fame. The story of the invisible man is basic enough. A man, through scientific methods, becomes invisible, and then becomes mad in his attempt to cure himself while the ideas of fame and riches grasp him and make him more and more dangerous to himself and then public. The direction from Whale is immaculate, still looking beautiful 80 years later, and the effects are quite remarkable, holding up to many of the effect of today in comparison. Claude Rains did an outstanding job of embodying the invisible man, sometimes wearing bandages and some time just appearing as the voice. He brought the character to life in cheeky yet endearing ways. All in all The Invisible Man is a very well crafted inventive film that is still entertaining and relevant today as it was eighty years ago.
4.5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsHarrison FordKaren AllenPaul FreemanIn 1936, archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the U.S. government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis can obtain its awesome powers.Check out my video review here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggYurYShdqU
When Steven Spielberg brought Indiana Jones to the silver screen he gave the world one of its greatest cinematic heroes. Indiana Jones is not the biggest, or the strongest, but he always manages to keep his wits and has a determination that made him a beloved character for a generation. The story of Indy racing against the Nazis to find the ark has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. Harrison Ford is just great as Indiana Jones, fighting, whipping and famously bringing a gun to a sword fight, he is perfect in the role. The rest of the cast is terrific, and Spielberg and John Williams bring visuals and score together perfectly as they have many times before. Indiana Jones is a character and a trilogy that will stand the test of time, being so much more then just a film series, it has become part of our culture, and I am grateful for the chance to pass Him on to the next generations.
5 Beards Out Of 5
As for the Big Bang Theory’s take on it, that Indiana Jones is inconsequential to the story, I totally disagree. If Indiana Jones was not there, here is what would have happened. The American government would never have figured out what the Nazis were after in time to do anything about it. Sooner of later the Nazis would have tracked down Marion’s character and after possibly doing some terrible things to her, they would have killed her, got the head piece and discovered the Ark. Then the ark would have been flown to Germany as they planned on originally, and it would have been studied and tested, and sure, they would have opened it, but Hitler probably would not have been in the room, so they would still have it and possible use to win the war. So all I can say is Thank God for Indiana Jones. - DirectorAntoine FuquaStarsDenzel WashingtonMarton CsokasChloë Grace MoretzA man who believes he has put his mysterious past behind him cannot stand idly by when he meets a young girl under the control of ultra-violent Russian gangsters.Check out my video review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akZtTMnCQsk
Director Antoine Fuqua and Denzel Washington are back together in a movie about a retired CIA killing master who faked his own death and is trying to live his life quietly working at a home improvement store. This changes when he makes friends with a very young Russian call girl who befriends him and then gets beat up and put in the hospital. This launches Denzel’s character named Robert back into a life of killing when the mob refuses his offer of $9,800 to buy her freedom. The Russian mob send a very not nice man to find out what happens and the rest of the movie is the two adversaries trying to feel out each other while Robert makes as much trouble for the mob as humanly possible.
The Equalizer is a bit of a throw back to the 90’s action movies which actually had graphic violence. Denzel’s character is pretty much a mercilessness killing machine, and Fuqua does a very good job showing just enough of it to make it adult with out going over the line into a gore fest. The action is shot and staged well, and allows us to remember that Denzel is the man. Most of the characters other then the three mains are not really all the fleshed out or important, but I think Fuqua and Washington hit the nail one the head (pun intended) in acting, tone and overall feel for the film, although it is a little too slow in the beginning and the climax fight scene just goes on too long, and is a little anticlimactic.All in all The Equalizer is a well put together adult action film, and since it sets up for a sequel at the end, I hope this is not the last we’ll see of Denzel as Robert, kicking but at the movies.
4 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorIshirô HondaStarsTakashi ShimuraAkihiko HirataAkira TakaradaAfter a dinosaur-like beast - awoken from undersea hibernation by atom bomb testing - ravages Tokyo, a scientist must decide if his similarly dangerous weapon should be used to destroy it.Check out my video review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJXhFgd4tGQ
I grew up watching and loving Godzilla movies. He was always doing awesome stuff, like stomping through cities, using atomic breath and fighting various other giant monsters, it was great. But even at a young age I understood that Godzilla movies were pretty cheesy, so when I finally got a chance to sit down and watch the original, I was shocked at what a serious thought provoking movie it was. Godzilla was the Japanese answer to looking at the dangers of atomic power, especially after their devastation by atomic bombs in World War 2. Godzilla looked at the awful power and destruction that accompanies atomic power, and they did it in the form of a giant lizard sea monster. The movie itself is very scientific in its approach, and spends more time with scientists and character building then it actually does screen time of Godzilla, but this is a great thing. Godzilla appears and then disappears through out the movie, but is felt more often as a ever present fear that could strike at any time. Now, that is not to say when he does come out to play he is not just freaking awesome, cause he is. The attention to detail in the Godzilla suit and the models that he smashes are just incredible, and the acting, cast, and direction overall is pitch perfect. All in all, Godzilla is an amazingly intelligent well put together movie that is very unlike its many sequels, taking a serious look at what might happen if a giant creature attacked Tokyo and should be given the credit its due for started a whole giant creature genre that emulates it.
5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorGuillermo del ToroStarsRon PerlmanDoug JonesSelma BlairA demon raised from infancy after being conjured by and rescued from the Nazis, grows up to become a defender against the forces of darkness.Check out the Bearded Movie Guy’s video review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYkpKiz9lJ4
Hellboy was a movie that I was really excited for, having read some of the comics and knowing it was directed be Guillermo Del Toro and was staring Ron Perlman in the title role, it was a bit like being in fanboy heaven. Then I saw the movie, and it was totally like being in fanboy heaven. I was impressed with the visuals, the action, the humor, the…well, all of it. But then I started telling my friends about it, and they started looking at me like I was nuts. A movie about a demon, that saves people…they just were not getting it. Cut to several years later, and those same friends are all Hellboy fans, so I guess that kinda makes me a Hellboy hipster, but not really. I just loved this movie. It was filmed insanely well, looked just stunning and they really nailed the Hellboy of the comics. The cast is fantastic all around, you have Doug Jones, Selma Blair and the legend John Hurt, and then you have Ron Perlman. Ron Perlman is the only person who can play Hellboy, PERIOD. It’s like the character was written just for him, add to that Guillermo Del Toro’s directing, and flare for using as much practical effects as possible, plus his understanding of the source material, (having Hellboy creator Mike Mignola as a friend and advisor could only have helped with this) is just spot on. As for the story, it tackles huge ideas, such as what it means to be a man, do we have free will, and how influential a Fathers love can really be. Hellboy is a fun, action filled, comic book movie in the best way possible, while still managing to be adult enough to keep more than just fanboys and hard core geeks entertained.
4.5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorJames GunnStarsChris PrattVin DieselBradley CooperA group of intergalactic criminals must pull together to stop a fanatical warrior with plans to purge the universe.Check out my video review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v85XoDaAPL8
And my Spoiler Talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIRGRT_s584
Guardians Of The Galaxy was a huge gamble for Marvel Studios, it all revolves around a bunch of characters from a little known comic book that doesn’t easily fit in with the rest of the Marvel Cinematic universe. This looked like it might be their first misstep as a studio, but instead it paid off massively and was one of the best movies of the year. Director James Gunn did an outstanding job bringing a diverse cast that mixes CGI with live action and humor with some nice serious moments that all work together perfectly. The film looks beautiful with some amazing special effects, and the script is smart and funny. Add to that the fantastic acting, in particular from Chris Pratt who literally became a superstar in the role of Star Lord, and Bradley Cooper who was terrific as Rocket Raccoon, and you get a blockbuster as a result. Guardians is funny, action filled and has a lot of rewatchablity, (I might have just made up that word but I will stand by it) plus it gave the world Groot, and that alone would have made it awesome. All in all Guardians Of The Galaxy is a great comic book movie. Who knew a talking tree and his pals would be a hit? Well„,someone did, and whoever they are, I am glad they pushed for it, cause movie land is a better place because of it.
4.5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorRussell MulcahyStarsChristopher LambertMike AnscombeJeff J.J. AuthorsChicago homicide detectives Prudhome and Hollingsworth are assigned to investigate a murder. Both become entangled in the plot of a serial killer whose goal is to recreate the body of Christ.Resurrection is a fairly well made Serial Killer VS Cops movie that stars Christopher Lambert of Highlander fame. I have been a fan of his since I saw Highlander as a teenager, and although his career never reached the superstar status that I always had hoped it would, he has continued to make some well made smaller budget movies, and that is the category that Resurrection falls into. It is not the most original movie, on the contrary, you can easily see where it borrows from many other cop films, especially from David Fincher's Seven, but that's not to say it doesn't do a good job in borrowing, cause it does. The story is interesting, Lambert is really good as the lead detective and although it is pretty gruesome in parts, overall it is a very overlooked cop serial killer thriller that does a decent job and needs to be seen by more people.
3.5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorBong Joon HoStarsChris EvansJamie BellTilda SwintonIn a future where a failed climate change experiment has killed all life except for the survivors who boarded the Snowpiercer (a train that travels around the globe), a new class system emerges.Check out my video review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkc4l0gC8A4
I had heard a lot about Snowpiercer before I ever got a chance to see a trailer for it. People were saying words like “Visionary” and “Original” and lets not forget “Best Scifi In Years”, so when I finally got a chance to watch it, (which was on iTunes, no theater near me had it) I was waiting to be blown away. So, was I? Yes…and no. Snowpiercer is equal parts original as it is played out post apocalyptic joyride, which has been a very popular genre in the last ten years. The basic plot is that the world was trying to fight global warming, and made a mistake and created an ice age instead, (minus funny sloths and mammoths). The only people left alive on the planet are the residents of the train Snowpiercer, which does a continuous journey around the world, never stopping. From there it breaks down to your basic class struggle themes, with the rich at the front of the train eating steak and sushi, and the poor at the back eating what looks like a purple bars of jello soap, (you don’t want to know what its made of). Curtis is a resident and leader for the people in the back, and recently he has been getting little messages in the food bars, telling him to revolt and giving him the info to possible take over the train. So they try, and that is all I will say about the plot. The cast for Snowpiercer is very talented and diverse. Curtis is played by Chris Evans, and he gives one of the best performances of his career. You also have Tilda Swinton being incredibly creepy, Kang-ho Song doing a nice job as the drugged up security specialist, Octavia Spencer giving a performance unlike she has ever given before, and the legendary John Hurt adding some humanity to the masses. The action in Snowpiercer is spaced out nicely, and gets very intense at times, (axes anyone) and the effects look very good. The idea of Snowpiercer is a good one, and the direction from Joon-ho Bong is very tight and dynamic. The only problem with it overall is that some of the stuff they show just doesn’t make sense, and when you start pulling at some of the story threads it leaves a bit of a patchwork quilt instead of a perfect tapestry. But it does get praise for its creativity, ambition and use of the idea of being on a train. Snowpiercer is a very good film, but sadly not a great one, plus the ending may leave some people annoyed, but not everyone. I for one enjoyed Snowpiercer, and highly recommend it if you are up for a post apocalypse journey, or just want to have Chris Evans make you cry, Snowpiercer might even manage both.
4 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorBryan SingerStarsPatrick StewartIan McKellenHugh JackmanThe X-Men send Wolverine to the past in a desperate effort to change history and prevent an event that results in doom for both humans and mutants.Check out my video review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDEXtuPY2IM
X-Men Days Of Future Past sees a return to form for the franchise after the debacle that was X3. With Bryan Singer back in the directors chair, he was able to take all the best parts of the first two movies and First Class and give us something awesome. I am not going to get to much into the plot because it deals with time travel and future and past selves, but lets just say that it is handled well enough that you can accept the premise and enjoy the film. The cast it boasts is insane, with returning members and new ones joining in from both the good and the bad sides. There is literally not a bad performance in the movie, but what their is, is a lot of CGI spectacle and some amazing action set pieces, in particular one with a young mutant named Quicksilver who is so great that you feel sad when he does not stay through the whole movie. X-Men Days Of Future Past is a fun thrill ride of a summer movie, from directing, acting, score, special effect and script, it just works on every level, and has thankfully set the franchise on a new and better path then it had been on in the last several years.
4.5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorJonathan HensleighStarsThomas JaneJohn TravoltaSamantha MathisAn undercover FBI agent becomes a vigilante and sets out to unleash his wrath upon the corrupt businessman who slaughtered his entire family at a reunion.People seem to have a hate on for this movie, but honestly I think it is one of the more better made and accurate comic book translations. This is the quintessential telling of the story of Frank Castle and how he becomes the Punisher, taken right from the pages of the graphic novel, with Thomas Jane doing a great job showing how complex and multilayered the character really is. The film has a very Sergio Leone feel to it, which totally helps sell it as more then just a comic book movie. In fact, the only part I really disliked in the movie with the corny exploding punisher skull in the finale, which was just silly. My only other complaint was that it had some needless nudity, but other then that it is a movie with a terrific cast, great action and pretty much everything you could ask for in a Punisher movie, sadly when the director and Thomas Jane saw where they wanted to go with the next movie they opted out, but they made it anyway and thus you have the much less cool Punisher Warzone movie with Ray Stevenson, pity.
3.5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorAdam McKayStarsWill FerrellJohn C. ReillySacha Baron CohenNumber one NASCAR driver Ricky Bobby stays atop the heap thanks to a pact with his best friend and teammate, Cal Naughton, Jr. But when a French Formula One driver, makes his way up the ladder, Ricky Bobby's talent and devotion are put to the test.Really funny Nascar movie about going fast and lovin America. Will Ferrell is great as Ricky Bobby, “Here’s the deal I’m the best there is. Plain and simple. I wake up in the morning and I piss excellence”, This is just one of the many many quotable lines that fill this movie with rewatchability. The cast is really diverse and Sacha Baron Cohen is a terrific foil for Will Ferrell, and Amy Adams gives a great geeky performance too. Sure, it is totally silly, but if you don’t like these types of movie, then don’t watch these types of movies, plain and simple. Now, excuse me while I go talk to my sons, Walker and Texas Ranger before I drive with my cougar to get some fig newtons.
4 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorRian JohnsonStarsJoseph Gordon-LevittBruce WillisEmily BluntIn 2074, when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent into the past, where a hired gun awaits - someone like Joe - who one day learns the mob wants to 'close the loop' by sending back Joe's future self for assassination.Check out my video review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7v9wKDLVGw
Outstanding cast, great concept, amazing acting, rousing score, time paradoxical head scratching, this movie has everything that is awesome. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is incredible, and does a spot on performance of being Bruce Willis, it is kinda scary actually. And then Bruce Willis also does a great job being Bruce Willis too. Then throw in Emily Blunt and Pierce Gagnon just owning the role of Cid, and the whole package just works perfectly. Looper is original, smart and one of the best science fiction movies in recent years, and makes me look forward to seeing what Rian Johnson does as a director in the years to come.
5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorLauren MontgomeryBruce TimmBrandon ViettiStarsAdam BaldwinAnne HecheJames MarstersWhen LexCorps accidentally unleash a murderous creature, Doomsday, Superman meets his greatest challenge as a champion. Based on the "The Death of Superman" storyline that appeared in DC Comics' publications in the 1990s.Superman Doomsday is a very good movie, it takes all the really good parts of the death of superman story and gives it a much better conclusion. The animation is good, except I don’t like the way they animated faces, but the rest of it looked good. The voice work was great, Adam Baldwin as Superman is terrific and Anne Heche worked well as Lois Lane. Overall a great start to the more adult friendly DC films.
3.5 Beards Out Of 5
*The little Kevin Smith nod was a nice funny touch also. - DirectorSam LiuLauren MontgomeryStarsWilliam BaldwinMark HarmonChris NothA good version of Lex Luthor from a parallel Earth comes to the Justice League's dimension for help to fight their evil counterparts.DC does it again. Crisis on two earths is a great story with a good amount of action, humor and pretty much everything you could want in a Justice League movie. My only real complaint is not having Kevin Conroy voice Batman, William Baldwin was not bad, but he just did not have the power and emotion that Conroy brings to the role. Having James Woods as Owl Man was a stroke of genius, and it was cool though having Mark “Leroy Jethro Gibbs” Harmon playing Superman, no head smacking though, although I guess I can understand why they didn’t have Superman slapping people in the back of the head all the time, cause they wouldn’t have a head left and all. Anyway, great movie, tons of fun and again, DC owns Marvel in the animated universe.
4 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorRandal KleiserStarsJoey CramerPaul ReubensCliff De YoungIn 1978, a boy travels eight years into the future and has an adventure with an intelligent, wisecracking alien ship.Classic Disney fun that I loved as a kid, this time travel/alien/family comedy/drama does some really great things. It still looks good for the most part, although my daughter was only all to happy to point out that she could see the strings making the little alien puppet dance. The acting is solid with Howard Hesseman giving a good performance as the NASA chief and Joey Cramer gives a very adequate performance for the lead. The story is fairly silly, but heart warming at the same time, and with it hasn’t held up all that well, but the fond memories make up for it. Although I don’t think NASA has nearly as much power as they make them out to,
3 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorPaul W.S. AndersonStarsLogan LermanMatthew MacfadyenRay StevensonThe hot-headed young D'Artagnan along with three former legendary but now down-on-their-luck Musketeers must unite and defeat a beautiful double agent and her villainous employer from seizing the French throne and engulfing Europe in war.Hey, are you looking for an action packed unrealistic version of the Three Musketeers, well then I have got your movie. It is fun, full of fighting, OK acting and airships? Well, who ever said it was accurate anyway. In all seriousness, Paul W.S. Anderson has made a really beautiful looking movie. It looks stunning, has completely unbelievable action and Orlando Bloom being flat out silly, so all in all just sit back, turn your brain off and you should have a good time.
3 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorLuc BessonStarsJean RenoGary OldmanNatalie Portman12-year-old Mathilda is reluctantly taken in by Léon, a professional assassin, after her family is murdered. An unusual relationship forms as she becomes his protégée and learns the assassin's trade.This is probably the best hit man movie I have seen thus far. It is amazingly cool but at the same time shows how lonely the job would make some one. The action is great, all the hits and weapons are awesome, I want a coat like Leon. The acting is really solid, Gary Oldman kinda overacts but at the same time, it works for the character, that police station bathroom scene is intense. Jean Reno and Natalie Portman are just plain brilliant and this is probably one of Danny Aiello's best showings in film. It is very uncomfortable to watch in part due the relationship between Reno and Portmans characters, they say that in Europe it is not a big deal, but in North America is just felt wrong. Other then that, this is an amazing film.
4 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorMichael RitchieStarsEddie MurphyJ.L. ReateCharles DanceA private detective specializing in missing children is charged with the task of finding a special child whom dark forces want to eliminate.Vintage Eddie Murphy, yeah, it looks dated, but I loved this as a kid and it is still fun to watch, and the dancing Pepsi can still looks great to this day. The premise is interesting, with some fun action and Eddie Murphy giving some of his most memorable lines, I could not tell you how many times I have quoted it with the line, “Can I please have the knife!” The special effect are fine, although the end fight with the demon was a little too choppy with its use of stop motion animation, but other then that The Golden Child is still a good time, although it does have the normal amount of 80’s language, so keel that in mind if showing this to your kids.
3 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorMenahem GolanStarsSylvester StalloneRobert LoggiaSusan BlakelyTough trucker Lincoln Hawk is determined to win back his son and triumph at the world arm wrestling championships.Classic cheesy 80’s sports underdog movie. Stallone is his normal self, which works for me, for others, it can cause hours of intense movie pain. The story is OK, the arm wrestling is fun to watch and strangely enough, makes you want to call over your best friends house and go over the top on um to see them cry like a little girl. Other then that, if you watched this when you were younger you will probably have fond memories, if you are just seeing it for the first time, you will probably think it is bad. And that’s OK, cause it is, but in the best 80’s way possible. Plus the Hugh Jackman movie Real Steal is pretty much a high tech retelling of this, with Robot Boxers instead of human arm wrestlers, so that is cool too.
3 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsLeonardo DiCaprioCameron DiazDaniel Day-LewisIn 1862, Amsterdam Vallon returns to the Five Points area of New York City seeking revenge against Bill the Butcher; his father's killer.Greatly stylized gangsters story set in old new york. Grand in scale and ambition, Gangs Of New York looks beautiful in an ugly sort of way, but feels a little bloated as the story moves along. The acting is really great for the most part, but not all the characters accents hold up for the whole film. It has some of the camera work that Martin Scorsese is known for, but not all of his regular bag of tricks are used, and although he has done large scenes before with lots of people in them, this time most of the larger fight scenes looked very staged and many of the actors who are supposed to be selling the action just seemed to be going through the motions. Overall this is a really interesting film which takes a look at early New York history in a way never done before, but a long run time and pacing issues keeps this from being one of Scorsese's best.
4 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorDominic SenaStarsKate BeckinsaleGabriel MachtTom SkerrittU.S. Marshal Carrie Stetko tracks a killer in Antarctica as the sun is about to set for six months.Whiteout is murder mystery suspense thriller that takes place in Antarctica. The setting alone makes it pretty cool (pun totally intentional, man I am funny) but add some decent acting, an OK cop vs killer story and Kate Beckinsale (insert sexy cat noise here) and you got a pretty good movie that critics will hate and I liked. The film looks really good, they really captured the beauty that Antarctica can hold while at the same time giving you that creepy isolated vibe that a place like that inevitable has. It is not breaking new ground as far as the narrative goes, but it is good for what it is trying to do.
3 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorJimmy HaywardStarsJosh BrolinMegan FoxJohn MalkovichIn exchange for his freedom, bounty hunter Jonah Hex must track down a terrorist with a superweapon.Wow, I had such high hopes for this movie, and although it was not as bad as some people say it is, it is really not all that good. I think the main problem is they made an action movie set in the west instead of making a western with some action in it, and then add in the supernatural stuff that is not accurate to the character and it just doesn't work. Also, although I don't think Josh Brolin did a terrible job, I think both Nathan Fillion and Thomas Jane, who were also up for the roles at one point, would have done a better job. Lastly, I think it is a sure sign that when Megan Fox is doing the best acting in the movie that something is not right, heck this movie even had Michael Fassbender, but he was mediocre in it too. It is just a real shame, this could have been great, but for the most part it comes off as a remake of Wild Wild West, which I think we can all agree, is never a good thing.
2 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorDavid TwohyStarsRadha MitchellCole HauserVin DieselA transport ship crashes and leaves its crew stranded on a desert planet inhabited by bloodthirsty creatures that come out during an eclipse.This is a really great low budget anti-hero movie. At first it is all about the crash and being afraid of Riddick, then BAM, darkness, deadly creatures, screaming and all of a sudden everybody wants to be Riddicks best friend, why? Cause he is cool, and deadly, and oh yeah, I forgot, he is the only person on the whole planet that can see in the dark, which is incredibly helpful when the whole planet is in darkness for an unspecified amount of time and you have to get from point A to point B with deadly things all around you that have no problem seeing in the dark and are also very hungry. Cool. Overall this movie works great, it has a cool look to it, the acting is good and the story is fairly original. Plus it rocked 2 great sequels and introduced Vin Diesels best part to date. Vin was born to play Riddick, and fade to black.
4 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorBarry LevinsonStarsWill RogersKristen ConnollyKether DonohueChaos breaks out in a small Maryland town after an ecological disaster occurs.The Bay is a found footage style film about parasites killing an entire small town on the forth of July, you know, because even patristics bugs love a party and feel patriotic! This is actually not a bad movie, it has a decent creepy feel, and works for a found footage movie because the way they set it up, using news reports, security cameras and atm footage to show how these nasty parasites basically wipe out this town. It is not a true found footage movie, with actual camera work telling at least have the story within and outside the town, but that is a good thing. Check it out if you are in the mood for horror or just love parasitic bugs?
2.5 Beards Out Of 5 - 19641h 35mPG8.3 (519K)97MetascoreDirectorStanley KubrickStarsPeter SellersGeorge C. ScottSterling HaydenAn unhinged American general orders a bombing attack on the Soviet Union, triggering a path to nuclear holocaust that a war room full of politicians and generals frantically tries to stop.A masterpiece of Cold War satire, with George C. Scott and Peter Sellers both being awesome and an ending that is totally non traditional and completely unexpected. Stanly Kubrick was a brilliant film maker, and he is in complete control of his craft with this incredibly cast, acted and filmed movie. Iconic in many of its moments, this is a huge awesome bomb dropping cowboy riding example of awesomeness. It is truly a one of a kind movie.
5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorRenny HarlinStarsHolly GossMatt StokoeLuke AlbrightA group of students go to the location of the infamous Dyatlov pass incident to make a documentary, but things take a turn for the worse as the secret of what happened there is revealed.Devil’s Pass is a found footage style movie the seems to be heading all the same places all the other found footage movie go. It heavly relies on camera fuzz and lots of shaky cam to try and create a mood, but overall it is comes across as silly and has very little pay off, until it does. Yeah, you read that right, it actually goes places that are kinda cool, It is safe to say I was a little shocked. That does not make it a great movie, but its smarter then I would have though it could be from looking at the poster, but how exactly does the camera zoom in at the end when no one is working it is one of those things that is cool but makes no sense since no one is using it anymore.
2.5 Beards Out 5 - DirectorMike NicholsStarsHarrison FordAnnette BeningMichael HaleyAfter being shot, a lawyer loses his memory and must relearn speech and mobility, but he has a loving family to support him.Really good movie about losing and finding yourself. I have always loved Regarding Henry, it is always just a pleasure to watch and I think it is one of Harrison Ford's best performances. The story is not overly fast paced, but it does a great job in developing the character of Henry Turner as first this cut throat lawyer and then as a man who clearly does not like who he was. It might come off a little too nice and sweet for some, but for me it hits all the right notes. The acting is good for the most part and Annette Bening is great as the wife who finds the love for her husband that she thought was lost forever. This movie will also give you a new appreciation for Ritz Crackers and the word "When",
4 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorKatie GrahamAndrew MatthewsStarsSam EidsonBrock EnglandGarrett GrahamAn overgrown nerd who serves as Game Master of a fantasy board game finds his role as leader of the misfits put into jeopardy when a new initiate enters the group.King of the geeks, this is a movie about a guy who is exactly what you would expect from a super mega geek. He is the game master of a D&D style type game, with wizards and trolls and such, which basically means he comes up with the quest type missions things that they go on. His world completely falls apart when a new player comes into his game and is too cool, cause he is a geek with a girlfriend and he has a successful website, and the he does things like throwing a sword at his characters head cause he was bored. After that it is a journey in to the geek version of heart of darkness. Apocalypse now for geeks. It has decent acting for what it is trying to do, but is a little hard to watch in parts due to some very uncomfortable situations.
2 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorDavid M. RosenthalStarsSam RockwellJeffrey WrightKelly ReillyThe tragic death of a beautiful young girl starts a tense and atmospheric game of cat and mouse between hunter John Moon and the hardened backwater criminals out for his blood.A single shot is kinda like the red neck version of No Country For Old Men. Sam Rockwell plays a hunter that accidentally shoots a woman he thought was a deer. Then he finds she has a bag of money, well, it's more like a box, anyway. And then like always, there are some people want their money back. It is slow and a little confusing in parts, but Sam Rockwell fans will appreciate the range he is able to show off in a smaller project like this.
3 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorStuart BeattieStarsAaron EckhartBill NighyMiranda OttoFrankenstein's creature finds himself caught in an all-out, centuries-old war between two immortal clans.I wish this was a better movie, Aaron Eckhart is a really good actor, and he tries his best to polish this turd, as does Bill Nighy, but it is just not a good movie. It seems like it should have be called Underworld 17, except you have gargoyles and demons and Frankenstein’s monster instead of vamps and wolves. Overall it had some potential but I was actually bored after about 10 minutes and just kept on waiting for something cool to happen, sadly nothing ever did, but does have the Yvonne Strahovski from the TV show Chuck in it, so there’s that.
1.5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorMatthew VaughnStarsColin FirthTaron EgertonSamuel L. JacksonA spy organisation recruits a promising street kid into the agency's training program, while a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius.Check out my video review http://youtu.be/d0fUozleeRU
Kingsman The Secret Service is a fantastic spy thriller that has a lot of heart and is very funny. The direction from Matthew Vaughn is dynamic, using steady and shaky cam as well as they possible can be used and not relying on 30 cuts every 5 seconds during the fights. The acting is great, from Colin Firth, Michael Caine and Samuel L. Jackson to newcomer Taron Egerton and Vaughn regulars like Mark Strong and a nice smaller role from Mark Hamill, everyone is on their game and fits flawlessly into their roles. The story is smart, fun and easy to follow and the musical score fits to a T. All in all Kingsman is a great entertaining movie that has a little too much violence and language then needed, but other then that is a great ride of a movie.
4 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorMichael WinnerStarsCharles BronsonHope LangeVincent GardeniaA New York City architect becomes a one-man vigilante squad after his wife is murdered by street punks. In self-defense, the vengeful man kills muggers on the mean streets after dark.When I was a kid I used to think Charles Bronson was a really scary man, especially when I would see a few seconds of any Death Wish movie, but watching it now, all I can say is that Bronson is totally awesome. This actually has a decent story, about a man the is wronged by punks when they kill his wife and rape his daughter, and decides that he can no longer just sit by while innocent people are hurt for fun and greed. The action is believable, the police work actually would make sense and Charles Bronson was flat out terrific as the lead. So all in all this is a good tale of justice and revenge, and it has Jeff Goldblum trying to look like a bad ass, which makes it worth seeing all on its own.
4 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorPeter SegalStarsRobert De NiroSylvester StalloneKim BasingerA pair of aging boxing rivals are coaxed out of retirement to fight one final bout, thirty years after their last match.
Although this works as a concept, having two old boxers who hate each other have one last match, it just keeps on making wish that I could have seen a movie where Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone had made this movie when they were both in their prime, cause that would have been explosive. As for the movie we do have, it is not a terrible comedy, but it is far from great. The main bright spots are the interactions between Kevin Hart and Alan Arkin, who keep yipping at each other and basically steal the show. But other then that it is a by the numbers predictable comedy with repetitive jokes and a bland outcome
2.5 Beards Out Of 5. - DirectorGareth EdwardsStarsAaron Taylor-JohnsonElizabeth OlsenBryan CranstonThe world is beset by the appearance of monstrous creatures, but one of them may be the only one who can save humanity.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn4WZfEdKmc
I have absolutely always loved Godzilla. Growing up I always rushed to the TV on Sunday afternoons to try and catch which ever Godzilla movie they happened to be showing that week. They were loud and silly movies for the most part, but I fell in love with the King Of Monsters and it was for that reason I was excited to see what they would do with a new movie, especially one without Matthew Broderick. So how did Gareth Edwards and company do? Pretty darn well. Godzilla is a terrific looking movie with some incredibly breath taking scenes, especially the halo jump. The effects on Godzilla himself and the Mutos is flawless, He has never looked better, in fact, then main complaint everyone has is that they do not see enough of him, and I have to agree. There was a little too much human drama, and even my daughter who is ten was surprised at the small role that Bryan Cranston played, Although Ken Watanade was terrific as the voice of reason, “Let Them Fight!”. All in all, Godzilla is a wonderful start to a new series for the King Of Monsters, and I am looking forward to see where they go with it.
4 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorPeter HyamsStarsTom Everett ScottJean-Claude Van DammeOrlando JonesDeep within a forest on the U.S.-Canadian border, two sworn enemies must work together to escape a ruthless drug cartel hell-bent on retrieving a drug shipment which went missing there.Van Damme is a environmentally concerned drug runner with weird hair who has lost his latest shipment and needs a park rangers help to get it back. Picture the movie Cliffhanger with out the talent, budget and John Lithgow being super creepy. It has some mediocre action, and mentions canoes more then other movie since Deliverance, which is not something to really brag about, but there is very little else to say about this very boring movie.
2 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorMcGStarsKevin CostnerHailee SteinfeldConnie NielsenA dying CIA agent trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter is offered an experimental drug that could save his life in exchange for one last assignment.A spy/assassin movie that has one bright spot, Kevin Costner. He is a dying company man who is trying to reconnect with his wife and daughter and is a little too obsessed with a purple bicycle. This is not a terriblemovie, but it’s tone is incredibly uneven and silly in parts, plus Amber Heard just seemed to be way too much out of her element to be believable. Overall this is a waste of Costner and is sadly just very forgettable.
2 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorGeorge ClooneyStarsGeorge ClooneyMatt DamonBill MurrayAn unlikely World War II platoon is tasked to rescue art masterpieces from German thieves and return them to their owners.Cloony, Goodman, Balaban, and Bill FRICKIN Murray, all trying to save art from the Nazis, plus Matt Damon kinda has his own story going. This should have been awesome! Instead it was ploddingly slow, badly scripted, and had very poor character development where you never feel like you get to know any character all that well. It’s not a total waste, it has some moments, in particular the scene with Bill Murray and the record player, but overall lacks the weight and emotional punch that a movie like this should have. It is disappointing, but still worth seeing, but just makes me wish that it could have been so much more.
3 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorTerrence MalickStarsJim CaviezelSean PennNick NolteAdaptation of James Jones' autobiographical 1962 novel, focusing on the conflict at Guadalcanal during the second World War.Wow, what a complete waste of talent and potential. The Thin Red Line is a beautiful looking movie that is so muddled in the artsy whims of Terrence Malick that it seems to have no real narrative or much semblance of a plot. The cast is huge and talented, but no amount of talent can fix a broken narrative. In fact the original script centered the movie around Jim Caviezel’s character, only to have Malick decide to change the main character to Adrien Brody’s character instead during editing, and then he didn’t tell anyone, including Caviezel, who showed up to the premier to find he was hardly in the film. I really wish Terrence Malick would either allow a real writer to shape the narrative or just become a cinematographer, because he is very talented at putting stunning images on the screen, but can not tell a good story to save his life.
3.5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorClive BarkerStarsAndrew RobinsonClare HigginsAshley LaurenceA woman discovers the newly resurrected, partially formed, body of her brother-in-law and lover. She starts killing for him to revitalize his body and escape the demonic beings that are pursuing him after he escaped their underworld.Hellraiser is a late 80s horror movie that I remember seeing posters for when I was a kid, but back then there was not a snowballs chance in hell that I would have watched it cause I was a big fraidy cat back then. But now that I am all bearded up and after seeing on the shelf on the library I thought I would give it a shot. I will give Clive Barker this, he made a very creepy and gross film. The amount of blood and gore were still not fun to look at but the story and concept were interesting, and pinhead looks very ouchy? I know that is not a real word but it fits. All in all, Hellraiser is good for what it is, but it gave me no real desire to continue on in the series, plus, if anyone ever gives you a weird looking puzzle box, do yourself a favor and don't try and open it, just trust me on this.
2.5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorGabe TorresStarsStephen DorffChyler LeighJR BourneA Secret Service agent is held captive in the trunk of a car and endures mental and physical torture as terrorists attempt to extract information for their plot against the President of the United States.A government agent with a gambling problem is locked in a box in the trunk of a car, terrorists want to know the location of a secret base where the president will be and are going to keep him boxed up till they get it. It's kinda a action movie in a car trunk, if that makes any sense. Stephen Dorff is good for what he has to work with, and it has a few OK moments, but the twist ending seemed dumb and clunky, which just made the whole thing leave a bad taste in my mouth, cinematicly speaking.
2 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorDestin Daniel CrettonStarsBrie LarsonFrantz TurnerJohn Gallagher Jr.A 20-something supervising staff member of a residential treatment facility navigates the troubled waters of that world alongside her co-worker and longtime boyfriend.Short Term 12 is hands down one of the best made movies of 2013. It is the story of a short term foster care facility for at risk teenagers, and deals mainly with one of the on floor supervisors named Grace. At first Grace seems to have everything well in hand, she is incredible at her job, interesting as a person and very easy to root for. Grace's life starts to get turned upside down when a string of occurrences, including the intake of a young troubled teen girl that reminds her of herself, begins to unravel feelings that she has been ignoring for years. The acting in Short Term 12 is completely incredible, every character from the small back ground roles to the main players are all completely believable, so much so that it sometimes feels like it could be a documentary. Saying that, this film is not going to fit everyone's tastes, there are no explosions or chase scenes, well, actually there are a few chase scenes, but not like anything you would see in a Hollywood movie. What Short Term 12 does have is heart, mounds and mounds of pure film lovers heart. So much so that when the last words were spoken and the credits rolled, all I could say to myself was, "WOW!" So do yourself a favor, give this small movie a chance, it may do you some good, or at least, make you appreciate what you have or had as a teenager.
5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorJosé PadilhaStarsJoel KinnamanGary OldmanMichael KeatonIn 2028 Detroit, when Alex Murphy, a loving husband, father and good cop, is critically injured in the line of duty, the multinational conglomerate OmniCorp sees their chance for a part-man, part-robot police officer.I will start by saying that I am a huge fan of the original Robocop, both 1 & 2 (3 was terrible) so when I heard that they were remaking it, I was pretty mad, so saying that, I was sure they were going to mess it up, but to my amazement, they made an alright movie. Is it as good as the original, NO! But it is a decent movie, so lets talk about what they got right. First off was the cast, the guy they got to play Robocop was very adequate, but it is the rest of the cast that does all the heavy lifting on the acting end. Gary Oldman, Samuel L. Jackson and Michael Keaton all give very good performances, plus the rest of the cast is fine too. The story was not quite as edgy as the original, but I did like all the modern updates they did, such as CCTV in his head with all the police files of outstanding cases, and the bike and weapon, but not the black, I prefer the traditional silver. They also did a good job with the action, and the family angle worked for what it was. This is far from a perfect movie, but I was surprisingly entertained and liked it overall.
3.5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorPadraig ReynoldsStarsAJ BowenAnessa RamseySonny MarinelliA ransom scheme turns into a nightmare for a group of kidnappers who become victims of a horrifying secret that must be paid every spring.This incredibly low budget horror movie has no clue what it wants to be. It is a home invasion movie, then a kidnap movie, then a serial killer movie, then a killer hillbilly movie, and the worst part is that it does all of these equally bad. The acting is terrible across the board, the story is laughable, the direction is all over the place, like it was filmed by a 10 year old that was using all the new features on his camera phone, which it was probably shot on. I understand that this was a bad movie and it knows it, but that does not change the fact the it is awful on every level, well, except maybe for the poster, which was interesting enough to catch my eye and got me to watch this waste of time movie.
1.5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorGary FlederStarsJason StathamJames FrancoWinona RyderA former DEA agent moves his family to a quiet town, where he soon tangles with a local meth druglord.Jason Statham is very Jason Statham in the Jason Statham film. The story is just so so, with a lot of boring unrealistic side plots that Jason Statham has to deal with, which he does in his routinely Jason Statham way. The action is not very Jason Statham, for a Jason Statham movie, but that is not Jason Stathams fault, he does have much to work with. All in all Jason Statham should have passed on this film, cause his Jason Stathamness was wasted here.
2.5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorKevin MacdonaldStarsSaoirse RonanTom HollandGeorge MacKayAn American girl, sent to the English countryside to stay with relatives, finds love and purpose while fighting for her survival as war envelops the world around her.How I Live Now is an interesting look at what happens to a group of young people who are left to fend for themselves once World War 3 breaks out. The main character is a self obsessed girl visiting from America, who has to grow up in a hurry once her and her cousins are rounded up and separated by the army. The cousins all vow to make their way back to their house no matter where they are taken. This story is fairly well made, with equal time spent developing characters and allowing the story to unfold. The acting is good for the most part, with Saoirse Ronan doing a terrific job in the main role. Although it sometimes seems a little too unbelievable in parts, overall this post apocalyptic film strives for a smaller more intimate portrayal of the aftermath, and does a decent job accomplishing just that.
3 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorJon TurteltaubStarsRobert De NiroMichael DouglasMorgan FreemanBilly, Paddy, Archie and Sam have been best friends since childhood. When Billy proposes to his much-younger girlfriend, they go to Vegas to relive their glory days. However, the decades have changed Sin City and tested their friendship.The big selling point of Last Vegas is definitely the cast. Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline and Michael Douglas are all great actors in their own respects, and it makes complete sense that they would all be great together, which they are, to a point. The point I am talking about is the script and story. To have these acting heavy weights in this movie seems like a bit of overkill, but when you watch Last Vegas, and realize the story is nowhere on par with the actors telling it, it makes sense. Now saying that, I actually did enjoy watching Last Vegas, it had some funny parts and I can watch Morgan Freeman in pretty much anything, but for the most part all the jokes were either very underwhelming and you could see their set ups a mile away. Plus relying on so many aging tropes in one movie got old real quick, (pun intended). The truth of Last Vegas is this, without the big name cast, it could have easily been a TV movie or a running sitcom, and that just seemed like a waste of talent to me.
3 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorHarold RamisStarsBill MurrayAndie MacDowellChris ElliottA narcissistic, self-centered weatherman finds himself in a time loop on Groundhog Day.Groundhog Day is a great movie with a terrific original premise. Having the main character Phil, played by Bill Murray, be a easily unlikable character allows for some great storytelling and character development that you don't get a chance to have in other films. By giving Phil unlimited days to grow and change, while everyone around him will always remains unchanged, only highlights Phil's journey to become a better man that much more. In that journey there is a lot of comedy, with terrific directing from Harold Ramis, and one of Murray's best performances. I love this movie, and no matter how many times I see it I always enjoy it, and it who doesn't love seeing a groundhog driving a pickup truck. Check out my video review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0Hr0ox9BaY
5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorMichael CurtizStarsHumphrey BogartIngrid BergmanPaul HenreidA cynical expatriate American cafe owner struggles to decide whether or not to help his former lover and her fugitive husband escape the Nazis in French Morocco.Casablanca is everything that people say it is. The story is sharp, the writing is crisp and the delivery from the whole cast, in particularly Humphrey Bogart is flawless. From location, to music, to just the overall incredibly coolness that the movie just exudes, Casablanca is a timeless classic that will still be perfect hundreds of years from now. It has awesome iconic characters, stellar acting from Bogart and Rains, while Ingrid Bergman is simply stunning and incredibly graceful in her delivery. Casablanca is easily one of the greatest movies ever made, and should be required viewing for any film fan.
Check out my video review @.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOGZsc-FyNk
5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorLewis MilestoneStarsLew AyresLouis WolheimJohn WrayA German youth eagerly enters World War I, but his enthusiasm wanes as he gets a firsthand view of the horror.Well done movie that was influential enough that at least 2 remakes were made of it. It is pretty interesting, it is a war movie, but it is from the German perspective, starting with how the a group of youth are convinced to join the war effort by their teacher, being told it will be glorious and fun to fight and die for their Motherland. These same boys are all shocked when they finally do get in the war at how loud and ugly it is, and they are forced to grow up real fast as their friends are dying all around them. The story is good, and it looks decent considering when it was made. It is also cool to see when one of the boys who is now a man comes back and sees the teacher that talked him into going, just to find him giving the exact same speech that motivated him to a new class of teens. He is then asked to tell the students all about the glory of war, which he can't and after telling the kids how it really is, they consider him a coward and a traitor. All Quiet On The Western Front does a great job of showing war as the terrible thing it is, and how it is very different for those fighting compared to those who stay behind and criticize from the safety of their homes.
Check out my video review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIjFsdowDeg
5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsRoy ScheiderRobert ShawRichard DreyfussWhen a killer shark unleashes chaos on a beach community off Cape Cod, it's up to a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down.Jaws is so much more to me then just a movie, or just a movie about a shark, it is a story that I watched I don't know how many times as a kid, scarring the bejezzus out of me while at the same time giving me a complete love for sharks that is still with me today. There is just something about Jaws, overall I think it is just great storytelling, and sure the shark looks fake when looked at now, but for its time no one thunk it. Jaws also gave us one of the best conversations ever put on film, where they compare wounds and then Quint talks about the ship going down and being stuck in the water for days with sharks everywhere, it just has so much weight to it. I also think that this is probably one of Spielbergs best films, I am sure that can be debated, but I know it is one of my favorites and will always hold a special place in my heart, plus I can always hear the music when swimming in open water, Du Dum, Du Dum, Du Dum, Du du du du du du AHHHHHHH.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RMTlZrCzGQ
5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorBrian G. HuttonStarsClint EastwoodTelly SavalasDon RicklesA group of U.S. soldiers sneaks across enemy lines in WWII France to get their hands on a secret stash of Nazi treasure.Kelly's Heroes is a fun World War 2 Heist movie with a fantastic cast including Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalas and Donald Sutherland. Kelly and a bunch of soldiers go 30 miles behind enemy lines to rob a bank holding 16,000 gold bars. This is much easier said then done since there are a lot of German soldiers, and when they are not fighting them or walking through mine fields, they still have to contend with their own air force shooting at them or bombing the bridges they need to use. The action in Kelly's Heroes is fairly realistic, and there is a great tank scene near the end, but where it really shines is with the cast being allowed to play off each other and Donald Sutherland just stealing every scene he is in. Kelly's Heroes is well made, and quite enjoyable, so if you are in the mood for a not quite traditional war/heist movie, then Kelly is your man.
4 Beards Out Of 5
Check out my video review @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18lA6u1kcfc - DirectorGeorge A. RomeroStarsDuane JonesJudith O'DeaKarl HardmanA ragtag group of Pennsylvanians barricade themselves in an old farmhouse to remain safe from a horde of flesh-eating ghouls that are ravaging the Northeast of the United States.One of the zombie movies that set the tone for all those that followed. I like how this begins, with just two siblings visiting a graveyard to pay respects to their father, and then a stranger starts attacking them and they have no clue why. That's why this works so well, cause it places the viewer in a situation that seems normal, and then quickly changes, and by the end of the movie you are left to ask the question, Who is the bigger danger, the Zombies or the "Normal People"? The acting is a little sketchy in some places, but that is to be expected for a low budget movie, but it has held remarkably well over time. Classic, just classic.
4.5 Beards Out Of 5
Check out my video review @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcHYjLQxXnY - DirectorChristopher NolanStarsChristian BaleHugh JackmanScarlett JohanssonAfter a tragic accident, two stage magicians in 1890s London engage in a battle to create the ultimate illusion while sacrificing everything they have to outwit each other.This has got to be one of the best movies ever made that looks at the lives of illusionists and the great pains they have gone through in times past. The Prestige has an amazing and talented cast, with Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson and Ricky Jay, all putting in terrific performances, playing their roles
perfectly. Also, how awesome was David Bowie as Nikola Tesla, what perfect casting on Nolan's part. Speaking of Nolan, I have yet to see him make a bad movie, in fact, his movies just keep on getting better and better. Between the awesome script both he and his brother wrote, and the breath taking cinematography of Wally Pfister, Prestige is utterly perfect. And what an ending, it made want to watch it again right away, just incredible.
5 Beards Out Of 5
Check out my video review @ https://www.youtube.co/watch?v=ZS19QL3VAkk - DirectorJames WhaleStarsColin CliveMae ClarkeBoris KarloffDr Henry Frankenstein is obsessed with assembling a living being from parts of several exhumed corpses.This movie comes off as silly at times and brilliant at others, but it is probably considered to be one of the greatest monster movies of all time. The greatest thing to come out of this movie was the performance of Boris Karloff as the monster, it is just incredible how much emotion and feeling he was able to convey while under all that makeup. The direction of James Whale is spot on with a great use of sets and outdoor locations, in fact, the only real flaw in the film lies in the script, which has a few situations that make very little sense and because of which interrupts the films flow. But other than that, Frankenstein is a classic and very important movie, and it launched Karloff on to a great career, plus the sequel Bride Of Frankenstein is even better.
4 Beards Out Of 5
Check out my video review @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GomHi6vIds4 - DirectorZack SnyderStarsSarah PolleyVing RhamesMekhi PhiferA nurse, a policeman, a young married couple, a salesman and other survivors of a worldwide plague that is producing aggressive, flesh-eating zombies, take refuge in a mega Midwestern shopping mall.I have been watching a lot of Zombie stuff lately, so that I will be prepared for the coming Zombie Apocalypse, so I finally got around to seeing Zack Snyders version of the George Romero's classic, and I have to say, good job Zack. It is not a perfect movie and some of the things don't make much sense to me, like if the guy with the sniper rifle was sitting on a gun shop with lots of ammo, why was he not killing more zombies, heck, he could have taken out pretty much everyone that was there and they could have took a nice gingerly drive to the marina, but overall it is a pretty good depiction of what would happen if there was a zombie outbreak, and I am now that much more prepared for what is coming around the bend, so that makes it worth seeing all by itself, although it could have done without the nudity.
3.5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsRobert De NiroJodie FosterCybill ShepherdA mentally unstable veteran works as a nighttime taxi driver in New York City, where the perceived decadence and sleaze fuels his urge for violent action.Certain films are iconic in themselves or for certain lines, Taxi Driver falls into both categories. I have often heard it talked about and I could not even begin to count how many times I have heard people say the lines, "You talkin to me, are you, talking to me, you must be talkin to me cause I don't see anybody else here.". So saying that, I finally got around to seeing it and I think it is a really good movie, probably not as great as everybody thinks it is, but overall I liked it a lot. De Niro does an excellent job as Travis Bickle, you really get the feeling of isolation while being in the middle of everyone, and the score and city itself really helps with that. If I was judging this movie on acting alone I would give it 5 stars, but due to the amount of swearing, the fact that Bickles idea of a nice date is to go to a pornographic movie and the child prostitution kinda makes it lose some stars, but I do understand some of that is necessary for the story. The cast for Taxi Driver was really good too, and I don't think I have ever seen Harvey Keitel look that young before. So overall Taxi Driver was pretty darn amazing, although I doubt Bickle would have survived with that many wounds, and if he did, I am pretty sure he would have been thrown in to jail for what he did, but what do you want, its a movie.
4.5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorDavid GreenStarsNicolas CageTommy Lee JonesSean YoungElite Apache helicopter pilots are tasked with destroying powerful armed drug cartels operating in South America.I loved this movie when I was younger, and liked it now that I have seen it again. Back then I thought Nicolas Cage’s character was so cool, now he is still kinda cool but man is there way too much overacting from Cage and pretty much everybody else, well except for Sean Young, who kinda doesn’t act, she is just there, like a cardboard cut out of her with a tape player saying her lines would have be just as real, maybe even better. Thankfully Tommy Lee Jones is great, and I have used the Full Tilt Boogie line a bunch of times. So, decent movie, cool helicopters and Tommy Lee Jones is just too awesome for his own good.
2.5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorGeorge ArmitageStarsJohn CusackMinnie DriverDan AykroydMartin Blank is a professional assassin. He is sent on a mission to a small Detroit suburb, Grosse Pointe, and, by coincidence, his ten-year high school reunion party is taking place there at the same time.This is one of the best comedies of the 90's and is one of my favorite John Cusack roles. Martin Blank is cool, funny and completely badass. I liked this movie cause it was pretty original,was filmed well, the acting was good all the way around, and how can you not like a movie where Dan Aykroyd is an evil hit man. Add to that Jeremy Piven, Joan Cusack and Minnie Driver,well, it is just plain great. Add to that the totally rocking soundtrack and fun action set pieces and you got yourself a good time. I have yet to go to a real high-school reunion myself, but if I do I am going to tell people that I am a hit man, and no, that doesn't come with dental. Awesome.
4 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorKenneth BranaghStarsLily JamesCate BlanchettRichard MaddenWhen her father unexpectedly dies, young Ella finds herself at the mercy of her cruel stepmother and her scheming stepsisters. Never one to give up hope, Ella's fortunes begin to change after meeting a dashing stranger.Disney seems to be running out of ideas for new movies so they keep going to the well of their classic fairytales. Now, after how they completely changed the story of Sleeping Beauty in the live action film Maleficent, I was pretty tentative about seeing their live action version of Cinderella, but to my nice surprise, they did not actually change the core story. The Cinderella that you grew up with and for many know and love is pretty much all there, and in truth looks beautiful. Kenneth Branagh does a very nice job directing this terrifically casted movie. Cate Blanchett is in full effect as the evil step-mother, showing off how ugly such a beautiful woman could be. Lily James is great in the title role, personifying kindness and courage as is the theme of the movie. Richard Madden is quite good as the Prince, and the rest of the cast performs adequacy. In fact, the only acting I did not like was Helena Bonham Carter as the fairy godmother, it just seemed a little to on the nose, but thankfully she only is in the movie for a few minutes. Overall Cinderella is a beautiful, nicely shot film that most families will like and most little girls will absolutely love. I can only hope they do as good a job on the live action Beauty and the Beast movie that they are planning to do next. 3.5 Beards Out Of 5
- DirectorHossein AminiStarsViggo MortensenKirsten DunstOscar IsaacA thriller centered on a con artist, his wife, and a stranger who flee Athens after one of them is caught up in the death of a private detective.The Two Faces Of January is a bit of a weird film. The cast was talented enough with both Viggo Mortensen and Oscar Isaac giving good performances, and Kristen Dunst was good for what the role required of her. But even with this cast it very often felt like it was not sure what kind of movie it wanted to be. It had a kinda lovers on the lamb kind of feel, and then at many points reminded me of other better films, such as The Talented Mr. Ripley, only with much less suspense to it. The story itself is very slow paced and even when it goes somewhere it doesn't really seem to go anywhere, or, at least that's how it feels. and then the third act is really fast paced but still fairly dull. Overall I really would not recommend this unless you are die hard Viggo Mortensen fans, or love looking at mostly brown and grey scenery. 2.5 Beards Out Of 5
- DirectorFrank DarabontStarsTim RobbinsMorgan FreemanBob GuntonOver the course of several years, two convicts form a friendship, seeking consolation and, eventually, redemption through basic compassion.The Shawshank Redemption is hands down the best movie of all time. I will type that again, Shawshank Redemption is the best movie.....EVER. Everything about this movie is amazing. This is Tim Robbins best work, Morgan Freeman is perfect as Red in every frame of the film and everybody else is great in their roles. Every time I see this film I love it just a little bit more and it still stands as one of the best examples of hope ever to be put on film. It also has one of the lines in film history, which I have quoted often in my life, "Get busy living, or get busy dying." So overall, a total Masterpiece. 5 Beards
Out Of 5 Check out my video review @
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5PyYKla1G8 - DirectorJohn McTiernanStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerCarl WeathersKevin Peter HallA team of commandos on a mission in a Central American jungle find themselves hunted by an extraterrestrial warrior.This is overall my favorite Arnold movie, and I absolutely love the
whole Predator franchise. The movie is very much an 80's flick, but
that is a great thing, big muscles, guns and body counts ruled the day, and Predator is no exception. The whole Predator concept is great, I loved the look of it, and the stealth mode still looks good even by today's standards. The use of setting and the score together just totally gear up the tension, and the Predator drum theme is just so memorable. Overall, this is a just a great fun movie. WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU. Click click, Predator stalking noise, click, you gotta love it.
5 Beards Out Of 5
Check out my video review @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FE0HI9P1Wes - DirectorEdgar WrightStarsMichael CeraMary Elizabeth WinsteadKieran CulkinIn a magically realistic version of Toronto, a young man must defeat his new girlfriend's seven evil exes one by one in order to win her heart.Scott Pilgrim VS The World is an incredibly quirky film that you either love or don't really understand. I for one thought it was awesome. It was funny, had a great cast, kicking soundtrack, was about a bass player for once, ( low end represent!) and was set in my home town, Toronto, which has so many great places to film, it was nice to see it get some movie love. Scott Pilgrim is original, directed perfectly from Edgar Wright and Michael Cera's best movie. All in all this is really cool film, and the comic and video game aspect made it even cooler, plus they have Thomas Jane as a member of the Vegan Police, which made me laugh and that alone makes it worth seeing.
5 Beards Out Of 5
Check out my video review @ http://youtu.be/tgU_7f3NcmU - DirectorChristopher NolanStarsChristian BaleMichael CaineKen WatanabeAfter witnessing his parents' death, Bruce learns the art of fighting to confront injustice. When he returns to Gotham as Batman, he must stop a secret society that intends to destroy the city.This is the Batman movie that I have been waiting for, not the quirky Tim Burton Batman, and not the Adam West super cheesy Batman and definitely not the terrible terrible George Clooney Batman (love you George, but that was just wrong on every level) but the real honest to Gotham BATMAN. Batman Begins is a completely phenomenal film that is great on every level. Christian Bale did an absolutely amazing job as Bruce Wayne and Batman, and then there is the rest of the cast, Neeson, Murphy, Wilkinson, Oldman and Watanabe, are you kidding me, heck, even Rutger Hauer was great. Overall Christopher Nolan has made a total master piece, a real Batman that is based in reality with all that that implies, and this only gets better when paired with the next two chapters in the saga.
5 Beards Out Of 5 - DirectorMerian C. CooperErnest B. SchoedsackStarsFay WrayRobert ArmstrongBruce CabotA film crew goes to a tropical island for a location shoot, where they capture a colossal ape who takes a shine to their blonde starlet, and bring him back to New York City.King Kong is an amazing and ambitious cinematic adventure, especially
when you take into account that it was made in 1933. The acting is
pretty decent, and the story itself is great and has been copied many
times, but where it really shines is in the stop motion animation,
which may look silly to some now a days, in our cgi world, but for its
time, it was a movie marvel. I know Peter Jackson loved this movie
enough to remake it, but for my money, his version can't compare with
the original, and in truth I wish he wouldn't have tried. Oh, and does
Fay Wray have a pair of lungs or what.
Check out my video review @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMHK_9ctxzY