Movies I Saw with My MoviePass (Since Sept, 2017)
I decided to risk 10 bucks to see if MoviePass was worth it. It totally was, for me. These are the movies I've seen in the theater, since Sept. 8, 2017 because of it. Duplicate viewings not listed. I wound up watching movies in numerous theaters, across two states. While others said beware, it's probably a scam, I figured I would ride it until the wheels fell off, which is what I totally did.
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- DirectorChristopher NolanStarsFionn WhiteheadBarry KeoghanMark RylanceAllied soldiers from Belgium, the British Commonwealth and Empire, and France are surrounded by the German Army and evacuated during a fierce battle in World War II.My first film was supposed to be Baby Driver but the first time out, the app was down and I couldn't go in. It happens, once in a great while. I don't sweat it, anymore. (Hilltop Cinema, Richmond, CA)
- DirectorDavid LeitchStarsCharlize TheronJames McAvoyJohn GoodmanAn undercover MI6 agent is sent to Berlin during the Cold War to investigate the murder of a fellow agent and recover a missing list of double agents.Charlize trained alongside Keanu Reeves. I never would have seen this without MoviePass. I'm so glad I did. The action scenes were off the chain! (Jack London Theater, Oakland, CA)
- DirectorEdgar WrightStarsAnsel ElgortJon BernthalJon HammAfter being coerced into working for a crime boss, a young getaway driver finds himself taking part in a heist doomed to fail.Really cool, really slick. I'm really not sure why I didn't enjoy it more. (Century Theater, Walnut Creek, CA)
- DirectorGeremy JasperStarsDanielle MacdonaldSahr NgaujahBridget EverettPATTI CAKE$ is centered on aspiring rapper Patricia Dombrowski, a.k.a. Killa P, a.k.a. Patti Cake$, who is fighting an unlikely quest for glory in her downtrodden hometown in New Jersey.An off-beat, interesting film with quirky but realistic characters. (Century Theater, Pleasant Hill, CA)
- DirectorJon WattsStarsTom HollandMichael KeatonRobert Downey Jr.Peter Parker balances his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens with his superhero alter-ego Spider-Man, and finds himself on the trail of a new menace prowling the skies of New York City.Entertaining, certainly better than any other Spider-man movie, after II. However, it's a little... A little too pat, I suppose. With Marvel's involvement, I think I expected more oomph.
- DirectorDavid F. SandbergStarsAnthony LaPagliaSamara LeeMiranda OttoTwelve years after the tragic death of their little girl, a doll-maker and his wife welcome a nun and several girls from a shuttered orphanage into their home, where they become the target of the doll-maker's possessed creation, Annabelle.Caught this in the middle of the week, the second week it was out, at an early show. Had the theater to myself. That happens, from time to time, with MoviePass, if you use it a lot like I do.
- DirectorMatt SpicerStarsAubrey PlazaElizabeth OlsenO'Shea Jackson Jr.An unhinged social media stalker moves to LA and ingratiates herself into the life of an Instagram star.Having spent about ten years in and around Hollywood, in the film business, this hit very close to home. Well done.
- DirectorMichael ShowalterStarsKumail NanjianiZoe KazanHolly HunterPakistan-born comedian Kumail Nanjiani and grad student Emily Gardner fall in love but struggle as their cultures clash. When Emily contracts a mysterious illness, Kumail finds himself forced to face her feisty parents, his family's expectations, and his true feelings.An incredibly delightful film. (Rialto Cinemas Cerrito, El Cerrito, CA)
- DirectorMatt ReevesStarsAndy SerkisWoody HarrelsonSteve ZahnAfter the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind.I probably would have enjoyed this more if I had seen it when it first came out, without hearing so many wonderful things about that it couldn't possibly live up to my expectations.
- DirectorSteven SoderberghStarsChanning TatumAdam DriverDaniel CraigTwo brothers attempt to pull off a heist during a NASCAR race in North Carolina.A very fun movie. I'm not the biggest Soderbergh fan but he seems to do well with heist films.
- DirectorPreston A. Whitmore IIStarsColumbus ShortVivica A. FoxErica PeeplesA charismatic drug lord tries to start a new life after he falls for a young woman from Philadelphia.Looks a lot like a made-for-TV film. I never, ever would have seen this movie without MoviePass, but I won't hold it against my card.
- DirectorMalcolm D. LeeStarsRegina HallQueen LatifahJada Pinkett SmithWhen four lifelong friends travel to New Orleans for the annual Essence Festival, sisterhoods are rekindled, wild sides are rediscovered, and there's enough dancing, drinking, brawling and romancing to make the Big Easy blush.I thought it was hilarious, if a little sloppy.
- DirectorMichael CuestaStarsDylan O'BrienMichael KeatonSanaa LathanAfter the death of his girlfriend at the hands of terrorists, Mitch Rapp is drawn into the world of counterterrorism, mentored by tough-as-nails former U.S. Navy S.E.A.L. Stan Hurley.Decent enough thriller. (AMC Bay Street 16, Emeryville, CA)
- DirectorAndy MuschiettiStarsBill SkarsgårdJaeden MartellFinn WolfhardIn the summer of 1989, a group of bullied kids band together to destroy a shape-shifting monster, which disguises itself as a clown and preys on the children of Derry, their small Maine town.Just my opinion, but the Pennywise parts were pretty bad. The dude and the director are trying way too hard. The kids were great, though, I thought they captured the era right. And Beverly's dad is far more frightening than anything that clown could ever do.
- DirectorPatrick HughesStarsRyan ReynoldsSamuel L. JacksonGary OldmanOne of the world's top bodyguards gets a new client, a world class hitman who must testify at the International Criminal Court. They must put their differences aside and work together to make it to the trial alive and on time.Fun and even outrageously funny, at times.
- DirectorTaylor SheridanStarsElizabeth OlsenJeremy RennerGraham GreeneA wildlife officer, who is haunted by a tragedy that happened because of him, teams up with an FBI agent in solving a murder of a young woman on a Wyoming Native American reservation and hopes to get redemption from his past regrets.A slow and methodical thriller, highly believable and well-done, all around. Glad I could see it on the big screen.
- DirectorCharles ReisnerBuster KeatonStarsBuster KeatonTom McGuireErnest TorrenceThe effete son of a cantankerous riverboat captain comes to join his father's crew.Keaton was so far ahead of his time, his stunts are still studied and used, today. Screamingly funny. I'm glad this was at a MoviePass supported theater. Nothing funnier than seeing a classic comedy on the big screen in a theater full of fans. (Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley, CA)
- DirectorDarren AronofskyStarsJennifer LawrenceJavier BardemEd HarrisA couple's relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence.Shrill and crass, nothing but empty camera tricks and noise. Empty and soulless. Garbage. Stop giving this asshat money. He got lucky with The Wrestler, the rest is overrated.
- DirectorHallie Meyers-ShyerStarsReese WitherspoonMichael SheenCandice BergenLife for a single mom in Los Angeles takes an unexpected turn when she allows three young guys to move in with her.Cute, Lifetimey movie.
- DirectorCharlie BeanPaul FisherBob LoganStarsJackie ChanDave FrancoFred ArmisenShunned by everyone for being the son of an evil warlord, a teenager seeks to defeat him with the help of his fellow ninjas.This was probably one trip to many to the well.
- DirectorSimon VerhoevenStarsAlycia Debnam-CareyWilliam MoseleyConnor PaoloWhen a college student unfriends a mysterious girl online, she finds herself fighting a demonic presence that wants to make her lonely by killing her closest friends.It looked good in the trailer. I probably should have stopped there.
- DirectorDavid Gordon GreenStarsJake GyllenhaalTatiana MaslanyMiranda RichardsonStronger is the inspiring real life story of Jeff Bauman, an ordinary man who captured the hearts of his city and the world to become a symbol of hope after surviving the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.A wonderful, powerful drama about coming back from adversity. (My last movie for Sept of 2017. 22 movies in 7 different movie theaters, since the 8th!)
- DirectorMike WhiteStarsBen StillerAustin AbramsJenna FischerA father takes his son to tour colleges on the East Coast and meets up with an old friend who makes him feel inferior about his life's choices.Brad's mopey attitude gets to be a little too much, after a while. Not bad, though. (Orinda Theater, Orinda, CA)
- DirectorDoug LimanStarsTom CruiseDomhnall GleesonSarah WrightThe story of Barry Seal, an American pilot who became a drug-runner for the CIA in the 1980s in a clandestine operation that would be exposed as the Iran-Contra Affair.Hard to root for a guy who's basically a traitor to his country and for money, to boot, but it's still a fun caper.
- DirectorNiels Arden OplevStarsElliot PageDiego LunaNina DobrevFive medical students, obsessed by what lies beyond the confines of life, embark on a daring experiment: by stopping their hearts for short periods, each triggers a near-death experience - giving them a firsthand account of the afterlife.It's just kind of there. No real surprises and virtually no scares. Just okay. The original is much more fun.
- DirectorMatthew VaughnStarsTaron EgertonColin FirthMark StrongAfter the Kingsman's headquarters is destroyed and the world is held hostage, an allied spy organization in the United States is discovered. These two elite secret agencies must band together to defeat a common enemy.I didn't know what to expect with the first one and wound up loving it. This is more of the same. Elton John in awesome, though!
- DirectorDenis VilleneuveStarsHarrison FordRyan GoslingAna de ArmasYoung Blade Runner K's discovery of a long-buried secret leads him to track down former Blade Runner Rick Deckard, who's been missing for thirty years.Better than the original (one of the most-overrated buckets of pretentious slop there is out there) but still deadly dull. A film should be more than just great cinematography and production design.
- DirectorJonathan DaytonValerie FarisStarsEmma StoneSteve CarellAndrea RiseboroughThe true story of the 1973 tennis match between World number one Billie Jean King and ex-champ and serial hustler Bobby Riggs.Surprisingly fun. Emma is aces as BJ King and Steve reminds us, once again, that he can do drama just as well as he does comedy.
- DirectorRon ClementsJohn MuskerStarsAnika Noni RoseKeith DavidOprah WinfreyA waitress, desperate to fulfill her dreams as a restaurant owner, is set on a journey to turn a frog prince back into a human being, but she has to face the same problem after she kisses him.I only half-watched this when I showed it to my kid on VHS, when it first came to home video. The local theater was showing it so I thought, what the heck, and wound up enjoying more than I thought I would.
- DirectorMartin CampbellStarsKatie LeungJackie ChanRufus JonesA humble businessman with a buried past seeks justice when his daughter is killed in an act of terrorism. A cat-and-mouse conflict ensues with a government official, whose past may hold clues to the killers' identities.This isn't really a Jackie Chan film, rather it's a film with Jackie Chan in it. He's amazing. The film is just okay. BTW, he plays a character one year younger than he actually was when he filmed it. Just amazing the things he can still do.
- DirectorStephen FrearsStarsJudi DenchAli FazalTim Pigott-SmithQueen Victoria strikes up an unlikely friendship with a young Indian clerk named Abdul Karim.I thought the actors were marvelous, even if the film played fast and loose with some of the details.
- DirectorChristopher LandonStarsJessica RotheIsrael BroussardRuby ModineA college student must relive the day of her murder over and over again, in a loop that will end only when she discovers her killer's identity.It's Groundhog's Day as a slasher film. Not bad for such a high-concept movie but it does peter out before the finale.
- DirectorChris StokesStarsTaye DiggsAnnie IlonzehStephen BishopMichael and Madison had planned to spend the rest of their lives together, until one day Michael's controlling ways turned their perfect marriage. Madison meets Alex Stone and learns to love again, until Michael re-appears in her life.This would have to get a lot better to qualify for Lifetime. Still not sure how it got released, theatrically.
- DirectorHany Abu-AssadStarsKate WinsletIdris ElbaBeau BridgesStranded after a tragic plane crash, two strangers must forge a connection to survive the extreme elements of a remote snow-covered mountain. When they realize help is not coming, they embark on a perilous journey across the wilderness.The movie is just okay but the actors are well worth watching.
- DirectorMark AndrewsBrenda ChapmanSteve PurcellStarsKelly MacdonaldBilly ConnollyEmma ThompsonDetermined to make her own path in life, Princess Merida defies a custom that brings chaos to her kingdom. Granted one wish, Merida must rely on her bravery and her archery skills to undo a beastly curse.Another Disney (Pixar) movie that my local theater brought back for a week. I hated it when I first watched it on home video. It's not nearly as bad as I remembered.
- DirectorTomas AlfredsonStarsMichael FassbenderRebecca FergusonCharlotte GainsbourgDetective Harry Hole investigates the disappearance of a woman whose scarf is found wrapped around an ominous-looking snowman.It has a couple of moments and Magneto is a good actor but this goes wrong over and over. Too bad, the trailer looked great.
- DirectorSean BakerStarsBrooklynn PrinceBria VinaiteWillem DafoeSet over one summer, the film follows precocious six-year-old Moonee as she courts mischief and adventure with her ragtag playmates and bonds with her rebellious but caring mother, all while living in the shadows of Walt Disney World.Really cool slice-of-life movie about some people on the very edge of "society." Equal parts intriguing and heartbreaking. Willem Dafoe is wonderful, as is the little girl as the little girl.
- DirectorNorman Z. McLeodStarsGroucho MarxChico MarxHarpo MarxQuincy Adams Wagstaff, Huxley University's new president, accidentally hires bumblers Baravelli and Pinky to help his school win the big football game against their rival, Darwin University.Another Berkeley Film Archive presentation. Nothing like seeing a film like this in a theater filled with other fans. I laughed so hard I thought I would pass out. Duck Soup would probably kill me.
- DirectorAngela RobinsonStarsLuke EvansRebecca HallBella HeathcoteThe story of psychologist William Moulton Marston, and his polyamorous relationship with his wife and their mistress who would inspire his creation of the superheroine, Wonder Woman.Not as lurid as I had expected. A decent enough examination of a multiple marriage when it was even more frowned upon.
- DirectorDean DevlinStarsGerard ButlerJim SturgessAbbie CornishWhen the network of satellites designed to control the global climate starts to attack Earth, it's a race against the clock for its creator to uncover the real threat before a worldwide Geostorm wipes out everything and everyone.This is pretty bad but fun hokum. A big-budget SyFy Channel style movie. The special effects reach overkill a couple of times but otherwise its worth a watch in a stupid movie kind of way.
- DirectorMichael CarneyStarsGreg KinnearRenée ZellwegerDjimon HounsouInternational art dealer Ron Hall must befriend a dangerous homeless man in order to save his struggling marriage to his wife, a woman whose dreams will lead all three of them on the journey of their lives.Schmaltzy and religious, I took my elderly mother to see it because she loves schmaltzy and religious movies. Take your elderly mother who loves schmaltzy and religious movies to see it, too.
- DirectorAndy SerkisStarsAndrew GarfieldClaire FoyHugh BonnevilleThe inspiring true love story of Robin and Diana Cavendish, an adventurous couple who refuse to give up in the face of a devastating disease.The cast is delightful and the story is far more upbeat than one would expect.
- DirectorGeorge ClooneyStarsMatt DamonJulianne MooreOscar IsaacAs a 1950s suburban community self-destructs, a home invasion has sinister consequences for one seemingly normal family.Oh man, and that trailer looked so good... A real disappointment, all things considered. (My last movie for Oct of 2017. 43 movies in 8 different movie theaters, since the 8th!)
- DirectorJoseph KosinskiStarsJosh BrolinMiles TellerJeff BridgesBased on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, a group of elite firefighters who risk everything to protect a town from a historic wildfire.Interesting tale of a former addict trying to turn his life around by joining an elite group of firefighters. The wildfire scenes are mind-boggling realistic.
- DirectorSimon CurtisStarsDomhnall GleesonMargot RobbieKelly MacdonaldThe relationship between writer AA Milne and his son, Christopher Robin, and how this became the inspiration for Winnie the Pooh.I'm not crying, you're crying!
- DirectorPeter LandesmanStarsLiam NeesonDiane LaneMarton CsokasThe story of Mark Felt, who under the name "Deep Throat" helped journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein uncover the Watergate scandal in 1972.This had so much potential but somehow misses the mark. Gets an extra star just because it's Liam Neeson.
- DirectorJason HallStarsMiles TellerBeulah KoaleJoe ColeA group of U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq struggle to integrate back into family and civilian life, while living with the memory of a war that threatens to destroy them long after they've left the battlefield.Heartbreaking. I had a roommate who did two tours and survived three IED explosions and this became all too real to me.
- DirectorKenneth BranaghStarsKenneth BranaghPenélope CruzWillem DafoeWhen a murder occurs on the train on which he's travelling, celebrated detective Hercule Poirot is recruited to solve the case.Well-acted but surprisingly dull. Starts off well and just runs out of steam, halfway through.
- DirectorTaika WaititiStarsChris HemsworthTom HiddlestonCate BlanchettImprisoned on the planet Sakaar, Thor must race against time to return to Asgard and stop Ragnarök, the destruction of his world, at the hands of the powerful and ruthless villain Hela.Oh, man, this was so much fun! The best Thor movie and one of the best Marvel films, too boot. This was actually my second time seeing the film (I watched it in 3D with my son, the first time around. The price of that inspired me to buy MoviePass's adopted cousin, Sinemia.) I would go on to watch this several more times, even paying a dollar, three times, to see it at the dollar theater!)
- DirectorJon LucasScott MooreStarsMila KunisKristen BellKathryn HahnAs their own mothers drop in unexpectedly, our three under-appreciated and over-burdened moms rebel against the challenges and expectations of the Super Bowl for mothers: Christmas.I laughed sporadically but the storyline is just way too sloppy. (Century Theater Hayward, Hayward, CA)
- DirectorYorgos LanthimosStarsBarry G. BernsonHerb CaillouetBill CampSteven, a charismatic surgeon, is forced to make an unthinkable sacrifice after his life starts to fall apart, when the behavior of a teenage boy he has taken under his wing turns sinister.Honestly, everyone talks the same in this film and it's not good. The dialogue sounds as if the guy wrote it in the third grade and now his rich daddy gave him the money to make the film. The fact that this won awards just goes to show you how pretentious festivals are.
- DirectorSean AndersStarsWill FerrellMark WahlbergMel GibsonHaving finally gotten used to each other's existence, Brad and Dusty must now deal with their intrusive fathers during the holidays.Don't think, just laugh. You're welcome.
- DirectorGreta GerwigStarsSaoirse RonanLaurie MetcalfTracy LettsIn 2002, an artistically inclined 17-year-old girl comes of age in Sacramento, California.A marvelous film. Allison Janney was wonderful in I, Tonya, but Laurie Metcalf gave the performance of the year, IMHO. I wound up seeing this three times, all on MP's dime.
- DirectorRichard LinklaterStarsBryan CranstonLaurence FishburneSteve CarellThirty years after they served together in Vietnam, a former Navy Corpsman Larry "Doc" Shepherd re-unites with his old buddies, former Marines Sal Nealon and Reverend Richard Mueller, to bury his son, a young Marine killed in the Iraq War.So dreary. I can handle dark but the trailer made it look funny. I was expecting a comedy. If I had been looking for a drama, I probably would have appreciated it better.
- DirectorDan GilroyStarsDenzel WashingtonColin FarrellCarmen EjogoRoman J. Israel, Esq., a driven, idealistic defense attorney, finds himself in a tumultuous series of events that lead to a crisis and the necessity for extreme action.The movie is just okay. Denzel is brilliant, however. He plays so against "type" that I frequently forgot I was watching him.
- DirectorStephen ChboskyStarsJacob TremblayOwen WilsonIzabela VidovicBased on the New York Times bestseller, this movie tells the incredibly inspiring and heartwarming story of August Pullman, a boy with facial differences who enters the fifth grade, attending a mainstream elementary school for the first time.This was so much better than I expected. Warm and funny without pandering.
- DirectorLee UnkrichAdrian MolinaStarsAnthony GonzalezGael García BernalBenjamin BrattAspiring musician Miguel, confronted with his family's ancestral ban on music, enters the Land of the Dead to find his great-great-grandfather, a legendary singer.I'm not crying, you're crying! When Pixar's batting 1000, you can't touch them. And they batted a thousand, here.
- DirectorZack SnyderStarsBen AffleckGal GadotJason MomoaFueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his new-found ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy.I was beyond pleasantly surprised. I couldn't stand either previous Superman films (and I've seen the first Christopher Reeve film more than any other film) but this one was a lot of fun. And that's all I really want from my superhero movies. Fun and wonder. The upper lip thing was weird, though, I'm not gonna lie. (My last movie for Nov of 2017. 58 movies in 8 different movie theaters, since Sept. 8th!)
- DirectorMartin McDonaghStarsFrances McDormandWoody HarrelsonSam RockwellA mother personally challenges the local authorities to solve her daughter's murder when they fail to catch the culprit.I was watching this movie, enjoying every second of it when I finally thought, "If they end this movie, right now, it will be perfect." And they did. It was perfect. If you disagree, there's something very wrong with you. I've seen this several times, since. I probably would have waited for home video, back when I had to choose which films to spend my hard-earned money on, too.
- DirectorJoe WrightStarsGary OldmanLily JamesKristin Scott ThomasIn May 1940, the fate of World War II hangs on Winston Churchill, who must decide whether to negotiate with Adolf Hitler, or fight on knowing that it could mean the end of the British Empire.Gary is everything in this, it's not just his magnificent makeup.
- DirectorRian JohnsonStarsDaisy RidleyJohn BoyegaMark HamillRey develops her abilities with the help of Luke Skywalker, as the Resistance prepares for battle against the First Order.I saw it and I thought it was just okay. Then, I watched it again because I wanted to use my "premiere" format movie on my Sinemia card and found I enjoyed it a lot more. I've probably seen it around ten times, now. Some with my MP card and three more by paying $1 at the dollar movie theater. It's nearly as good as Empire and probably the 2nd best film of the series. B*tt-hurt fanboys need to stop crying.
- DirectorWoody AllenStarsJustin TimberlakeJuno TempleRobert C. KirkOn Coney Island in the 1950s, a lifeguard tells the story of a middle-aged carousel operator, his beleaguered wife and the visitor who turns their lives upside-down.Everybody just talks and talks and talks until you wish they would just shut up! Might have made a better stage play, it certainly plays like one. (Century 25 Union City, Union City, CA)
- DirectorRon SheltonStarsMorgan FreemanTommy Lee JonesRene RussoAn ex-F.B.I. Agent (Tommy Lee Jones) and an ex-mob lawyer in the Witness Protection Program (Morgan Freeman) have to put aside their petty rivalry on the golf course to fend off a mob hit.What a waste of a great cast.
- DirectorFrank CapraStarsJames StewartDonna ReedLionel BarrymoreAn angel is sent from Heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman by showing him what life would have been like if he had never existed.I saw this early in the middle of the week and had a private showing! An amazing movie.
- DirectorGuillermo del ToroStarsSally HawkinsOctavia SpencerMichael ShannonAt a top secret research facility in the 1960s, a lonely janitor forms a unique relationship with an amphibious creature that is being held in captivity.I hated Pan's Labyrinth. One minute, you're watching this amazing, beautiful movie, the next you're watching some dude getting his mouth sliced open. There's similar veers into sadism here but I knew what to expect, this time. I closed my eyes. If Del Toro could just keep himself from doing that, this would have been a 10, too. Magnificent, otherwise. Another film I wouldn't have seen without MoviePass. I saw it two or three times, theatrically.
- DirectorJake KasdanStarsDwayne JohnsonKaren GillanKevin HartFour teenagers are sucked into a magical video game, and the only way they can escape is to work together to finish the game.Hands down, this was the most fun I had in a movie theater, all year. Jack Black steals the show, too. I've seen this several times in the theater, thanks to my card.
- DirectorCarlos SaldanhaStarsJohn CenaKate McKinnonBobby CannavaleAfter Ferdinand, a bull with a big heart, is mistaken for a dangerous beast, he is captured and torn from his home. Determined to return to his family, he rallies a misfit team on the ultimate adventure.My elderly mother liked it. I thought it was eminently average.
- DirectorMichael GraceyStarsHugh JackmanMichelle WilliamsZac EfronCelebrates the birth of show business and tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.Dazzling but lightweight. That one song, though. Right?
- DirectorLuca GuadagninoStarsTimothée ChalametArmie HammerMichael StuhlbargIn 1980s Italy, romance blossoms between a seventeen-year-old student and the older man hired as his father's research assistant.For the first time in my life, I went to a movie on Christmas Day! Well acted but just a tad lightweight to get that 10 score. Kudos to the actors.
- DirectorCraig GillespieStarsMargot RobbieSebastian StanAllison JanneyCompetitive ice skater Tonya Harding rises amongst the ranks at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, but her future in the activity is thrown into doubt when her ex-husband intervenes.Allison Janney is a hoot and Paul Walter Hauser as Shawn has a few moments but Margot is badly miscast and I feel the movie suffers because of it. Good for a single viewing, though, if only to see the two I mentioned.
- DirectorTrish SieStarsAnna KendrickRebel WilsonBrittany SnowFollowing their win at the world championship, the now separated Bellas reunite for one last singing competition at an overseas USO tour, but face a group who uses both instruments and voices.I really wanted to like this movie, more. Honest, I did.
- DirectorLeo ZhangStarsJackie ChanShow LoNa-Na OuYangA Special Forces Agent is assigned to protect a scientist and his creation from a sinister gang.Yet another movie with Jackie Chan in it but not a real Jackie Chan film. Still, nice to see him on the bigscreen, even if the movie is pretty bad. It would be unwatchable without him, most likely.
- DirectorLawrence SherStarsOwen WilsonEd HelmsGlenn CloseUpon learning that their mother has been lying to them for years about their allegedly deceased father, fraternal twin brothers hit the road to search for him.Man... And it looked so good in the trailer. (My last movie for Nov 2018. 73 different movies by now, in 9 different movie theaters, since Sept. 8th. Including repeat showings, this was #81!)
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsMichelle WilliamsChristopher PlummerMark WahlbergThe story of the kidnapping of 16-year-old John Paul Getty III and the desperate attempt by his devoted mother to convince his billionaire grandfather Jean Paul Getty to pay the ransom.It's genuinely not a very good movie. It's meandering and has virtually no drama to it. Plummer's performance is all out of whack, too. He never really gels. I think his noms were purely political, for the brave "hero" who stepped in to save the world from Kevin Spacey, who lived a breathed the part for a lot longer. When movies become so compartmentalized that you think you can edit someone else in at the last minute, you are no longer making art, you're making product.
- DirectorAlexander PayneStarsMatt DamonChristoph WaltzHong ChauA social satire in which a man realizes he would have a better life if he were to shrink himself to five inches tall, allowing him to live in wealth and splendor.Semi-SPOILER. I try to find out as little as possible about a movie before I see it. I want to be surprised. However, I found out by accident that the second half veers away from the first and, honestly, I enjoyed it better because of it. What a wonderful film. It's too bad they didn't know how to advertise it, better.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsMeryl StreepTom HanksSarah PaulsonA cover-up spanning four U.S. Presidents pushes the country's first female newspaper publisher and her editor to join an unprecedented battle between press and government.An awesome film about a story that sadly is all too relevant, again. Solid acting and direction.
- DirectorAdam RobitelStarsLin ShayeLeigh WhannellAngus SampsonParapsychologist Dr. Elise Rainier faces her most fearsome and personal haunting yet, as she is drawn back to her ghostly childhood home where the terror began.Been a fan of the franchise but it's getting a bit worn. Entertaining enough but you wouldn't miss it if it went away.
- DirectorPetra Biondina VolpeStarsMarie LeuenbergerMaximilian SimonischekRachel BraunschweigIn 1971, a young housewife organizes the women of her town to petition for the right to vote.Didn't know anything about this film other than it was in a foreign language. A very interesting tale of the women in Switzerland trying to gain the right to finally vote... IN 1971!!! Sometimes infuriating, mostly uplifting, and surprisingly warm, at times.
- DirectorPaul KingStarsBen WhishawHugh GrantHugh BonnevillePaddington, now happily settled with the Brown family and a popular member of the local community, picks up a series of odd jobs to buy the perfect present for his Aunt Lucy's 100th birthday, only for the gift to be stolen.Thoroughly delightful! Now I want to see the first one. Also, you don't need to see the first one to enjoy this.
- DirectorBabak NajafiStarsTaraji P. HensonBilly BrownJahi Di'Allo WinstonMary is a hit woman working for an organized crime family in Boston, whose life is completely turned around when she meets a young boy whose path she crosses when a professional hit goes bad.Love me some Taraji P. Henson and the trailer looked pretty badazz but its a remake of Gloria and I have never, every been able to get into that story. I guess I'll have to watch some Pam Grier to get my fix, now.
- DirectorAaron SorkinStarsJessica ChastainIdris ElbaKevin CostnerThe true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier who ran the world's most exclusive high-stakes poker game and became an FBI target.I love strong acting and snappy dialogue. This has both! Yay, me!
- DirectorJaume Collet-SerraStarsLiam NeesonVera FarmigaPatrick WilsonAn insurance salesman/ex-cop is caught up in a life-threatening conspiracy during his daily commute home.This is probably a five, at best, except it has Liam Neeson in it and so it's automatically far better than it has any right to be!
- DirectorBethany Ashton WolfStarsAlex RoeJessica RotheAbby Ryder FortsonAfter being gone for a decade a country star returns home to the love he left behind.Kind of cheesy and lightweight but not a bad show, just average.
- DirectorChristian GudegastStarsGerard ButlerPablo SchreiberO'Shea Jackson Jr.An elite unit of the LA County Sheriff's Dept. and the state's most successful bank robbery crew clash as the outlaws plan a seemingly impossible heist on the Federal Reserve Bank.Sigh. I love a good shoot-em-up, a good caper, and Meadow Williams and I worked together on a film, some years ago, and I think the world of her. She's the only woman who gets to talk in the whole movie. Unfortunately, this is just so-so and that's definitely not Los Angeles. (I actually wound up seeing this a second time, with a friend, at AMC Burbank, Burbank, CA, because he wanted to. Just noting because it's a new theater. The next day, I watched Jumanji again, at Regency Theater Granada Hills 9, Granada Hills, CA)
- DirectorNicolai FuglsigStarsChris HemsworthMichael ShannonMichael Peña12 Strong tells the story of the first Special Forces team deployed to Afghanistan after 9/11; under the leadership of a new captain, the team must work with an Afghan warlord to take down the Taliban.If you don't live in the US, you probably should drop a star or two from the rating. I thought this was a well-done actioner, based on an actual thing that happened.
- DirectorScott CooperStarsScott ShepherdRosamund PikeAva CooperIn 1892, a legendary Army Captain reluctantly agrees to escort a Cheyenne chief and his family through dangerous territory.Slow-paced but intense, with solid acting to boot. (Not my last movie of the month, that would be a rewatch of 3 Billboards Outside of Ebbing Montana. The total at that point is 99 admissions, with 86 different movies by now, in 11 different movie theaters, since Sept. 8, 2017 Including repeat showings, this was #81!)
- DirectorJames FrancoStarsJames FrancoDave FrancoAri GraynorWhen aspiring actor Greg Sestero meets the weird and mysterious Tommy Wiseau in an acting class, they form a unique friendship and travel to Hollywood to make their dreams come true.James Franco gives a bravura performance in a film that captures the spirit of low-budget Hollywood filmmaking to the point that I suffered a touch of PSTD watching it. (I worked on over 50 low budget indie films and a friend of mine was a camera operator on The Room.) The stinger after the credits says it all. Definitely worth the watch. (My 100th admission!)
- DirectorMichael SpierigPeter SpierigStarsHelen MirrenSarah SnookFinn Scicluna-O'PreyEnsconced in her sprawling San Jose, California mansion, eccentric firearm heiress Sarah Winchester (Dame Helen Mirren) believes she is haunted by the souls of people killed by the Winchester repeating rifle.This could have been so much better if the story had been directly about Sara Winchester, instead of about some random doctor. I hear Helen Mirren is a pretty competent actor... (Century 16 Santa Fe Station, Las Vegas, NV)
- DirectorFatih AkinStarsNuman AcarAdam BousdoukosDiane KrugerKatja's life collapses after the deaths of her husband and son in a bomb attack. After a time of mourning and injustice, Katja seeks revenge.And effective drama about a woman who's family is killed by white supremacists. Quite harrowing at times. (Regal Cinema Village Square 18, Las Vegas, NV)
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsAlek SkarlatosAnthony SadlerSpencer StoneThree courageous young Americans prevent a terrorist attack on a train bound for Paris.Ugh. No offense to the guys, the are heroes in my book, but they can't act and this is mostly an uninteresting travelogue with additional miscasting of comedic actors in serious roles. (Century 18 Sam's Town, Las Vegas, NV)
- DirectorPaul McGuiganStarsAnnette BeningJamie BellKenneth CranhamA romance sparks between a young actor and a Hollywood leading lady.Wonderful and endearing!
- DirectorDamon DashStarsDamon DashCam'ronMurda MookA drug lord's lieutenant struggles to protect his crime family and his own honor after a shootout.I thought it might be decent. It wasn't. Honestly, it looks like it was shot with a Sony Handycam. Bad acting, bad directing, bad sound, bad... everything. (Galaxy Cannery Luxury+ Theatre, North Las Vegas, NV)
- DirectorSoi CheangStarsAaron KwokShaofeng FengZanilia ZhaoA travelling monk and his followers find themselves trapped in a land inhabited by only women.I didn't know what to expect and hadn't seen the first two. I found this to be delightful and fanciful. Genuinely, a lot of fun. (AMC Town Square, Las Vegas, NV)
- DirectorZiad DoueiriStarsAdel KaramKamel El BashaCamille SalamehAfter an emotional exchange between a Lebanese Christian and a Palestinian refugee escalates, the men end up in a court case that gets national attention.I thought it was a bit silly at first but something happens near the end that put it all into perspective and then it was like, "whoa!" Yeah, well done!
- DirectorBruce MacdonaldGabriel SabloffStarsTaylor JamesBilly ZaneLindsay WagnerAfter losing the love of his life to a cruel Philistine Prince, a young Hebrew with supernatural strength defends his people, sacrificing everything to avenge his love, his people, and God.I've worked with both major villains in the past and I genuinely like Jackson Rathbone but this clearly wasn't my kind of movie. Took my religious elderly mother and she highly recommends it.
- DirectorJordan PeeleStarsDaniel KaluuyaAllison WilliamsBradley WhitfordA young African-American visits his white girlfriend's parents for the weekend, where his simmering uneasiness about their reception of him eventually reaches a boiling point.Saw this when it first came out but they brought it back just before the Oscars. I can honestly say, this was really, really good.
- DirectorAlex GarlandStarsNatalie PortmanJennifer Jason LeighTessa ThompsonA biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition into a mysterious zone where the laws of nature don't apply.Wow! Really cool movie. Not really the action film it was promoted as and that was okay by me.
- DirectorWill GluckStarsJames CordenFayssal BazziDomhnall GleesonA rabbit sneaks into a garden to steal food, and they get a new challenge with a new owner.Meh. I'm sure the kids will love it. I found it just a little too uninvolving. Decent but not great. (My last film for February, 2018. Between moving to a new state and a dearth of new releases, when I did get out, about half the time I re-watched a movie I had already seen, all on MP's dime. 114 admissions, 98 individual movies, 16 different movies theaters in 3 different regions in 2 different states. All since Sept. 8, 2017)
- DirectorNick ParkStarsEddie RedmayneTom HiddlestonMaisie WilliamsSet at the dawn of time, when prehistoric creatures and woolly mammoths roamed the earth, Early Man tells the story of Dug, along with sidekick Hognob as they unite his tribe against a mighty enemy Lord Nooth and his Bronze Age City to save their home.If you loved Wallace and Gromit, you'll probably love this, too.
- DirectorRyan CooglerStarsChadwick BosemanMichael B. JordanLupita Nyong'oT'Challa, heir to the hidden but advanced kingdom of Wakanda, must step forward to lead his people into a new future and must confront a challenger from his country's past.This isn't really a superhero movie. It's a movie with a superhero in it. More Shakespearean tragedy with a lot of great action. I had already seen this in DBox 3D with Sinemia and would go on to see it another 3 times before it left the theaters.