Let's Be Cops

89%

Let's Be Cops is a gem of comedy during an unfunny Summer.  It came a little late, but at least the funny arrived before we end the summer and we can forget about movies that promised us laughs and never delivered.  I am speaking of at least Sex Tape and Tammy.  Let's Be Cops delivers what you see in the trailer and gives you a surprisingly good story arc to go along with the normal buddy movie.  It takes a little bit to get into the laughs, but when you get there it stays.

Let's Be Cops seems like one of those movies that spoils the funny parts during the trailer - not true.  During the first quarter of the movie you begin to wonder where this movie is going and where the funny is, but soon after everything unravels and pulls you in.  The trailer doesn't show the main story focus after they begin pretending to be cops and get in the mix of a mob shaking down a local business and decide to investigate.  Jake Johnson's character does not have much of a life of his own so he takes the police work very seriously - so much so that you forget he is not a real cop.  Damon Wayans Jr. has a little more of a life and doesn't want to go to jail so he plays everything down and tries to stop the shenanigans.  They may be fake, but this mob is real and thanks to YouTube they may be taken down.

Jake and Damon's chemistry from New Girl transfers wonderfully onto film.  You can tell these two had a lot of fun filming and are proud of their work.  The characters are similar to their New Girl counterparts which should bring that whole audience into theaters.  When it is time to get serious or throw in some action, these guys deliver just as easily as they do in their comedy.  The comedy peaks going into act 3 with Damon Wayans Jr. shining like he has never shined before.  This will be the hardest you have laughed all summer.  

During this wake of the summer dying, Let's Be Cops takes us out of the galaxy and off of a planet ran by apes and takes us home laughing.  This is a movie you will want to pay attention to as the jokes come pretty quickly.  Laugh with everyone, but be alone in the theater.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

43%

Remakes are getting made all the time and sometimes you have to ask, why?  Some writers or producers want to keep things alive and present them to a new generation just to bring that love back into the culture.  I do not believe there has been a remake that has startled everyone as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles did when it was announced.  No one wanted to see a Michael Bay version of their childhood as they have already seen before.  More importantly the phrase that came from this was people didn't want "their childhood ruined."  The heroes in half-shells were iconic in their cartoons and reached even higher with movies that every child loved.  Well now we have a two-fisted movie - We are introducing a new generation to a new form of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and we are ruining our childhood at the same time.  

This review will seem bias to my childhood, but I stepped outside of my childhood self to give this movie a chance - it did not bode well.  The origin story for the TMNT has been altered and it is no longer the ooze from an accident, rather it is an experiment for an eventual villain who needs the turtles blood.  If you are new to the turtles then you will enjoy this origin story and kids will want all of their pets to be mutants.  Shredder is more of a Transformer than anything else.  I could not tell when one part of his armor started and another ended, but when I almost figured it out, more items and blades came out of nowhere.  The (spoiler free) climax happens when the poison that is about to take over the city is actually placed on top of the science building. 

Let's take a minute to think of the originality of using the top of your building to try and infect a city.  It is overplayed and unoriginal.  

The acting in this film is nearly unbearable.  Megan Fox delivers the worst performance she has ever given.  I want to watch Jennifer's Body after watching this movie.  She does not portray a graduated journalist and she cannot deliver a line without sounding like a stereotypical high school blonde.  Will Arnett needed to have more lines because he did the impossible - he made Megan Fox enjoyable when she was with this comedic counterpart.  The choice to use known actors for the voices of some of the CGI characters was a bad idea.  You spend time figuring out who it is instead of enjoying the character.

I saw this in an early screening and was alone in the theater.  When you encounter a film that you cannot find bearable, some might find it enjoyable and you should still be respectful.  Leave or sit and be alone in the theater. 

Guardians of the Galaxy

95%

Any review or opinion of the movies can be cut down from paragraphs to one world - fun.  This movie has everything that any audience can enjoy and they utilize humor, action, tragedy, good/bad, and nostalgia to the fullest.  The soundtrack to this film gives you a nostalgic feeling and a great 80s tone to this movie - as it does take place in 1988 at the beginning.  The juxtaposition of the incongress (characters) add to the hysterics as they all have mega-egos that cannot be one-upped.  The climax of the film is a battle over an orb that can destroy planets and a super villain that seemingly has the highest pain tolerance in the galaxy.  The two plot points that I did not understand too well as it isn't explained thoroughly.  

The acting in this film is spot on.  Pratt is cast perfectly and delivers on every line in the script and every action point.  I never would have thought that goofy character from Parks and Rec could every be a believable galactic outlaw - I ate my words.  Zoe Saldana.  That's all you need to hear these days in mega movie franchises - Zoe Saldana.  Bradley Cooper is almost undetectable as Rocket if you did not see his name in the credits.  His voice and inflections match perfectly with this perfectly CGI'd raccoon.  Rocket is easily one of the best parts of the movie.  Vin Diesel Groot is hilarious in his very simple way.  He is also very lovable.   Dave Bautista as Drax is very well done and is completely psychopathic.  

The fault that I saw in this film is the object of everyone's desire and the villain.  There was quite a bit of the film dedicated to back story of the characters which is absolutely needed and adds to the fun of the movie.  You see the object for the majority of the movie and when it is explained what it inside of it, I felt that it fell short and confused me.  When you meet the villain, there is never an explanation for the amount of attacks this guy can withstand.  These two parts left me confused, but I kept forgetting about them because I was having a lot of fun.

Guardians of the Galaxy is the most fun that you will have at the theater all year.  I would not compare it to any super hero movie, because that is not what this is.  It is a sci-fi movie that you can revisit any time and have just as much fun.  

There is a great post credit cameo that reaches into Lucasfilm's vault.  It was great seeing this guy briefly again.  

This is a movie that will be packed when you go to see it.  I saw this in a pre-screening and I was literally alone in the theater.  Find a way to ignore everyone, keep your eyes on the screen, and be alone in the theater.

And So It Goes

75%

There is a key element that has to be followed in order for movies like this to work - It isn't the acting, it isn't the directing, it is all in the formula.  The title of the film suits it very well because it describes 90% of films in this genre.  If you've ever made the connection between Love Actually, Four Weddings and a Funeral, and Notting Hill - they are essentially put together the exact same way.  The best part of this formula is that it works.  It works every time and just makes movies enjoyable to watch.  And So It Goes follows the formula. Simple.  (Man and woman don't like each other, catalyst, enjoy each other, action to dislike, man and woman get together...and so it goes)

This film does feel like a Rob Reiner, but does not sound like a Reiner film due to him not writing it.  You have the cynical man that has skeletons in his closet and the upbeat hopeful with similar skeletons in her closet.  They do not like each other during the beginning of act one and then a catalyst is brought in that connects the audience to these two and brings a glimmer of hope for both of them.  The movie moves linear throughout its acts and does not keep me in the emotional moments that it contains.  Once the emotion happens, it ends, and we move on.  This is where the script and the story needed help and I feel the writer, Mark Andrus, could have asked Reiner to put his touch on it.

Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton are terrific in their roles, as always.  Douglas can attach himself to the dark side of characters with ease and turn the light on on that character just as quick.  His drunken character in this film is better than the lighter side toward the end as nothing in the story is overtly wowing.  Diane Keaton is Diane Keaton and there is nothing else you would want.  The part is seemingly written specifically for her, as her.  This is a continual occurrence as it seems she is the same in every one of her recent roles.  Why?  Because it works.

Think of a time where a movie is on and you stop because the movie is so easy to watch.  The plot flows, there is no over-thinking, you are satisfied with the ending, and then you go about your day. This is that movie you will see on tv, stop, and just enjoy.  It is simple, it is easy, takes nothing from you, but also gives you nothing as well.  I can't pick any point of this film that I would necessarily describe as must see nor are there any 'don't go see this' moments.  

The older generation movies still connect and still work.  The audience is still there and the actors and actresses are some of the best in our time.  These films need focused on and produced with the passion of all film if it wants to maintain a vast audience and not pander to a certain demographic.  

If you enjoy film then you should support it all and not just "your age" films or films you might now know actors from.  Go meet them for the first time at the theater.  Sit down and enjoy their presence alone in the theater.

Trailer Review - Tusk

Most Anticipated

Trailer Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60EUG-CDC_k

Before the trailer for Tusk came out, this was a movie that I anticipated very much.  I have been a fan of Kevin Smith since the early days and there isn't a piece of his work that I have not enjoyed.  This trailer is everything that a Smith fan wants and everything that a thriller genre lover will want.  It appears we will get a light side and some really funny gags at the beginning with Justin Long and Haley Joel Osment, but then we will get the yang to the yin in the second act as Michael Parks will take us into something completely dark.  Parks was great in Red State as a dark character, but this could put him in genre infamy.  He sounds as chilling as Hannibal Lector and seems as psychotic as Norman Bates.  Smith has always been skillful in his writing and Parks is someone the audience should see he loves writing for.  Smith and Parks should be a genre.  Long isn't a a newcomer to horror/thriller and has played the victim before (Jeepers Creepers).  His physique works well as a victim, but his acting ability is what takes him above and beyond to work great with Michael Parks.  

This movie went from being on my radar to being one of my most anticipated for the year.  Horror and thrillers, with the exception of Deliver Us From Evil, have not been that great and this will be a chilling breath of fresh air.  The comedy at the beginning and thriller denouement makes the plot, not the characters, a great juxtaposition.

Put this on your list of films to see whether you are a fan of Smith's or not.  After this film I think Kevin Smith will not fully retire because he has found a new genre that he loves to write for and he writes it well.  

I absolutely cannot wait to see the transformation of Long into the walrus.  #Tuskyes

Lucy

94%

Lucy is a movie that reminds me to always pay attention to what is on the screen, not "what should be" or "that cannot happen."  There is a specific story created and the audience should go on that ride and not try to dwell on what could have been or what isn't on the ride - you will enjoy films much more if you try and think of how you would do it better.  This is not a movie that everyone will enjoy, but I can tell you it will be one of those movies that become more clear the more you view it.  This film seems to have been made to attempt to unlock more than 10% of the audiences brain as it is that in depth and sometimes difficult to comprehend and you find yourself trying really hard.  I felt slightly ignorant watching this and that is a sign that this movie succeeded greatly.  I was trying to grasp on to every detail and make sense of it, but at times, much like Morgan Freeman's research in the movie, was just unexplainable because it has never happened before.  

Scarlett Johansson and Morgan Freeman drive this film from beginning to end.  The evolution of Scarlett's Lucy is flawlessly performed.  When you first meet this character she is tricked into getting involved with a drug deal and she is a naive, seemingly ignorant nobody.  Once the occurrence takes place that catalyzes her to being able to utilize more than 10% of her brain, Scarlett clearly shows you every increment of percentage that is opening up in her brain.  Morgan Freeman plays a scientist that has studied the brain his entire career and focuses on what can happen in the future when evolution allows us to use more of our brain.  His character beautifully describes the fact that evolution has not finished and there are capabilities that nature has yet to evolve into.  This is the first instance of this film that really makes the audience think and has you buying into the story line.  These two come together and the intelligence and visuals are breathtaking and a lot to grasp onto on the first viewing.

The only problem that I had with the film is the connection that I did not have with any character -  including her brain.  The beginning of the movie has you sympathetic with Lucy.  Once you are quickly upset with what has happened to her the plot shifts and her brain is a character in the film.  She shows one small modern human aspect with the police officer she utilizes, but that is instantly gone when you have hope for her underneath all of the brain work.  Morgan Freeman's character enlightens you at the beginning of the film, but is quick to tell you that he does not know what could happen after a certain percentage is unlocked.  He doesn't know, Lucy doesn't know, and the audience is trying their hardest to understand.  

The work in trying to understand is a very enjoyable part of this film.  We get to be a part of the action because no one in the movie knows exactly what is going to happen to her.  While we feel ignorant at times, we are on the same level of the scientist at a certain point.  

Lucy is a film that not only deserves and demands 100% of your attention (and your brain if you can unlock it), but deserves multiple views.  This film will only get better with age and the amount of times that you view it.  I could not remember some of the things Freeman talks about at the beginning of the film, but now that I know what happens, I will be paying attention to those details next time.  This is a perfect example of a film that needs you to be alone in the theater. 

Begin Again

100%

If there is ever a reason to go see a movie - it is films like Begin Again.  There are some performances that show you deep into an actor's soul - Begin Again brings you face to face with Mark Ruffalo's soul.  At first glance, one might think that this movie is just for music lovers and not for general public - in other words it's a niche film - Wrong.  This movie is for everyone that has lost love, lost family, lost their jobs, become a monster, and anyone who just wants to begin again.  The title is perfectly chosen and never spoken in the film, it is felt.  The movie doesn't rely on "bad circumstances," it relies on human fault and what it takes to start over and feel alive.  The actions of the characters are moved through this film with the help of the songs written in the film to piece everything together and connect with the souls in the theater that have experienced something bad happen to them.  

Mark Ruffalo is at the best and in his prime as Dan in this film.  When you see this film, he is going to bring you into his character like you have never experienced.  His eyes, tone, actions, reactions, and movements work so breathtakingly together that it is mesmerizing.  Following very close behind him is Keira Knightley.  Her broken heart has made an impact on her character, but what the music and passion for that does to bring her out of the hole she was in is terrific.  She is a fantastic counterpart to Ruffalo.  Adam Levine, Hailee Steinfeld, and Catherine Keener round out the cast of people that have self-inflicting problems.  Ruffalo's mending relationship with Steinfeld will bring a smile every time they are happy together - Levine brings out your hatred and never wins back your sympathy - Keener knows what she did and plays such a subtle role that has impact in a few scenes.  

There is a moment in this film, one of my favorite musical moments, when Ruffalo's character discovers Knightley's character at an open mic night.  He is drunk and you see his genius kick in - this moment is pure magic and you know the journey you are about to take with this characters will be well worth the ride.

Small movies like that are the ones that can touch us the most.  If this film makes it to your town, you owe it to yourself to watch it.  This movie can have an impact on you and you should let it.  Go by yourself or with someone that is close to you, but pay attention - Be alone in the theater with this movie, you and the film deserve it.