EDDIE THE EAGLE REVIEW

"Eddie The Eagle!" One of my most anticipated films of the new year! Its got a good cast and great story possibilities. "How is it," you ask? Well let me tell you!

"Eddie the Eagle" tells the story of real life ski jumper Michael "Eddie" Edwards,  who made a name for himself in the Calgary Winter Olympics. It starts out with Eddie having issues with his knees as a child, and as a result, he spends much of his youth in a brace. Once he is freed from it, he longs to be an athlete and go to the Olympics, but  he shows little aptitude for it. He finally figures out that winter sports is where he can shine and becomes a down hill skier. Then when he finds out that the British Olympic team has no ski jumpers. He decides that's the sport for him. Along his practices he meets a man named Bronson Piery, an ex champion jumper,  who agrees to help him learn how to properly train to be a ski jumper.
I love this film! With its good small cast, ( Taron Egerton and Hugh Jackman and 2 cameos I don't want to give away) it is funny, heartwarming, and entertaining. My only complaint is the villains are  sort of cliche villains. Big emotions spout out of them like they are in a cartoon. But other then that, its terrific. One of them, who is the head of the Olympic committee, looks as though at any moment, he might twirl his fake mustache. 

                                                           THE VERDICT

 "Eddie the Eagle" Is heart warming and entertaining. I put it in the top films I have seen so far this year. Well worth the trip, and a movie for the whole family! I give it an A -

DEADPOOL REVIEW

Deadpool!!!!!!! An anti hero comic book character I love.  I could not wait for this movie. The first R rated comic book movie I've seen in theaters! With a good cast and decent story is it great? Is it better than "X:Men Wolverine Orgins"? Well first I gotta tell you the story! 

"Deadpool," is about how a mercenary named Wade Wilson is diagnosed with terminal cancer. He is given a second chance by volunteering to be transformed into a mutant with special abilities.  The process deforms his face, and makes him resentful, and he loses his girlfriend in the process. His new mission becomes getting the guy who destroyed his life and stole his girl. The cast includes Ryan Reynolds, TJ Miller, and Ed Skrien. Miller especially gives a comedic turn. They need to use him more cause he understands how to play off a straight man very well. 

This was an entertaining ride from start to finish.  I was invested in all the characters with a first rate hysterical script, and great action and direction. Reynolds has totally made up for his first turn as this character in WOLVERINE ORGINS. 

THE VERDICT

Overall, its a terrific film and as an R rated comic book film, its everything you could want. I give it an A+

Top 10 BEST/WORST OF 2015

BEST:
 1. STAR WARS EPISODE 7: THE FORCE AWAKENS
 2. CREED
 3. THE MARTIAN
 4. STEVE JOBS
5. SPOTLIGHT
6. MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
7. THE HATEFUL EIGHT
8. KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE
9. SPY
10. BLACK MASS


WORST:
1. JUPITER ASSCENDING
2. THE LOFT
3. THE TRANSPORTER REFULED
4. HOT PURSUIT
5. PIXELS
6. FANTASTIC FOUR
7. TERMINATOR: GENYSIS
8. CHAPPIE
9. THE GUNMAN
10. TAKEN 3          

KUN FU PANDA 3 REVIEW

I loved the Kung Fu Panda movies. From the goofy hero to the different villains, it tells a great story really. That the most unlikely of people can do great things. Now eight years after the first movie, we have the last in the trilogy. Whats it like? Well here's the story.

In "Kung Fu Panda 3,"  Po (Jack Black) is reunited with his biological Panda father,( played by Bryan Cranston) and spends time in the secret Panda Village, where he sees what he has missed in all the years away. Meanwhile an ancient warrior named Kai(played by JK Simmons,) comes from the spirit realm to take over the world by stealing the Chi from Master Oogway.This throws the world into danger, so it is up to Po, to train the Pandas in their ancient ways of defense, and help save the world and bring balance and peace back.  Of course with Po, such responsibility does not rest easy, so he has a lot of doubt. But with help from  Masters Tigress, Mantis, Monkey Viper, and Crane, they work together to defeat Kai.
Of course, all the regulars are back, and all the voice acting is very good. The action is all fun, and well done. My only complaints are, that the first 20 minutes is pretty slow, and while not necessarily what they wanted, the film has lost all the humor that might have attracted an adult, and is really just for children. Which, you know... is OK. But, what made KFP cross lines was that adults could love it too.  Its really not bad or anything. Its just missing that little zing that made everyone love it like the first two films.

 I really did enjoy myself though. It has a clever way about it, and its a decent end to the trilogy.

                                                            THE VERDICT
Kung Fu Panda 3 may be slow in the beginning, but as it progresses it gets better.  The actors serve the story, with great animation. I give it a B+

13 HOURS: THE SECRET SOLDIERS OF BENGHAZI REVIEW

Michael Bay has been a disappointment to me in many ways. He has stock shots he uses over and over again, and he can take a perfectly good idea, like a movie on Pearl Harbor, then dump a stupid romance in it and ruin it. In fact, "Transformers 4," was my worst film of 2014. But when I heard about, "13 Hours, the secret soldiers of Benghazi" I was intrigued. It was getting good reviews, and people weren't hating it. So I steeled myself, and went on to see it. And I was pleasantly surprised.

"13 Hours," stars John Krasinski and James Badge Dale, and tells the story of the taking of the American embassy in Benghazi, and the eventual death of its ambassador. 6 soldiers went to help rescue the embassy and its workers. It was a battle that lasted 13 hours, and ended with 4 dead,

The good news is, this is Bays best film in a long time. I only had a few issues. Bay likes to do stock shots. So as in Pearl Harbor, there is a scene of a mortar from the mortars point of view, as it sails through the sky, and then blows up a building. There is also a scene after the fight with an American flag floating in water. That's annoying. And one of the battle scenes seems to go on a little too long. Other than that. The performances are great, the action is some what good, and the story is decent, if not a sad one. These men fought when they did not have too.  Its a great tribute to the men who fought in this battle.

                                                                THE VERDICT
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers Of Benghazi may not be great but has good performances and a amazing tribute  and a intense interesting story from start to finish. I give it a B.

THE REVENANT MOVIE REVIEW

From the first teaser to now, I was excited for "The Revenant." I was upset that its Christmas day release didn't apply to us here in Walnut Creek, but it doesn't matter. Because it remained one of my most anticipated films of the year, and when I finally got to see it it did not disappoint me.

"The Revenant," stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domnhall Gleeson, and Will Porter. Its directed and written by Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu, who directed one of my favorite films of last year "Birdman." The story is about how fur trappers in the Dakotas, and how their guide Hugh Glass (DiCaprio) is mauled by a bear during their trip, and is left broken and unable to travel on his own. The Captain, (played by Gleeson,) makes Hardy and Porter stick with Glass and his young son Hawk, who is half native Indian, while the rest of the group hike to safety. Hardy's character, Fitzgerald is angered by the thought he has to stay there like a sitting duck,  and he sets a course of events in motion that cause DiCaprio to fight for everything that he has.

I loved this film from start to finish. It includes amazing performances, excellent cinematography, and incredible direction. Inarritu is probably going to win another Oscar. What he's done is amazing.  You feel the cold these men go through. Each pain makes you jump. You don't know how they survived through these harsh cold nights. And sometimes you are shown how they survived and it is not pretty. This is an excellent film, but its story is a hard ugly one. The performances are incredible but as far as they all go, this is DiCaprio's show. Every thing he goes through you go with him. He unpeeled Glass and his problems like he was peeling an onion. Hardy gives Fitzgerald the right amount of loathing, but DiCaprio is the star of this movie that's for sure. My only complaint is that there were a few scenes that took a little too long. But only a few.

                                                     
                                                                 THE VERDICT
"The Revenant," is spectacular, with great performances to amazing cinematography to fantastic directing. I give "The Revenant," an A.

SUICIDE SQUAD TRAILER 2 REVIEW

And my most anticipated movie of 2016 is now Suicide Squad. Im excited for Rouge One, Batman vs Superman, and Captian America don't get me wrong. But this trailer is one of the best trailers I've ever seen. A stellar cast with some of my favorite actors playing terrific characters. ( Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie,  and Viola Davis) It also includes decent actors like Scott Eastwood, Joel Kinsman, Adam Beech, and yes even Jai Courtney, who despite driving me crazy with his lack of charisma, looks amazing in this. 

To explain what the Suicide Squad is about, 8 Batman villans that are in jail are given a task from government handler Amanda Waller, who works in special intelligence and national security. She offers them work in the government that will lead to reductions in their very lengthy sentences. If they refuse, a chip implanted will self destruct causing their heads to explode. The squad includes Dead Shot, Harley Quinn, Killer Croc, Rick Flagg, Captain boomerang, El Diablo, Katana, Enchantress, and Slipknot. In the trailer, they are all showcased in a hail of gun fire and action sequences to Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody." And it is... Brilliant. Whoever put this trailer together, got a big fat pay check for it. 

This movie made me feel excited for the summer. And excited to see what they will do next. I give this trailer an A+