After being highly recommended to me by fellow sci-fi enthusiasts, I watched Ex Machina on blu-ray and saw what all the fuss was about. Ex Machina is about a programmer (Domhnall Gleeson) who is selected by his boss (Oscar Isaac) to begin testing a humanoid with artificial intelligence (Alicia Vikander). I liked the near future setting, stretching modern technology just enough, (not trying too hard to explain the science, or at all in some cases), to not be distracting and…
Released in theatres a few weeks ago, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is continuing to be a large box office draw, and so my wife and I went to see it in 3D, (this being my second time seeing the film). This film both compliments the original Jumanji, (1995 starring Robin Williams), and breaks enough original ground to stand on it’s own with plenty of action, laughs, and fun. The film is about some teenagers who get pulled into a…
I bought one of those, “19 terrifying movies in one mega collection” dvd sets years ago. Still working on it and the latest one I watched is Nightmare Castle. This black and white thriller from Italy is about a scientist who kills his cheating wife and her lover and tries to cheat her sister out of her inheritance. Watching the film is difficult with the amount of darkness on the screen (although faces or anything dressed in white seems to…
With the Oscar nominations being announced recently, I wanted to see Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri which has 7 nominations. The awards include Best Picture, Leading Actress (Frances McDormand), Supporting Actors (for both Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell), Best Screenplay (written and directed by Martin McDonagh), Original Score, and Editing. This drama with a dark sense of humour is about a mother (McDormand) who holds the local police department accountable for no arrests in the investigation into the rape and…
I wanted to see The Post for a few reasons including stars Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, director Steven Spielberg, and because I like dialogue heavy, investigative dramas. This movie had all of that, was shot with numerous different styles of movements, (a little distracting for a talky), and many of the crew have worked on multiple Spielberg productions, (this one shot in New York). The film is based on the true story of Katharine Graham who oversaw the publication…
I looked forward to seeing this movie since I am a big fan of it’s writer/director Aaron Sorkin, (making his directorial debut) and I enjoyed star Jessica Chastain’s performance in Zero Dark Thirty, (receiving an Oscar nomination for her lead role in 2012). The film tells the true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic level skier, who later hosted poker games that were frequented by celebrities and mobsters. Sorkin gives Chastain plenty of words to use in the 2h 20m…
Jemaine Clement turns 44 today and I recently watched his 2014 film, What We Do in the Shadows. He co-wrote, co-directed, and co-starred in the horror comedy with Taika Waititi (who would make Thor: Ragnarok three years later), about a family of vampires who are having a documentary film made about them. Clement is from New Zealand (as is Waititi and where the film was shot), starred in Flight of the Conchords (2007-2009 comedy series), was the villain in Men…
One of the best animated films in recent years is 2012’s Rise of the Guardians. This fun, family, adventure film stars heroes such as Jack Frost (voiced by Chris Pine), the Tooth fairy (Isla Fisher), the Easter bunny (Hugh Jackman), and Santa Claus who is known as North (Alec Baldwin) in recognizable, yet updated takes on the personas. The group gets together to try and stop the boogeyman Pitch (Jude Law) from harming children across the world while also taking…
My wife and I are watching our favorite Christmas themed movies, the latest being 1992’s The Muppet Christmas Carol starring Michael Caine as Scrooge. The plot has been retold numerous times, an old, bitter man (Caine) is visited by 3 spirits on Christmas Eve and he questions his way of living and treating people. Muppets were created in 1955 by Jim and Jane Henson, had 3 films released between 1979-1984, and had another 3 films beginning with Carol and followed…
A more recent annual favorite to watch at this time of year is 2011’s comedy, A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas starring Kal Penn and John Cho. The third film starring the Harold & Kumar characters following H&K Go to White Castle (2004) and H&K Escape From Guantanamo Bay (2008), 3D Christmas ages them to be closer to the actors themselves (skipping 6 years in character time from the last film made 3 years ago). Like the first two,…