RIDE ALONG

(2014) 99 Minutes, Rated PG-13

Mike's Review:  This movie was funny, but it was also predictable.  This movie was good from the Ice Cube side, but I thought Kevin Hart's character got more annoying as the movie went on. It a lot of ways it reminded me of The Hard Way (1991) with Michael J. Fox and James woods. Or The Heat (2013) with Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy. All of them being pretty much the same type of story. In the end it was entertaining enough to make me laugh out loud a few times, but not good enough to make me want to see right away again.

Best Scene: The truck chase scene in the beginning of the movie.

Mike's Rating: Matinee

Bean's Review:  Not as funny as I was expecting.   Kevin Hart plays a “want-to-be” cop.  Ice Cube’s character is a cop and Hart’s character is dating Cube’s character’s sister.  Hart goes on a “ride along” with Cube, to prove to Cube that Hart is worthy of Cube’s sister.  Pretty predictable and kind of “ho-hum”.  Kevin Hart is engaging, but the incessant talking becomes annoying.  Cube’s character is very much like most of his characters in the movies – pseudo tough, but soft.

Best Scene: predictably when Hart’s character shoots the shot gun

Bean's Rating: DVD

Thank You! 2,200 views and 60 movies reviewed.

After just about 9 1/2 months we have reviewed our 60th movie and have been viewed
World Wide more than 2,200 times.

That works out to the blog being read once every three hours.

And a movie being reviewed by one of us every 4 3/4 days.

All I can say is thank you.  Thank you to our readers and thank you to all of our reviewers and our great quest reviewers!

LONE SURVIVOR

(2013) 12199 Minutes, Rated R

A.C.’s Review:  Recounting a tragic 2005 mission in Afghanistan this movie stands heads and shoulders above recent war movies…most notably the overrated and jumbled mess that was Zero Dark Thirty or Matt Damon’s the GREEN ZONE.

I was apprehensive during the first 30 minutes of the movie because it suffered from what other war movies always do…indecipherable military speak/jargon and the fact that all the military men in their uniforms look alike-especially when they have beards. However my fears were allayed once the mission got underway and the amount of SEALS were paired down to four.

What follows is a harrowing account of a team completely out gunned by their opponents who don’t suffer from the Hollywood trope of being lousy shots. The movie is very graphic and not for the faint of heart and one wonders just how much a human body can take after witnessing the punishment the SEAL team endures. 

These men being the toughest of the tough is probably the only reason they made it as far as they did under the horrendous circumstances they were placed in.

I had wavered on seeing this movie because of the above mentioned problems inherent in war films but was very glad to see this moving tale of heroism.

Best Scene: When the locals protect one of the soldiers they have rescued against the evil Taliban.

A.C.’s Rating:  Full price admission.

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THE LEGEND OF HERCULES

(2014) 99 Minutes, Rated PG-13

A.C.’s Review:  The first of many “Sword and Sandals” genre films out in 2015, Legend Of Hercules chronicles the origin of the Son of Zeus in the world of Ancient Greece.

Not very familiar with the history of Hercules I thought this was a pretty good way to spend an afternoon. There are plenty of fight sequences for male movies goers and the female demographic will be pleased by all the beefcake warriors on display as well as subplot of the woman Hercules loves being betrothed to his evil half-brother on order of his even more evil stepfather the king. 

The dynamic between the two brothers and the father is like a mirror take on the Odin, Thor, Loki relationship from the Thor movies. (Thor: The Dark World) Unlike in Thor here the evil stepfather and half-brother are giving no redeeming qualities. There is even a moment when the evil brother is given a chance to show mercy and have some sort of redemption but no…he is too evil and carries through with the slaying of a sympathetic character in the film.

It was a good film but I understand there is a bigger budget version with The Rock coming out later in the year if you haven’t had your Hercules fix.

Best Scene: The battle where Hercules and his right hand man must fight off enemy forces when led into an ambush by the evil stepfather.

A.C.’s Rating:  Lost in the shuffle this movie is probably out of theaters already. Check it out on DVD.

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DEVIL'S DUE

(2014) 89 Minutes, Rated R

A.C.’s Review:  January is the infamous month for dumping films that the studio has no faith in. The general consensus is that these films are all worthless. While that is true of 99% of the cases there are a few diamonds in the rough so to speak. Devil’s Due is one of them.

While it is the latest entry in the seemingly never ending fad of “Found Footage” movies it manages to overcome that by presenting interesting and sympathetic characters played by good actors. Stars Allison Miller and Zach Gilford are surely not household names but they turn in good performances as a couple whose life becomes a mounting nightmare following their honeymoon in the Dominican Republic.

It all starts on their last night when they are picked up by a cab driver who brings them to an underground dance club. Quickly the couple is drugged and unaware an anti-Christian cult has impregnated the bride Samantha with one of many Anti-Christs that will soon be born to plunge the world into evil. Following the ritual they are returned to their hotel room and wake up with hangovers and return to the U.S. 

Shortly thereafter Samantha learns she is pregnant but the joy slowly turns to horrors as ominous things began to happen to the couple and Samantha begins to change.

I won’t say any more than that but the film sets out to do what a film is supposed to do. It entertains for an hour and a half. Not every film has to be academy award worthy.

The only points I will put against it are the common weakness of found footage movies in that it’s hard to suspend your disbelief that someone would keep filming when they are running for their lives.

Best Scene: Three teenagers who stumble across Samantha in the woods when she is possessed meet their demise in a violent and exciting sequence.

A.C.’s Rating:  I felt it was worth full price but I am going to say DVD because most people wouldn’t pay full price for these types of movies after being burned so many times.

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