3 DAYS TO KILL

(2014) 117 Minutes, Rated PG-13

Mike's Review:   An entertaining movie.  It had some drama, action and comedy all rolled up into a decent story with a good ending.  What more could you ask for in a movie.  I kind of liked the way the movie progressed and it definitely didn't feel like you were sitting there for almost two hours.  Kevin Costner played a very believable role which kept you engaged in the story and the supporting cast was a interesting mix which brought the whole movie together nicely.

Best Scene: There were a few goods ones but I liked the way it ended with the Christmas present.

Mike's Rating: Worth the price of the ticket.

Bean's Review:  Quirky movie.  Kevin Costner plays a veteran CIA agent who is dying.  Prior to death, he wants to reconnect with his daughter.  While trying to accomplish this reconnection, he is pulled into one last job of killing “The Wolf”.

Initially you are not sure if this is a funny or dramatic movie.  Ultimately, it is both – hence the quirkiness.  The movie begins a bit slow, but picks up with the action sequences.  The plot is choppy and not as smooth as Besson’s movie, The Fifth Element (1997).  The family dynamic needed to be better developed, as well as the humor.

As for actors, Kevin Costner is always enjoyable to watch.  The head CIA operative, played by Amber Heard, is an interesting character, but not memorable.  The scenes in which Costner’s character is about ready to kill his adversary, but he is overcome by his illness, are fairly amusing.

Best Scene: when Costner’s character rides the bike

Bean's Rating: Matinee and DVD.

WINTER'S TALE

(2014) 118 Minutes, Rated PG-13

Mike's Review:   Going into this movie I really didn't know the premise behind it.  I thought it was more of a time travel type of movie with a side of science fiction thrown in because it spanned over 100 years.  As it turned out it was more of a Angel's versus Demon's type of movie.  

All in all the story was pretty well told, although a bit confusing in the beginning because you didn't really know what was going on, but if you can make it through the first twenty to thirty minutes the story develops a little more and the pieces start to fit together and make sense.

For me this was really not my type of movie. I try to avoid the sappy sad movies and go for more of the action comedy type of movies.  This movie was pretty sad I thought and I don't think it had a single big explosion in it, but it was still worth seeing at least once.

Best Scene: The ice fight scene.

Mike's Rating: Matinee..

Bean's Review:  Quite an unique and gripping “love” story.  Colin Farrell plays an immigrant, Peter Lake, who is destined to save the life of a particular red-headed female.  This movie is different in that angels and demons are mostly controlling the outcome of events.  One particular demon, played very demonically, by Russell Crowe, is bent on destroying Peter before he can realize his destiny.  Cast against type, Will Smith, does a great job of playing, the demon “judge”, a/k/a the devil.

Peter’s love, played by Jessica Brown Findlay, I see as an “angel”.  The interaction between Farrell and Findlay is very convincing.

It was very interesting to see how the “correct” red-headed female was found by Peter.

Although sad, in that death and separation happened to those too young, it was a good movie.

Best Scene: When the “white” horse first appeared to save Peter.

Bean's Rating: Full price ticket – would see it again.


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THE LEGO MOVIE

(2014) 100 Minutes, Rated PG

Mike's Review:  I wanted so much to really like this movie, but that didn't happen.  Don't get me wrong...the amount of time and talent it must have taken to animate this movie was incredible.  The actual Lego effects and detail were top notch.  The part of the movie I didn't like was the last 20 minutes of it when they introduced the "human" element of the story.  I think this movie should have stayed in the Lego world and not have crossed the bridge to incorporate real people playing with the Lego's.  When it was revealed that the whole story was about a little boy playing with his fathers Lego's, well that just killed it for me.  I can see why they did it, Lego's are all about being played with, but I went into this movie thinking that it was just going to be a cute Lego adventure, not a father and son bonding while playing with Lego's.

When my 4 year old daughter gave me her review on the movie she said she didn't like it when all the Lego's broke apart and she also didn't like the mean bad guy.  I don't think this is one she will be seeing again anytime soon.  However she does like The Lego Movie, Lego sets of Lego's to build.

Best Scene: There were some cute scenes. I thought the hyper-drive scene was a nice touch, as well as the Duplo bricks invading at the end the city in the end.

Mike's Rating: Matinee.  The Lego animation is worth seeing on the big screen.

ROBOCOP (2014)

(2014) 108 Minutes, Rated PG-13

Mike's Review:   This movie was Awesome!  It stayed true to the original RoboCop (1987) roots and in the process  managed to add more heart to the story and make the overall look of the movie slicker and more plausible.  Joel Kinnaman made a decent Alex Murry / RoboCop. But Peter Weller will forever be "robocop" and that will never change.

The way the story developed in the creation of this movies version of a RoboCop I thought was more truer to the technology and politics of today which made this version more realistic and less barbaric then the original RoboCop.   I even liked how they kept the wife and child involved through out the whole movie developing the heart of the plot better than the original RoboCop.

The organic and robotic special effects were very well done.  That just in itself made watching this remake even more cooler.  There were even some other surprises thrown in for good measure from the original paying homage to the past. 

If you liked the original RoboCop or any movie or TV show along those lines then you will like this movie.

Best Scene: The organic and robotic special effects were worth watching.  However Iron Man did the robotic effects first and better.

Mike's Rating: Worth the price of the ticket and DVD worthy.

Bean's Review:  An entertaining enough movie, but not one I would see again.  More character development was needed.  The actor playing Robocop could have been any action-type actor.  However, Gary Oldman, as the doctor that created Robocop, did a good job of being the only level-headed, moral person at Omnicorp.   Michael Keaton’s character, as the “bad” insensitive greedy corporate magnate, was too predictable.

  

The Robocop suit was nifty and the special effects kept your attention.

Best Scene: When Jackie Earle Haley’s character calls Robocop the “Tin Man” and plays the Tin Man song from the Wizard of Oz.

Bean's Rating: DVD

I, FRANKENSTEIN

(2014) 92 Minutes, Rated PG-13

Mike's Review:   I was surprised at just how much I enjoyed watching this movie.  And the idea of combining Frankenstein and Gargoyles together to fight demons, is so out of the box, that it actually kind of made sense if you can believe it.  

This was an interesting take on the story of Frankenstein, telling the story with a present day spin on it and using new technology and old ideas together. I never thought I would see Frankenstein turned into a demon slayer and fighting "matrix" style but I liked it. Thats what makes going to the movies fun, seeing something you thought you would never see mixed with an interesting story to entertain you.  I know there were problems with bits of the movie through out (continuity and logistics) and I am not going to rip it apart scene by scene, it is what it is, a crazy but plausible take on a beloved classic story. Go see it just to be entertained.

Best Scene: The battle scenes were well done and worth watching

Mike's Rating: Worth the price of the ticket and DVD worthy.

Bean's Review:  Different premises than what I was expecting.  I am not sure how gargoyles became connected to Frankenstein’s “monster”, but it made for an interesting and entertaining story.  The special effects were terrific.  The gargoyles were reminiscent of the Gargoyles cartoon from the late ‘90’s, which I enjoyed.  

Aaron Eckhart played the Frankenstein creature quite well and he is definitely easy on the eyes.  I look forward to seeing him in more action, hero type movies.   

Bill Nighy played the “bad” guy to the hilt.  I thought his interaction with Yvonne Strahovski’s character was entertaining.

I liked that the story gave Adam a soul and ended well.

Best Scene: when Adam got his soul.

Bean's Rating: Good entertainment – full price ticket, will see it again

A.C.'s Review:  I, Frankenstein is the latest entry into the supernatural warfare genre made famous by such movies as the Underworld series.

Raiding anything with name recognition Hollywood has drafted the monster from Mary Shelley’s classic novel into service as a demon fighting antihero. The hulking ugly monster that was the famous Boris Karloff version has been replaced here with the good looking movie actor Aaron Eckhart with a few scars applied to his face that are supposed to make him seem monstrous.

Basically the movie is a CGI fest of  Frankenstein’s monster battling demons out to take over the world . He came into this position when captured by the Demon’s arch enemies a race of angels for lack of a better word who disguise themselves as stone gargoyles to keep hidden from humanity. Reluctantly he allies with the not always trustworthy Gargoyle order.

There are some glaring editing problems such as one character who completely disappears from the screen never to be seen again with no resolution to his life or death situation. Also Frankenstein is fighting to save humanity but the nondescript European city seems to be devoid of any population. During huge battles no regular humans are seen coming out to see what’s going on…even with buildings collapsing. It is as if there was no budget for extras.

There was one nice nod to the Frankenstein movies when a character says the famous “It’s Alive.” Line.

Best Scene: The first epic battle between the gargoyles and demons was very exciting and well done.

A.C.'s Rating: Matinee.

LABOR DAY

(2014) 111 Minutes, Rated PG-13

A.C.’s Review: Every now and then it’s a good idea to step out of your comfort zone and see a movie you might not ordinarily see as it’s not in the genre you like. For me going to Labor Day was such an excursion and I was not disappointed.

The film is a period piece taking place in 1987 recalling a long holiday weekend in which an escaped convict takes shelter within the home of a depressed divorced mother and her son who appears to be what’s known as a “tween”.  Before the weekend is over the mom and the convict have fallen in love and began planning an escape to Canada with the young son in tow. Whether that happens or not I will not spoil.

This is one of the most visually well shot films I have seen in a long time. Lazy summer days in a bucolic small town leap off the screen in lush visuals of the surrounding countryside and the old house where the family lives. Anyone who has lived in a small town like this and left it will find themselves longing for it after seeing this movie.

There is a solid cast featuring James Brolin and Kate Winslet (Titanic). Winslet is de-glamorized here to depict her battle with depression following the end of her marriage. The supporting cast of characters that keep turning up to jeopardize the budding romance are all well-acted and include James Vanderbeek as a deputy.

Some will complain the pace is slow but sometimes that’s okay; The film takes time to tell its story and tell it well.

It is not a movie without its flaws…especially in how quickly the mom is ready to give up her entire way of life and plans to run off to Prince Edward Island with a man she has just met. Especially one convicted of murder, however flashbacks clarify that it was an unjust verdict.

If any adult drama is something you are looking for you can’t go wrong with Labor Day.

Best Scene: Actually the last five minutes…the ending scene is the best as it offers a resolution that the audience can leave the theater feeling good about.

A.C.’s Rating:  Full Price Admission.

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