Lone Survivor

SHOTGUN MODE REVIEW
(trying to catch my blog up)

THE PITCH

WORTH

$$$$$

THE VIEWING

    This probably the best war film ever! I am so ready to dethrone Saving Private Ryan as king of the modern war pictures.  Lone Survivor was based on a true story, great acting, perfectly paced... I was literally moved, I mean a lot!.
     My only hope is that it doesn't become the most underrated war film, I'm not sure a lot of people saw it.

   I can't wait for Bluray, I definitely need this in my library.  Worth watching is an understatement.

letter grade: A+

Ride Along

SHOTGUN MODE REVIEW
(trying to catch my blog up)


THE PITCH

WORTH

$$

THE VIEWING


     I thought the movie was pretty funny.  Not very good imagination wise.  I have recently became a big Kevin Hart fan so gauge your interpretation of how funny this movie was by that.  I can definitely say I laughed out loud pretty hard maybe about four times.  Those moments where extremely spaced apart in between the length of the movie.

    I would not pay full price to see this in the theater knowing what I now know... perhaps matinee.

letter grade: C+

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

SHOTGUN MODE REVIEW
(trying to catch my blog up)


THE PITCH

WORTH

$$$$$



THE VIEWING


"There is something about you. Something you carry, something made of gold... but far more PRECIOUS..."

The Desolation of Smaug is a continuation of one of the most excellent and exciting tales of adventure since the Indiana Jones series. I spoken at length about that on my review of “The Hobbit”. Every move forward on this truly epic adventure leaves you insatiable for more.  Each bend a mystery waiting to be found or told.  Every answer having just enough revelation to keep your predictions at bay.  Old friends from the Lord of the Rings (LOTR) revisited and new characters to behold.  The imagination alone, of the entire LOTR realm, is only rival to Star Wars… ummm yeah, rival, never surpassing (warning: I’m biased to everything Star Wars).

    Knowing The Desolation of Smaug is the second installment of a trilogy, the ending was met with a lot of disappointment.  Goes to show how mesmerizing the story was, no one wanted it to end. I just can’t wait for the resolution to all of this.  Especially knowing this is a prequel to the whole LOTR saga, what else can possibly happen?  We will all find out together.

  Wish I had more time because this film deserves more details but this is “Shotgun Mode Review”.  I have to catch up my blog.  So in conclusion, trust me when I say this movie is Worth Watching… In fact, this film is the reason WHY we watch.

    grade: A+

THE BEST MAN HOLIDAY

SHOTGUN MODE REVIEW
(trying to catch my blog up)


THE PITCH

WORTH

$$$$$


THE VIEWING

"you will witness a miracle"

        There’s nothing wrong with making sequels. It’s risky, sometimes necessary, but sometimes it’s just downright greed, trying to stretch the story thin for more revenue.  A great story doesn’t really ‘need’ a follow-up.  It lowers the original  narrative to a certain degree. The news of The Best Man producing a sequel was not received well by me.  Seeing the trailer made my rejection to the idea more fierce.  I  strongly believed that no script could qualify as a good reason to pile on an already great movie.  Even more, what studio would greenlight such a lofty idea of extending an already perfect story???…. boy was I wrong.  This very well might have been a better story than the first!!!  and I really mean that! 
       I see NOW why the trailer was so shielding and so secretive.  The promotion team being very careful not to reveal the plot almost pushed viewers like me away in the process.  From the looks of the teaser I just KNEW this movie had a shallow script.   The Best Man Holiday trailer just looked like it had nothing new or fresh and interesting except an apparent reenactment of a great New Edition song.  So as soon as the fourth person told me this movie was awesome I had to go and judge it for myself.  Now I can’t stop urging my friends and co-workers to check out the film.  I haven’t checked the box office for it’s first week numbers yet but it wouldn’t surprise me if this film did better in it’s second week.  Word of mouth is still the way to endorse a product.  It costs absolutely nothing and the only way to get it is to earn it… Writer Malcom D. Lee has certainly done that.  

   Definitely worth watching!!

   Just really quick, I HAVE to say that I’m loving the overall message of forgiveness, friendship, love and God.  Ultimately ALL the necessary ingredients to have a rich and fulfilling life. I surely can testify to that!!!
  Letter grade: A+

Grudge Match

SHOTGUN MODE REVIEW
(trying to catch my blog up)

THE PITCH

WORTH

$$

THE VIEWING


                 Grudge Match wasn't too disappointing only because I didn't expect a whole bunch from it.  Grudge Match was exactly what I though it would be, no more and no less.  Having said that I am on the fence about whether or not the film is "Worth Watching".  I honestly feel like it's not.  If you absolutely have to see this movie just watch the trailer again. I jest.  Kevin Hart and Alan Arkin where pretty good but far away from any definitive work.

      The story itself was mediocre.  I felt like I was watching a cut & paste collage filled with B-side Rocky edits and left over jokes from the shared concubines of both Hart and Arkin.  Conflict resolution was moderately suspenseful.  Direction was okay to good.

Not really worth it. Wait for the dvd to drop.



grade: C+

Thor: The Dark World

THE PITCH

WORTH

$$$1/2

THE VIEWING

"I need your help. And I wish I could trust you..."

I’m soooooo behind with my blog that I have to be real brief with my thoughts. Because of that case I’ll start my overview like this… I liked this sequel a lot.  I have said that I enjoyed this one perhaps just slightly more than the first. Why? There was a lot going on, astrophysics, wormholes, scientists and a big hammer… I remember certain people in my circle arguing that this movie was just simply too busy.  I may have agreed with them only if the constant array of danger and confusion wasn’t directed in a way that we couldn’t understand.  Laymen knowledge of all that “geek” stuff was sufficient enough to follow this story. I’m willing to bet the replay value is off the charts.  Admittedly I’ve yet to rent or own this movie and it’s been available for months.  Don’t use that as a barometer because truthfully I haven’t had time to rent anything, and buying movies are becoming a rarity with all the streaming choices available.  

 I believe this movie is Worth Watching!

 grade: B+