For those of you out there that do not know who Shane Black is, he has written some pretty amazing films like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Iron Man 3 (debatable), Lethal Weapon 2, and so much more. That is why I chose to watch his latest film The Nice Guys for today’s movie. It is the late 1970’s in Los Angeles, California and things are not very easy in the big city as they are dealing with issues of smog and a dead female porn star. To top it all off, two private eyes that obviously do no match well together in Holland March (Ryan Gosling) and Jackson Healey (Russell Crowe) are assigned to the case together. It is there that the duo run into a whole mess of a situation that they didn’t see coming which includes the DA and hitmen. The film also stars Angourie Rice (Walking With Dinosaurs) as Holly March, Matt Bomer (Magic Mike XXL) as John Boy, Margaret Qualley (The Leftovers) as Amelia, Keith David (Men At Work) as Older Guy, Beau Knapp (Southpaw) as Blueface, Murielle Telio (The DUFF) as Misty Mountains, Kim Basinger (L.A. Confidential) as Judith Kuttner, Jack Kilmer (The Stanford Prison Experiment) as Chet, Yaya DaCosta (Tron: Legacy) as Tally, and Lois Smith (Falling Down) as Mrs. Glenn.
There wasn’t much to this film that I didn’t like, it was very enjoyable to watch. Ryan Gosling’s stock is moving up in my book as just about every movie he is in I love his performance. He is probably my favorite character in this film because he is the perfect opposite of what Russell Crowe is. Russell Crowe’s character is the bad ass tough one while Ryan Gosling’s is afraid of his own shadow. It’s very funny and I think it’s a very good selling point for the film in general because their chemistry is undeniable. It’s like the perfect buddy movie for those that love them. I loved the aesthetics of the film because it looked and felt like the 70’s as you are watching all of the cool outfits and hairdos not to mention all of the pop culture references. Even all of the nuances were right on target from not being able to say the lords name in vain and so much more. The film definitely kicks off in style with a naked porn star dead on top of a car as she literally drove through someone’s house. So you an definitely imagine where it went from that point. I honestly thought that the film was very funny and definitely one worth seeing if you are a fan of either Crowe or Gosling. It’s available in Redbox and where ever else you watch movies so go and watch it. I am going to give the film an A- for a final grade.
The film I chose for today is one of the most highly anticipated animated films of the summer and I have been waiting for The Secret Life Of Pets since I first saw the trailer. Have you ever wondered what your pets do when no one is around? Do they just sit there and wait for you for are they are up to something when you’re not around? For Max (Louis C.K.) his owner Katie (Ellie Kemper) is his whole entire life and he is content waiting for her to come home every night. Well one night Katie brings hoe an unexpected guess in the form of a big shaggy rescue dog named Duke (Eric Stonestreet). The battle that ensues between the both of them causes them to be lost in the city with a frighteningly psycho bunny (Kevin Hart) after them while it’s up to their friends to come to the rescue. The film also stars Jenny Slate (Zootopia) as Gidget, Albert Brooks (Finding Nemo) as Tiberius, Lake Bell (Children’s Hospital) as Chloe, Dana Carvey (Wayne’s World) as Pops, Hannibal Buress (Daddy’s Home) as Buddy, Bobby Moynihan (Sisters) as Mel, Michael Beattie (Minions) as Tattoo, and the film was directed by Yarrow Cheney (The Iron Giant) and Chris Renaud (Despicable Me 2).
I don’t know what anyone else in the world is saying about The Secret Life Of Pets, but I am here to tell you that it may have dethroned Zootopia as my favorite animated film of the year. I still have to see Finding Dory to fully make the call as to what my favorite animated film is, but this movie rocks. The thing that was great about this film is that for the most part the animals act exactly like how their breed or kind would. This was a film that I couldn’t stop laughing from seeing a cat act like a typical cat to the jokes that were delivered with precision. There are some scenes in the film that can be depressing and you’ll see for yourself, but for the most part the film is fun. One of the scenes I was looking forward to the most was the scene with the poodle and his love for System Of A Down. The only thing I can say is that the scene kind of comes and goes pretty quick. So be prepared for it, but it’s also not his only scene. One of the real highlights of the film for me was when Pops (voiced by Dana Carvey) shows up cause his sense of humor is very morbid which is sometimes typical of the elderly. “Hey Pops, How are You.” says one of the characters to which Pops replies, “I’m Paralyzed.” That’s how morbid he can get. The film is a lot of fun to watch and I had a lot of laughs. I am going to give the film an A for a final grade because it rocks. Check it out in theaters every where now.
If you were not a fan of one of the break out comedies of 2014 in Neighbors, then you are obviously not a fan of Seth Rogen (Pineapple Express) brand comedy. That was the film in my opinion that made Zac Efron (Dirty Grandpa) like able and that is why I chose to watch Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising. Seth and Rose Byrne (Insidious) reprise there roles as Mac and Kelly Radner. The two are trying to sell their house because Stella is a little older and they are about to have another kid. Chloë Grace Moretz (Kick-Ass) plays Shelby, a teenager who is looking to have the ideal college experience. She figures out that the frat and sorority party system is lame so she decides to start her own fraternity with the help of good ole Teddy (Efron) who now has his chance for revenge on the Radners as the sorority moves next door. The Radners now have 30 days to get the sorority out from next door if they want to sell their house. The film also stars Ike Barinholtz (Sisters) as Jimmy, Kiersey Clemons (Dope) as Beth, Dave Franco (21 Jump Street) as Pete, Beanie Feldstein (Fan Girl) as Nora, Carla Gallo (Superbad) as Paula, and the film was directed by Nicholas Stoller.
Like any new film that is released, I am going to try my best in not spoiling anything for you guys.This is one of those movies that you should know what to expect from a Seth Rogen comedy and that is complete awesomeness. If you were not a fan of Teddy (Efron) in the first film, then you are going to be a fan of his after watching this one. Teddy is that character that thinks he is so cool, but is just so absolutely clueless in life that you can’t help but feel bad for him. The first film was hilarious, but this one isn’t too far behind that because it has some real funny moments contained in it. One of the big themes of the film that they completely explore is the idea of feminism and girl power to the max. The whole idea of the sorority is to be sisters and not hoes because women are so much more than that. If this was a way to apologize for the first film, then I think they accomplished that loud and clear. There is also a shocking detail about one of the characters that you’re going to be sitting there wondering for how long and you’ll start thinking of the first film. Nevertheless, the detail isn’t that bothersome, but it covers another social detail that they throw in for good measure. The girls were amazing and funny as they take the place of the guys from the first film and the war gets interesting. I would definitely give this movie a chance because you’ll enjoy it if you enjoyed the first film. I am going to give the film an A- for a final grade. Check it out in theaters everywhere right now as we speak.
I am a huge fan of independent filmmaking for the reason that I feel you are allowed to be more creative then if you were working for a big studio. I also feel that sometimes Indie films can be better and that is why I chose to watch Band Of Robbers for today’s film. Band Of Robbers re-imagines our classic tale of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn by making them adults and bringing them to today’s world. Tom Sawyer (Adam Nee) is a bumbling cop who can’t seem to let go of the idea of buried treasure that he and Huckleberry Finn (Kyle Gallner) have been chasing since they were kids. Finn has just been released from prison and is looking to go straight until Tom convinces him that the treasure is still out there. The two will embark on one heck of adventure that we surely will not forget even if it means breaking the law! The film also stars Matthew Gray Gubler (The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou) as Joe Harper, Hannibal Buress (Daddy’s Home) as Ben Rogers, Melissa Benoist (Supergirl) as Becky, Daniel Edward Mora (Harsh Times) as Jorge, Stephen Lang (Avatar) as Injun Joe, Eric Christian Olsen (Fired Up!) as Sid Sawyer, Johnny Pemberton (21 Jump Street) as Tommy Barnes, and the film was directed by Aaron Nee and Adam Nee.
As far as the film is concerned, I actually thought that the film was very enjoyable to watch. It wasn’t one of those films that was laugh out loud funny, but rather that it was an enjoyable to watch kind of funny. A lot of the content in the film was kind of predictable at times, but you didn’t mind that with this film. I loved how they divided things up into chapters, but sometimes the titles of the chapters kind of gave away what was going to happen in that sequence. Kyle Gallner in my opinion is an underrated actor who doesn’t get enough credit which is just my opinion like I said. I thought he was terrific, but the real star of the show was definitely Adam Nee who kind of plays this guy who is unwilling to let go of his childhood because what was going to be a great moment then escaped him. So, he has a hard time letting that go because he is afraid of regret even if it means getting his friends in trouble along with him. That is essentially the element that I loved about this film because we all sort of hang on to something that we didn’t get to accomplish because we were forced to grow up. Well maybe not all of us! Hannibal Buress is awesome, Matthew Gray Gubler was a great addition to the team, and Stephen Lang was great as the infamous protagonist Injun Joe. The film is available right now on Netflix as we speak and I think it’s worth checking out. That is why I am going to give the film an B+ for a final grade.
For today’s film, I traveled to my local theater to check out two men that make a hilarious unlikely combo come together for the first time in five years. Of course, I am talking about Will Farrell (Old School) and Mark Wahlberg (Fear) who star together once again for the first time since The Other Guys in the comedy Daddy’s Home. Farrell plays a radio disc jokey named Brad, who is desperately seeking the affection from his stand offish step children. Despite adhering to his wife’s warnings, Brad invited the children’s real dad over the house in the macho Dusty Mayron (Wahlberg) a man who just oozes machismo. Brad’s plans begin to fall apart once Dusty comes to town and the two compete for the children’s affection in this battle of wits. The film also stars Linda Cardellini (Grandma’s Boy) as Sara, Thomas Haden Church (Killer Joe) as Leo Holt, Scarlett Estevez (Lucifer) as Meagan, Owen Vaccaro (A Product Of Me) as Dylan, Bobby Cannavale (Boardwalk Empire) as Dr. Francisco, Hannibal Buress (Neighbors) as Griff, Jamie Denbo (Yes Man) as Doris, and Mark L. Young (We’re The Millers) as Dental Hygienist.
You can definitely not go wrong when trying to decide what movie to see and Wahlberg and Farrell’s names are attached to it. I have to agree with a friend of mine who made the statement that he enjoys seeing Wahlberg more when it comes to comedies. He was awesome in films like Date Night, Ted, The Other Guys, Pain & Gain, etc. So, it was a natural move for me to see this film because Walhberg and Farrell kept me entertained and laughing throughout the whole film. You add in the combo of the kids and Hannibal Buress as a handy man that moves in unexpectedly and you have a great combo that didn’t disappoint. You also cannot forget the addition of physical comedy which was plenty and awesome in the movie. Of course, it was great to see Linda Cardellini in the film, but there were a couple of cameos in the film that made me lose my mind. I am going to give you the spoiler alert because if you do not want to know any info then do not continue. It lost my mind when I saw Bill Burr in the film and then to top that, they thrown in WWE wrestler John Cena who has a habit of appearing in comedies lately (Sisters, Trainwreck). John Cena appearing could leave it up for a sequel, but I doubt they’ll do one. Wahlberg and Farrell make a great combo and we have evidence to back it up, it’s just a matter of when we’ll see them on screen again. I am going to give the movie an B+ for a final grade.
365moviesin365dayschallenge 