This film has a story line that is not what it seems. A real twister about four former high school classmates reunited by attending the funeral of one of their old chums. After the funeral services, the four get together for coffee and somehow bring up a get-rich scheme that can only work if they are willing to capitalize on it together. One of the friends, played by Dan Stevens, offers to front the money, while another, played by Michael Pitt — who so happens to be in financial services — gives it the green light. The deal turns sour and they have to pay up to John Travolta’s mob character, Eddie, who gives the four friends an out if they do something for him. As the story gets better, the situation gets worse for the four.
movies
The End of the Tour (a movie review)
I didn’t read the non-fiction book, Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself, on which this movie is based, but The End of The Tour is an enjoyable film that stars Jason Segel as the legendary author David Foster Wallace and Jesse Eisenberg as journalist and fellow writer David Lipsky. The movie begins in 2008 with Lipsky receiving disturbing news about Wallace. I’m not sure how many of you are familiar with either or both of these writers, but I don’t want to spoil anything. So, let’s just say the news Lipsky receives has him thinking back to his experience interviewing Wallace 12 years previously.
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American Heist (a movie review)
The acting is good by Adrien Brody, who plays big brother Frankie to Hayden Christensen’s James/Jimmy, but the lines and story could be better. The movie is about two brothers with conflicting goals. Frankie, who just gets released from prison after 10 years of serving, has to pay a favor that requires stealing from a bank. As much as Frankie keeps declaring his love for his brother, he gets James involved in the heist. Continue reading
Just Before I Go (a movie review)
I didn’t pay attention to the credits until after the movie is over; only then did I see that Courtney Cox of Friends’ fame is the director. Her former husband, David Arquette, plays a small role here as a father of five children and a husband to a woman, who temporarily loses herself with the movie’s main character, Ted Morgan, played by Seann William Scott. Continue reading
Love & Mercy (a movie review)
This is one of the better biopics I’ve seen. I’ve always enjoyed the Beach Boys’ tunes, but I didn’t realize how Brian Wilson’s genius was an important influencing factor for much of the music industry’s ingenuity for late ‘60s and early ‘70s rock and roll. In fact, there’s a strong case to be made that Brian Wilson’s greatness is right up there alongside John and Sir Paul of the Beatles. Uh-oh. I will now step back to talking about the film, Love & Mercy. Well edited and well produced. You get a good feel for how Brian Wilson spirals down and tries to make sense of what’s going on in his head. Continue reading
Dark Places (a movie review)
This movie is based on a book written by Gillian Flynn, who wrote Gone Girl. Similar to the movie, Gone Girl, not everything is what it seems in Dark Places. The movie starts 25 years earlier when the movie’s heroine, Libby Day, is seven years old and runs out of her house late at night to escape the slaughter of her mother and two older sisters. Cut to present when she is older and still traumatized, the now older heroine, played by Charlize Theron, is broke and looking for cash. Since the murders, she had been living off the sympathy cash she’s been receiving from the general public and the now dwindling royalties from the book about her experience. Over the years, the public’s memory and interest fade since there are always new murders of children that catch the public’s attention. Continue reading
Cinderella (a movie review)
This take on the fairy tale classic is directed by Kenneth Branagh, with Cate Blanchett as the evil stepmother. Although there have been so many versions of Cinderella out there, this additional Disney-produced film is still wonderful. I like fairy tales in general. I’ve read practically all of them, including those retold in various ways from different countries. They do say something about our human nature, the universal need to romanticize a good story, and — at least for a little while — escape from reality. Continue reading
What We Do in the Shadows (a movie review)
This movie is a must-see for those who want to laugh. A unique take on vampire movies, What We Do in the Shadows is a mockumentary about the lifestyle of three vampires “flatting,” or sharing a place together. As documentaries go, this one includes different components like the reminiscing moments, a confessional, a self-revelation or occasional epiphany. Within such chapters, the stories told in the context of being a vampire are hilariously absurd. Because I don’t want to spoil it for you, I will give a small example. The main vampire telling the story talks about the differences in their behavior or “maturity level” because of their age differences, with one being over 800 years old vs. one who is under 200 years old, and then there is the “geriatric” who is over 8,000 years old and he looks like the vampire character in Nosferatu. Continue reading
The Pyramid (a movie review)
This is a horror movie that takes place deep underground. Although the story line is a little different, this movie falls into the same category as the following movies: As Above, So Below; The Descent; The Descent Part 2. If you’ve seen those movies, do you see the commonalities among them? The horror takes place beneath the surface with a mazelike challenge for those trapped down there to get out. And there are strange creatures in them there parts. Continue reading
Danny Collins (a movie review)
When I saw the trailer to this movie, I thought it would be a slow-moving story about a washed up star. I almost didn’t watch the movie, but I’m glad I did because it turned out to be a gem. Al Pacino is excellent as Danny Collins, an aging rock star who somehow gets stuck doing the same thing. That’s because he got sucked into pleasing a fan base that ironically stifles his creativity, always expecting the same old songs night after night. During the 40 years of going through the motions, he tries to forget his misery by snorting coke and drinking heavily. Continue reading
Karina Pinella 
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