Hyde Park on Hudson
Bill Murray is an enigma prone to acts of randomness like running bases at Cubs games, calling Kelly Lynch’s husband when Roadhouse is on cable and popping up in the strangest of places (inside a tree in Get Smart) He appears in amazing films like Ghostbusters, Ed Wood, Groundhog Day, Caddyshack, Rushmore, Life Aquatic, Lost in Translation and Royal Tenenbaums. However, he will show up in Osmosis Jones, Larger Than Life, The Man Knew Too Little, Passion Play and Garfield He should have received an Academy Award nomination for Kingpin and his cameo in Zombieland was a highlight of a film full of highlights. When I watched the trailer for Hyde Park on Hudson I was ready to proclaim it is the greatest film ever. Murray is known for his unexplained exploits so the fact that he was playing a president who got the United States through the depression and a massive war seemed perfectly normal.
The majority of my excitement died down as the film started. Hyde Park on Hudson doesn’t know what it is. It is a snapshot of history that meanders, switches narratives and doesn’t leave you with much. You find out that FDR had a multitude of mistresses, pushed hot dogs on kings and loved stamps. The scenes between Samuel West’s King and Murray are highlights that make you wish the movie would have been these two sitting in a room talking while Eleanor and the Queen engage in uncomfortable small talk.
Despite the oddities of Hyde Park on Hudson it allows you to spend time with the elusive Murray. The eccentricity of the film allowed me to develop a theory as to why Murray was in it.
You ready for a wonderfully untrue yet totally believable theory?
One day Murray was bored so he decided to visit his Rushmore costar Olivia Williams on the Hyde Park on Hudson set. Murray’s charming demeanor and copious amounts of scotch endeared him to the director of the film. The director jokingly offered him a role and Murray replied “Yes. Want more Scotch?” When the booze exited the director’s bloodstream he quickly realized his conundrum. He fired the man playing FDR, told Laura Linney she was no longer the star and had the writer edit the entire script to Murray’s liking. What followed was a mixture of disjointed moments, a weird driving scene and more Scotch.
Sidenote: look at the poster. I bet it was originally just Linney. However, they captured a wonderful picture of Murray on the set and they photo shopped him in.
Don’t watch Hyde Park on Hudson. Watch the trailer then pop in Life Aquatic and enjoy the Murray.
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Bad Movie Tuesday: The Best Worst Villain Round 2
Hello all. Mark here.
Thank you for all the votes last week! The tournament was a smashing success and I found out you all have some odd/spectacular bad movie preferences. You all love Gerard Butler’s hair, jerky callers, that silly Leprechaun and this clip.
The 32 have become 16 and we’ve had to say goodbye to some truly terrible (in a good way) villains. Some match ups were closer than I anticipated and the voting public seemed truly torn about whether Fat Harry Connick Jr (Costas Mandylor) from the Saw franchise or the Crocodile from Lake Placid should move on. The toughest decision I had to make was between Jon Voight in Anaconda or the lake trout loving Parkey Posey in Blade: Trinity (past tournament winner). Voight has the oddest accent in cinema history and without Posey we never would have seen this kick (10 second mark) or heard the insult “c*ck juggling thunder c**t.” These two vamped it up to such heights they became kinda awesome. I still can’t place Voight’s accent in Anaconda
Some old school villains didn’t make the cut and some new blood is looking to be included into the cannon of great bad. An unknown villain is moving on because of a funny picture and a weak opponent. Nobody knows what Jessica Alba is yelling at but I’ve heard mumbles that it is over-baked brownies (Mad Dog Lasavath) or Sylvia Plath’s ghost (ouch. Thanks Extreme Mula). Either way, her moving on gives me another excuse to show this picture.
Some villains are proving to be powerhouses of the bracket. The Shark from Deep Blue Sea, The Air from The Happening and those motherf***ing Snakes on a Plane coasted to victory. There are no easy match ups in the odd 16 and some fan favorites will be bounced from the tournament. Will the Air from the Happening survive the white alien cuddle? Could the alien cuddle the air? Will the alien lose and quote Mark Wahlberg (victim of The Happening) by saying ” It is what it is. F**king trees, man. The plants. F**k it.”
No matter how the battle goes I know Wahlberg and Deschanel will be watching from a safe distance whilst looking very concerned.
Via my wonderful fiancee at MADesigns
Cheap Thrills Division
Unnecessarily Angry Division
Revengeful yet Aquatic Division
Bad CGI. Worse Temper Division
Thanks for voting! Tune in next week for the odd elite 8. I will leave you with this wonderful clip.
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John’s Horror Corner: Cabin Fever 2 (2009)
MY CALL: An unserious throwback to the original, this sequel was way more fun than expected! Gore hounds will be super-pleased! IF YOU LIKE THIS WATCH: Cabin Fever (2002), of course it should probably be seen first…okay, it really doesn’t matter. But true lovers of hilariously gory overkill should also hit Evil Dead (2013), The Cabin in the Woods (2012), Final Destination 5 (2011), Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010), Drag Me to Hell (2009), and of course Evil Dead 2 (1987) and The Evil Dead (1981).
You’ve gotta’ love it when sequels offer continuity. In this case, part 2 picks up right where part 1 left off. Our last victim to evidently not-quite-die (Rider Strong; Cabin Fever, Pulse 3) crawling from the reservoir from part 1, now literally falling apart from the virus, runs through the woods for help until he finds a road and is liqui-splattered by a school bus.
Sometimes liquid-splattered really is the best word.
In the next 20 minutes of this movie we learn three things:
1) The first lines of dialogue reveal the acting quality with painful reality. It’s as if it’s intentionally terrible. As if part 1 was Oscar-worthy, right? But, I have to admit, part 1 did feature better acting than we deserved for a movie that relied on slowly wasting away from a flesh-eating virus in an otherwise overly simple Cabin in the Woods premise.
2) The effects and gore are not exactly indicative of a good budget. But the effort is clearly there and, for the money, they do a fine job with latex wounds and gallons of red liquefied human innards. Much to my surprise, it’s really quite good. They did a great job!
3) The opening (and closing) credits feature a cute cartoon which spoon-feeds us the plot of this sequel. That reservoir with the infected bodies feeds into a bottled water plant which recently sent a large shipment to the high school destination of the fateful bus in the opening sequence–the one that liqui-splattered Rider Strong. It’s all fun and comical, and the tone never seems to get very serious–not even when we are met with nudity and a sloppy high school make-out scene during which the misogynist Alex gets a blowjob from a chick with a deadly cold sore.
See it? Lower right. Ouch!
What do these three things tell us?
This movie is gonna’ be a lot of laughs!
Moving on, John (Noah Segan; Deadgirl, Chain Letter) likes Cassie (Alexi Wasser; Growth, The Last Lovecraft) and, after some dreadful acting, John tries to secure a date for the prom. Then there’s a little montage of prom prep. To the lively tune of Born to be Alive we grinningly endure needless nudity, struggles with bowties, group photos of “the gang,” some Ferris Bueller peer pressure, and getting pumped up. But when the locally bottled water is used for the prom punch we know we’re in for some real fun. Returning from part 1, the local likably idiotic deputy (Giuseppe Andrews; 2001 Maniacs, Cabin Fever) adds to the sublime foolishness of the big picture.
Think she’ll say yes?
Director Ti West (V/H/S, The Innkeepers) shows us how much he loves tandem gore-spewing and how much he resents prom. We have STD-induced penis issues, a viral prom miscarriage, some melting flesh, vomit to the face, all sorts of gore variety, and a prom staple first-time gone wrong.
They used to be alive.
He used to have two attached hands.
That used to be a face.
You can’t go wrong with Cabin Fever 2!
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The Impossible
The Impossible is the true story of a family vacationing in Khao Luk Thailand that survived the brutal 2004 tsunami that killed over 200,000 people.
The Impossible was funded by Spanish film companies and directed by Juan Bayona (Orphanage). Bayona reunited most of the Orphanage crew (Cinematographer, production manager, writer, editor, composer) and together they made a gripping drama that was well received (81% Rt) and somewhat maligned for it’s choice of using an international non-Spanish cast. Despite the arguments of nationality the movie provides a powerful punch of seamless CGI and realistic performances to create the community of humans who unselfishly put themselves in danger to help the survivors of the brutal natural attack.
Some critics complained the film was “white-washed” and “overdramatic.” They wondered why a story about a Spanish family became the story of well-to-do Caucasian crew. It is understandable that people are frustrated by the need for international actors needed to sell the film to a larger audience. However, the performances by Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor and Tom Holland are fantastic and they draw you in to the story. Naomi Watts and Tom Holland had to spend six weeks in a massive water tank in order to realistically capture the full effect of the tsunami. I loved Jennifer Lawrence in Silver Linings Playbook but 30 minutes into The Impossible I was left baffled as to why Watts didn’t walk away with the Academy Award. Watts exudes every emotion in the book and she is 100% believable as she struggles to protect her family and keep herself moving. There is a dignity to her performance even as she is covered in blood and mud.
Despite the life affirming story and wonderful performances the film got caught up in a casting conspiracy. The director explains the casting conundrum in a Huffington Post article.
“I would have loved to tell this story with Spanish actors. We tried, but it proved impossible to raise funding without international actors. The first version of the screenplay was written in Spanish and then we realized that 80% of the dialogue was also in English. So it was natural that we chose European actors who speak English. But, without revealing the nationality of the protagonists. This is not a film of nationality, race or social class. All that was swept by the wave,”
Simon Jenkins a survivor of the tsunami read the negative reviews and released a statement with The Guardian:
“As I must, I’ve never been the sort of person to revisit and analyze events of the past, but some of these articles frustrated me. Had this film been purely about the tale of a western middle-class family’s “ruined” holiday then I would have agreed. For me, it was the exact opposite. Rather than concentrating on the “privileged white visitors”, the film portrayed the profound sense of community and unity that I experienced in Thailand, with this family at the centre of it. Both for my (then) 16-year-old self and the Belon family, it was the Thai people who waded through the settled water after the first wave had struck to help individuals and families….The Thai people had just lost everything – homes, businesses, families – yet their instinct was to help the tourists.”
The Impossible may focus on a privileged family but it shows how people bond together after catastrophe. To sit in a theater or at home and dismiss this film as melodrama or emotionally manipulative is to cheat yourself of an engrossing experience. Sure, there are some moments when the family miss each other by seconds but in a hospital loaded with thousands of dirty people it is easy to miss a person. Looking for small problems while a family struggles to find each other is the product of a spoiled nation. Criticism can be found anywhere and we have that luxury. However, after surviving a harrowing first wave I applauded as mother and son did everything they could to save each other.
Watch the Impossible. Appreciate the Watts. Look forward to Bayona’s next film.
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Deadfall and the Questionable Southern Accent
Deadfall tells the bleak story of three dysfunctional families who converge on a snowy Thanksgiving in northern Michigan.
It is an odd little film permeated with ultra-violence, odd accents and convenient rendezvous. Snow mobiles will go full speed, Eric Bana loses fingers and Olivia Wilde once again finds herself in Alpha Dog territory.
I had little problem with Treat Williams utter disdain for his capable daughter (Kate Mara) or Olivia Wilde’s inconsistent twang as she woos Charlie Hunnam. What bothered me was Eric Bana’s accent. Bana is a wonderful actor and has proven his mettle in Chooper, Hanna, Munich, Star Trek, Funny People and Black Hawk Down. He has been a believable foil to Adam Sandler, Captain Kirk and an odd Southern accented Cate Blanchett. However, the southern accent proves to be his downfall.You can’t appreciate the sweet jacket he wears whilst killing people because the character never hits the right tonal note because of the forced accent and not enough depth. I don’t need the full back story of a character but I do need something because when he is self righteously killing people and acting borderline incestuous with his sister it feels like a script device and not a fleshed out character.
I know what his character is supposed to be. He is a current day Misfit who says things like “I hope you can forgive me” before he kills you. However, the script doesn’t give him enough good lines or motivation to become a scary killer angel. Instead, from the first moment you hear his voice an alarm goes off that something isn’t right. Suspension of disbelief is impossible as a southern twang comes out of a über Aussies mouth. I kept waiting for him to lose the accent and prove it was all a rouse of a master criminal. That never happened and the southern talk kept happening.
Is it Bana’s fault? Or, is it the accent? I can name a plethora of actors who have attempted the accent and come out on the losing side. For instance, Melissa Leo (Oblivion), Idris Elba (Prometheus), John Cusack (Paper Boy), Keanu Reeves (Devil’s Advocate), Jodie Foster (Silence of the Lambs) and pretty much everyone else who has attempted a southern accent has been foiled. So, while Bana is leaving a bloody trail through snowy Michigan it doesn’t come across as threatening because you are too busy scratching your head. Check out the first few seconds of the trailer.
Deadfall isn’t all bad. It has the feeling of an old noir that is incredibly bleak while offering moments of dark humor. You understand why everyone signed up and the director Stefan Ruzowitzky (The Counterfeiters) has a solid resume. However, the chess pieces don’t fall into place and it feels contrived and too easy at key moments. The set up is obvious and it lacks the skill needed to string together a winning/fluid chess game. Instead, you are treated to a lean, mean and good-looking machine that doesn’t nail the accents but strings together enough solid scenes to make it a worthwhile background/late at night film.
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Kung Fu Dunk (2008)
http://theaprblog.blogspot.com/2012/08/movie-review-kung-fu-dunk-2008.html
Despite the poster’s suggestion, there is nothing supernatural about his basketball skills.
MY CALL: Wholesome, family-friendly fun. You may need to struggle through some subtitles, but this is way better than any of that Air Bud nonsense. IF YOU LIKE THIS WATCH: Kung Fu Hustle (2004; not family-friendly), Kung Fu Panda (2008, 2011; VERY family-friendly), Chocolate (2009; no small children). But don’t watch Fireball (2009), which horribly failed as a very violent mix of martial arts and basketball.
Our story begins with great cinematography (only early in the movie), an orphaned infant and a note. The child is raised by a kung fu master and trained with all of the clichéd wisdom behind the yins, yangs and qi (“chi”) of the universe and one’s self. After the untimely death of his master, Fang Shijie (Jay Chou; The Green Hornet, Curse of the Golden Flower) grows up as a kind-hearted yet semi-rebellious kung fu student.
http://lawmovieworld.blogspot.com/2009/01/522-taiwan-movie-kung-fu-dunk.html
Fang gets involved with some of the wrong people and gets expelled from his kung fu school. But his skillful aim is quickly discovered by friendly hustler who directs his hands to basketball. It turns out that Fang’s skill in kung fu translates well, making him a 100% free thrower even from half court…that is, when there’s no pressure or opposition. His greatest opposition is from the team captain, who has a drinking problem that is presented in a rather family-friendly way.
http://1st-realboxoffice.blogspot.com/2009/02/kungfu-dunk-movie.html
Fang needs to learn the basic skills of the game and teamwork to be able to utilize his world class arm. Through the support of his teammates and hard work he develops into a fine player.
http://1st-realboxoffice.blogspot.com/2009/02/kungfu-dunk-movie.html
Strong elements of comedy and classic kung fu theater action-isms mesh well with modern, stylistic camerawork. The fighting and stunts are good (not great), and are not the focus of this movie after the first act. This movie is about basketball and teamwork.
http://1st-realboxoffice.blogspot.com/2009/02/kungfu-dunk-movie.html
The greatest thing about this movie is that Fang’s skill is never met with arrogance. He is always humble. He wants to be an appreciated member of the team in addition to showing what he can do. He also helps his team captain “defeat” his drinking problem.
The only bad thing about this family flick is part of the finale during the final game. At this point hokey-wholesome turns uber-ridiculous when Fang’s kung fu school masters come to his aid with their weird, Harry Potter-esque personalities. This scene also made everything about Fang instead of him being part of the team. Thankfully, after 5-10 minutes of this, it’s back to teamwork along with an unfortunately slow but happy ending.
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The Sweeney and the Human Manifestation of Grumpy Cat
The Sweeney is a spin-off of a 1970s television that tells the story of cops who do bad to do good. They annihilate geezers by any means necessary and have mastered very serious looks. Of course, as they are getting things done the obligatory/clichéd “suit” attempts to shut them down because they work outside the law. As in all cops and robbers films things go awry, the stylish bad guy gets away, somebody gets killed, the main character gets in trouble and they all atone for the wrongdoing via car chases, good old fashioned cop work and slow motion walking.
Sidenote: The wonderful show Top Gear was on the Sweeney set helping with the final car chase. Of course, nothing goes right, things get blown up and bad accents are used all around. check out the episode (season 18, ep 3) here.
These tough individuals take on the most violent criminals England has to offer. The unlucky criminals often find themselves unable to understand the Sweeney’s East End language and eventually engage in massive gun battles that feature many bullets missed, several unnecessary murders and Branson from Downton Abbey hiding behind a car.
The story centers around Ray Winstone, rapper Plan B and Hayley Atwell wearing stylish clothes and chasing down the murderous criminals who knocked off a jewelry store and murdered a store clerk. Twists occur, Branson hides behind another car and problems are many. For instance, music is used to comedic heights (cue dramatic moment!), Damian Lewis wears nice suits but does nothing and a subplot involving a woman being considered for the Lara Craft: Tomb Raider movie reboot (Hayley Atwell) being head over heels in love with Ray Winstone. Did I mention she is married to the “suit” looking to shut them down?
Ray Winstone (Sexy Beast, Departed, The Proposition, Beowulf) is a wonderful actor who has a reliable tough guy persona that can never be in doubt. The problem is the script forces him to act tough instead of being naturally tough. Things seem forced and rushed and they create a character that is nothing new and kinda ridiculous. He is hindered by the stock script and his many dramatic moments with rapper Plan B. B tries his best but can’t hold his own with the veteran. The duo reminded me of the Stallone/Sung Kang pairing in Bullet to the Head. Kang has charisma in The Fast series but couldn’t hold his own with an iconic veteran actor. The Sweeney mismatch is evident during the weightier moments and this causes many dramatic cues and B trying to look tough/sad/angry. About halfway through the film my fiancee said this about Ray’s character:
“He is full of himself, makes bad decisions and looks like human grumpy cat.”
His character in this film must be the uncle of Jake Johnston’s character from The New Girl.
I know this is becoming ridiculous but here is the original grumpy cat.
The Sweeney gathered a wonderful cast yet failed because it wanted to be tough. It strived for a look and feeling but failed to create memorable characters. The film desperately wanted to mimic fantastic crime films like Heat, Ronin and The Town. By trying to be something else it failed to become anything good. The film was a sleeper hit in the UK so hopefully the director and star find what they are looking for.
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Bad Movie Tuesday: The Best Worst Horror Villain
Hello all. Mark here. Voting has closed. Thanks for all votes. Check back in on Tuesday 04/30 for the Odd 16!
Much ado has been made of the classic horror villains. They’ve become celebrated heroes of a violent genre. However, these baddies have become boring due to prequels, sequels, spin-offs, remakes and uninteresting back stories. We here at MFF have decided to figure out who/what is the best worst horror villain of all time. Will the shark who eats airplanes win? Will a poop monster be victorious? Will the Moon Rock from Apollo 18 chase everyone away?
Disclaimer: This list is not comprehensive and I haven’t broken the surface of the genre called horror. However, I love bad movies and I have an odd fascination with the strange creatures/people/air that inhabit subpar horror films. The following 32 choices are picks that I find humorous and incredible in bad ways. For instance, I’ve never watched The Eye or The Unborn but I find these pictures hilarious. Whatever they are yelling at deserves to be on this list.
Also, aquatic sea beasts who inspire infographics deserve to be in the tournament.
Have you even seen piranhas hurl themselves into bicycle kicks? You will on this list!
Maybe you remember the Deep Blue Sea shark who has the best timing ever!
This week you will be deciding who makes it into the odd 16. The following Bad Movie Tuesday posts will narrow down the field and give the world a clear victor in the battle for the worst. Check out the ballet (click to enlarge) then look below and click on your favorite worst villain and vote! Thanks! Vote. Comment. Share. Like. Enjoy! Follow us on Twitter @MoviesFilmsFlix (Brand new!)
via my wonderful fiancee at MADesigns
Cheap Thrills Division
Unnecessarily Angry Division
Revengeful yet Aquatic Division
Bad CGI. Worse Temper Division
Thanks for Voting! Check back next Tuesday to find out who made it into the odd 16.
Vote. Share. Comment. Like. Repeat! Follow us on Twitter @MoviesFilmsFlix (Brand new!)
I will leave you with this wonderful clip.
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Oblivion (2013)
MY CALL: This film is visually a thing of ecstasy, structurally boring due to gratuitously wasted actors, and tells an interesting original story with entirely unoriginal concepts.
Set in the year 2077, Oblivion focuses on Jack Harper (Tom Cruise; Jack Reacher, Rock of Ages). Jack is something of a soldier slash technician who patrols zone 49 and performs maintenance on hunter-killer drones which are tasked with eliminating “scavengers,” the leftovers of an alien force that invaded Earth 60-some years ago. While the scavs lost the war, Earth was rendered uninhabitable.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vDi8R1VeojQ/UL9fowW-XYI/AAAAAAAAUlI/YB-4Z2xxEs0/s1600/oblivion-04.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/–K9DH0aqoJc/UL9fnLtYygI/AAAAAAAAUkw/15wUfhFsGg8/s1600/oblivion-01.jpg
Jack and his handler, Victoria (Andrea Riseborough; Welcome to Punch) are the only two in their zone whereas Earth’s population has been relocated to Saturn’s moon Titan. Jack and Victoria underwent memory wipes to objectively carry out their long term mission. However, Jack is haunted by dreams, perhaps memories, of a woman at the top of the Empire State Building–which is weird since he wasn’t alive back when that could have happened. When a ship crash lands with human survivors, including this woman (Olga Kurylenko; Seven Psychopaths, Centurion) from his visions, he begins to seriously question his mission and, well, everything.
This film is beautiful! While completely different from Tron: Legacy, director Joseph Kosinski has again succeeded at capturing our eyes with commanding cinematography and powerful future-scapes. The story teeters at the edges of originality and patchwork familiarity. I very much liked it. But I was constantly reminded of other great movies because of Jack’s integral role in the plot. Conceptually sampled movies include Moon, I Am Legend, The Matrix and Independence Day–and the sampling is far from subtle. However “unoriginal” one could argue this makes the film, all sampled elements were remade and stitched together quite pleasingly well.
The effects were largely represented by Jack’s shuttle and the drones, and they were awesome! A-plus CGI that didn’t at all feel like watching CGI. Action sequences involving them were intense and felt a lot more “real” than sequences of the likes of A Good Day to Die Hard. While this takes place in the future, I didn’t feel like the technology was hard to swallow. It was all credible, which allowed me to invest my interest in Jack and the mystery that he was trying to uncover.
So far this may sound pretty good, but there are a few “buts.”
While Jack and Victoria create an effective dynamic, Morgan Freeman (Olympus Has Fallen, The Dark Knight Rises) is shockingly uninteresting as a Morpheus-like “resistance” leader. He and his right hand man, played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Mama, Headhunters, Game of Thrones), could have been completely eliminated from the plot. Worse yet, both of these actors where given stagnant roles. Their punctuated inclusion in the movie does little more than simply remind us that “yes, they’re in this movie, too.” What a waste of talent…and a shame! The “other woman,” the “woman of his dreams,” serves as little more than a plot device. It’s a good one. But sadly, her inclusion as a character doesn’t really interplay well with Jack’s relationship with Victoria or “the resistance,” which leads to a disastrously anticlimactic ending that mixes The Matrix and Independence Day but packs none of the punch, fun or smiles.
The ending was as lame as when Ryan Reynolds beat the bad guy using the sun in The Green Lantern. However, Tom Cruise and Andrea Riseborough perform fantastically. It’s their relationship and their cold, remote, Brave New World-esque supervisor (Melissa Leo; The Fighter, Conviction) that draw us into this story, the mystery, and the gorgeous medium on which it’s presented.
This film is visually a thing of ecstasy, structurally boring due to gratuitously wasted actors, and tells an interesting original story with entirely unoriginal concepts. Overall, forgiving some major flaws, I enjoyed it. It’s just that, unlike most successful movies, the greatest satisfaction comes from our introduction to the world of Oblivion and Tom Cruise rather than an epic resolution.
http://movietrailerfolder.blogspot.com/2013/02/oblivion-2013-trailer.html
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MFF Summer: The Movies of May
Hello all. Mark here.
Summer is coming and so are a plethora of loud noises, independent gems and a smattering of end of the world films. After some deep thought I compiled a top ten list.
1. Fast & Furious 6
2. Fast & Furious 6
3. Fast & Furious 6
4. Fast & Furious 6
5. Before Midnight
6. Fast & Furious 6
7. The World’s End
8. Fast and Furious 6
9. The Conjuring
10. The Way, Way Back
I highly doubt there will be a better time to be had in the cinemas this summer than when Vin Diesel is warbling something whilst wearing a tank top and driving fast to get out of the way of a tank. Fast and Furious 6 has perfected “smart dumb” and knows exactly what it’s audience wants. The best part about FF6 is that it is coming out in May which is right around the corner.
May is starting summer off in spectacular fashion. It is going to offer us iron men, monologues and a Gatsby who is better than good. May is loaded with sequels such as Before Midnight, Iron Man 3, Star Trek Into Darkness, Hangover 3 and most importantly Fast and Furious 6. We also will be given another wonderful Michael Shannon performance as he ices people in the Iceman. Also, Greta Gerwig continues her indie comeback after with Francis Ha.
Here is the Lineup
May 3
Generation Um (watch trailer here)
I am an unapologetic Keanu Reeves fan. The dude has been in some fantastic films like Speed, Bill and Teds, Matrix, Replacements and POINT BREAK! I don’t know much about this film but you gotta support the Keanu while he shares a hazy world with two rambunctious women.
Random Unnecessary Fact: All three of these actors have battled demonic forces in Silent Hill, Constantine, Devil and The Devil’s Advocate.
Greetings From Tim Buckley (trailer)
The story of Jeff Buckley’s son as he navigates through life and the music world. I can see the problems the kid had because watching this trailer made me want to listen to this song by Jeff.
The Iceman (trailer)
Michael Shannon playing a real life mob contract killer is not a stretch but still cool. This movie is going to hurt and Shannon is quickly becoming my favorite actor. Also, I’m happy to see Chris Evans in a non-Marvel film. The dude was solid in Sunshine and I like that he is taking risks. This film is the early front-runner for “greatest mustachioed cast” of the summer.
Iron Man 3 (trailer)
You know exactly what you will get. Downey Jr. will be Downey Jr., Paltrow will be Paltrow and Shane Black’s script will be zippy and dark. The true wildcards of this film are James Badge Dale (Pacific), Rebecca Hall (The Town) and Guy Pearce (Awesomeness) as added baddies(?) to the Marvel world. I like all three of these actors and am stoked to see how they fit. I’ve stayed away from trailers and I am hoping for a non-phoned in film in with solid characters and story. Director Shane Black revived Jr.s career with Kiss Kiss Bang Bang so I hope he is able to keep the Marvel universe fresh in Phase 2.
Love Is All You Need (Trailer)
Pierce Brosnan is an underrated comedic actor. If you haven’t watched The Matador watch it now. I don’t think he will be killing people and envisioning sharks in swimming pools but he will unleash from rakish charm unto the populace.
May 10
Aftershock (trailer)
Eli Roth continues his low budget bonanza with the story of an earthquake in Chili and the bloody results. I’m predicting decapitations, scantily clad women and buckets of blood.
The Great Gatsby (trailer)
Baz Luhrmann tackles F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic with loud noises, Carey Mulligans “acting” and more loud noises. The book has a subdued feel that mixes melancholy and loss. I’m hoping this film is more Romeo & Juliet and less Australia. I appreciate Baz because he always swings for the fences. However, when you swing big you can miss big and Gatsby is a big gamble. I am stoked that Joel Edgerton (Animal Kingdom, Warrior) is in the film. The dude can act and the world needs to take notice.
Peeples (trailer)
Craig Robinson together with Kerry Washington while David Allen Greir is grumpy. The director wrote the surprise smash Drumline so this film could rise above the Tyler Perry produced stigma and provide us with Meet the Parents esque foibles.
May 17
Frances Ha (Trailer)
Noah Baumbach reunites with Greta Gerwig after Greenberg and together they will make sweet indie magic. Gerwig is a wonderfully odd actress who can pull off intelligent and dumb at the same time (watch Damsels in Distress). She is a unique voice and coupled with Baumbach’s script can work wonders. This film will be funny, uncomfortable, memorable and very New York.
Star Trek Into Darkness (trailer)
There is no point talking Star Trek because the film is so under wraps and secretive the only thing we know is Benedict Cumberbatch is the bad guy with wonderful hair, they aren’t afraid to use Alice Eve for promotional material and Simon Pegg will be cheeky.
May 24
Before Midnight (trailer)
I absolutely love Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. I thought the second film ended perfectly so I was kinda shocked to hear they were headed back to the monologue well. However, I am stoked to spend more time with these people and will cherish every moment with these unsatisfied and well spoken generation Xers.
Fast & Furious 6 (trailer)
Probably the greatest thing ever. Check out my post here and take a look at Paul Walker in deep thought.
The Hangover III (trailer)
Loved the first film. Despised the sequel. I am excited for the giraffe decapitation though. The scene is so over the top it shows the creators were trying to deviate from the tired blacked out shenanigans. I’m hoping this film doesn’t strive for shocks and forget plot like the second film did. Time will tell if the wolfpack can stay gold.
Now You See Me (trailer)
Many cool actors acting cool while Mark Ruffalo hunts them down. The trailer looked fun and I love the cast of Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Melanie Laurent Woody Harrelson and Michael Caine.
The Purge (trailer)
Ethan Hawke and Lena Heady battling masked killers on a day when all crime is legal. This film is like The Strangers meets Panic Room with a bunch of annoying killers playing cat and mouse with yuppie denizens. My biggest problem is believing after Dredd, 300 and Game of Thrones that Lena Heady would be worried about the punk killers.
Shadow Dancer (trailer)
Clive Owen and Andrea Riseborough talk seriously while combating the IRA. Riseborough (Welcome to the Punch, Oblivion) has quickly been making a name for herself and this could be the film where her career takes off. The good news is that the film is sitting at 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Kings of Summer (trailer)
The Kings of Summer looks like a quirky coming of age tale that was a big hit at Sundance. It is nice to see three kids creating, building and getting themselves away from all the technology and milquetoast aspects of teenage life. Hopefully, the quirk translates well to the masses. The critics are loving it (100% RT). Also, it has the greatest Boston Market tie in ever and Nick Offerman (Smashed) is proving to be indie gold.
Enjoy the May offerings! Comment! Viva la Han and Gisele!
Movies, Films & Flix 
