The movie conception of God is usually somewhat unexpected and humorous (George Burns in Oh God! and Morgan Freeman in Evan Almighty). Here is no different with Octavia Spencer as God. Rounding it out nicely are the sides of the Trinity with Avraham Alush as Jesus and Sumire Matsubara as "Sarayu" [Holy Spirit]. We also have Graham Green as the Great Spirit so all bases are covered.
Sam Worthington plays Mack, father of Emily. After a family tragedy, he blames himself and goes into a deep depression. After receiving a mysterious note, he goes into the wood to The Shack, where he spends the weekend with God and wrestles with his demons
Tim McGraw (the Willie Nelson of this generation's country stars turned actor) plays the friend and narrator.
* * * of 5
Alien: Covenant - guest review
by Scott Michaels:
"Alien: Covenant". With all the money they spent on this movie, it's a shame they didn't have any left over to pay a writer to create a coherent script where the "surprise" isn't obvious almost from the beginning. Oh, and the characters were so whiny, I rooted for the Aliens to just put them out of their misery.
I really enjoyed the Alien movies back when Sigourney Weaver was Ripley and ready to take them on...I kept waiting for the current characters to pull out their cell phones and call their moms to complain about the mean old aliens. I think they are just using Ridley Scott's name now. This was not as bad as Prometheus-which was truly horrible- but it's just not good.
"Alien: Covenant". With all the money they spent on this movie, it's a shame they didn't have any left over to pay a writer to create a coherent script where the "surprise" isn't obvious almost from the beginning. Oh, and the characters were so whiny, I rooted for the Aliens to just put them out of their misery.
I really enjoyed the Alien movies back when Sigourney Weaver was Ripley and ready to take them on...I kept waiting for the current characters to pull out their cell phones and call their moms to complain about the mean old aliens. I think they are just using Ridley Scott's name now. This was not as bad as Prometheus-which was truly horrible- but it's just not good.
Snatched
Starring Amy Schumer and a spry 71 year old Goldie Hawn, this is a fun escape story. When Emily (Schumer) gets dumped before a big trip planned, she invites her mother Linda (Hawn) to go a trip to Ecuador. Conveniently located near Colombia, where after Linda is seduced by a good looking stranger, the mother and daughter finds themselves in a jungle prison and must escape. They are aided by a motley crew of Wanda Sykes, Joan Cusack and Ike Barinholtz.
Written by Katie Dippold (The Heat - similar girl buddy movie) and produced by Paul Feig (similar lead female casting as in Ghostbusters and Bridesmaids)
* * * - good summer fun
Written by Katie Dippold (The Heat - similar girl buddy movie) and produced by Paul Feig (similar lead female casting as in Ghostbusters and Bridesmaids)
* * * - good summer fun
Dazed and Confused (1993)
It's the last day of school today and that reminds me of the classic movie Dazed and Confused. Often imitated, never duplicated.
Our plot revolves around the last day of school and high school upperclassmen hunt down the hapless junior high students rising into to high to "initiate them". While mostly remembered today as an early star turn for Matthew McConaghey, the lead was really Wiley Wiggins as Mitch, the 8th grader coming of age, being paddled, cruising with the big kids, drinking, smoking weed. All those good things that an 8th grader might do... in 1976,
Also starred Ben Affleck as the paddling bully O'Bannion.
When I originally saw this movie, it quickly reminded me of my own junior high to high school experience in Austin in 1979. Thankfully I was not hunted down like that, but the threat of the hunter lasted during the summer. Others of my friends did get caught and their heads shaved. Just like in the movie, it was common for older brothers and sisters to set up and tip off the hunters of the availability of prey.
* * * * *
Our plot revolves around the last day of school and high school upperclassmen hunt down the hapless junior high students rising into to high to "initiate them". While mostly remembered today as an early star turn for Matthew McConaghey, the lead was really Wiley Wiggins as Mitch, the 8th grader coming of age, being paddled, cruising with the big kids, drinking, smoking weed. All those good things that an 8th grader might do... in 1976,
Also starred Ben Affleck as the paddling bully O'Bannion.
When I originally saw this movie, it quickly reminded me of my own junior high to high school experience in Austin in 1979. Thankfully I was not hunted down like that, but the threat of the hunter lasted during the summer. Others of my friends did get caught and their heads shaved. Just like in the movie, it was common for older brothers and sisters to set up and tip off the hunters of the availability of prey.
* * * * *
Hull's Drive In
One of my bucket list items done - see a drive-in movie. Even as a youngster in the 70s in Houston, the drive-in movie theater had gone the way of the Dodo bird. Plus my very proper parents would not think of putting into the car to go see a movie.
So when I was at my college reunion in Lexington, VA, I took the opportunity to go. Hull's Drive-In was barely operational in the 1980s and being that I didn't have a car some of those years, the reason for the drive-in. It has reinvigorated itself by becoming a community owned 501 C organization. Each sponsorship keeps it going.
Prices were reasonable of course, $7 for the car. I got there in the middle of the double feature, CHiPs, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. CHiPs was the basic Starsky and Hutch buddy cop silliness and you already have my review of GOTG2.
It was a lovely May Sunday evening for the show. The screen was large and had the captions up. You could hear the sound from all around, so I sat at a picnic table and watched in the nice night. It was like being at a camping trip. In fact I did see some people all stretched out with blankets, sleeping bags and such. I realized that was probably the real reason for going to the drive in. Nice and dark, parked away from others, sleeping bag, and ... [dot dot dot!]
There was a map showing that there are only 7 drive-ins in the entire state of Virginia. And they are in small rural mountain towns, like Lexington. Glad I got to see this endangered species.
So when I was at my college reunion in Lexington, VA, I took the opportunity to go. Hull's Drive-In was barely operational in the 1980s and being that I didn't have a car some of those years, the reason for the drive-in. It has reinvigorated itself by becoming a community owned 501 C organization. Each sponsorship keeps it going.
Prices were reasonable of course, $7 for the car. I got there in the middle of the double feature, CHiPs, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. CHiPs was the basic Starsky and Hutch buddy cop silliness and you already have my review of GOTG2.
It was a lovely May Sunday evening for the show. The screen was large and had the captions up. You could hear the sound from all around, so I sat at a picnic table and watched in the nice night. It was like being at a camping trip. In fact I did see some people all stretched out with blankets, sleeping bags and such. I realized that was probably the real reason for going to the drive in. Nice and dark, parked away from others, sleeping bag, and ... [dot dot dot!]
There was a map showing that there are only 7 drive-ins in the entire state of Virginia. And they are in small rural mountain towns, like Lexington. Glad I got to see this endangered species.
The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Is this the best sequel of all time? I would say Yes, certainly better than the overrated Godfather Part II.
After the Death Star is no more, Luke Skywalker is a bit lost after the death of Obi-Wan Kenobi. He seeks out the new Jedi Master, who is Yoda. Cue the training academy sequence, when he learns the power of the Force. Just in time for a climactic battle with Darth Vader, who reveals the most famous movie line ever: "Luke, I am you father!"
I heard a funny statement on Generation X: "Ultimately everything comes back to Star Wars".
And yes, Star Wars (1977) is the best of the series.
* * * * *
After the Death Star is no more, Luke Skywalker is a bit lost after the death of Obi-Wan Kenobi. He seeks out the new Jedi Master, who is Yoda. Cue the training academy sequence, when he learns the power of the Force. Just in time for a climactic battle with Darth Vader, who reveals the most famous movie line ever: "Luke, I am you father!"
I heard a funny statement on Generation X: "Ultimately everything comes back to Star Wars".
And yes, Star Wars (1977) is the best of the series.
* * * * *
Vertigo (1958)
Does this deserve its American Film Institute Top 10 rating? Another film that might have been slightly ahead of its time. Which is not always a compliment.
James Stewart plays Scottie, a San Francisco detective who is forced into retirement after witnessing an accident that causes fear of open spaces and vertigo. He is hired as a private detective to follow Madeline (Kim Novak) whose husband suspects her of being in danger. Scottie falls for her, but in a complicated plot twist, Madeline may not be who Scottie thinks she is.
A twist on the Hitchcock "Wrong Man" theme - some of the ideas may have been adapted by Christopher Nolan in his time travelling/parallel worlds.
Interesting themes of male domination and female submission. Also classic cinematography with the San Francisco scenery and the quick zoom/camera spin that have become common in the handheld era.
**** of 5
James Stewart plays Scottie, a San Francisco detective who is forced into retirement after witnessing an accident that causes fear of open spaces and vertigo. He is hired as a private detective to follow Madeline (Kim Novak) whose husband suspects her of being in danger. Scottie falls for her, but in a complicated plot twist, Madeline may not be who Scottie thinks she is.
A twist on the Hitchcock "Wrong Man" theme - some of the ideas may have been adapted by Christopher Nolan in his time travelling/parallel worlds.
Interesting themes of male domination and female submission. Also classic cinematography with the San Francisco scenery and the quick zoom/camera spin that have become common in the handheld era.
**** of 5
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Instead of Volume 2, I would have called this "B Side". For those too young to know, a B side is the flip side of a 45 single record. It was a "OK" song, but it was packaged with the better song, because you probably would not buy it otherwise.
I'd also call this a B Movie, with somewhat second rate stories and effects. It certainly hearkens to it 80s vibe, with the soundtrack (Brandy/You're a Fine Girl, ELO, Fleetwood Mac) and the color effects of the universe.
We return with the same cast of Guardians of the Galaxy characters, Peter/Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana) Rocket (Bradley Cooper) , Drax (Dave Bautista) , and now we have Baby Groot (Vin Diesel ?). The perfect baby character. Of course he steals the show. Continuing the story, we have a new type of villain, this time an entire planet (Ego) played in the flesh by Kurt Russell. Mr. B Movie himself. Ego reveals himself to be the father of Peter (sound familiar?) and entices him to join him. Will Peter join the Dark Side?
The most interesting characters (Yondu, Nebula) and the Ravagers (headed by Sly Stallone) are only small parts. Too bad. But they are setting up Vol. 3 which will likely be at least more original than this Empire Strikes Back copy.
Check out Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back for a more interesting take on the Star Wars parody. And it includes Mark Hamill as well.
I'd also call this a B Movie, with somewhat second rate stories and effects. It certainly hearkens to it 80s vibe, with the soundtrack (Brandy/You're a Fine Girl, ELO, Fleetwood Mac) and the color effects of the universe.
We return with the same cast of Guardians of the Galaxy characters, Peter/Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana) Rocket (Bradley Cooper) , Drax (Dave Bautista) , and now we have Baby Groot (Vin Diesel ?). The perfect baby character. Of course he steals the show. Continuing the story, we have a new type of villain, this time an entire planet (Ego) played in the flesh by Kurt Russell. Mr. B Movie himself. Ego reveals himself to be the father of Peter (sound familiar?) and entices him to join him. Will Peter join the Dark Side?
The most interesting characters (Yondu, Nebula) and the Ravagers (headed by Sly Stallone) are only small parts. Too bad. But they are setting up Vol. 3 which will likely be at least more original than this Empire Strikes Back copy.
Check out Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back for a more interesting take on the Star Wars parody. And it includes Mark Hamill as well.
Big Trouble in Little China (1985)
Advertised on Netflix as a Cult Classic, this Kung-Fu/Time Travelling story is just crazy enough to take somewhat seriously.
Starring Kurt Russell, it's biggest strength is its showcasing of martial arts in a somewhat respectful and interesting way. Directed by John Carpenter (Halloween, Escape from New York - B movie director). Also starring Kim Cattrell, before she hit it big with Sex and the City.
Worth a look for free. Otherwise, its a classic.. 80s B movie.
Starring Kurt Russell, it's biggest strength is its showcasing of martial arts in a somewhat respectful and interesting way. Directed by John Carpenter (Halloween, Escape from New York - B movie director). Also starring Kim Cattrell, before she hit it big with Sex and the City.
Worth a look for free. Otherwise, its a classic.. 80s B movie.
The Circle
Emma Watson is Mae, a new (Guppy) employee at the high tech company, The Circle. As an information/surveillance company, the Circle is always watching its Circlers. When Mae gets into a tight spot, the Circle helps her out. As a result, she agrees with Eamon (Tom Hanks), Circle's founder, to be a guinea pig for a new experiment.
While billed as a thriller, with a harbinger of doom from Ty (John Boyega), it falls a bit flat. We know there is something at the center of the Circle, but it's hard to find out. As a result, the drama never quite gets there.
Maybe we'd need to read the book first. But the movie didn't make me want to rush to get it.
Good cinematography with the campus setting of the Circle. Reminded me of Epic. Maybe all that medical info that Epic is gathering will make it the next Circle. It could happen!
* * of 5
While billed as a thriller, with a harbinger of doom from Ty (John Boyega), it falls a bit flat. We know there is something at the center of the Circle, but it's hard to find out. As a result, the drama never quite gets there.
Maybe we'd need to read the book first. But the movie didn't make me want to rush to get it.
Good cinematography with the campus setting of the Circle. Reminded me of Epic. Maybe all that medical info that Epic is gathering will make it the next Circle. It could happen!
* * of 5
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