Driven

Back in the 80s, the actor James Spader was well know for playing sleazy, turncoat actor roles (e.g Sex Lies and Videotape, Pretty in Pink).  The current version of the sleazy white guy is Jason Sudeikis.  Of course he's a favorite of mine.

Jason Sudeikis here plays Jim Alcott, a man living in witness protection.  The FBI just happens to park him across the street from John De Lorean (played by Lee Bass).  They become friends and when Jim sees John's fledgling company needs money for the iconic car, he talks him into a drug deal and then becomes an FBI informant to De Lorean. 

A nice little cat and mouse game of a movie.  The midcentury look of the cinematography and the storyline were the best part, reminding me of one of my favorites, Catch Me If You Can.  Good acting by Judy Greer as Jim's grifter enabling wife and Corey Stoll as the FBI agent.

* * *  of 5

Downton Abbey

Take a Billion Dollar franchise and turn it into a movie.   A classic Hollywood recipe of adding success to success.  Here instead of Aladdin or Luke Skywalker, we have Earl and Lady Grantham, royal residents of Downton Abbey in York, England in the early 20th century.

If you didn't see the 6 seasons of the TV show, the action revolves around the Upstairs /Downstairs worlds of the Wannabe royalty and the large staff of servants (workers in Service as they like to say), the butler, the lady's maid, the footmen, the cooks and so forth.

In the TV show, there was always things going wrong, bad decisions made and worse consequences.  Here in the movie, it's all smiles, golden hour lighting, full moons and an ending short of the castle that would make Walt Disney himself smile.

Great photography and great job getting the entire cast together.  The thin plot involves the King and Queen coming to Downton and the preparations and hilarity involved.    Kind of Brady Bunch-like in some points because the barb of the original show was many years ago.  But like Mike and Carol Brady, this mixed family of Earl and Lady Grantham has a happy ending. 

**** of 5

IT Chapter 2

Like many sequels you can ask yourself "Was this necessary?"  Most of the time, the answer is no.  Here, it's a maybe.

27 years later, the old gang gets back together in Derry, Maine to combat the evil Pennywise who comes around every 20 years or so, like Hailey's Comet.

The plot gets a bit thin as each of the kids gets his turn in the barrel with Pennywise.  Then it all culminates in a Goonies style trip to the subterrean depths below the haunted house.

It's kind of a parody so that helps to not take this horror movie too seriously.

*** of 5

Last Christmas - November 9

Never too early to start thinking about Christmas Music!

Blinded by the Light

Recipe for success:  start with a billion dollars of music rights and build the story around the music and the artist in the most flattering light possible.

As noted the real star here is Bruce Springsteen.  Second billing goes to Viveik Kalrah (as Javed Khan), a high school student growing up in Luton UK in the 80s.  Being of Pakistani descent, he faces his disapproving parents, his search for identity and the skinhead discrimination of the day.  He finds his salvation through two cassettes his friend Ronan gives him, Born in the USA (1984) and the underrated Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978).

Suddenly his life has meaning as he sings and lives "I'm trying to start a fire" and "Mister I ain't a boy, no, I'm a man" and finds his voice through the inspiration of his teacher and his new girlfriend.  Along the way he of course finds his way to Asbury Park, New Jersey.  I'm surprised he didn't get a guitar lesson from the Boss himself along the way.

A fun musical/biopic mashup.

* * *

Brian Banks

#XONR8 is the hashtag for Brian Banks and the California Innocence Project - Exonerate.  Brian Banks is a high school student accused of rape.  He takes a plea based on No Contest but gets sentenced to prison.  After he gets out, he tries to clear his name based on new evidence and his lawyer Justin Brooks of the Innocence Project.

"Based on true events" starring Aldis Hodge, who does a great performance.  It's a nice story with some unexpected actors.  Greg Kinnear as Justin Brooks, Morgan Freeman as God, er, the prison counselor (uncredited) who helps turns Brian around.   And Pete Carroll as himself.  A good hero journey about someone seeking to turn his life around.

Navy Seals (1990)

A handsome, dark haired movie star plays a hotshot Naval officer where he shows off his military prowess, develops a love interest in a beautiful female authority figure, all while hanging with his boys in the off time.  It culminates in an America First military victory.




Sound like Top Gun?  Close, just insert Charlie Sheen into the lead role, change aviation to special operations and you've got Navy Seals.

I heard about this old movie on a podcast where a real SEAL was pointing out all the military inaccuracies.  But upon viewing the movie, you can tell he has watched it many times in a loving manner, like a father talking about his son.  It was ahead of its time, with the battle scenes fighting in the Mideast.  Plus there was a lot of good action with diving, parachuting, gearing up and such.

Surprisingly good * * * *