May Movie #4: Fast and the Furious 6

Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Luke Evans, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Jordana Brewster
Run Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Directed By: Justin Lin

This movie picks up just months after the last one left off. The crew is living the life, however they decide to live it, enjoying the millions they each made from the job in Brazil. Hobs (played by Johnson) enlists the help of Dom (played by Diesel) and crew in order to capture criminal mastermind Shaw (played by Evans), who just so happens to also have a pension for fast car heists. The lure? One of the members of Shaw's team is Letty (played by Rodriguez), who is reportedly back from the dead. The reward for Dom and crew? Full pardons (and they get to find out if Letty is actually alive). Plus they get to drive fast cars.

How is it possible that these Fast and the Furious movies just keep getting better and better? Seriously! Okay, so these movies won't win any Academy Awards and they certainly won't save the world but they're such a fun 2 hour diversion. Action. Drama. Humor. Beautiful locations. Beautiful people. I loved pretty much every minute of it.

With that said, you do have to be a mindless, action movie fan to enjoy this movie. You do have to suspend logic for several of the action sequences. People cannot jump from a car that they themselves are driving at 80mph, leap across the highway, and catch (or rather, collide mid-air with) someone who is being jettisoned from a tank going 80mph (can a tank even go that fast?), and land safely without so much as a bruise. I don't care if they landed on top of another car, thus "breaking their fall." And I'm also pretty sure that a car, no matter how strong the cable is, can't keep a C-17 transport aircraft on the ground. I mean, if that aircraft can carry five cars, I'm pretty sure it can laugh off one car attached to it.

Aside from suspending belief, this movie is wonderful because it has heart (and fun action sequences that involve high speeds, people leaping into the air, and cool cars). They poke fun at themselves; they don't take things too seriously. The plot is actually interesting. The acting is fairly decent. The action is absolutely amazing. You feel the intensity of the chase scenes. In short, it's just a good, fun ride.

I'm starting to get a little leery of  movies that shoot action sequences in the dark. It certainly heightens the intensity of the action... because you can't see anything. I'd like to say that the end chase/fight scene is absolutely amazing... but I didn't see that much of it because it was dark.

BTW, I spotted the plot twist minutes into the movie. This is not to say I wasn't shocked (and felt a little betrayed) by the twist when it was revealed. It's a good twist. Makes the fight scene that comes after the twist a little more interesting (good vs. evil).

I cannot stress this enough - stay in your seats after the movie cuts to credits. There's an epilogue. And it's a good one. My jaw dropped. I was not expecting what happens in that final, final scene. I'm so excited for Fast and the Furious 7!

Will this movie change the world? No, but it's not intended to. It's fun. It's fast. It's enjoyable. It has heart. I loved it.

May Movie #3: The Great Gatsby (in 3D)

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Joel Edgerton, Carey Mulligan
Run Time: 2 hours 22 minutes
Directed By: Baz Luhrmann

The Great Gatsby is based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel by the same name. Set in the 20s, this is a tale of life in the fast lane and the destruction that occurs as a result. Sex, alcohol (at the time of Prohibition), and gangsters explode into this fast lane privileged lifestyle.  Fledgling writer Nick Carraway (played by Maguire) moves next door to millionaire Jay Gatsby (played by DiCaprio). He's drawn in by the mystique that surrounds Gatsby and his lifestyle. He finds himself pulled into Gatsby's world because of Nick's cousin Daisy (played by Mulligan), who just happens to live across the lake.

As a teenager, I hated this book. Not because I didn't like the story but because I hated dissecting it. Everything was symbolic. Everything. It was drilled into me. The green light at the end of the dock symbolizes greed and envy in the beginning of the book; the green light at the end of the dock symbolizing a fresh beginning at the end of the book. The optometrist's billboard symbolized the eyes of God, watching down, seeing everything that happens. Cars. Cars symbolize a form of escape.  Every time a character hops into a car, the character is hoping to escape from life. Lavish parties. Gatsby's (and the Buchanans') lavish parties symbolize corruption and the decline of morals.

The previews for this movie drew me in. They were bright, colorful, with a lot of happy people dancing about. The 20s is an era of romance (to probably only those who didn't have to live through it). Speakeasies. Flapper dresses. Jazz music. The Charleston. And don't get me started on the beautiful cars! Of course, it's only romantic if you can afford it. But the previews made it seem like a party and who doesn't want to go to a party? I couldn't wait to see the movie.

And then I saw the movie. I didn't like it as much as I thought I would. It actually quite disappointed me. Sure, it was pretty. But it was flat. I think too much effort went into the visual that the movie makers forgot about what makes a movie - the characters. These are very well known characters. And the actors who played them are excellent actors. And yet... the characters and acting lacked charm. They lacked dimension... which is really odd because it was in 3D. Darn, stupid 3D. Everything has to be in 3D these days. And really, there was no point for Gatsby to be in 3D. It did make the flapper dancer scenes quite fun and brought a certain charm to the cottage but most the time, it was absolutely needless.

But back to the characters. It pains me to say it but Leo was not Gatsby. I love Leo. He's a wonderful actor. But his Gatsby was not charming. Really. Leo was not charming as Gatsby. There was no allure. He lacked the suaveness of Gatsby.  And I didn't feel that underlying, overwhelming sadness to Gatsby. Daisy was not effervescent. She was not captivating. She was not irresistible. She was not infectious. She was sweet but that's all there was to Mulligan's Daisy. Tom Buchanan wasn't a villian. Yes, he did bad things but he didn't ooze that bitter, out-of-control jackass that he should have been.

Interestingly enough, I know there's been a lot of talk about how Jay-Z's music would work in a movie set in the 20s. I gotta say, it worked surprisingly well.

There was something off about the whole movie. It just didn't gel. Visually it was absolutely stunning. Bright, vibrant colors. However, colors don't sell a movie (well, not since they converted from black and white). There were parts that absolutely dragged and there were parts that felt rushed, like I was missing the heart of the moment.

Beautiful houses, vivid colors, good music, glamorous clothes. Those are the highlights of the movie. Flat characters and an awkward pacing make the movie less than enjoyable. See it if you loved the book. Don't see if it you still have 9th grade English class nightmares.

May Movie #2: Iron Man 3 (in 3D)

Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Guy Pearce, Don Cheadle, Rebecca Hall, Ben Kingsley, Jon Favreau
Run Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Directed By: Shane Black

Iron Man 3 begins another Iron Man saga where The Avengers left off. Tony Stark (played by Downey Jr) is battling inner demons over the desire to protect Pepper (played by Paltrow) while also battling a real life demon named the Mandarin (played by Kingsley), who is blowing up parts of the world, including Tony's mansion.

Since I've already invested the time in Iron Man and Iron Man 2 and The Avengers, I sucked it up and saw Iron Man 3. Wasn't looking forward to it. And you know what? I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it. Didn't think I would but I did.

There were a lot of questions and some frustrations with this movie. First and foremost is the frustration that all movies, regardless of need and use, are now in 3D. I saw it in 3D and I certainly didn't need for it to be in 3D. Nothing was enhanced by the 3D, in fact, 3D hindered it. There were several scenes that were smokey or dark that were almost impossible to see the action due to the extra dimension. Nothing came at ya, save some snowflakes and a bit of rubble.

I had so many questions about the over heating bad guys. I'm not sure I understand why some of the inner heat guys even signed up for the program. I get that some were missing limbs and the heat regenerated those limbs but what was in it for the rest? Also not quite certain why the one guy blew up - what was in the case that made him blow up? Why were the AIM people in Tennessee? Was it a coincidence or planned that they were there the same time Tony was?

I wander between liking and being annoyed by Gwyneth Paltrow and her character Pepper. I loved Robert Downey Jr and the charm he gives Tony Stark, even though at times I felt as though he were phoning it in. I absolutely loved the concept of a flawed superhero. True, Tony Stark has always had an ego (which can be a flaw) and is incredibly self-centered and narcissistic, but to add a deeper flaw was riveting.  A superhero with anxiety issues/ mental issues that can cripple his mission. Finally, I loved the little kid and Tony's interaction with him. He was sweet without being syrupy and funny and smart. He had heart.

Good movie. Lot of action. Interesting backstory. I think Tony Stark should build a time machine and go back in time to right all the wrongs he made. I think this is the second time where the villain was someone he had slighted/ shunned/wronged in the past...

May Movie #1: Disconnect

Starring: Jason Bateman, Alexander Skarsgard, Max Thieriot, Hope Davis, Paula Patton
Run Time: Henry Alex Rubin
Directed By: 1 hour 55 minutes

This movie is, essentially, a horror movie. Well, it's not actually a horror movie but its depiction of the dangers of the cyber age is quite frightening. This movie consists of four vignettes with a slight overlap for each. In one, a mourning couple become victims of identity theft. In another, a family gets torn apart when their teenage son becomes a victim of cyber-bullying. In a third, on the other end of the spectrum is the teenage boy inflicting the cyber-bullying. And finally, a journalist seeking her big, breaking story befriends a teenage boy who performs on an adult-only site.

The summary for this movie reads, "A drama centered on a group of people searching for human connections in today's wired world." I don't think that's what this movie is about at all. A high level description is "beware technology." Essentially, what makes your life easier and more enjoyable can also make your life harder and painful.

After the movie, I left the theater with an uneasy feeling. This movie definitely made me think. The cyber bullying doesn't apply to me (neither does the porn ring) but I could see how technology rules my current life as well as how it could be a potential pitfall. I'd like to think I'd never be so stupid as to fall for some of the ploys these people did to become an identity theft victim, but you never know. Criminals are getting more tech savvy as I fall increasingly behind the times.

For me, the movie fell flat for two reasons. One, there is no redemption among any of the characters. No one reaches that "a-ha" moment. No one turns their situation around. The movie leaves off with the characters still battling turmoil. Two, three vignettes somehow intersect, even with the smallest of overlaps. The fourth does not. None of the characters or the storyline has anything to do with any of the other storylines. It just dangled out there, like it was an after thought or tacked on. That bothered me.

This movie is decent. It's well told and well acted. I was disappointed with how each story turned out (or the lack of resolution). It did definitely make me think more about my interactions with the internet and how much technology has consumed my life (and now with apps for cats, my cats' lives!). It's a little boring. It's quiet. It's sad. It's scary. Not one I'd watch again but it was an enjoyable 2 hour diversion.

April Movie #5: Pain and Gain

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, Tony Shaloub
Run Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Directed By: Michael Bay

Based on a true story, three body builders decide to kidnap a wealthy man and torture him in order to get him to sign over all his assets to them.

This is supposed to be a comedy (or at least a dark comedy). I didn't get that from the previews. Not sure I would have gone to see it as a comedy. But fear not. Even while watching it, you won't know it's supposed to be a funny movie. Nothing is funny. I certainly didn't laugh.  Perhaps it's because I read a quote from the guy this happened to (the founder of Schlotsky's Deli, if you remember those) right before I saw this movie. He was upset that they made this into a comedy because these three guys tortured him - and tried to kill him. What he went through wasn't funny. I don't think he had to worry. This movie wasn't funny. I didn't laugh once.

This is a Michael Bay movie, you know, as in the Transformers Michael Bay. As in The Rock Michael Bay. As in Armeggedon Michael Bay. Over the top, action packed, lots of explosions, heavy soundtrack Michael Bay. I think I have to tell you this because if you're looking for a typical Michael Bay movie, this ain't it.

Dwayne Johnson is the best thing about this movie because he seems to be playing a simple, kind guy who was wrestling (ha!) with a lot of inner demons.

This movie is a bit frustrating. Depending on how much truly is reality and not fictionalized, I don't understand how the three body builders/extortionists thought they'd get away with their crimes, particularly after they realized Victor Kerhsaw (played by Shaloub) was still alive. Daniel Lugo (played by Wahlberg) lived in Kershaw's house and ran his business. And only one of the body builders tried to live a relatively low profile. Why they stayed in Florida and lived under the same names is probably their dumbest move (and considering they did a lot of stupid things, that's saying something).

I wasn't impressed with this movie at all. Perhaps a lot of it has to do with how stupid the plot - straight from reality - really was.  It's not a comedy and it's not a typical Michael Bay movie (which, in some arguments isn't a bad thing but it certainly is if that's what you go in expecting).

April Movie #4: Place Beyond the Pines

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Eva Mendes, Bradley Cooper
Run Time: Derek Cianfrance
Directed By: 2 hours 10 minutes

Place Beyond the Pines is about how the choices and actions we make in life affect us for the rest of our life. Luke (played by Gosling) is looking to support his child, to prove to Romina (played by Mendes) that he's a good father and provider. When a bank robbing opportunity falls into his grasp, Luke latches on... and takes one too many jobs. Enter Avery (played by Cooper), a rookie cop who puts a swift end to Luke's bank robbing days. Their lives intersect again when Avery's son AJ becomes friends with Luke's son Jason as teenagers.

This movie seemed to have conflicting messages. Nature vs. nurture. In one scenario, nature ruled. It didn't seem to matter that Jason grew up in a loving home. He was following in his father's footsteps. In the other scenario,  nuture ruled. AJ didn't get the attention and affection he wanted from his father so he was taking a diagonal path from his father's life. And it didn't seem to matter that AJ came from good bloodlines.

One interjection: Can I just say that as soon as Ray Liotta came on screen, I knew what his character would be like? Talk about type casting!

This was a painful movie to watch. I was uncomfortable for most of it. Don't get me wrong - it was good. There was just something about it that didn't sit right with me. It was very well acted. The story was interesting. I kept wondering where it was all going, how it would end. It left me sad.

April Movie #3: Side Effects

Starring: Rooney Mara, Channing Tatum, Jude Law, Catherine Zeta Jones
Run Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
Directed By: Steven Soderburgh

Side Effects is about the awful side effects one drug has on a woman. When the pressure starts to mount on Emily (played by Mara), she crashes her car, ends up in the hospital, and the condition of her release is that she start going to a psychiatrist and start taking drugs to help her with her depression. One night she does a very bad thing, as a result of taking the drug, and winds up in jail. Her defense is the well documented side effects - and previous cases - of the drug.

Wow. Rooney Mara certainly is a chameleon. Much different from her dragon character... And yet not. I'm not normally a Jude Law fan but I actually liked him here. There weren't that many likable characters in this movie so it's doubly amazing that I liked Jude's character and performance. He was in it much more than I expected, particularly from the previews. Channing Tatum is in it far less than I expected (which makes two movies in a row!). Catherine Zeta Jones played a very damaged character, much different from her norm. I think she pulled it off well. In fact, there was great acting all around.

This is quite a smart movie. There are definitely clues you can pick up on. I loved that there was a twist. I should have expected it but I didn't. I'm not sure, despite how evil the catalyst motive was, that I liked the "gotchas" at the end. I also didn't buy the motive. I didn't think she seemed to be that superficial. Interesting how things tied back to something else. Not sure someone pays that much attention to the little things.

All in all, it's a good movie. Not a great movie. Probably not an entirely memorable movie. Well done. Jude Law and Rooney Mara really make this movie.

April Movie #2: G.I. Joe: Retaliation

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Jonathan Pryce, Byung-hun Lee, Channing Tatum, Adrianne Palicki, D.J. Cotrona
Run Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Directed By: Jon M. Chu

GI Joe is based on the action figure about an elite division of skilled warriors. When the bad guys wipe out what they presume is all of the GI Joes, the remaining GI Joes must figure out who tried to kill them and why.

GI Joe certainly mixes things up. For starters - the genre. It's not one single genre. It's a great blend of samurai/comic book/ and action movie. It also plays against the norm. Normally, the ones with the superpowers/abilities are the good guys. In this movie, they weren't superheroes. They were super villains  and regular heroes were battling them.

At first, I didn't like that the genre kept changing. Pick a style and stick with it. But by the time the samurais were rock scaling/propelling, I suddenly got into it.

The previews would have you believe that it's a comedy action flick - or at least a lot of humor involved - but it's not. I didn't laugh. I think they tried to play to Bruce Willis' strengths but then they gave up (or it was a half-hearted attempt).

For the most part, this movie is enjoyable. It's fast paced with a lot of action going on. I had issues with two things: Code names and suspension of belief.  I found the code names for both the heroes and the villains to just be plain stupid. Were they named by 7 year olds? Roadblock? Storm Shadow? Lady Jaye? Do these names stem from the comic book itself? I might cut it a little slack if these names do originate from a comic book. There were also many moments where all semblance of intelligence had to be disbanded. There were too many stretches, too many far fetched concepts (like a transmission only GI Joes could receive?). But I'm willing to forgive some of the unbelievable moments because it was a fun, mindless ride.

I expected there to be two twists, one involving a resurrection that never happened and another to be a family tree connection that never connected.

I didn't see it in 3D. There were only a couple of moments that looked designed to be enhanced by 3D (and possibly the ninja/samurai rock propelling scene).

I had a really hard time following the Snake Eyes/Storm Shadow prison scene. Who was the bad guy again? Who were we expecting to see in prison? These were masked characters, with one masked character pretending to be another masked character. For that matter, there were an awful lot of masked characters. It was hard to keep who was who straight.

Good movie. Very enjoyable. Liked the sweet comradery between Duke (played by Tatum) and Roadblock (played by Johnson). I will be interested in seeing the sequel, should one actually get made.