Category: 2015

Magic Mike XXL review

Director:
Gregory Jacobs
Cast:
Channing Tatum
Kevin Nash
Joe Manganiello
Matt Bomer
Adam Rodriguez
Rated: R

The first “Magic Mike” released in 2012 was a complete surprise. Instead of simply being a movie focused on the male stripping, Director Steven Soderbergh actually made an interesting character study of what it’s like for a person in that life style who wants to take a different path in the future.

It’s sequel… Not so much. This time around, the male stripper Mike (Tatum) finds out that his friends still in the industry are going on a road trip to a stripping convention and he decides to tag along. The movie follows their trip as they get into various shenanigans.

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Ted 2 review

Director:
Seth MacFarlane
Cast:
Mark Wahlberg
Seth MacFarlane
Amanda Seyfried
Jessica Barth
Rated: R

In the sequel to 2012’s film “Ted,” the titular named bear (MacFarlane) that magically came to life is now (somewhat) happily married and continues spending time with his best friend John (Wahlberg). Problems arise, though, when Ted and his wife try to adopt a child.

Ted soon learns that the government doesn’t recognize the stuffed animal as an actual person and it throws his whole life in jeopardy. In response, Ted and John hire Samantha (Seyfried), a lawyer to fight for the toy’s civil rights.

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Inside Out review

Directors:
Pete Doctor
Ronaldo Del Carmen
Cast:
Amy Poehler
Phyllis Smith
Bill Hader
Lewis Black
Mindy Kaling
Kaitlyn Dias
Rated: PG

After a bit of a bumpy path, Pixar seems to have gotten its grove back. Following the below average “Cars 2” and the disappointing “Brave,” the animation studio has come back with the enjoyable “Monsters University” and this year’s solid picture “Inside Out.”

The latest film from Pixar centers on the emotional figures that exist within every person, Joy (Poehler), Sadness (Smith), Fear (Hader), Anger (Black) and Disgust (Kaling). The movie follows the emotions mainly in the mind of Riley (Dias), a young girl whose family is moving from Minnesota to California.

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Jurassic World review

Director:
Colin Trevorrow
Cast:
Chris Pratt
Bryce Dallas Howard
Vincent D’Onofrio
Ty Simpkins
Nick Robinson
Rated: PG-13

“Jurassic World” takes place 22 years after the disaster at Jurassic Park on the island Isla Nublar. At this point, the company InGen has successfully reintroduced dinosaurs to a controlled environment and the island has become a fully functioning theme park. The only issue for the staff is a dip in the number of visitors.

To bring in new guests and bump sales, an operation is done to create a new dinosaur attraction by combining multiple bits of DNA. The plan backfires, though, and to help get the situation under control, Claire, the parks’ director played by Bryce Dallas Howard, calls in Owen, a former member of the Navy, played by Chris Pratt, who has trained raptors.

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REVIEW: ‘Spy’

Director:
Paul Feig
Cast:
Melissa McCarthy
Jude Law
Rose Byrne
Jason Statham
Rated: R

Melissa McCarthy plays Susan in “Spy,” a CIA mission analyst who has remained at the agency’s headquarters for most of her career. From her desk, Susan monitors other agents, mainly an operative named Bradley (Law) to keep a watch for potential threats.

Susan’s whole world begins to shift, though, when Bradley is killed in the line of duty by an arms dealer named Rayna (Byrne). On top of losing a great agent, the CIA learns that Rayna has uncovered the identities of other operatives. In order to bring her down, Susan steps up to take on a field mission for the first time.

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Insidious 3 review

Director:
Leigh Whannell
Cast:
Dermot Mulroney
Stefanie Scott
Lin Shaye
Leigh Whannell
Angus Sampson
Rated: PG-13

The third installment of the “Insidious” franchise serves as a prequel rather than a sequel in the franchise’s timeline. The film follows a girl named Quinn (Scott) who is being haunted by an evil spirit.

As the haunting gets more severe Quinn and her family seek the help of Elise (Shaye), a spirit and demon expert who may be able to assist. The only problem is Elise is dealing with problems of her own.

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Aloha review

Director:
Cameron Crowe
Cast:
Bradley Cooper
Emma Stone
Rachel McAdams
Bill Murray
Danny McBride
John Krasinski
Alec Baldwin
Rated: PG-13

Bradley Cooper plays Brian in “Aloha,” the latest film from Director Cameron Crowe. Brian is a former member of the United States Air Force, however, at the start of the movie he has moved on to working for a weapons and technology developer played by Bill Murray.

Upon his arrival in Hawaii, where he has to convince the local parties to allow a space launch, Brian meets Air Force officer Allison Ng (Stone), who has been ordered to be his guide. The protagonist also runs into his former girlfriend Tracy (McAdams) on the island and drama ensues.

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San Andreas review

Director:
Brad Peyton
Cast:
Dwayne Johnson
Carla Gugino
Alexandra Daddario
Ioan Gruffudd
Paul Giamatti
Rated: PG-13

Bring your checklist of famous landmarks and be ready to check them off one by one as they get destroyed.

The major California fault-line goes wild in “San Andreas,” a film that centers on the scenario of a huge earthquake hitting the West Coast. Ray, played by Dwayne Johnson, is a fire-rescue first responder who has main duties in helicopter rescues.

In his personal life, Ray is currently trying to deal with the divorce between he and his wife, Emma, played by Carla Gugino, which has put a strain on the relationship with his daughter Blake, portrayed by Alexandra Daddario. The family has to come together, though, once the earthquake hits the metropolitan areas and causes widespread destruction.

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Poltergeist review

Director:
Gil Kenan
Cast:
Sam Rockwell
Rosemarie DeWitt
Kennedi Clements
Kyle Catlett
Jared Harris
Rated: PG-13

The 2015 remake of the 1982 film “Poltergeist,” doesn’t stray too far from its original roots. Like the first film, “Poltergeist” follows a family with a father, Eric (Rockwell), a mother, Amy (DeWitt) and a couple of kids. The family is under a financial strain, however, they do move into a new house hoping that their fortunes will change.

Long story short, they don’t. After getting settled in their new home, the family starts coming across strange occurrences, each growing more frightening than the last. It’s made worse when the parents learn that their house was actually constructed on a burial ground.

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Tomorrowland review

Director:
Brad Bird
Cast:
George Clooney
Britt Robertson
Raffey Cassidy
Hugh Laurie
Rated: PG

Britt Robertson stars as Casey in “Tomorrowland,” the latest live action flick from Disney. Casey is a smart teenager who spends her nights trying to preserve a shuttle launch pad from being demolished. While her actions do eventually get her in trouble with the law, they also catch the attention of someone who invites her to Tomorrowland.

The invitation is given by Athena (Cassidy), an android in the form of a girl who is seeking dreamers to help save the future by way of Tomorrowland, a place full of the best and brightest that mankind has offered. To help get there, the two end up recruiting the help of Frank (Clooney), a former resident of Tomorrowland who was exiled.

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