Tag: Drama

Draft Day review

Director:
Ivan Reitman
Cast:
Kevin Costner
Jennifer Garner
Chadwick Boseman
Josh Pence
Denis Leary
Griffin Newman
Rated: PG-13

Why do good concepts in movies always have to be dragged down by useless subplots.

“Draft Day” takes place on the most important time for the National Football League offseason. Players from college are evaluated, ESPN and NFL Network have round the clock coverage of mock drafts and quarterback mechanics are analyzed. The film itself follows Sonny Weaver (Costner), a general manager for the Cleveland Browns, and any football fan knows that’s not the best job to have.

The movie picks up the morning of the first round of the draft with Sonny questioning what he will do. The team needs to be rebuilt but it will take some trading and dealing on Sonny’s part to get it done. On top of that, the main character is also dealing with a turbulent relationship with co-worker Ali (Garner) and is mourning the death of his father who was previously the coach of the Browns.

Continue reading “Draft Day review”

Inside Llewyn Davis review

Director:
Ethan Coen
Joel Coen
Cast:
Oscar Isaac
Carey Mulligan
Justin Timberlake
John Goodman
Rated: R
Trailer

I can’t say that I’m the biggest folk music fan out there, but I wouldn’t mind having the soundtrack to this flick.

“Inside Llewyn Davis” is a film that explores the title character during a week of his life. Davis is a young folk singer living in New York City in the early 1960s and survives by playing at gigs and staying at the homes of his friends. At the same time, he continues to try and get his solo album produced and on shelves to make a living.

Throughout the film, Davis’ life is on full display. On top of his work in the music industry, the movie also examines his relationships, friendships, people he relies on and the overall circular life that he lives.

Continue reading “Inside Llewyn Davis review”

August: Osage County review

Director:
John Wells
Cast:
Meryl Streep
Julia Roberts
Chris Cooper
Ewan McGregor
Juliette Lewis
Julianne Nicholson
Rated: R
Trailer

This movie had more family drama than five Jerry Springer episodes.

“August: Osage County” follows a family living in rural Oklahoma that isn’t on the best terms with each other. After a tragedy occurs, the family gathers at the home of now widow Violet Weston (Streep). Violet’s three daughters, which includes Barbara (Roberts), Ivy (Nicholson) and Karen (Lewis) all arrive bringing their own problems, as do other family members.

Over the next few days that pass by in the film’s runtime, multiple fights and arguments break out and light is shed on various secrets that all of the family members hold. In simple terms, chaos ensues.

Continue reading “August: Osage County review”

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom review

“Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” turns out to be a very long movie as it encompasses a huge portion of the political figure’s life.

The movie begins with Nelson Mandela, played by Idris Elba, as a young attorney and follows his path to becoming an idealist and eventually a revolutionary leader. The movie also chronicles his personal life, including his marriage to Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, who was played by Naomie Harris.

Eventually, the movie also goes into detail about the 27 years Mandela spent in prison which was followed by his election as president of South Africa.

Continue reading “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom review”

The Wolf of Wall Street review

Director:
Martin Scorsese
Cast:
Leonardo DiCaprio
Jonah Hill
Kyle Chandler
Margot Robbie
Rated:
Trailer

Wall Street execs throw crazier parties than the guys from “Old School” and “Animal House” combined according to Scorsese’s latest flick.

“The Wolf of Wall Street” is based on the true story of stockbroker Jordan Belfort (DiCaprio). Belfort, with the assistance of his eventual friend and business partner Donnie (Hill), open a firm called Stratton Oakmont. The firm becomes a billion-dollar company quickly and with that Belfort has easy access to drugs, alcohol and everything in between.

As the movie progresses, Belfort, Donnie and the firm gets richer and richer and the lifestyles become grander and more outrageous. The only problem is that what Belfort is doing at the firm isn’t considered legal and it doesn’t take long for the FBI to start an investigation.

Continue reading “The Wolf of Wall Street review”

American Hustle review

Director:
David O. Russell
Cast:
Christian Bale
Bradley Cooper
Amy Adams
Jeremy Renner
Jennifer Lawrence
Rated: R
Trailer

With this great of a cast, I was hoping for a really great movie. What I got was simply an OK one.

“American Hustle” follows the story of two con artists named Irving (Bale) and Sydney (Adams). The two seem to have a good thing going together as they are making money through their various schemes. This changes, though, when they are found out by FBI Agent Richie (Cooper).

Instead of putting the two behind bars, however, Richie allows them to assist him in a corruption scandal case which involves a mayor (played by Renner), congressmen and the mafia. As the case goes on, more drama is added to the situation when Irving’s wife Rosalyn (Lawrence) comes into the equation and threatens to mess with the whole operation.

Continue reading “American Hustle review”

Lone Survivor review

Director:
Peter Berg
Cast:
Mark Wahlberg
Taylor Kitsch
Ben Foster
Emile Hirsch
Eric Bana
Rated:
Trailer

“Lone Survivor” really puts the phrase “war is hell” in your face.

The film dramatizes the events of a true story, based on the accounts from Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell (played in the film by Wahlberg).

The movie introduces Luttrell and three other Navy SEALs, played by Kitsch, Foster and Hirsch, who go on a mission to possibly take out a Taliban leader in Afghanistan.

During that time, the mission goes wrong as they come across some herders who inform the Taliban of their whereabouts.

Continue reading “Lone Survivor review”

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty review

Director:
Ben Stiller
Cast:
Ben Stiller
Kristen Wiig
Adam Scott
Rated: PG

Ben Stiller takes zoning out to a whole new level in this movie.

Stiller both directs and stars as Walter Mitty in this film. The lead protagonist lives in what he feels is a rather dull life, working a day job where he processes negatives at Life magazine. Mitty also would like to approach a coworker named Cheryl (Wiig), but is to shy to do so.

Because his life is unexciting and he isn’t able to approach Cheryl on his own, he often fall into fantastical daydreams where he can escape the realities of life.

Continue reading “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty review”

Saving Mr. Banks review

Director:
John Lee Hancock
Cast:
Emma Thompson
Tom Hanks
Colin Farrell
Paul Giamatti
Rated: PG-13
Trailer

Walt Disney Pictures gives you a behind-the-scene look at how Walt Disney Pictures acquired and made “Mary Poppins.”

Despite the film taking place at the Disney studio, the focus is completely on the original author of “Mary Poppins,” Pamela P.L. Travers (Thompson). The movie goes into detail about how she traveled to California to meet with Walt Disney (Hanks) himself to work out a deal to let Disney take the rights for a movie adaption of her beloved novel.

Travers, for much of the movie, is absolutely reluctant to have her book be made into a film adaption, however Disney, his film crew, and even flashbacks from the past help her become more comfortable with the idea as the film moves along.

Continue reading “Saving Mr. Banks review”

Philomena review

Director:
Stephen Frears
Cast:
Judi Dench
Steve Coogan
Sophie Kennedy Clark
Rated: PG-13

“Philomena” was inspired by a true story of a woman who went on quite a journey to find her son that she was forced to give up for adoption at a young age. Judi Dench stars as the title character in the film, however, the movie opens with exposition of another character named Martin (Coogan). Martin is a journalist whose main focus is on the world of politics. When he is fired from his position, though, he decides to write a human interest story on Philomena and because of this the two go on a journey to find out what became of her son.

As the story goes along Philomena’s past is brought up of how she was forced to live in a convent after giving up her son for adoption. The film also shows both Martin and Philomena traveling to the United States to discover more about her son.

Continue reading “Philomena review”