4th Man Out 2016

4th Man Out 2016 Movie Review

4th Man Out (2015) or Fourth Man Out (original title) is a film directed by Andrew Nackman. The four men are blue collar guys who have been friends since high school. They hang out in bars and strip clubs, play poker together, and have girlfriends whom they might just marry some day.

That's all pretty standard, until one of them tells them that he's gay. The other three guys don't know how to act, what to say, and what not to say. That's the premise of the film-- you've known this guy all your life, and suddenly, he's not exactly the same guy you knew. 

Coming out stories are never simple--in real life or in movies. Coming out to your parents is one thing. Coming out to three guys who don't hang out with gays is another matter again.

The film really worked for me, because I thought that the reactions of the three friends were realistic. Sometimes funny, sometimes sad. The three sit around saying, "He's our friend, he's still the same guy. No, he isn't."

There some overwrought moments, and my wife thought that the denouement of one of the sub-plots at the end of the movie was unbelievable. However, we both liked this film, and we think it will appeal to straights as well as to gays.

We saw this film on the large screen at ImageOut, the very successful Rochester LGBTQ Film Festival. It will work very well on the small screen also.

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Misconduct 2016

Misconduct 2016 Movie Review

The genre of the movie is described as a drama/thriller. In fact, the only thrilling thing about it would be having to decide what's more dubious here – the writing or directing. Or what's less interesting about the lead – his face or his acting. The only remotely redeeming quality of this movie in terms of its performances is the participation of those two gentlemen you can see on the poster in the background. They at least somewhat deliver – a minor feat given the material that they're given. So, obviously, the material itself has none. And the only real mystery you may need to unravel is why three men responsible for a handful of mediocre horrors conspired this time to produce a horribly mediocre thriller which literally contains nothing. If you want a comparatively decent drama involving corrupt corporations and providing some social commentary - watch "The Constant Gardener". If you want a stylish "corporate thriller" subterraneanly reflecting upon human nature - watch "Demonlover". This one is hardly any good for anything. However, there is still something really dramatic about it – it's realizing that this kind of stuff is all Hollywood has to offer to the great ones like Pacino today.

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All Roads Lead To Rome 2016

All Roads Lead To Rome 2016 Movie Review

Maggie is an uptight, single mother and college writing teacher from New York City. In an effort to reconnect with her troubled teen daughter Summer, she decides to embark on a journey to a Tuscan village where she frequented in her younger days. Upon arrival, Maggie runs into Luca, a handsome former lover who is still a bachelor and lives with his eighty-year-old mother, Carmen. Summer (missing her "bad boy" boyfriend in NYC) and Carmen (secretly planning a wedding against Luca's wishes to Marcelino, her one true love in Rome) impulsively steal Luca's car and race off to Rome. Maggie and Luca quickly pursue allowing the two mismatched couples to spend some time together and develop a new understanding of each other.

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Regression 2015

Regression 2015 Movie Review

This film is not a conventional 7 - a score I would tend to give to a decent but not outstanding film. Regression was in some ways an 8, or dare I say it 9, but some of its flaws are just too bad g to ignore. 

I will start by talking about its strong points. The story line and script were engaging, unpredictable and fresh. There were enough twists and turns to keep the viewer guessing, and without too much in fact happening, the film is disturbing and uncomfortable to watch. The twists as the film goes on are not outlandish - a careful viewer will be able to pick up on a number of subtle clues. The acting is good and the characters succeed of convincing us of their roles - mostly. 

What then is wrong? First and foremost - whilst the female lead is a good actress, her American accent just isn't convincing enough for us to forget about Hermione. Secondly, whilst I am no expert of the American justice system, some of the practises and actions taken by the police seem questionable and unrealistic. The psychologist is cliché and annoying - going round insulting strangers for having religious beliefs. The ending is an anti climax once the big revelation has occurred, and it seems like the writers tried to re kindle the atmosphere, which doesn't happen. The ending is also a bit hard to square in your mind logically. 

Therefore, whilst this film is a very enjoyable watch, its flaws deprive it of the 8+ score in my eyes.

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Hail, Caesar! 2016

Hail, Caesar! 2016 Movie Review

Tells the comedic tale of Eddie Mannix, a fixer who worked for the Hollywood studios in the 1950s. The story finds him at work when a star mysteriously disappears in the middle of filming. 

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Pride and Prejudice and Zombies 2016

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies 2016 Movie Review

A zombie outbreak has fallen upon the land in this reimagining of Jane Austen’s classic tale of the tangled relationships between lovers from different social classes in 19th century England. Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet (Lily James) is a master of martial arts and weaponry and the handsome Mr. Darcy (Sam Riley) is a fierce zombie killer, yet the epitome of upper class prejudice. As the zombie outbreak intensifies, they must swallow their pride and join forces on the blood-soaked battlefield in order to conquer the undead once and for all. 

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The Choice 2016

The Choice 2016 Movie Review

The Choice tells the story of a long love affair that begins when Travis Parker and Gabby Holland first met as neighbors in a small coastal town and end up pursuing a relationship that neither could have foreseen. It spans a decade and traces the evolution of a love affair that is ultimately tested by life’s most defining events. Sparks’ The Best Of Me and The Longest Ride are currently in production. 

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The Angry Birds Movie 2016

The Angry Birds Movie 2016 Review

The movie takes us to an island populated entirely by happy, flightless birds – or almost entirely. In this paradise, Red (Jason Sudeikis, We're the Millers, Horrible Bosses), a bird with a temper problem, speedy Chuck (Josh Gad in his first animated role since Frozen), and the volatile Bomb (Danny McBride, This is the End, Eastbound and Down) have always been outsiders. But when the island is visited by mysterious green piggies, it’s up to these unlikely outcasts to figure out what the pigs are up to. 

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The 5th Wave 2016

The 5th Wave 2016 Movie Review

In the new film The 5th Wave, four waves of increasingly deadly attacks have left most of Earth decimated. Against a backdrop of fear and distrust, Cassie (Chloë Grace Moretz) is on the run, desperately trying to save her younger brother. As she prepares for the inevitable and lethal 5th wave, Cassie teams up with a young man who may become her final hope – if she can only trust him.

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RISEN 2016

RISEN 2016 Movie Review

Risen is the epic Biblical story of the Resurrection and the weeks that followed, as seen through the eyes of an unbelieving Clavius (Joseph Fiennes), a high-ranking Roman Military Tribune. Clavius and his aide Lucius (Tom Felton) are instructed by Pontius Pilate to ensure Jesus’ radical followers don’t steal his body and claim resurrection. When the body goes missing within days, Clavius sets out on a mission to locate the missing body in order to disprove the rumors of a risen Messiah and prevent an uprising in Jerusalem. 

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Fifty Shades of Black 2016

Fifty Shades of Black 2016 Movie Review

A parody of the popular film/novel 50 Shades of Gray.

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Gods of Egypt 2016

Gods of Egypt 2016 Movie Review

We haven't watch the movie yet, we will update it soon

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Rams 2016

Rams 2016 Movie Review

In a secluded valley in Iceland, Gummi and Kiddi live side by side, tending to their sheep. Their ancestral sheep-stock is considered one of the country’s best and the two brothers are repeatedly awarded for their prized rams who carry an ancient lineage. Although they share the land and a way of life, Gummi and Kiddi have not spoken to each other in four decades. When a lethal disease suddenly infects Kiddi’s sheep, the entire valley comes under threat. The authorities decide to cull all the animals in the area to contain the outbreak. This is a near death sentence for the farmers, whose sheep are their main source of income, and many abandon their land. But Gummi and Kiddi don’t give up so easily – and each brother tries to stave off the disaster in his own fashion: Kiddi by using his rifle and Gummi by using his wits. As the authorities close in, the brothers will need to come together to save the special breed passed down for generations, and themselves, from extinction. 

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Band of Robbers 2016

Band of Robbers 2016 Movie Review

I want to keep this brief because this movie should just be seen and experienced.

The performances are great from the entire cast, especially from co- writer and co-director Adam Nee as Tom Sawyer. The story is original,funny and unexpected while still playing homage to the classic tale in its own way.

The movie is shot beautifully and with style. Using bright colours and interesting props to really hold the tone.

I was lucky enough to catch this at CIFF and I'm excited to get a second viewing whenever it gets distribution. 

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A Perfect Day 2016

A Perfect Day 2015 Movie Review

Greetings again from the darkness. "Somewhere in the Balkans, 1995" is the notice we receive in the opening frame, and the post Kosovo War setting is less about fighting a war and more about finding humanity in the aftermath. Based on the novel by Paula Farias and adapted by Diego Farias and director Fernando Leon de Aranoa, the film follows a group of Aid Across Borders workers as they make their way through the community, attempting to navigate the cultural and political challenges to offering assistance.

The corpse in a drinking water well is the immediate challenge facing the aid workers. Benecio Del Toro (Mambru), Tim Robbins (B), Melanie Thierry (Sophie) and their interpreter Fedja Stukan (Damir) are facing a short deadline in order to save the well from contamination for local villagers. Most of the movie revolves around their quest to find a rope so they can hoist the large corpse from the water. Searching for rope may seem a flimsy story center, but on their journey, we get to know these characters, some of the local cultural differences (in regards to dead bodies), the bureaucratic red tape faced, and the always present danger faced by do-gooders from the outside.

It's understandable that a group in this situation would utilize humor to offset the ugliness, and there is no shortage of one-liners and wise-cracks, especially from B (Robbins). His cowboy approach is in distinct contrast to the veteran Mambru and the idealistic rookie Sophie. Soon enough they are joined by a local youngster named Nikola (Eldar Reisdovic) and an inspector Katya (Olga Kurylenko) sent to determine if the Aid program should continue. Oh yes, Katya and Mumbru are former lovers and it obviously didn't end well.

As they work their way through the ropes challenge and the threat of land mines, we learn through the actions of Mumbru that no matter how much one wants to help, it's only natural (and sometimes painful) to ask yourself if you are truly making a difference, or simply wasting time in a place filled with people who don't seem to care. The specific use of multiple songs is at times distracting, and other times a perfect match (Lou Reed, The Buzzcocks). Del Toro proves yet again that he is a fascinating screen presence, and the message is strong enough to warrant a watch.

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It Takes a Man and a Woman 2013

It Takes a Man and a Woman 2013 Movie Review

I must say, this is a feel good movie! All in all, It Takes A Man and A Woman tackles about the reality of being in a relationship. Betrayal, Patience, Trust and most of all Forgiveness: these are the elements of reality that are discussed in this movie.

It is no doubt that this 3rd installment is a blockbuster hit because the emotions are well expressed! They will make you laugh hard and put you into tears.

I believe that the planned 4th installment will continue its streak as a blockbuster hit for many of the story's and love team's followers are looking forward to their story now as a family!

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