Ron White: A Little Unprofessional (2012)

Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Tom Forrest
Cast: Ron White, Margo Rey
Time: 79 minutes

 

Live on stage at the Paramount Theatre in Austin, Texas, Ron White looked right at home in his home State, with a mic, a stool, some whiskey and a cigar. He delved into his typical brand of humor, discussing his wife, marriage, fatherhood, Tiger Woods, Dr. Phil, the Special Olympics, homosexuality and so much more. White’s material can be crude, but it is a lot of fun. The stories are interesting, and the punch lines are solid. The big Texan comic has perfected and mastered his style. He does not set out to make you reflect on things, but he makes you laugh about them. Even when he tackles difficult matters, he never comes off as mean-spirited. I enjoyed this show very much.

 Rating: ««««

Nobody (2021)

Genre: Action
Directed by: Ilya Naishuller
Cast: Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, RZA, Christopher Lloyd
Running Time: 92 minutes

 

Hutch Mansell is a retired government assassin who moved on to a regular life with a wife, two kids and a tedious job working for his father-in-law. After his house gets broken into by two armed robbers, putting his family in danger, Hutch reverts to his old ways, setting in motion a series of violent events that will get him in trouble with a crazy drug lord.

I loved this film. The story is a little nuts, and some of the support cast’s work is a little over-the-top, but Bob Odenkirk is so awesome in the lead role, it is amazing. He carries this film. He looks so unmenacing, but he can kick ass and he ends up being believable at it. I love when that can be pulled off on screen. And seeing Christopher Lloyd again was a treat.

Rating: ««««

14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible (2021)

Genre: Documentary
Directed by: Torquil Jones
Cast: Nirmal Purja
Running Time: 101 minutes

 

Nepalese mountaineer Normal Purja undertakes, along with his team, to climb the 14 peaks around the world that are over 8,000 meters within a period of 7 months. The previous record was 7 years.

I watched this with my wife over the weekend, since this is her kind of thing. While this was not my cup of tea, I still found it entertaining, interesting and inspiring. It takes a whole lot of guts (or maybe craziness) to try this kind of challenge.

Rating: ««««

The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)

Genre: Drama
Directed by: Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz
Cast: Shia LeBeouf, Zack Gottsagen, Dakota Johnson
Running Time: 98 minutes

 

Zak, a young adult with Down syndrome, escapes his assisted living facility with the hope of having his idol train him to be a professional wrestler. On the outside, Zak meets Tyler, a rebel fisherman on the run from his enemies. The two men form a bond and start traveling together.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film. The acting was solid, the story was compelling, and the whole thing had me hooked all the way through. It was also a nice treat to see the likes of Mick Foley and Jake Roberts in a movie. Highly recommended for the human aspect of this tale on film.

Rating: «««««

Lonestar: Stevie Ray Vaughan - 1984-1989 (2017)

Genre: Documentary
Directed by: Tom O’Dell
Cast: Thomas Arnold, Timothy Duckworth, Jim Gaines
Running Time: 118 minutes

 

This documentary looks at the life and career of blues guitarist and singer, Stevie Ray Vaughan. I found it very interesting. Through interviews with people who were in Vaughan’s life and others who analyzed his career, we learn so much about this great musician that left us way too soon. I enjoyed it very much. I appreciated also the quantity of archive footage included here.

Rating: «««««

Empire Records (1995)

Genre: Comedy / Drama
Directed by: Allan Moyle
Cast: Anthony LaPaglia, Maxwell Caulfield, Debi Mazar
Running Time: 90 minutes

 A group of record store employees try to prevent the business they work for from being sold to a major chain. In the process, they figure out a whole lot of stuff about themselves and each other.

The strongest part of this movie is undeniably the soundtrack. It is amazing. You can also see the potential in many of the cast members involved, like Renée Zellweger, Liv Tyler and Rory Cochrane. They were all destined for greater and better things. The film itself is predictable and cheesy, but with the soundtrack and the cuteness of Tyler and Zellweger, I give it a passing grade.

Rating: «««

The Family Man (2000)

 Genre: Romantic Comedy / Drama
Directed by: Brett Ratner
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Téa Leoni, Don Cheadle
Running Time: 125 minutes

 

Through a bit of Christmas magic, Jack Campbell, a successful Wall Street executive living a luxurious lifestyle, gets a glimpse of what he missed out on by walking out on his girlfriend Kate 13 years prior to focus on his career.

The “this could have been your life” thing has been overdone in Hollywood. Here, with a compelling rehash and some pretty decent acting, it is entertaining enough, albeit not very fresh.

Rating: «««