Pacific Rim (2013)

Genre: Science-fiction
Directed by: Guillermo Del Toro
Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi
Time: 132 minutes

 

In a futuristic version of 2013, giant alien monsters called Kaiju are coming from under the Pacific Ocean to attack coastal cities. A group of humans are banding together to operate massive robots called Jaegers built to fight these evil forces.

Even though science-fiction is usually not my thing, this movie had a plot filled with humanity through all the mumbo-jumbos. The acting was also pretty good. As for the visuals, they were amazing. So, while this is not usually my cup of tea, I was entertained.

Rating: «««

This Must Be the Place (2011)

Genre: Drama
Directed by: Paolo Sorrentino
Cast: Sean Penn, Frances McDormand
Time: 118 minutes

 

Cheyenne is an aging former rockstar who retired in Dublin 20 years before haunted by the death of two teenage fans who committed suicide. Bored with his recluse life, he decides to travel to the United States to track down the former Nazi soldier who tormented his father back in Auschwitz.

The strongest part of this film was Sean Penn’s transformation. I barely recognized him as some sort of goth rockstar who looks a lot like Robert Smith, from The Cure. He showed his great talent making a character believable, from the look to the talk and the walk.

All that being said, Penn’s performance was not enough to make up for a plot that was a convoluted mess of weirdness. By the end, I was just glad it was over.

Rating: ««

The Iron Claw (2023)

Genre: Biographical / Drama
Directed by: Sean Durkin
Cast: Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson
Time: 132 minutes

 

This film offers a dramatized version of the true story of Fritz Von Erich, a wrestler and wrestling promoter in Texas who ran a promotion and raised his sons within the business, and his family. Over the years, the Von Erich family was struck by multiple tragedies.

The main cast did a bang-on job here in the lead roles. Some of the support cast, such as the guy playing Ric Flair, were much weaker, on the other hand. The complete exclusion of one the Von Erich boys (Chris) from the story was a weird choice, but I understand not wanting the film to be too long.

Overall, this is a touching story about hardship and resilience. It may not be the greatest film to see if you are depressed, but the subject matters of wrestling and the Von Erich family were treated with respect. I enjoyed it.

Rating: ««««

The Killer (2023)

 Genre: Action / Thriller
Directed by: David Fincher
Cast: Michael Fassbender, Tilda Swinton, Charles Parnell 

Time: 118 minutes

 

An unnamed professional assassin goes on an international killing spree fueled by vendetta after one of the hits he was hired for goes awry.

While this film in interesting on an artistic level, I found it very dry in the beginning and hard to really get emotionally involved in the character and the plot. Eventually, business picks up a bit. The director and the lead actor both deserve some praise, but some pieces were missing to make this a truly satisfying cinematic puzzle.

Rating: «««

The Santa Clause (1994)

Genre: Christmas / Comedy
Directed by: John Pasquin
Cast: Tim Allen, Judge Reinhold, Wendy Crewson
Time: 97 minutes

 

Scott Calvin is a 37-year-old divorced father working as a marketing director for a toy company. As he spends Christmas Eve at home with his 8-year-old son, he accidently causes Santa to fall from his roof to his death. Calvin is then set on the path to becoming the new Santa Claus.

This is your typical Disney movie with a Christmas twist to it. It is cute, it makes you feel good and it puts you in the holiday spirit. It is fun, light entertainment perfect for this time of year.  

Rating: ««««

Bullet to the Head (2012)

Genre: Action
Directed by: Walter Hill
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Sung Kang, Jason Momoa
Time: 91 minutes

 

A hitman named Jimmy Bobo and a WDCPD detective named Taylor Kwon are forced to work together to counter a common enemy, another New Orleans hitman that has been targeting the both of them.

This is a fun action film with some good action scenes and some snappy dialogue. It does not reinvent the wheel or bring anything fresh to the table, but it entertains you while it lasts.

Rating: «««

Mike Birbiglia: Thank God for Jokes (2017)

Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Seth Barrish and Mike Birbiglia
Cast: Mike Birbiglia
Time: 70 minutes

 

Live on stage, comedian Mike Birbiglia discusses events in his life and his vision of humor. He talks about the importance of jokes in his life. Birbiglia is a great storyteller and he is also pretty solid when it comes to crowd work. A very good show overall. Some weaker moments, but very entertaining.

Rating: ««««