Posts by Jeremy Butler

For a film called Joseph and Mary, the titular characters are little more than a footnote in the overall film in my opinion. Jesus has an even smaller role, which is a notable first for film when it comes to films that reference the character. I give it points for it focusing on less notable people rather than the big three. However, that said, execution of the project was a failure to launch due to predictable storyline and lackluster performances.

The first half of the film is underwhelming, merely the setup for the bigger aspect of the story, which is forgiveness. The film does a good job showing the evils that man is capable of, although a bit more gore would have improved getting that point across; however, I understand that is a family-friendly story and understand the necessity to keep matters PG. That said, the largest theme of the movie is the decision between choosing forgiveness or acting on vengeance. That is the dilemma that Elijah finds himself in. Having that as a theme served as more of a crutch for the film than asset if you ask me, especially given that it is a family-friendly story. I’m sure without much provocation you can figure out how things turned out, and that preconceived knowledge and the fact that matters didn’t deviate in the slightest is what diminishes much of the mystery of setup.

“I’m too young and too pretty to die in the f*&$ing woods.”

Those sound like famous last words if I ever heard them. The Levenger Tapes is without a doubt one of the more intriguing thriller films that I have seen this season, featuring not only a found-footage technique but a subplot involving the authorities investigating a kidnapping case simultaneously. The thing that ties it all the together, the discovered footage, is the only tangible link to solving the other crime.

I laughed more than I expected to. That best summarizes my experience with Casual Encounters, a modern day depiction of what the dating world has essentially become these days. Trust me, I have witnessed it firsthand, and the days of positive connection are nearly gone. Tragic but true; however, there remains hope that people can find true love in some of the most low-tech ways, which is another good addition to the B movie.

Justin is devastated after a humiliating breakup with his longtime girlfriend. Stuck in a dead-end job at a call center, his life has not gone in the direction that he had hoped it would. As he begins to enter a spiral of despair, his buddy Sammy talks him into trying online dating using a dating site called Casual Encounters. Doubtful of the possibility of finding a match, Justin merely goes along until a surprisingly albeit successful night ends in a hookup.

Out of the shadows and into the light. That’s where we find Catherine and Vincent at the beginning of Season 3 of Beauty and the Beast. After successfully bringing down Muirfield, Vincent is no longer relegated to the shadows and can now reenter the world as a free man, allowing Catherine and himself to be together. However, just because he no longer has to hide doesn’t mean that the danger for the lovers is over, as a dangerous new foes resurfaces, hell-bent to keep the two apart. Admittedly, when the series first was announced, I was intrigued and endeavored to get it a change. Not out of nostalgia for the original series for which this based, but for Mrs. Kristin Kreuk. Come now, I couldn’t have been the only one who was drawn to the show because of the woman who put a face to Lana Lang for several years for another (now retired) CW series. Mildly interesting storylines kept me watching the first season; I was a late bloomer for the second season, and now I get to share with you my opinion of the third, and perhaps I’ll take a crack at the upcoming and final season.

At the conclusion of Season 2, Vincent and Catherine have defeated Gabe for the second time (this time for good, hopefully), thus putting an end to the Muirfield experiments. Or so they think, as they come to learn that the world is bigger than they initially thought, being introduced to a pair of Department of Homeland Security agents (Alan Van Sprang and Natasha Henstridge), who task them with helping the DHS hunt and contain individuals who have been subjected to superhuman experiments.

In my experience there are three types of comedians: 1.) Ones that are good at standup but bad at a series 2.) Those that are good in a series but not so great at stand up. 3.) Those who can do both. Want to guess which one Jim Gaffigan is? The standup comedian, known for his clean brand of comedy, gets his own series loosely based on his life. He’s a bit of a slob, he’s occasionally lazy, and he is without a doubt addicted to junk food. Rounding out the season are a group of instantly recognizable stars like Chris Rock, Steve Buscemi, Hannibal Burress, and Macaulay Culkin…or is he Macaulay Culkin? (Inside joke, you’ll get it once you watch).

Gaffigan plays a fictional version of himself, a popular standup comedian living in New York with his wife, Jeannie (Ashley Williams, How I Met Your Mother), and their five — that’s right, five — kids in a two-bedroom apartment. I’ll give you a moment to wrap your head around those cramped quarters of theirs. While balancing his career and parental responsibilities, the family searches for a larger place with the help of Jeannie’s gay best friend/former boyfriend Daniel (Michael Ian Black, Wet Hot American Summer) who is in real estate and hates Jim. Along for the ride is Jim’s immature, opinionated, insensitive best friend and fellow comedian Dave Marks (Adam Goldberg, NYC 22). This season deals with Jim’s perception in public with regards to his religion and his role with his kids, as well as vasectomies, and his obsession with junk food. There is even an It’s a Wonderful Life-themed episode.

What are you willing to do to save the life of someone you love? Would you sail across an ocean? Battle a cyclops or fire-breathing dragon? Or maybe smuggle a substantial amount of drugs across the United States-Mexican border. In Crossing Point, one man is pitted across immeasurable odds to accomplish such a task. Young lovers Michael and Olivia are enjoying a vacation in Baja with close friends. A clear romantic, Michael is ready to leave behind his club days and commit to the love of his life. Their happily ever after is derailed after Olivia is abducted by a drug cartel, and Michael is tasked with smuggling their product across the border into the United States in 12 hours.

With no resources and no assistance, he must figure out how to accomplish this task. Meanwhile, Jesus Valencia, a police detective, is investigating a string of suspicious deaths of visiting foreigners and stumbles upon the operation. In order to complete his task and save his Olivia, Michael must bust the police, coyotes (not the animals), and rival cartels, all while the clock continues to count down.

From the opening credits I knew this was movie intended to be a hard-hitting examination on how drugs could compromise a promising future. In most respects Curveball hits the mark; even the inclusion of the unorthodox methods which the lead character’s mother utilizes in order to help him is a welcome addition. However, there is a disconnect between the film’s introduction and conclusion that does some pretty considerable damage to the story overall.

Nolan is a pitcher with a promising future ahead of him. He and his best friend Sam are closer than brothers. Since childhood, when Sam protected Nolan from a beating from a group of boys, Nolan has felt extreme loyalty to his friend, covering for him anytime he makes a mistake. Sam, unlike Nolan, is a foster child in an at least verbally abusive home. To escape his situation, he turns to drugs and eventually pulls Nolan into that world as well. It starts off recreationally and rapidly becomes all-consuming

In season 1, The Royals showed us that depravity and royalty went hand in hand. This time around, it’s all about anarchy in the monarchy. When we last looked in on the ruling family of Britain, King Simon was assassinated, and within seconds of his death, his opportunistic brother literally pried the royal seal off his fingers. I mean, his body wasn’t even cold yet, and there is Cyrus grave-robbing.  Liam had the opportunity to walk away from the all the pressures of being the heir apparent and be with the girl of his dreams, but chose duty and familial obligations (yeah, because that always ends well). Helena’s reputation was in ruins; however, there was light at the end of the tunnel after a powerful interview. Finally, Eleanor discovered that her older brother, like her father, was assassinated. Needless to say, their entire world turned upside down. I was excited to see what came next.

Season 2 picks up not long after the events of last season. Following the death of King Simon, Cyrus has ascended to the throne, mostly due to his manipulations of having the rightful heirs, Liam and Elizabeth, declared illegitimate. Unlike his brother before him, Cyrus is not fully embraced by the people and finds himself forced to buy their affections. In a move to secure their loyalty, King Cyrus restores the twins’ titles. Unbeknownst to him, the pair intends to use their positions to further their investigation and expose the conspiracy that is responsible for the death of their father as well as their older brother before him. Meanwhile, Queen Helena, reborn from the scandal of her infidelity, sets in motion her own plans to seize the throne right from under her brother-in-law and former partner in crime. Her ambitions are not without obstacles in the form of the prime minister and her mother.