Posted in: Disc Reviews by John Delia on July 23rd, 2018
"At the end of the bloody dog wars the vanquished mongrels became powerless house pets: tamed, mastered, scorned. But they survived and multiplied..."
Offbeat, heavy-handed characters, bleak outcast situations, and moody; it’s a marvelous adventure for those who like Wes Anderson movies. This one, however, shows his range with an animated film that’s worthy of most Japanese greats. From the opening drum introduction of Isle of Dogs to the heartfelt finale, Anderson captures a cold, disturbing environment from which his characters can rise up. If you like offbeat stories produced in stop-motion animation in the vein of Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride and Frankenweenie, then this film should not be missed.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by John Delia on July 18th, 2018
by Ian Delia
Another one of Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson’s movies is now raising the bar. This new motion picture is filled with intense action. There isn't only shooting and fighting, but there are also new, but unusual, animals. From smaller, slightly lethal, animals into giants of terror with their mission is to take over the world to please their master. All the power of endless destruction is controlled by Claire Wyden, who is played by Malin Akerman.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by John Delia on June 17th, 2018
Irreverent, totally off-the-wall, and exaggerated are the good things about the dark comedy Death of Stalin. The film goes bonkers on the Russian regime lead by Stalin as they picture the death of their leader in 1953. In actuality when the Soviet leader died rumors were rampant on whether it was ordinary or murder; well, this film isn’t going to answer that question, but it’ll lay to rest the madness of it all. You don’t have to be a historian to enjoy the film, just be able sit back and laugh at what may or may not have taken place.
The head of the Russian USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin has taken ill, and those who are the most important to his reign are buzzing on whether he will live or die. They all have an invested reason why each of them want to see him live or die, but mostly they would rather have the tyrant out of office. Those among them with the most to gain by his death are Georgy Malenkov (Jeffrey Tambor), Nikita Khrushchev (Steve Buscemi), and head of Russia’s secret service Lavrentiy Beria (Simon Russell Beale). Each time Stalin’s health starts to fail him, the three and close relatives gather to check the odds and hover over him like vultures.
Posted in: The Reel World by John Delia on May 14th, 2018
It’s an actioner with good special effects, and the setting for the flick is outstanding, but Breaking In is just another robbery-gone-bad film at the hands of a very upset mother. Much like Kidnap where Halle Berry goes berserk because her son gets taken when her car is stolen, here Gabrielle Union turns into a determined killer mom to get her children free from robbers. Unfortunately there’ve been several movies with a similar plot, but in case you haven’t seen one, this movie should keep you on your toes.
Due to the recent death of her estranged father, Shaun Russell (Gabrielle Union) gathers up her children Jasmine (Ajiona Alexus), a teen, and Glover (Seth Carr), a pre-teen, and heads for his plush estate in the mountains. They are given the task of clearing the estate of any important objects and papers before the real estate company takes over the sale of the property. When they arrive, Shaun finds the sophisticated security system has been tampered with, but since the house is on the market, she passes it off as a real estate thing.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by John Delia on April 26th, 2018
Several movies have been released over the past three decades that defend the press or show the importance of the media to inform the public. This is one of them that for the most part does reveal the inner sanctum of one newspaper as it deals with exposing the government for wrong decisions leading to the death of thousands in the Vietnam War. While the script does reveal the sadness of human life losses that could have been avoided, unfortunately the film uses it to glorify newspapers using old news.
A platoon starts taking heavy fire in a wooded area, and the body bags start to fill at a high rate. It’s the Vietnam War in 1966, and Assistant Secretary of Defense Daniel Ellsberg (Matthew Rhys) has just returned from a bloodbath after an ambush by the Viet Cong. Inserted as a military strategist under the Pentagon’s Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs John McNaughton, he’s observing the war firsthand.
Posted in: The Reel World by John Delia on April 16th, 2018
Captivating, creepy, and chilling, the supernatural thriller Truth or Dare takes you on a never-ending journey of death. Much like other horror films that have perfected the formula for surprise and contagious emotional terror, this film has it all bundled tightly and calculating to transfix the audience into believing. If you saw the films It Follows, The Ring, and the Final Destination series, you’ll relive the sensations those films made way beyond leaving the theater.
California college pals and best friends Olivia (Lucy Hale), Markie (Violett Beane), Lucas (Tyler Posey), Tyson (Nolan Gerard Funk), Penelope (Sophia Ali) and Brad (Hayden Szeto) head for Mexico on spring break. There they party down and are having a good time for two weeks.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by John Delia on April 16th, 2018
Offbeat, heavy-handed characters, bleak outcast situations, and moody, it’s a marvelous adventure for those who like Wes Anderson movies. This one, however, shows his range with an animated film that’s worthy of most Japanese greats. From the opening drum introduction of Isle of Dogs to the heartfelt finale, Anderson captures a cold, disturbing environment from which his characters can rise up. If you like offbeat stories produced in stop-motion animation in the vein of Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride and Frankenweenie, then this film should not be missed.
It’s 20 years in the future, and the Japanese are trying to deal with the overpopulation of dogs. To make matters worse, there’s an outbreak of Dog Flu in the city of Magazaki. Mayor Kobayashi calls for a quarantine and has all dogs sent to Trash Island, a waste dump far from the mainland that serves the big city. There the canines set up residence on what is now called the Isle of Dogs.
Posted in: The Reel World by John Delia on April 13th, 2018
Bold and incredibly compelling, the movie Chappaquiddick is a “tell all” with a lot of authority. Much like last year’s The Post, it tells its story pulling no punches, playing out the characters and holding nothing back. Although I’m familiar with the incident, many of the facts were clouded, squashed, or lost due to current events at the time. If you liked The Post, then here’s a film that will enlighten you and make you cringe. In 1969 about one year after the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy while he was touring for votes to be nominated for President, his brother Ted Kennedy (Jason Clarke) was already thinking about his chance at the highest position in America. On the fateful night of July 18, however, things ran amok, taking him out of any chance for the Presidency.
It was late in the evening on Martha’s Vineyard, Chappaquiddick Island, Massachusetts, and a party was going strong in a cottage following the yearly sailing regatta. At the cottage were Senator Ted Kennedy, attorney Paul Markham (Jim Gaffigan), Ted’s cousin Joe Gargan (Ed Helms), Ray Larosa (Damien Di Paola) and six ladies in their late 20’s who served as the “boiler room” campaigners for Robert F. Kennedy. They included Susan Tannenbaum (Katie Henoch), Esther Newberg, Rosemary Keough (Gillian Mariner Gordon), Mary Jo Kopechne (Kate Mara), sisters Maryellen (Angela Hope Smith) and Nance Lyons (Lexie Roth).
Posted in: Disc Reviews by John Delia on April 11th, 2018
by John Delia, Jr.
"Everyone has an act."
Posted in: The Reel World by John Delia on January 14th, 2018
The year kicks off with its first major action thriller The Commuter, and it’s a barn burner. Total action after an introduction to the plot, the film takes you on the ride of your life with surprises on every turn. If you like gripping films that work on your mind to try and figure out who the perpetrator is and what they want, then this movie should be on the top of your list. And it’s way better than last year’s Murder on the Orient Express. It’s becoming a monotonous routine for Michael MacCauley (Liam Neeson), a former police officer and now a life insurance agent. He gets up early in the morning, spends only minutes with his wife Karen MacCauley (Elizabeth McGovern) and the children. He then boards the commuter train to his work. Every day, same train, same fellow passengers, and knowing he will be home that evening to be with his family, then the next day do it all over again.
But his life is about to become a rip-snorting wild ride, starting with getting fired from his ten year job because of company downsizing. Disappointed and knowing it will be tough telling his family, it’ll be a different kind of return trip home. But little does he know how bad it will be.
