Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by J C on May 28th, 2015
“There are some rough spots in His plan.”
I’m not the only person who’s reflexively rolled his eyes after an athlete or entertainer has thanked God for helping them win the Super Bowl or a Grammy. I personally don’t mean it as blasphemy; I just don’t believe God has a vested interest in the outcome of a football game. Following that logic, it seems silly to think He also roots *against* certain people. And if anybody has a right to feel like God is “against” them, it’s people like the real-life tornado survivors who appear in this admirable documentary, which illustrates how one can rise above anger and staggering loss.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on May 27th, 2015
“Welcome to Cut Bank, MT. coldest spot in the nation.”
When you make a darkly comic crime thriller that centers around a bunch of bumbling schemers and a single, righteous cop — and then you name that movie after a frigid, real-life city in the northern part of the U.S. — the comparisons to Fargo are simply impossible to ignore. Thankfully, Cut Bank is buoyed by its own dry, lively cast of characters who are brought to life by a nimble set of performers.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 27th, 2015
"I have doubts about my sanity, the Kennedy assassination, the moon landing, but this..."
No doubt about it. Major Crimes has managed to do what few shows before it have been able to pull off. Shows have survived the loss of their lead, but the remaining years were usually something lesser than it once was. That's not the case when The Closer lost its lead actress/character. The title was changed, and with just a few cast tweaks the series returned as Major Crimes, and I dare say it’s a much better show than its predecessor.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Jeremy Butler on May 26th, 2015
How do you create world peace? Well, according to Bordering on Bad Behavior, you take representatives from three countries and lock them in a room together for six hours with unlimited booze and marijuana. I recognize half of you who see this as a ridiculous idea; however, I know that there are plenty of you who have likely considered this as an option (maybe not the booze and weed part, but the isolation for sure). Well, if you want to know if the idea has any real traction as an option, this movie is your opportunity to see, because despite being crude and possibly offensive in some areas, it speaks some real truth.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by J C on May 25th, 2015
“You move to Sweden...you have no friends, you don't speak the language, and you don't have a job.”
If you think that potentially disastrous scenario sounds like the set up for a sitcom...you're mostly right. On one hand, that is indeed the exact logline for Welcome to Sweden, a comedy set and produced in the titular country that eventually found its way to NBC. However, the impulsive move to Sweden also happens to be based on the real-life experiences of creator/star Greg Poehler.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Dan Holland on May 22nd, 2015
La cena delle beffe, or The Jester’s Supper (1942), is an Italian period drama that was produced in Cinecittà (Cinema City). Before WWII and its aftermath, Italy’s film industry was more like what you would see in Hollywood during the same time. Spanning from the 1930’s to the early 1940’s, this movement was characterized by light comedies and historical films. The Jester’s Supper is no exception, telling a tale of a love triangle, vengeance, and madness. Directed by Alessandro Blasetti, The Jester’s Supper follows
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on May 21st, 2015
At this point, it’s pretty difficult to find a play by William Shakespeare that hasn’t been produced for the stage or adapted for the screen many times over. So imagine my surprise when I came across Cymbeline, a Shakespearean play I’d never even heard of. (Though maybe that says more about me than it does about the play’s popularity.) Filmmaker Michael Almereyda transplants the action to the present day, but the tablets, cell phones, and other anachronistic touches aren’t enough to inject life into a languid, lurching film that largely squanders a pretty impressive cast.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 19th, 2015
"The thing that haunts me are all the guys that I couldn't save."
I have to admit I was a little skeptical that Clint Eastwood followed up his directing stint on Jersey Boys as quickly as he did to shoot American Sniper. The former was far from one of his better efforts, and he looked increasingly out of his element by the time it was said and done. He jumped into his preparation for American Sniper almost immediately, and the results could have been...underwhelming. Instead Eastwood hit his target with the kind of profound impact I don't think I've seen from him since Unforgiven. Unforgiven won a Best Picture award, and deservedly so. American Sniper was nominated, although Eastwood himself was snubbed in the director category.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Archive Authors on May 19th, 2015
"Meet the Robertson clan. They turned duck calls into a multi-million dollar empire. But running a family business is tough when the family just wants to run wild."
The Robertson family is quickly becoming the most recognizable family on TV, considering they are flooding the stores with their books, DVD’s, and many other products you can find at Wal-Mart. I can’t help but think this is a family that is doing everything right, and good for them for the success they’ve managed. Seeing a positive reality show is refreshing, and the fact that it’s not filled with backstabbing and manipulation just allows it to stand out from everything else.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on May 19th, 2015
If nothing else, The Pyramid has an intriguing premise. A father-daughter archaeologist team discovers an unusual, three-sided pyramid buried 600 feet underground that might even predate the ancient Egyptians. Essentially, this is Ancient Aliens as a found-footage horror film. Yes…unfortunately, I said “found footage,” a cinematic device that now feels even more decrepit than your garden variety mummy. So while the film’s opening act probably got people like this guy extremely excited, the movie falls apart the deeper the characters descend into the titular pyramid.
