Thursday Movie Picks: Heist Movies

This week, Wandering Through the shelves asks us to explore heist movies. Since I'm complete Joseph Gordon-Levitt trash, I decided to do a theme withing a theme. All of my picks are JGL films, because while heist movies aren't my favorite, sticking him in one is a sure fire way to make me see it. 

1) The Walk

This is probably one of the most unique heist movies out there because there's no guns and no one dies. That doesn't make it any less thrilling and this is also one of the few 3D films that absolutely needed to be shot that way. 

2) The Lookout

This is a very quiet heist movie. JGL plays a janitor at a bank who suffered from a traumatic brain injury years before. Because of this, he's suckered into a robbery.

3) Inception

Stealing things from dreams. Now this is one hell of a heist movie and is still one of my favorite movies of all time. I love everything about it. I'm still pissed Nolan didn't get a best director nom for this.

DVD Review: Straight Outta Compton

Express yourself.

This biopic of the iconic rap group NWA starts with following the three biggest stars, Eazy-E, (Jason Mitchell) Ice Cube, (O'Shea Jackson Jr.) and Dr. Dre (Corey Hawkins) from the very beginning. E selling dope, Cube writing lyrics on the school bus, and Dre with his DJ gigs. They eventually start to record with two more artists, DJ Yella (Neil Brown. Jr) and MC Ren (Aldis Hodge) and become a sensation on the club scene. This leads to a man named Jerry Heller (Paul Giamatti) coming on as their manager, but specifically closest to E, and the eventual downfall of NWA, and the rise of many other things.

The run time kept putting me off seeing it in theaters. 2 1/2 hours is steep. The movie feels it, but there's so much to cover that it's completely understandable. I really enjoyed Straight Outta Compton. I can't call myself a massive NWA fan. I only knew of their big hits, but I listed to plenty of Dre and Cube afterwards. The nostalgia is strong in this film. Not only from hearing their songs, (which were expertly mixed with the actual tracks, and the actors rapping them) but seeing small cameos from artists like Snoop Dog, Tupac, and things like Ice Cube writing the Friday script. I loved it. 

Acting can be something that is so hit or miss in bio pics, and this film hit it. Jackson is obviously a spitting image of his father and I'm so glad he got to portray him. It's almost jarring to watch mini Cube. Corey Hawkins, who is currently being wasted on The Walking Dead was excellent as Dre. He cuts a very intimidating, yet vulnerable figure at times. The biggest star, however is Jason Mitchell. A lot of this film is seen through Eric's eyes and Mitchell is tasked with a variety of emotions throughout. I read that one of Eric's sons auditioned to play him, and it didn't work out. While that's sad there couldn't be another child of an NWA member playing their dad, I cannot picture anyone else but Mitchell. He nailed it. 

Straight Outta Compton might not be for everyone. I wasn't sure it would be for me, but it was. 

Recommended: Yes

Grade: A-

Memorable Quote: "How do you like your new decor?" - Kim (Alexandra Shipp) 

Rambling TV: Bad showrunning + more

The Walking Dead

Has there ever been an episode of television with such an obvious plot device?Nothing this week felt natural. It was all forced to get our biggest fighters outside of the walls, and to get Carol and Morgan separate from the rest of the group. (Because God forbid Carol be with her family in one of the biggest episodes of the series next week.)

The showrunning in this show is terrible. I don't know why someone doesn't reel him and and tell him "enough with the fake out deaths. Enough with trying to force comic character traits into TV characters. Enough." 

The high lights of this episode? Well, we saw Glenn and Maggie in the shower, Rick and Michonne rolling around in bed, and Rick told Morgan he agrees with Carol on essentially everything, so that was hilarious considering so many within the fandom try to condemn Carol for her actions while excuses characters with penises who do the same things. Everything else was shit.

Better Call Saul

More Breaking Bad nostalgia this week with the twins showing up. Mike's story overshadowed Jimmy's this week, and I was fine with that. Though I felt really bad for Jimmy seeing that his firm changed his commercial to a generic one. 

I was practically screaming at Kim to take that job offer too. She needs to leave, screw Howard and Chuck.

Agents of SHIELD

Another action packed episode showing our agents out in the field. The ending to this one was sad, with Bobbi and Hunter leaving SHIELD. That bar scene was really well done and emotional. Now we know this isn't the last we'll see of them, ABC ordered a pilot called "Marvel's Most Wanted" about them on the run after these events. Truthfully, I doubt I'll watch. I like Bobbi and Hunter, but I don't think I want to see an entire spin off around them. I'd rather ABC just throw all their eggs in Agent Carter's basket because that show is still up in the air on whether or not it will be back. I suppose if Marvels Most Wanted doesn't do well, we'll see Bobbi and Hunter back on AoS, and I'm fine with that. 

Daredevil

I finally got a chance to start this! (and now I won't be able to continue until next week. Boo)

I watched the first two episodes. I'm loving the Punisher so far, Jon Bernthal is perfect for him. That scene in the pawn shop was brilliant. The fight scenes between he and Matt have been really well choreographed too.

I'm not feeling this crush Karen has on Matt. She had it last season but it was a lot more subtle, it's really in your face now. Can we please have Claire back? I know with Elektra coming, that's where Matt's relationship will go, but I still love the one he has with Claire. 

Foggy getting to swing his lawyer dick around is always a plus. 

Vinyl

This episode was really frustrating, especially the end. I hate plot points where characters lose large sums of money, it's just annoying conflict. (Though I admit it's necessary) but finding out that Richie actually gambled this money away instead of it getting stolen like we all thought? Wow. 

Also Ray Romano's bare ass, that was something.

Rambling TV is a weekly series where I ramble semi-coherently about the things I've watched on television. Click those gifs to be redirected to their makers.

DVD Review: Bridge of Spies

Bridge of fucking over Tom Hanks

There's a story Rudolf Abel, (Mark Rylance) a Soviet spy arrested in New York in the height of the cold war tells his lawyer, James Donovan. (Tom Hanks) He tells him about a man he knew as a child that was a friend of his parents. How his father told him to watch him, and he did, and saw the man did only unremarkable thing until one day, he did one thing that wasn't. That's how I felt watching this film. It gets several Oscar nominations, it's like the Academy is telling me to watch it. Yet, it's a completely unremarkable film except for Rylance (the one remarkable thing)

The trailers of this film never excited me, but I wanted to see this before the Oscars aired (I'm sure this won't be published until sometime in March/April, but know I'm writing this review on February 22nd.) I tried to look on the bright side of things, Spielberg doesn't make bad movies, but he does make typical ones, and that's where this falls. Tom Hanks is good, he always is and Donovan is a really likable guy that keeps getting screwed over. You can't help but root for this guy to triumph. I swear every time he took a drink of something I was expecting it to be poisoned. 

But that's just it. It's typical, it's what you would expect, and it never strives to be anything more than passable. Like I said, a bit unremarkable.

Recommended: Sure, if you're a Hanks/Speilberg/Rylance fan.

Grade: C+

Memorable Quote: "Would it help?" - Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance)

Indie Gems: Chi-Raq

No peace, no pussy.

Chi-Raq is a play on Chicago and Iraq. Particularly the South side of Chicago with all its gang violence. The film is a modern retelling of the Greek play Lysistrata, and our Lysistrata (Teyonah Parris) is fed up with her boyfriend, a gangster actually going by the name Chi-Raq. (Nick Cannon) After witnessing a mother (Jennifer Hudson) weeping in the street over her 10 year old daughter being shot, Lysistrata decides to organize all the women together to hold back giving their men any action until the violence stops.

Where did this film come from? I didn't hear about it until a few weeks ago when bloggers began posting glowing reviews. After watching it myself, I'm shocked this film wasn't bigger, it has so much to offer. The film tackles serious social issues with a touch of humor and heart break. They speak as if they're in a play, with frequent rhymes and lengthy dialogue. Plus, how many other films are you going to see counter protests complete with crotch thrusts? None. See this one. It's completely fucking ridiculous at times, but it works. 

Parris is an absolute dream. Every time she wasn't on screen I eagerly waited for her to get back. She's perfect for this role. Hudson, who I'm usually quite critical about was so strong here too. She had to do the bulk of the emotional scenes and she sold it. That couldn't be easy for her, as she's lost family members to gun violence in real life. Nick Cannon is always good for playing a douche, and Wesley Snipes, John Cusak, Angela Basset, Samuel L. Jackson, and Dave Chapelle round out the cast. Isiah Whitlock Jr. even shows up to udder his famous "SHHHIIIEEEEEEEET" line from The Wire. 

If only solving violence was so simple as refusing to put out.

Grade: A

Memorable Quote: "Be a good man." - Irene (Jennifer Hudson)

Thursday Movie Picks: Musical Biopics

This week's theme from Wandering Through the Shelves is musical biopics. I think this genre tends to be more mediocre then amazing. Still, there's some excellent films out there. Here are three of my favorites. 

1) Walk The Line

This is easily my favorite music biopic of all time. It's so wonderfully acted by its leads and you can't go wrong with Johnny Cash's music.

2) Nowhere Boy

This isn't the most factual bio pic of John Lennon, the film takes a lot of creative liberties, but it still works so well. It's a nice little gem. 

3) Love & Mercy

The Beach Boys might not be the flashiest band out there, but I have to mention last year's film staring the wonderful Paul Dano. It does a nice job of showing the "Then and now" aspect of lead singer Brian Wilson. 

Bonus: Sid and Nancy - The reason this is a bonus is because it's been so many years since I've seen it, where as the rest I've seen recently or enough times to make them stick. I enjoyed this film, but it's one I need to revisit. 

DVD Review: American Ultra

What's in this weed?

Mike (Jesse Eisenberg) is a simple stoner who lives in West Virginia. He works at a gas station, he's in love with his girlfriend Phoebe, (Kristen Stewart) but he has extreme panic attacks when he tries to leave town. He's stuck. But Mike isn't really just a stoner, he's actually a secret CIA experiment that when activated by Victoria (Connie Brighton) turns into a one man killing machine when another CIA agent, Yates (Topher Grace) tries to terminate him.

American Ultra is billed as an action comedy. It fails on the comedy part, but it's got the action scenes down very well. It's spectacularly gory and I loved that about it. I only wish the film was a bit more cohesive. It's strange trying to describe it. It's not hard to follow, but it's completely convoluted at the same time. It's like the only think we're really meant to retain in this film is all the kills Eisenberg gets.

Now, I love Eisenberg and Stewart. They have their haters, but I think they're both very talented actors and they have wonderful chemistry together. I could watch these two in movies all day. I'm not sure if another pair of actors could've made this worth watching like the two of them did. 

Recommended: No

Grade: C

Memorable Quote: "Am I the tree?" - Mike (Jesse Eisenberg)