WHITE BOY RICK
It's 1984 the just say no to drugs era but Richard Wershe Jr. AKA WHITE BOY RICK is hoping everyone says yes !!
PRAISE : Really outstanding performances from the entire cast with the standouts being : Matthew McConaughey as Richard Wershe Sr. a buy low sell high gun seller,Bel Powley as his strung out daughter Dawn Wershe and Richie Merritt in hi s first role ever as Richard Wershe Jr.
Director Yann Demange and writers Andy Weiss,Logan Miller and Noah Miller paint a vivid portrait of the era with stylish moments filled with music and a gritty feel.
They also flesh out how life can lead you to take certain steps that paint you into a corner for the rest of your life.The flash and pleasure of fast cash through illegal means and the violence and pain that goes hand in hand with it are prominently displayed in the film..Also the struggle of trying to keep a family together despite impossible odds is shown in several moving scenes.
PROBLEMS: The film meanders a bit,but then quickly jumps around making the film feel a bit disjointed.
There are some parts of the true story that were only slightly touched on in the film,i would have liked to have seen it play out in a greater way.
WHITE BOY RICK is one of those true stories that definitely flew under my radar but im glad i had the pleasure of watching the story on the big screen
Scale of 1-10 an 8
WHERE HANDS TOUCH
A unique film about the Afro-German persecution during WWII,told through the eyes 16-year-old Leyna (Amandla Stenberg) lonely and alienated,she meets and falls for Lutz (George MacKay), the son of an SS officer (Christopher Eccleston)
PRAISE : I saw the trailer for this movie 3 days before i saw it in the theatre and was very interested because i dont think i have ever heard of a film about an African Americans experience in a concentration camp.There have been documentaries about the persecution of non jews in such camps,like PURPLE TRIANGLES:Jehovahs Witnesses, but nothing like this.
I thought the cast did a fine job.SStenberg is a very expressive actress capturing all the lonelines and longing of the character.She and MacKay have great chemistrty together.
Some scenes of brutality and racism definitely struck an emotional chord in me.
PROBLEMS: At times some scenes felt forced.I felt they just didnt ring true and the writers were just pushing for huge emotional moments,with so much melodrama,it took me out of the film.There are other routes they could have taken to have made this more of a solid and satisfying experience.
This is the second film i have watched within a week with a backdrop of the Nazi persecution.Operation Finale is a superior film but Where Hands Touch deserves praise for taking on a not much talked about chapter of the era.
Scale of 1-10 a 7½
A Boy. A Girl. A Dream
Club promoter Cass (Omari Hardwick) meets passer-by Frida aka Free (Meagan Good) sparks fly but is this love a t first sight?
PRAISE :Hardwick and Good have great chemistry.The film is beautifully shot.I thought it was an excellent choice to use 2016 U.S. presidential election as a backdrop to the story of two people who have put their dreams on the back burner but are able to ignite the flames of their creative sides as they share their life stories with each other throughout the night.
PROBLEMS: Far to many ponderous,stiff and drawn out moments,so many i started to check the clock on my cellphone.10 to 15 minutes definitely could have been shaved off
If you like movies like Before Sunrise,Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and Cross My Heart you will definitely enjoy this film
Scale of 1-10 a 7½
PREDATOR
Yay the Predator is back and i couldnt wai....ahh who am i kidding it's time to put this franchise to bed
PRAISE: Some great SFX.Some funny one liners,some good kills,fast paced.The bigger Predator providing some cool body slams.
PROBLEMS:I really couldnt attach myself to any of the characters they were amusing at first but their antics ran out of steam fast.I guess i was supposed to accept the choices they made because i think 4 or 5 of them were mentally unstable or something(????)
Plot holes bigger than the Grand Canyon.I should have known what i was in store for when even the Predator got in on the antics...i mean...WTF?
I like some blended in humor in an action or sci fi flick but everything about this movie was a joke.
By the time the last 20 minutes were playing out i was so bored i was more interested in why a family of 5 kept getting out of their seats and leaving the theatre about 4 times.Maybe something more interesting was going on in the lobby.
One of the silliest sci fi films ever !! Wastes the talents of all involved.The only way i think this can be enjoyed if you go in thinking this is a comedy
SHANE BLACK WHAT HAPPENED????
Scale of 1-10 a 3
