Avengers: Endgame (2019)– After the devastating ending of Avengers: Infinity War when Thanos (Josh Broslin) dissolved most of the Avengers and mankind, the universe is in ruins. With the help of remaining allies, theAvengers (Robert Downey Jr.- Ironman, Chris Evans-Captain America, Chris Hemsworth-Thor, Scarlett Johansson-Black Widow, Mark Ruffalo- Hulk, Jeremy Renner- Clint Barton, Don Cheadle- War Machine and Paul Rudd- Ant-Man) assemble once more in order to undo Thanos’ actions and restore order to the universe. This Avengers film will give the audience the ending they were promised . Directors Anthony Russo and brother Joe, did a great job putting together this 3 hour/ 2 minute masterpiece that had a ending fans will enjoy. Must see if you can get a ticket. Broke box office records – No.1 – Made $427M- U.S/ foreign- $1B- (budget-N/A)- classic
The Curse Of La Llorona– A social worker, Anna (Linda Cardellini) and her kids (Roman Christou, Jaynee-Lynne Kinchen) are drawn into a supernatural incident when a troubled mother was hiding her kids from the evil spirit La Llorona( Marisol Ramirez). Ignoring the warnings, Anna must find someone (Rafeal Cruz) to stop LaLorona from taking her kids. Based on a true story, Director Michael Chaves did a great job making this film creepy. Not for kids. Made- $41M- U.S.- foreign- $45M- (budget- $9M)- ****
Shazam! (2019)- A fourteen year old foster teen, Billy Baston (Zachary Levi), is selected by The Wizard ( Djimon Hounsou) to become a superhero by shouting one word SHAZAM. Director David Sandberg did a great job wit this DC action/adventure film. Great storyline. Really enjoyed this film. Dr. Sivana (Mark Strong) made a great villian.. Made- $132M U.S./ foreign- $214M- foreign- (budget- $100M)- ****
Us– Director and screenwriter Jordan Peele (Get Out) puts together another thought provoking horror masterpiece. A family( Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke (both Black Panther), Evan Alex, Shahadi Wright Joseph) goes on a vacation that into turns chaos when a group of doppelgängers(shadow of themselves) begins to terrorize them. You might think this is a regular horror film until the end of the movie that will bring it all together. You will go WTF- Definitely a movie you have to see again. A must see for horror fans. Made $173M-U.S./ foreign- $76M (budget N/A)- Classic
A Madea Family Reunion– A family reunion becomes a hilarious nightmare as Madea (Tyler Perry) and the crew ( Aunt Bam-Cassie Davis, Hattie- Patrice Lovely and Joe, Brian, Heathrow-Tyler Perry) travel to backwoods Georgia, where they find themselves unexpectedly planning a funeral that might unveil scandalous family secrets. This is definitely Tyler Perry’s funniest Madea. Must -see for laughs. Made $73M (budget- N/A)- ****
Captain Marvel– Carol Danvers ( Brie Larson) becomes Captain Marvel when she is caught in a galactic war and the aliens’ blast hits her. She join forces with The Avengers Nick Fury (Samuel Jackson) to stop the aliens from ruling the world. The movie started good, but later fizzled because the villians were average fighters. Made- $415M- U.S./ foreign- $696M- (Budget -N/A)- ***
Greta– A young woman, Frances, (Chloe Grace Moretz) befriends a lonely widow, Greta( Isabelle Huppert) who has a deadly agenda for her. Director Neil Jordan did a great job with turning this thriller into a horror movie. Must-see for horror fans. Made $10M (budget-N/A)- ****
Alita: Battle Angel- A deactivated, female cyborg is put together and goes on a bounty hunter quest to find out who she is. A well-trained Warrior. Director Robert Rodriquez and James Cameron (Avatar) put together a visual masterpiece that everyone should see. Check it out in the IMAX theaters. No. 1 at box office- $84M-U.S./ foreign-$317M- (budget- $170M)- classic
What Men Want– A woman (Taraji P. Henson) is passed over for partner at a sport agency when she accidently falls on her head. She wakes up and later find out she has the ability to hear men thoughts. Produced by St Pete’s Will Packer, this film was funny early on but later dragged on a little too long. Made $54M (budget- $20M)- ***
Miss Bala (2019)- Young American, Gloria(Gina Rodriquez), seeks help from the police when cartel hit men kidnap her friend from a nightclub in Mexico. Gloria finds herself dealing with corrupt cops and the carter leader, Lino (Ismael Cruz Cordova), who has her doing jobs for the them in order to help find her friend. Director Catherine Hardwicke did a great job keeping this film full of action and suspense. One night in a foreign nightclub can turn into a nightmare. Must see for action fans. Made $8M- U.S. (budget $15M)- ****
Glass– Security guard David Dunn( Bruce Willis) uses his supernatural abilities to track psycho Kevin Wendell Crump ( James McAvoy) and evil mastermind Mr. Glass (Samuel Jackson). Director M. Night Shyamalan (Signs) may have made a mistake combining all three characters in this movie. McVoy remarkable acting 7 different personalities can carry a movie by himself. Started out fast and good, but later fizzled with the other cast getting too much film time. 2hrs/ 9mins. Still No.1 at box office- $90M- U.S./ foreign– $111M (budget -$20M)- ***
Dragon Ball Super: Broly– Legendary Goku and Vegeta encounter Broly, a Saiyan warrior with uncontrollable superpowers. Goku and Vegeta must deal with the vicious Freza and figure out how to defeat Broly’s superpowers. Must admit wasn’t a fan from the series until I went to see this film. Big fan NOW! Fight scenes and storyline were amazing. Must see for newcomers and fans. Made $30M-U.S/ foreign- $71M ( budget-$9M)- *****classic
The Upside- Based on a true story, this drama/comedy is about a unemployed man, Dell (Kevin Hart), hired by a a wealth man with quadriplegia, Phillip, (Bryan Cranston-Breaking Bad) and his assistant, Yvonne (Nicole Kidman). Dell must fight through the difficulties of taking care of Phillip. Director Neil Burger did a great job of mixing Hart and Cranston learning to deal with each other faults. Really enjoyed this film. This might be one Hart’s best movies. Must- see for Hart and Cranston fans. Made- $77M U.S./ foreign-$6M (budget-$37M)- ****
Escape Room– Six strangers ( Taylor Russell, Deborah Ann Woll, Jay Ellis, Logan MillerTyler Labine) find themselves, in a $10,000 contest with deadly circumstances beyond theirs control. The strangers must use their wits to survive the escape rooms. Director Adam Robitel did a great job keeping this thriller entertaining. Must see for the non-stop action scenes. Made $52M- U.S./foreign- $44M (budget -$9M)- ****
Aquaman (2018)– Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) must come to grip that he is the heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis. First, he must get through his evil brother King Orm (Patrick Wilson) who thinks he’s responsible for killing their mother (Nicole Kidman) and the revengeful Manta ( Yahya Abdul-Matteen). Definitely surprised this DC film had a great storyline and off the chain action. Must-see for action fans. Made- $324M- U.S./ foreign– $784M (budget-$200M)- *****
Bumblebee (2018)– On the run from Decepticons, the transformer Bumblebee and girl, Charlie(Hailee Steinfeld), join forces to fight a hit quad of deadly Decepticons who wants to destroy Bumblebee. Surprisingly, Director Travis Knight ( Kudo) made this transformer film fun to watch. Made $121M – U.S./ foreign- $321M- (budget-$135M)- ***1/2
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse– Director Bob Persichetti and Peter Ramsey direct a fresh new animation straight out of Brooklyn of Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore) who becomes the Spider Man of his reality and crosses path with other Spider Counterparts to stop evil villains who want to destroy all reality. Must admit this was excellent. The soundtrack was banging and the action was on point. Should win an Oscar for best animation. Won best animation at Golden Globe Awards. Must see for kids and adults. Made- $176M U.S./foreign- $172M- (budget-$90M)–Classic -five stars.
Ralph Breaks The Internet– Six years later with the Box office mega-hit ‘Wreck-It- Ralph, Ralph (voiced by John C. Reilly) and Vanelope (voice by Sarah Silverman) discover a wi-fi router in their arcade, leading them into a new adventure, the Internet. This animation was made for adults. Kids will enjoy, but not understand the sophistication of the Internet. Still worth seeing. A little long, 2hrs/10mins- Made -$197M/ foreign- $289M- (budget- $175M)- ***1/2
Creed II- Under the training of Rocky Balboa ( Sylvester Stallone), light heavyweight contender Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) faces his biggest challenge against Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu), son of Russian Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren). Another Black Director scores a Box Office Hit. Director Steven Caple, Jr. put together a dramatic, action-pack sequel that everyone would enjoy. Screenwriters Ryan Coogler (Black Panther) and Cheo Cooker (Notorious) did a great job bringing out the characters. A must-see for action fans! Made- $114M- U.S./ foreign- $51M (budget- $50M)- ****
Widows– Four Chicago women (Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriquez, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erico) with nothing in common except a debt left behind by their dead husbands (Liam Neeson), take fate into their own hands to save their live from a violent, debt-collecting drug gang (Brian Henry, Daniel Kaluua-Get Out). Director Steve McQueen put together a well-written crime thriller that might be the best this year. A MUST-SEE! Made 42M- U.S./foreign- $32M- (budget-$42M)- classic
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)– A chronicle of the years on how the iconic group Queen rose to fame that led to the legendary appearance at the LIVE AID in 1985. Lead singer Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek) was one of the best singer, songwriter and performer’s of all-time. Director Bryan Singer did a great job keeping the film all about the music. Made $208M- U.S./ $624M- foreign- (budget- $52M)- ****
Hunter Killer– An Untested submarine captain (Gerard Butler) teams with the U.S. Navy Seals to go on a suicide mission to rescue the Russian president and stop a rogue general from starting a World War. Received bad reviews from the critics, but this underwater thriller was action-packed from start to finish. Must see for action fans. Made $15M- U.S./ (budget-N/A)- ***1/2
Halloween (2018)– A revengeful Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) is prepared for a final confrontation with the psycho killer Michael Myers, who has stalked her for four decades. Director David Green did a great job keeping this horror film face-paced and suspenseful. Made- $159M-U.S./ $93M- foreign- (budget- $10M)- ****
Venom(2018)– TV show host Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) acquires the powers of a symbiote (alien parasite) who releases his alter-ego “Venom” to save Brock’s life. Must-see for marvel fans. Enjoyed it! Made- $211M-U.S./ foreign- $611M. (budget-$100M)- ****
Night School– A successful salesman, Teddy Walker( Kevin Hart) and a group of misfits are forced to attend night school with a fiesty teacher (Tiffany Haddish) in hope they’ll pass the GED exam to high school. Produced by St. Pete native Will Packer and directed by Malcolm D. Lee (Girls Trip) takes you on a journey of Teddy reorganizing his life in a hilarious and entertaining way through education. Must see for laughs. Made-$76M-U.S./ foreign- $24M (budget-$37M)- ****
The Predator (2018)– A group of convicted soldiers heading to prison (Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes, Keegan-Michael Key and Thomas Jane) and a disgruntled science teacher (Olivia Munn) tries to prevent a super predator (who is hunting other predators) from trying to end the human race. Director Shane Black kept this storyline simple, fun and brutal. Just what you expect from a Predator movie. Enjoyed it! Made-$51M- U.S./ foreign- $109M- (budget- $88M)- ***1/2
Searching– After his 16 year-old daughter Pamela goes missing, a desperate father, David Kim, breaks into her laptop to look for clues to find her. Director Aneesh Chaganty takes you on a ride on how deep you can go with Google search or the power of the internet. Wow! This thriller didn’t get any fanfare, but it’s definitely a MUST SEE! Made $25M- U.S./ foreign- $39M- (budget-N/A)- Classic
Crazy Rich Asians– Based on a global bestseller, Director Jon M. Chu put together a well-written romantic comedy/drama about a native New Yorker, Rachel Chu(Constance Wu) and her boyfriend Nick Young(Henry Golding) goes to Singapore to meet Nick’s crazy family and mom, Eleanor Young (Michelle Yeoh). Must admit this film was surprisingly very good. Must-see. Enjoyed It! – Made- $173M-U.S/ foreign- $62M- (budget-$30M)- classic
BlacKkKlansman– Director Spike Lee should get an Oscar nomination for this explosive true story film about an Black detective (Denzel’s son- John David Washington) from Colorado, successfully managing to infiltrate the local Ku Klux Klan during the 60s. With the help of white detectives ( Adam Driver, Ken Garito) who eventually becomes head of the local branch, the crew managed to get a meeting with the Grand Wizard David Duke (Topher Grace), Definitely, a must see for everyone to see history. You get to see where President Trump gets his slogan “Make America Great Again.” Made $48M-U.S/ foreign -$35M (budget-$15M)- Classic
The Meg– After escaping an attack from a prehistoric 70 foot shark called ‘The Meg’ several years ago, Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham) and his couterpart (Bingbing Li) must confront his fears to save those trapped in a sunken submarine. Not quite a ‘Jaws” with the sounds, but really enjoyed it. Made – $142M-U.S./ foreign- $383M- (budget-$130M)- ****
The First Purge– Director Gerard McMurray (Burning Sands, co-producer of Fruitvale Station) directs a horror film about being Black In America. America’s third political party, the New Founding Fathers of America, comes to power and conducts an experiment with no laws for 12 hours on Staten Island which is prodominately Black. No one has to stay on the island, but $5,000 is given to anyone who does. When the government sees the Black community refusing to Purge, they send in the militas groups, the KKK, police force and white nationalists disguised as Blacks to enforce the Purge. Once that happens, the community has to rise up to save themselves. McMurray touched on every social issue that’s plaguing America today. Very Violent. Enjoyed it. The First Purge becomes the franchise Best Overseas ($121M Worldwide) Made $67M U.S./ foreign- $64M- (budget-$13M)- ****
Mission Impossible- the Fallout– Director Christopher McQuarrie (MIP- Rogue Nation, Jack Reacher) wasted no time getting the action started. Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and the IMF team ( Benji- Simon Pegg, Luther- Ving Rhames, Lisa- Rebecca Ferguson) join forces with CIA assassin August Walker (Henry Cavill- Man Of Steel)and his boss Erica Sloan (Angela Bassett) to prevent a disaster of epic proportions. Arms dealer John Lark and a group of terrorists known as the Apostles plan to use three plutonium cores for a simultaneous nuclear attack on the Vatican, Jerusalem and Mecca, Saudi Arabia. When the weapons go missing, Ethan and his crew find themselves in a desperate race against time to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. Crusie and his production team might be the best at bringing death defying action to the movie screen. Well-written script and action packed. Can’t get know better than this. Must-see for action fans. Made-$219M U.S./ foreign- $570M – (budget- $178M)- ****
Equalizer 2– Director Antione Fuqua (The Equalizer, Training Day) takes you on another action-packed drama about Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) as a savior for the oppressed. McCall gets really off the chain when he finds out his friend Susan Plummer (Melissa Leo) becomes a target by assassins. This film has a good storyline and fast paced. Must see for Denzel Washington fans. Enjoyed it. four out of four stars. Made -$102M U.S./ foreign- $83M- (budget-$62M)- ****
Ant Man And The Wasp– Ant Man-Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is dealing with the consequences of being under house arrest and a father. Approached by Wasp-Hope Van Dyne(Evangeline Lilly) and Dr. Hank Pym(Michael Douglas), Ant-Man and the Wasp reunite against the Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen). The urgent mission soon leads to secret revelations from the past as the dynamic duo finds itself in an epic battle against the Ghost and other villians. Not as good as the first, but a must see for adults and kids for the action and comedy. Made – $214M U.S./ foreign- $395M- (budget -N/A)- ****
Sicario: Day Of The Soldado– The drug war on the U.S.-Mexico border has escalated when the U.S. government decide to create a war between the two drug cartels. To fight the war , agent Matt Graver (Josh Broslin) reteams with the government assassin Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro). To start this war, the team must kidnap one of the cartels’ daughter Isabel Reyes (Isabel Moner). The mission goes wrong when the cartels retaliate. This film gives you a grim overview of what’s going on in today’s conflict at the U.S./Mexican border. Must-see! Made -$48M-U.S./ foreign -$20M- (budget-$35M)- ****
Uncle Drew– After spending his life savings to enter a team in the Rucker Classic street ball tournament in Harlem, Dax (Lil Rel Howery) is dealt a series of unfortunate setbacks with his crazy girlfriend Jess (Tiffany Haddish) and losing his team to his longtime rival Mookie(Nick Kroll). Desperate to win the tournament and the $100,000 cash prize, Dax stumbles upon the man, the myth, the legend UNCLE DREW (NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving) and convinces him to return to the court one more time. The two men embark on a road trip to round up Drew’s old basketball squad (Shaquille O’Neal, Chris Webber, Reggie Miller, Nate Robinson, and Lisa Leslie) and prove that a group of old men can still win the big one. I must admit this movie was funny. Director Charles Stone III did a great job keeping this film fast paced and hilarious. Kyrie, Shaq, Reggie did a great job but Chris Webber stole the show as Preacher. The church scene was outrageously funny. Must see for adults and kids. This might be the comedy of the year. Great Job fellas!…. Made $41M (budget-N/A)- ****
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom– When the old Jurassic island’s volcano begins to erupt, Owen (Chris Pratt), Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) and her crew (Justice Smith, Daniella Pinola) mount a campaign to rescue the remaining dinosaurs from being destroyed by the volcano. Owen and Clair soon realizes that a billionaire( Rafe Spall) is also trying to capture the dinosaurs to sell for profit. Director J. A. Boyona did a great job with the special effects and keeping this film fast paced with action. Surprisingly, very good and instense. Must-see for Jurassic Park fans.Made – $413M/ foreign- $881M- (budget- $170M)- ****
Incredibles 2– Bob Barr (Mr. Incredible-voiced by Craig Nelson) is left to care for the kids (Violet- voiced by Sarah Vowell, Dash-voiced by Huck Milner, and the super incredible Jack Jack- voiced by Eli Fucile) while his wife Helen (Elastigirl-voiced by Helen Hunter) is out saving the world. Mr. Incredible and his kids will soon recruit Lucius ( Frozone-voiced by Samuel Jackson) to help Elastigirl fight against an evil villian. Director Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Iron Giant) did a great job keeping this animation fast-paced and fun with great action. Must-see for everyone. Made- $592M U.S./ foreign- $545M- (budget-N/A)- ****
Superfly (2018)– A successful low key drug dealer, Youngblood Priest (Trevor Jackson) and his crew (Jason Mitchell-(played Eazy E), Lex Davis, and Andrea Londo) set up one last big drug deal before retiring from the game. Director X takes you on a gangsta ride with this well-written crime thriller. Michael Kenneth William ( Omar, Chalky) plays Priest’s mentor. Really enjoyed it! Must-see for action fans. Made $20M (budget- $16M)- Classic
Ocean’s 8– Just released from prison, Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock) recruits an all-female crew (Cate Blanchette, Rihannna, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina and Anne Hathaway) to attempt an impossible jewel heist at New York City’s Yearly Met Gala. Enjoyed this sophiscated crime caper. Made-$139M-U.S./ foreign- $152M- (budget- $70M)- ***1/2
Hereditary– When the elder mother of the Graham family passes away, her daughter’s family (Toni Collette) begins to unravel terryfying secrets about their ancestry. This film was really disturbing based on how mental illness can have you hallucinating. Made $29M (budget- N/A)- ****
Upgrade– A deadly hijacking leaves Grey Trace (Logan Marshall-Green) paralyzed and his wife in a coma. A billionaire inventor ( Harrison Gilbertson) implant a device called STEM that will almost make Grey superhuman. He later uses his powers to seek revenge. Director Leigh Whannell did a great job keeping this gory, sci-fi thriller moving and fun. Must see for sci-fi fans. Made $11M (budget-N/A)- Classic
Solo: A Star Wars Story– Director Ron Howard (American Made) takes you on an adventure with a younger Hans Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) and his future copilot Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo). The Crew later encounters Lando Calrissan (Donald Glover-Childish Gambino), Oi’ra (Emilia Clarke) and Beckett (Woody Harrelson) on a life or death journey against the underworld. Very good storyline with one small setback of Hans’ face looking the same after all the fight scenes. Still enjoyed it. Made- $212M- U.S./ foreign- $173M- (budget -N/A)- ***
Deadpool 2– Mutant mercenary Deadpool- Wade Wilson( Ryan Reynolds) brings together a team of hand-picked mutant warriors (Zazie Beetz, Brad Pitt, Terry Crews} to protect a young boy of supernatural powers ( Julian Dennison) from the time-traveling killing machine Cable (Josh Brolin). Action-packed, violent, with plenty of quick wit humor. Must- see for action fans. Enjoyed it! Made- $297M-U.S./ Foreign- $395M-(budget-$110M)- ****
Breaking In– A woman (Gabrielle Union Wade) fights to protect kids (Ajiona Alexus, Seth Carr) during a home invasion (Bill Burke). Produced by St. Pete native Will Packer (Think Like A Man, Girls Trip) and directed by James McTeigue, this thriller jumped right into the action. Gabrielle did a great job making this film believable. Must see for action, thriller fans. 1hr./28mins. Made-$45M (budget- $$6M)- ****
Avengers: Infinity War– The Avengers and their allies ( Ironman- Robert Downey, Jr., Thor-Chris Hemsworth, Hulk- Mark Ruffalo, Captain America- Chris Evans, Doctor Strange- Benedict Cumberbatch, Black Widow- Scarlett Johansson, Vision- Paul Bettany, Scarlet Witch-Elizabeth Olsen, Black Panther- Chadwick Boseman, War Machine- Don Cheadle, Star Lord-Chris Pratt, Gamora-Zoe Saldana, Drax- Dave Bautista, Rocket(voice) Bradley Cooper, Groot(voice) Vin Diesel, Spider-Man- Tom Holland, Falcon- Anthony Mackie and Winter Soldier- Sebastian Stan) must come together in order to defeat the most powerful Marvel villian of all, Thanos(Josh Brolin). The brutal Thanos is seeking the infinity stones to destroy all of mankind and the Universe. Directors Anthony and Joe Russo put together the most violent Marvel film of all. Must-see for Marvel fans. Will break all of the box office records. 2hrs/30mins long. Made- $665M-U.S/ $1.3B-foreign-(budgetN/A)- Amazing on how they brought everything together for a Part 2. Classic
Traffik (2018)– A couple (Paula Patton, Omar Epps) and friends (Laz Alonso, Roselyn Sanchez) set out for a romantic weekend in the mountains are accosted by a ruthless biker gang. Alone in the mountains, the couple must do whatever it take to survive the biker gang. Every woman in America needs to see this film. Producer Paula Patton stated she had to bring light to this $160 Billion human/sex trafficking industry. Must-see for women and parents who have daughters. Made $8M (budget-N/A)- ****great job Paula!
Rampage (2018)- When three different animals (gorilla, wolf, alligator) become infected with a dangerous drug, a primatologist (Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson) and a geneticist ( Naomie Harris) team up to stop the vicious animals from destroying Chicago. Surprisingly, very good and action-packed. Might be too violent for little kids. Made- $95M- U.S./ $322M- foreign- (budget- $120M)- ****
A Quiet Place (2018)– A cautious family (Emily Blunt, John Krasinski) is forced to livee in silence while hiding from creatures that kill by sound. Star/ Director John Krasinkski and his real life wife Emily Blunt deliver on this original concept drama/ horror thriller. Must-see for originality and drama. Made-$186M- U.S./ foreign- $139M -(budget- $17M)- ****
Tyler Perry’s Acrimony– A faithful wife (Taraji Henson), tired of standing by her devious/cheating husband (Lyrie Bent), gets busy when she has been betrayed. Director Tyler Perry takes this film to the Fatal Attraction extreme. Made $42M (budget-N/A)- ***1/2
Pacific Rim: Uprising– Jake Pentecost (John Boyega-Star Wars), son of Staker Pentecost, reunites with Nate(Scott Eastwood) and Mako ( Rinko Kikuchi) to lead a new generation of Jaeger Pilots, including a teen hacker Amara(Cailee Spaney), against a new Kaiju threat. Boyega did a good job carrying this action-packed sci-fi film. Surprisingly, really enjoyed it! Made $59M-U.S./ foreign- $229M-(budget- $150M)-****
Tomb Raider (2018)– Lara Croft (Alicia Vikander), the brave independent daughter of a missing adventurer(Dominic West), is pushed painfully beyond her limits when she finds herself on an island with a brutal explorer (Walter Goggins). Surprisingly, very good, non-stop action. Must see for action fans. Made $57M U.S/ foreign- $215M- (budget- $94M)- ****
Black Panther– African-American director Ryan Coogler has made the first Marvel film that should win an Oscar for Best Picture, screen-writers, male actor ( Chadwick Boseman) and supporting actor (Michael B. Jordan). Yeah, I’m the first to say it! Boseman (Black Panther) is T’Challa, the King of Wakanda, must protect his isolated, technologically advanced African nation from villains Erik Killmonger (Jordan), Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis- played Caesar-Ape and Gollum-Lord Of the Rings), Tribe Leader M’Baku (Winston Duke) and W’Kabi (Daniel Kaluuya- Get Out). With the support of his tech wiz little sister Shuri (Letitia Wright), female General Okoye (Danui Gurira), friend Nakia(Lupita Nyong’o), CIA agent Everett Ross (Martin Freeman), Mother (Angela Bassett) and Zuri (Forest Whitaker), T’Challa (Black Panther) will need all the help to stop the villians and fight to the death for his nation. This was a well-written story by director Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole. Black Panther smashed the box office by bringing in $192 million in three days and becoming the fifth biggest opening of all time. All hail the King! 1 Billion Worldwide. Made -$699M- U.S./ foreign- $646M -(budget-$200M)- excellent- ***** classic
Maze Runner: The Death Cure– The leader Thomas and friends ( Dylan O’Brien, Dexter Darden, Thomas Brodie-Sangster) embark on a mission to save their friend (Ki Hong Lee) and find a cure for a deadly disease. Started off slow, but picked up to making this a very good sci-fi thriller. Made- $57M U.S./ foreign- $226M- (budget- $62M)- ****
Den Of Thieves– An elite group of bank robbers called the Outlaws ( Pablo Schreiber, 50 Cent, O’Shea Jackson, Jr, Evan jones) plan an seemingly impossible heist on the Federal Reserve Bank , but are investigated by an elite unit of the LA County Sheriff Dept. (Gerard Butler, Maurice Compte, Mo McRae). This well written, off -the-chain crime saga is well worth seeing for action fans. Check it out in the Dolby theater for the shoot out sounds. Director Christian Gudegast did a great job putting together this suspenseful thriller and the surprising ending. Must -see! Didn’t feel like it was 2hrs/20mins long. Made $44M (budget N/A)- classic
Proud Mary– Mary (Tariji P. Henson) is a trained assassin for an organized crime family in Boston ( Danny Glover, Billy Brown) , when Mary’s life is completely changed when she finds an unconscious boy (Jahi Di Allo Winston) laying unconscious in the street. Mary takes him in and all her problems starts. Director Baba Najafi had a chance to make Henson into an action legend, but falls way short with to much dialogue between Mary and the disrepectful teen. Still the movie was slightly above average with Henson doing her best to save the film. Made $20M (budget- $14M)- **1/2
The Commuter– A former cop/ businessman (Liam Neeson) is caught in a criminal conspiracy during his daily commute home. Neeson has to find and kill the person the mob is looking for. Must admit that Neeson has the right formula for his action films.Really enjoyed this action-packed thriller of who is the person he’s looking for out of a hundred passengers. Must-see! Made $36M/ foreign -$69M – (budget-N/A)- ****
Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle– Four teenagers discover an old video game console(Jumanji) and are literally drawn into the game’s jungle setting, turning into the adult figures ( Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan) they choose to be. Action-packed but the storyline was weak. Hate to say it for a Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart and Jack Black film, wait for it on DVD. -Made $403M U.S./ foreign- $550M (budget-$90M)- **1/2
Star Wars: The Last Jedi– Director Rian Johnson starts the Last Jedi right where it left off with Rey (Daisy Ridley) struggling to get Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) to train her and return back to the Resistance. Meanwhile, The Resistance ( Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, Carrie Fisher) prepares to do battle with Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and the First Order. Definitely a must see for the Star Wars fans. Enjoyed it. 2hrs/32mins long. Made – $620M/ foreign- $711M-(budget-N/A)- ****
Roman J. Israel, Esq– A awkward, underpaid defense attorney (Denzel Washington) is hired by a law firm (Colin Farrell) to do the small cases. Israel finds himself in a bad situation that lead to a serious crisis that could be deadly. I must admit this film wasn’t a typical Denzel Washington’s action film ,but I was amazed on how he memorized a lawyer’s legal language for this film. Will be shocked on how it ends. Enjoyed it for being different. Made $11M (budget- $22M)- ****
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri– A determined mother ( Oscar winning Frances McDormand- Fargo) challenges the local police (Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell) with billboards to solve her daughter’s murder when they fail to catch the culprit. This drama, light comedy was surprisingly good. Made $25M (budget-N/A)- ****
Justice League– With his restored faith in humanity, Batman (Ben Affleck) enlists the help of his newfound ally, Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot, Aquaman( Jason Momoa), Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and The Flash (Ezra Miller) to fight an even greater enemy, Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds) and his demon like creatures. Director Zack Snyder (The Man Of Steel, 300) did a great job keeping this action-packed thriller at a fast pace and the special effects were off the chain. The film features a special surprise that makes it worth going to see. Can’t figure why this film received bad reviews, but it’s a must-see for action fans. Check it out in Dolby or IMAX theaters for the sound. Made– $227M- U.S./ foreign- $427M- (budget- $180M)- **** and then some.
Wonder– Based on the New York Times bestseller, WONDER tells the incredibly inspiring and heartwarming story of a kid, August Pullman (Jacob Tremblay) with facial differences, who enters the fifth grade at a elementary for the first time. His parents ( Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson) help him cope with the harassment of kids in the school. Director Stephen Chbosky directs a sleeper box office hit that inspires and may pull a tear out of you. Definitely, a must see for kids and parents. Made- $132M U.S./ foreign – $164M – *****classic
The Foreigner– A humble businessman (Jackie Chan) seeks justice from the government (Pierce Brosnan) when his daughter is killed in an act of terrorism. One of Chan and Brosnan’s best drama films. Almost missed this film. Enjoyed it! Must-see for mystery, thriller fans. Made $134M-U.S./ foreign- $101M- (budget- $35M)- ****
Thor: Ragnarok– In prison, the Almighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth) finds himself in a deadly contest against his former ally, The Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). Thor must fight for survival and race against time to prevent the all-powerful Hela (Cate Blanchett) from destroying his planet. Director Taika Waititi did a great job making this Thor film fun to watch. Made -$313M-U.S./ foreign- $538M- (budget-$180M)- Must-see for Marvel fans- Classic
Boo 2! A Madea Halloween: Madea (Tyler Perry) , Bam (Cassie Davis) and Hattie ( Patricia Lovely) travel to a haunted campground where the crew have to run for their lives when monsters are unleashed. A typical Tyler Perry film where some of the antics you seen before but still funny. If you like Madea, then this film is for you. Made- $47M (budget-$25M)- ***1/2
Happy Death Day– A college student (Jessica Rothe} must relive the day she gets murder over and over until she figures out her killer identity. Go see this horror film to figure out out the killer. You will be surprised. Made -$55M ( budget- $4.8M)- ****
American Made– Based on a true story, a TWA pilot, Barry Seal ( Tom Cruise) , is hired by the CIA and drug cartel during the 1980s to become one of the biggest money laundering operation in U.S. history. Director Doug Liman ( Bourne Identity, Mr& Mrs. Smith) put together an informational masterpiece about the first pilot , Barry Seal, who was the first to do intel for the CIA in South America and later hired by the Medellin Cartel Drug Lord Pablo Escobar . His operation also became gun runners for the U.S. Government reach led to the Iran-Contra scandal involving the Reagan Administration and General Oliver North. Must-see for all fans. Made $50M- U.S./ foreign- $82M (budget- $50M)- masterpiece
Kingsman: The Golden Circle– A female terrorist (Julianne Moore) who wants to rule the world, blows up the Kingsman’s headquarter. The Kingsman (Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, Mark Strong) must journey to another elite group (Halle Berry, Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges) for help. Action-packed throughout but a little long. 2hrs/21mins. Must-see for action fans. No.1 at box office- $98M- U.S/ foreign-$291M- (budget- $104M)- ****
It (2017)– A group of bullied kids (Jaeden Lieberher, Jeremy Taylor, Sophia Lillis, Chosen Jacobs, Jack Grazer) band together to fight against a demon-like clown named Pennywise ( Bill Skargard). Pennywise comes back every 25 years to terrorize the town by hunting kids and adults. A best-seller by Stephen King, director Andy Muschietti did a great job with this horror film. Definitely, not for kids. Made- $326M-U.S/ foreign- $356M- (budget-$35M)- ****
American Assassin– A action-packed film centered on a counterterrorism agent Mitch Rapp( Dylan O’Brien) being trained by the top special ops agents ( Micheal Keaton, Sanaa Latham) to kill different terrorists around the world. Must-see for action fans. Made $36M (budget-$33M)- ***1/2
Logan Lucky– Two brothers (Channing Tatum, Adam Driver) and a ex-con (Daniel Craig) attempt to pull off a heist during a NASCAR race in North Carolina. Didn’t know NASCAR races generated that kind of money. Director Steven Soderbergh (Ocean 11) put together a very good comedy/ crime drama worth seeing! Made $27M (budget-$29M)- ****
The Hitman’s Bodyguard– The best bodyguard in the world (Ryan Reynolds) gets a new client, a hitman (Samuel Jackson) who must testify at the International Court Of Justice against the government. The two must put their differences aside and work together to make it to the trial on time with contract killers after them. Action-packed and surprisingly very good. Must-see for action fans. Made- $74M (budget-$30M)- ****
Annabelle: Creation– A dollmaker and his wife (Anthony LaPaglia, Miranda Otto) welcome a nun (Stephanie Sigman) and several girls from a orphanage into their home to bring comfort to the family after their daughter tragic death 12-years ago. The group is soon terrorized by the dollmaker’s possessed doll, Annabelle. This horror film does the trick of being creepy and scary. Definitely, not for kids. Made-$101M U.S/ foreign- $195M- (budget- $15M)- ****
The Dark Tower– The last Gunslinger, Roland (Idris Elba) has been in an eternal battle with the Man In Black, Walter (Matthew McConaughey) to keep Walter’s evil forces from destroying the Dark Tower. Roland and a young boy (Tom Taylor) team up to fight against Walter’s evil army. Enjoyed this action-packed fantasy film. Made $47M U.S./ foreign- $50M -(budget- $60M)- ****
Dunkirk– Director Christopher Nolan ( Dark Knight, Inception) directs a World War II film about Allied soldiers (Fionn Whitehead, Damien Bonnard and Tom Hardy-pilot) surrounded on the beaches of Dunkirk by the German Army while they were evacuating. This film was strictly about surviving and being rescued by a group of civilians. Intense action. Must-see for Christopher Nolan fans. Made $186M-U.S./ foreign- $333M- (budget-$100M)- ****
Atomic Blonde– An undercover agent (Charlize Theron/ Mad Max-Fury Road) is sent to Berlin during the Cold War to investigate the murder of a fellow agent and recover a missing list of double agents. This action packed film started confusing but later made sense at the end. Charlize Theron really brought the pain in this spy thriller. Definitely, not for kids. Really enjoyed the action. Made- $51M-U.S./ foreign- $44M- (budget- $30M)- ****
Girls Trip– Director Malcom D. Lee (Empire) and St. Pete native Will Packer (Think Like A Man) put together a hilarious comedy/drama about four lifelong friends (Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith and Tiffany Haddish) travel to New Orleans for the annual Essence Festival. The wild sides of drinking, dancing, brawling, romancing and drama are rediscovered which made this film a must-see for laughs. Made $115M (budget-$19M)- ****
War For The Planet Of The Apes– After the apes suffer unimaginable deaths at the hands of a brutal Colonel (Woody Harrelson), Caesar (Andy Serkis) begins his own quest to kill the Colonel. Director Matt Reeves put together a well-written, action film with Oscar considerations. Made-$142M- U.S./ foreign- $217M- (budget- $150M)- ****
Spiderman: Homecoming– A younger Peter Parker (Tom Holland) with the help of his mentor Ironman- Tony Starks (Robert Downey, Jr.) tries to balance his life as an high school student while fighting crime as Spiderman. Spiderman is determined to impress Tony Starks so he can become a member of the Avengers. Spiderman unexpectingly faces a new threat “The Vulture” who is terrorizing the city of New York. This blockbuster Marvel franchise had a refreshing overhaul with the younger Spiderman and a surprise twist at the end. Must see for Spiderman fans. Made- $319M-U.S./ foreign- $418M- (budget-$175M)- four out of four stars
Baby Driver– A young getaway driver named Baby (Ansel Elgort) finds himself taking part in bank robberies with a crazy, killer crew (Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm, Eliza Gonzalez and Jon Bernthal). Baby tries to figure how he can leave the crew with his girlfriend (Lily James) once he pays his debt to the crime boss (Kevin Spacey) who was the mastermind behind the robberies. Director Edgar Wright gets an A+ for combining a killer soundtrack with the action that made this movie a classic. Definitely, a must-see! Made $103M-U.S/ foreign- $90M- (budget- $34M)- Classic
Despicable Me 3– Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) meets his twin brother Dru (voiced by Steve Carell) who is more successful than he. Dru wants to team up with Gru for one last heist. Adults and kids will enjoy this fast-paced light comedy blockbuster franchise. Enjoyed it. 1hr/30mins long. Made -$252M-U.S. / foreign- $698M- (budget- $80M)- ***1/2
Transformers: The Last Knight– Director Michael Bay needs to make this his last Transformer film. This movie reminded of Nicholas Cage’s “National Treasure”, where Bay spends 2 hours with the humans (Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Hopkins, Laura Haddock) trying to find a key that’s buried in the Earth. Only about 30mins of action featuring Optimus Prime joining the Decepticons to fight against the military. Wait for it on DVD. 2hrs/30mins long. . Made $125M-U.S./ $394M -foreign ( budget- $217M)- **
All Eyez On Me– Director Benny Boom tried to do his best to tell the true and untold story of the greatest rapper Tupac Shakur (Demetrius Shipp, Jr.). With the sudden passing of Shakur’s mom and Tupac himself, Boom didn’t have the luxury of ‘Straight Outta Compton’ with Dr. Dre and Ice Cube being there to get it right. The soundtrack throughout the film was an A+. All and all, it’s a must see for Shakur’s fans. Made $45M (budget- $40M)- ***
The Mummy– An ancient evil princess (Sofia Boutella) who set out for eternal life is awaken from her crypt beneath the desert by an Anthropologist (Annabelle Wallis) and military soldier (Tom Cruise). The princess brings terror to humanity beyond human comprehension. Can’t figure why critics gave Cruise’s movie bad reviews., but I’m here to tell you this film was action-packed and creepy. Definitely, not for kids. Cruise got this right by using an Algerian actress (North Africa) as the Mummy. Must-see and fast paced. Enjoyed it. Made $79M-U.S./ foreign-$317M- (budget-$125M)- ****
Wonder Woman– Diana ( Gal Gadof- Fast And The Furious 6) was the princess of the Amazons and trained warrior. A pilot (Chris Pine) crashes into her world and tells Diana about the German War. Diana leaves her home to stop the war and bring peace to the world. She later discovers her full power and true destiny that transformed her into Wonder Woman. I must admit didn’t expect this movie to be this good. This is a well-written, action-packed superhero movie that featured a woman. Director Patty Jenkins got this film right. Must-see!. 2hrs/27mins long. Made– $404M- U.S. / foreign- $396M- (budget-$149M)- Classic
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales– Two renegades ( Brenton Thwaites, Kaya Scodelario), pirate (Geoffrey Rush) and Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) search for the trident (spear) of Poseidon while being pursued by an undead sea captain (Javier Bardem) and his crew. This should be the last film for this franchise. Maybe if the stars looked like they had bruises on their faces from all the action, it might be believable. Wait for it on DVD. Made- $170M U.S./ foreign- $584M- (budget- $230M)- ***
Alien: Covenant– Director Ridley Scott returns again with this sci-fi franchise about a crew (Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston) on a colony ship traveling to a remote planet to live. The crew discover an uncharted planet and makes a detour to discover the planet looks like Earth. Unfortunately, the planet is infested with Aliens. The film has a nice twist at the end. Must see for Aliens fans. Made- $73M/ foreign-$153M- (budget- $97M)- ****
King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword– After seeing his parents murder when he was a child, Arthur (Charles Hunnam- Sons Of Anarchy) comes up the hard way and is forced to acknowledge his true legacy from the King (Jude Law(. Can’t figure why the critics gave this film bad reviews. Having seeing a bad movie from Director Guy Ritchie ( Sherlock Holmes 1 and 2, Rock N Rolla). Really enjoyed this sci-fi action adventure. Made $38M -U.S/ foreign- $96M-(budget-$175M)- ****
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2.– Director James Gunn (Guardian Galaxy Vol. 1) has done it again with this second Marvel sci-fi action adventure. Mixing soft rock, p-funk music with the special effects make this movie truly amazing. The Guardians team (Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Tampan Dave Bautista, Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper, Baby Groot-voiced by Vin Diesel and Michael Rooker) set out on new adventures to unravel the mystery of Peter Quill’s(Pratt) parents. I must say this film was better than the first. The action, special effects, comedy and drama at the end makes this film worth seeing for 2hrs/ 15mins. Made-$383M U.S./ foreign- $472M (budget- $200M)- five stars (classic)
The Fate Of The Furious– Director F. Gary Gray (Straight Outta Of Compton, Friday) directs this blockbuster franchise about a mysterious woman named Cipher (Charlize Theron) who forces Dom (Vin Diesel) to betray his crew ( Tyrese Gibson, Michelle Rodriquez, Dwayne Johnson, Ludacris, Jason Statham, Natalie Emmanuel and Luke Evans. The crew must decide to bring Dom down before Cipher sets off a nuclear bomb. Director F. Gary Gray blended non-stop action, comedy and a nice twist at the end that makes this film very good. Must see for action fans. Still No. 1 at box office-$224M U.S./ foreign-$1Billion- (budget- $250M)- ****
The Boss Baby– A new baby’s arrival to the family makes a serious impact on 7 year-old Tim (voiced by Miles Bakshi and Tobey Maguire). The suit wearing Boss baby (voiced by Alec Baldwin) grudgingly pairs up with Tim to stop the evil plot of the CEO of Puppy Co. Kids and adults will enjoy this funny animation by Dreamworks. Made -$171M U.S./ foreign- 316M- (budget-$222M)- four out of four stars.
Power Rangers (2017)– A group of high school teenagers ( Dacre Montgomery, Naomi Scott, RJCyler, Ludi Lin, and Becky G. ) discover unique superpower while wondering in the mountain. They soon harness their abilities in order to save the world from an evil witch (former Ranger) named Rita (Elizabeth Banks). Must admit didn’t expect this film to be good. Director Dean Israelite made this action film a sure hit. Enjoyed it ! Must-see for kids and adults. Made $83M U.S./ foreign- $49M- (budget -$100M)-***
Life- A team of scientists (Jake Gyllenhaall, Rebecca Ferguson, Ryan Reynolds, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Aryon Bakare) are stationed on a Space Station discover a small flower life form from Mars that turns into a super intelligent flesh eating creature. If you like the Alien style films, then this sci-fi thriller will have you jumping. Definitely, not for kids. Made$29M (budget- $58M)- four out of four stars.
Beauty And The Beast (2017)– Disney and director Bill Condon revisit the Disney animated classic about a monstrous-looking prince (Dan Stevens) and a young woman (Emma Watson) who fall in love. Kids and adults will enjoy this film. Still No. 1 at box office -$503M -U.S./ $755M- foreign-(budget- $160M)- ****
Kong-Skull Island– A team of scientists (John Goodman, Corey Hawkins-played Dr.Dre/ 24 Legacy) and a military team ( Samuel Jackson, Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, Jason Mitchell-played Eazy E) explore an uncharted island where King Kong lives. The team must soon fight Kong and other creatures to get off the island. Enjoyed this outrageous Kong story which featured a good number of Black actors. How many will get off the island? Made-$167M U.S./ foreign- $398M (budget $185M )- ****
Logan (2017)– A weary Wolverine-Logan (Hugh Jackman) cares for an ailing Professor X (Patrick Stewart) and Caliban in a hideaway building on the Mexican Border. Logan’s peaceful world comes to an end when a young mutant-Laura (Dafne Keen) shows up while she is being pursed by a deadly corporation with killer assassins. This has to be the most violent Marvel film ever (R). The young mutant-Laura is off-the chain dangerous. Cyborg Donald Pierce (Boyd Holbrook) plays a very good villian. Made- $223M-U.S./ foreign- $382M- (budget- $97M)- ****
Get Out– Jordan Peele’s horror/thriller is about a Black man -Chris) (Daniel Kaluuya) visiting his white girlfriend’s- Rose (Allison Williams) family mysterious estate in upstate New York. Once arriving to the estate, Chris has to deal with the racial questions from Rose’s family and friends. He is deeply disturbed by the Black servants on the estate as he soon realizes the family has a sinister secret that turns this film into a horror flick. Director Peele’s of the comedy team of Key and Peele screenplay is twilight zone flawless as he received 100% from the movie critics. Must-see for horror fans. Made- $170M (budget- $4M)- four out of four stars.
The Great Wall– A European assassin (Matt Damon) and his companions are searching for black powder become embroiled in the defense of the Great Wall of China with the Chinese army against an army of monstrous creatures. This fantasy film moved fast with spectacular visual effects and action. This film received bad reviews, but I thought it was a very good. Made $44M-U.S./ foreign- $284M -(budget-150M)- ****
John Wick 2– After getting a visit from a mafia boss to repay a debt from the past, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) discovers that the bounty was now on him. If you want to see Wick get busy in this well-written action thriller, then don’t miss it! Reeves comes through again. Made $90M- (budget-N/A)- ****
Sing– In a city of animated animals, a theater owner (voiced by Matthew McConaughey) attempts to save his theater with a singing competition. The finalists (voiced by Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane) must go through life’s trials and tribulations to be able to compete. Must admit this was a great animation for kids and adults. Really enjoyed this animation. The film moved fast and the soundtrack was good. Made $269M-U.S/ foreign- $320M- (budget-$75M)- ****
Split– M. Night Shyamalan (Signs) directs a pyscho-thriller about three girls (Ana-Taylor Joy) being kidnapped by a mentally disturbed man with 24 distinct personalities. McAvoy should be nominated for an Oscar for best male actor. Psychiatrist Dr. Karen Fletcher (Betty Buckley) shoud be nominaed for best supporting actress. A well-written script from Shyamalan. Must see for fans looking for a pyscho thriller. Made-$137M (budget-$9M)- ****
XXX: Return of Xander Cage– Daredevil Operative Xander Cage( Vin Diesel) returns from the dead to recruit a new group of thrill-seeking XXX members to find a Pandora’s box that controls the satellites in the world. The government (Toni Collette) sends Cage’s team in on a mission to get the box from a highly skilled team (Donnie “IP Man” Yen, Deepika Padukone). A predictable storyline full of stunts and violence. Being a Vin Diesel fan, I still enjoy it, even though the script was weak. Made $44M U.S./ foreign- $301M- (budget- $85M)- ***
Sleepless– Two corrupt cops (Jamie Foxx, T. I. Harris) with connections to the drug world have to do whatever it takes to get back Foxx’s son who was kidnapped by the drug dealers they stole from. Everything in the movie was based in one day. So the film moved fast with back to back action. Enjoyed it! Made $19M (budget-N/A)- ***
Hidden Figures– Based on a true story, three Black women ( Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae) provide NASA with ground breaking mathematical data needed to launch and land the program’s first space mission. An amazing true story about the trials, tribulation, and triumph these women had to go through to be successful. A feel-good film. Must- see for everyone! Made -$167M (budget- $25M)- *****classic
Fences– A disgruntle father(Denzel Washington) back in the 50s, struggles to raise his family (Viola Davis, Stephen Henderson) and come to terms with his unfortunate past. You really have to be in the mood for this blockbuster broadway play brought to the big screen by director/actor Denzel Washington. If you like serious drama, then this film is for you. Made $57M (budget-$24M)- ****
Assassin’s Creed– A research team kidnaps Callum Lynch ( Michael Fassbender) who is a descendant of the secret Assassins Society. The research team sends Lynch back in the past to become the Master Assassin and steal a secret device that would unlock the solution to stop people from killing. Action-packed , confusing, but good. Made $52M/ foreign- $132M (budget-$125M)- ****
Rogue One: A Star War Story– The Rebel Alliance (Felicity Jones, Diego Luna) comes together to steal the plans for the Death Star weapon from the evil Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn). The Alliance goes Rogue One to set up the epic ending with Krennic and Darth Vader (voice by James Earl Jones) that made this Star Wars film a Classic. Also starring Forrest Whitaker, Donnie Yen (IP Man) and Mads Mikkelsen. Director Gareth Edwards scored on this one. Must-see for Star Wars fans. Made-$530M-U.S/ foreign- $523M- (budget-$200M)- *****classic.
Arrival– A speech interpreter (Amy Adams) and a mathematician (Jeremy Renner) are recruited by the military (Forest Whitaker) in translating alien communication. Pressed by time, the group must figure out what the aliens are doing on Earth before a World War. A nice twist at the end. Must -see for sci-fi fans. Made $98M (budget-47M)- ****
Moana– Another Disney Animation classic about a Chief’s teenage daughter Moana (voiced by Auli’i Cravalho) going on an dangerous journey on the ocean to seek out the demigod Maui (voiced by Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson) to help save her island from a terrible curse. Must-see for kids and adults. Enjoyed it ! Made- $242M (budget-N/A) – ****
Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them– Another J. K. Rowling’s movie about the adventures of a young writer Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) exploring New York’s secret community of witches and wizards seventy years before Harry Potter. If you liked the Harry Potter franchise, then this film is for you. Made -$230M/foreign-$571M (budget-$180M)- ****
Almost Christmas– St. Pete native Will Packer (producer) and Director David Talbert (Baggage Claim) put together a hilarious comedy/drama about a dysfunctional family gathering together for their first Christmas since their mother died. Aunt May(Mo’Nique) was off the chain funny. Also starring Kimberly Elise, Danny Glover, Omar Epps, J.B. Smoove and Gabrielle Union. Must-see for laughs. Made $41M (budget-$17M)- ****
Doctor Strange– A former neurosurgeon (Benedict Cumberbatch) unexpectantly embarks on a supernatural journey of healing with his masters (Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tilda Swinton) only to be drawn into a war against a former master (Mads Mikkelsen). Might be the best Marvel movie with the screenplay, special effects and action. Must-see! Check it out in IMAX/3D. Director Scott Derrickson scored on this film. Made U.S-$228M/ foreign- $427M- (budget-$165M)- ***** classic.
Boo! A Madea Halloween– Madea (Tyler Perry) and her friends (Cassie Davis, Patrice Lovely) babysit Madea’s mishaving niece on Halloween. Perry scores on this screenplay for this film. I must admit this Madea’s movie had me laughing throughout. Madea’s friends were funny. Must-see for laughs. Made- $72M (budget- $20M) – ****
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back– Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise) returns to help a friend (Cobie Smulders) uncover the truth behind a government crime she didn’t commit. Reacher also uncovers a potential secret from his past that could change his life forever. The first film was better. A must-see for Cruise fans. A little long 2hrs/10mins. Made $58M ( budget-$60M)- ***1/2
The Girl On The Train– A disturbed divorcee (Emily Blunt) becomes entangled in a missing persons investigation that makes her look even more crazier. A psychological thriller for adults. Started slow, but turned out to be a good thriller. Made $75M (budget- 42M)- ****
The Accountant– Christian Wolf (Ben Affleck) is a low key CPA in a small town and a freelanceaccountant for criminal organizations. Wolf, unknowningly, is being tracked by the U.S. Treasury (J.K. Simmons) and a State Of The Art Robotic company when he find decrepancies in their books. Well-written. Enjoyed this thriller. Must-see! Made- $84M- (budget-$44M)- ****
Deepwater Horizon- Director Peter Berg (Lone Survivor) brings to life the true story about the offshore drilling Deepwater Horizon explosion which created the worst oil spill in U.S. history. Chief Electronic technician Mike Williams (Mark Wahlberg) and Jimmy Harrell (Kirk Russell) find themselves fighting for survival when everything goes wrong on the oil rig. Must-see for Wahlberg fans. Made $58M (budget-$110M)- ****
Magnificent Seven– In the Wild West, seven gunmen (Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Lee Byung-hum, Vincent D’Onofrio, Maual Garcia-Rulfo and Martin Sensmeier) come together to help a revengful widow( Haley Bennett) and a poor town against a ruthless baron (Peter Sarsgard) who is looking for gold. Director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer, Shooter) kept the action going from beginning to end. Never seen a Western film with that many casualties. Must-see for action fans. Made- $92M /foreign- $67M (budget-$90M)- ****
When The Bough Breaks– A surrogate Mom, Anna (Jaz Sinclair) for a couple for a couple (Regina Hall, Morris Chestnut) becomes fatal attraction obsessed with the soon-to-be father (Chestnut). This movie was surprisingly very good. Must-see for drama fans. Made $28M (budget- $10M)- ****
Sully– Director Clint Eastwood directed the true story of US Airways pilot Chesley Sullenberger (Tom Hanks) making a miracle landing on the Hudson River after a flock of birds flew into the engines. Sullenberger became a hero for saving the 155 crew and passenger, but the miracle landing was disputed by the FAA. Shocking! Still No. 1 at box office-$124M (budget- $60M)- ****
Suicide Squad– A secret government led by Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), Rick Flagg ( Joel Kinnaman) recruit an imprisoned squad of psycho/crazy supervillians (Deadshot- Will Smith, Harley Quinn- Margot Robbie, Diablo- Jay Hernandez, Boomerang- Jai Courtney, Killer Croc- Adwale Agabaje, and Katena- Karen Fukuhara) for a suicide mission against the evil witch Enchantress (Cara Delevingne). The Squad also have their hands full with the diabolical Joker ( Jared Leto) and Batman (Ben Affleck), Director David Ayers did a great job concentrating on how mentally disturb the Suicide Squad and Joker were. . Very entertaining or insane. The soundtrack is awesome. Must-see for action fans. Made -$320M-U.S/foreign-$418M (budget- $175M)- ****
Southside With You- This film goes back to the summer of 1989 when the future President, Barack Obama (Parker Sawyer), took his future First Lady, Michelle Robinson (Tika Sumpter) on an epic first date across Chicago South Side. A light romantic drama that gives you one day in the life of the Obamas. Executive produced by John Legend. Enjoyed it! Only 1hr/20mins long. Made $5M (budget N/A)- ****
Kubo And The Two Strings– Young Kubo ( voiced by Art Parkinson ) accidentally summons evil spirits from the past who are set out to destroy him. Kubo joins forces with a monkey ( voiced by Charlize Theron) and Beetle (voiced by Matthew McConaughey) to stop the evil forces. A watchdog group accused Focus film of being insensitive for using white actors to voice Japanese characters. All and all, the animated hero tale was very good. Made 46M (budget- $60M)- ****
Hell or High Water– A divorced Dad (Chris Pine) and his crazy ex-con brother (Ben Foster) resort to robbing banks in order to save their family farm in Texas. A soon to retire Texas Ranger (Jeff Bridges) and his partner set out to stop the bank robbers. Enjoy this drama! Made $22M (budget-$12M)- ***
Pete’s Dragon– A 10-year -old boy named Pete(Oakes Fegley) is lost in the forest become friend’s with a mysterious dragon named Elliott. The drama starts whe the city Ranger ( Bryce Dallas Howard) discover the boy and the dragon in the forest. This light-hearted Disney film is strictly for kids. Made $72M (Budget-$60M) – ***
Jason Bourne– Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) is drawn out of hiding by CIA director (Tommy Lee Jones) to uncover hidden truths about his past. The star of this film was the intelligence expert Heather Lee(Alicia Vikander). This movie shows how the U.S. government can track down whoever and send a task squad to do whatever anywhere in the world. Made- $161M U.S./ foreign-$235M (budget- $120M)- ***1/2
The Infiltrator– Based on a true story, in 1986 a federal agent Robert Mazur (Bryan Cranston) goes undercover to infiltrate the brutal drug world of kingpin Pablo Esobar. Working with two agents Kathy Ertz (Diane Kruger)and Emir Abreu (John Leguizamo), the crew realized that one wrong move could cost them everything. Director Brad Furman filmed most of this movie in Tampa and Miami. Must-see! Made $14M (budget- N/A)_ ****
Star Trek Beyond– The USS Enterprise Crew (Chris Pine, Karl Urban, Zachary Quinto and Zoe Saidana) encounter a new ruthless enemy Krall (Idris Elba) who takes them to the limit of destroying the Federation. Director Justin Lin (Fast And The Furious ) brings non-stop action throughout this sci-fi film. 2hrs long. Made -$154M (budget -$189M)-****
Lights Out– This low budget horror movie is a box office hit. Rebecca (Teresa Palmer) and her little brother Martin (Gabriel Bateman) come face to face with an evil spirit that is their mother’s friend. This horror film pulled all stops to keep you jumping throughout. A plus for being original. Made $67M (budget- $4.9M)- ****
Ghostbusters(2016)– After a ghost invasion in New York City, a new crew of paranormal enthusiasts (Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones) band together to stop the evil threat taking over the city. This film was surprisingly funny. Must- see for laughs. Made $126M ( budget-$146M)- ****
The Secret Life Of Pets– A terrier named Max’ (voiced by Louis C.K.) quiet life comes to an end when his owner brings home a stray dog named Duke (voiced by Eric Stonestreet). The two dogs fight against each other until they run into a slick rabbit named Snowball (voiced by Kevin Hart). Hart’s voice brings this animation to life. Kids and adults will enjoy this film.Made- $358M (budget- $75M)- ****
Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates– Demanded by their parents, two hard partying brothers Dave and Mike (Zac Efron, Adam Devine) must find two dates to bring to their sister’s wedding. The brothers find two nice girls (Alice-Anna Kendrick, Tatiana- Aubrey Plaza) who are really party girls. This film was really hilarious. A surprisingly well-written comedy. Director Jake Szymanski did really well with this off-beat comedy. Must-see for laughs. Made $43M (budget-$33M)- ****
The Legend Of Tarzan– Living in London, Tarzan(Alexander Skargard), Jane (Margot Robbie) and ex-military soldier(Samuel Jackson) are called back to Tarzan’s former home in the jungle to investigate the evil activities by a diamond collector (Christoph Waltz) and warlord (Dijimon Hounsou). Surprisingly, good with the fighting scenes of Tarzan and the animals. Made $121M (budget- $180M)- ****
The Purge: Election Year– Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell), a Presidential candidate, is targeted for death on Purge night due to her vow to eliminate The Purge. Her secret service officer (Frank Grillo) and others (Mykelti Williams, Betty Gabriel, Joseph Soria) try to keep themselves and the Senator alive. If you liked the last two films, you will like this one. Made $78M (budget-$10M)- ****
Independence Day: Resurgence– Two decades after the first Independence Day invasion, the planet Earth is faced with another attack by aliens. The crew (Jeff Goldblum, Liam Hemsworth,Bill Pullam and Jessie T. Usher) must come up with a plan to stop them. This movie was flat out terrible. I see why Will Smith passed on this awful script. Director Roland Emmerich (Day After Tomorrow) misstepped on this film. Don’t waste your money. Trust me. Wait for it on DVD. Made $101M (budget-$165M) – *
Free State Of Jones– As the civil war divides the nation, a Confederate Army soldier Newton Knight (Matthew McConaughey) leads a group of slaves and rebels against the Confederate Army. Based on a true story, Director Gary Ross found out through research that Knight and his wife (who was a slave)(Gugu-Mbatha-Raw) were actually freedom fighters for slaves. This movie is well worth your time for the history lesson. Made $20M (budget-$50M)- ****
The Shallows– Surfer Nancy (Blake Lively) is attacked by a great white shark 200 yards from the shore. She must figure out a way to get off the giant rock in the ocean and get back on land safely. Director Jaume Collet-Serra did a good job with this shark thriller. Must see for action fans. Made $53M (budget- $17M)- ****
Central Intelligence– After being bullied in high school, Bob Stone ( Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson) finds his old school pal Calvin Joyner (Kevin Hart) through facebook. The mild mannered Joyner is lured into the world of international espionage. Surprisingly funny because of Johnson’s goofy acting and Hart’s craziness. Must see for laughs. Made $127M (budget-$50M)- ****
Finding Dory– The friendly-but forgetful Blue Tang fish Dory (voiced by Ellen DeGeneres) reunite with Nemo and his father (voiced by Albert Brooks) to find Dory’s family. Disney scores again with this family friendly animation. Made – $481M (budget- N/A)- ****
The Conjuring 2– Based on a true story in 1977, paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga) come out of retirement to travel to Enfield, London to save a little girl who starts to show signs of demonic possession. The single mother of four and the Warrens must save themselves when the spirit goes after them. Definitely, not for kids. This movie was really creepy. If you like scary movies, then this film pushes all the right buttons for a horror film. Made- $101M (budget-$40M)- ****
Warcraft(2016)– In the land of magic, the peaceful world of Azeroth stands on the brink of war as a fearsome race of Orc Warriors (Toby Kebbell, Daniel Wu) invade their kingdom to take over. Led by the king (Dominic Cooper) and a fierce warrior (Travis Fimmel) with a few allies( Paula Patton, Ben Foster, and Ben Schnetzer) must try to defend their land. Can’t see how this movie received bad reviews, this movie was off-the-chain action packed. Director Duncan Jones spared no one. Must-see for action /fantasy fans. If you can, check it out in the IMAX/3D theater. Made $47M/foreign-$385M (budget-$160M)- **** and then some.
Now You See Me 2– The fourhorsemen (Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrison, Dave Franco and newcomer Lizzy Caplan) are forcibly recruited by an ruthless tech genius (Daniel Radcliffe) to pull off their most impossible heist, if they want to stay alive. Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine resurface as major players in the heist. Not quiet as good as the first, but it’s worth seeing to check out the magic tricks. A little long 2hrs/10mins. Made $64M (budget-N/A)- ***
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows: As the evil villain Shredder (Brian Lee) joins forces with the mad scientest Baxter Stockman (Tyler Perry) to take over the world, the Ninja Turtles and reporter April ( Megan Fox) must confront an even a greater villain: The notorious Krang. This should be the last film for this franchise. Wait for it on DVD. Made $81M (budget-$135M)- **
Popstar: Never stop Never Stopping– A pop star Conner (Adam Samberg) goes from being on top to his solo album being a failure. Conner must do everything to maintain his celebrity status. Sandberg is the lead rapper/singer of the group Lonely Island. This film gives you a behind the scenes look of how pop stars live their lives. Surpisingly, good. Made 8M (budget -N/A)- ****
X-Men: Apocalypse– The world’s first evil mutant, Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac) wages a deadly war against the world and the X-Men (James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender, Alexander Shipp and Nicholas Hoult). Personally, I think this might be the best X-Men film. Action-packed, very violent and special effects were great. Director Bryan Singer (Superman Returns/ X-Men trilogy) Must see for action fans. Made- $155M/ foreign -$379M (budget- $170M)- four out of four stars and then some.
Angry Birds– Red, Chuck and Bomb (Angry Birds) must figure out what the green piggies are up to when they visit their island. Kids will enjoy this animation. Made-$104M (budget- $73M)- ***
The Nice Guys– A private detective (Ryan Gosling) and a hired enforcer ( Russell Crowe) become unlikely partners to solve the mysterious disappearance of a young actress. This film was funny and very violent. Must-see for action fans. Made $34M (budget- N/A)- ****
Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising– Mac Radner and his wife (Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne) put their house up for sale, but can’t find a buyer because a wild sorority move in next door. This spin-off was disappointing with limited laughs. Wait for it on DVD. Made $54M (budget- N/A)- **1/2
Captain America: Civil War– Government interference to stop the Avengers from saving the world causes a rift between former friends Captain America (Chris Evans) and Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.). Captain America and his crew Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Winter Soldier (Sabastian Stan), Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) and Scarlett Witch ( Elizabeth Olsen) fight against Iron Man and his superheroes War Machine (Don Cheadle), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Vision (Paul Bettany) Spider Man (Tom Holland) and newcomer Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman). Directors Anthony Russo and Joe Russo should be applauded for adding Black actors as superheroes. The final scene has a nice twist to it that makes this Avengers film a must-see! What will you do? No. 1 at box office – $347M/ foreign- $709M (budget -$250M)- four out of four and then some.
Keanu– Rell (Jordan Peel) and cousin Clarence (Keegan-Michael Key) join force to find Rell’s kitten that was stolen by thieves who work for a drug dealer named Cheddar (Method Man). The guys must go underground as gangsters to get the kitten back. Must see for laughs. Made $20M (budget- $15M)- ***1/2
The Huntsman: Winter’s War– Eric( Chris Hemsworth) and fellow warrior Sara (Jessica Chastan), members of the Huntsmen army come together to protect the Winter queen Freya (Emily Blunt) from the wicked queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron). Universal will lose big with this franchise fairytale movie. They need to make around $325M to break even. The special effects still make you want to see this 2hrs/10min fantasy film. If not, wait for it on DVD. Made $46M /foreign $111M- (budget– $115M)- **1/2
Barbershop: The Next Cut- Directed by Malcolm D. Lee (The Best Man Holiday) , the Chicago south-side community has taken a turn for the worse between random killings and the gangs. The crew at Calvin barbershop ( Ice Cube, Cedric ‘The Entertainer’, Regina Hall, J.B. Smoove, Common and Nicki Minaj) come together to bring peace to their neighborhood. This is the best of the Barbershop films , because the film tackles all the social issues. Really enjoyed it! Made $52M (budget-N/A)- ****
Jungle Book– Directed by Jon Favreau (Iron Man), this movie was about a boy, Mowgli (Neel Sethi) being raised by a family of wolves was forced to leave his home when a fearsome tiger, Shere Khan(voiced by Idris Elba) wants to kill him. Guided by a no-nonsense panther (voiced by Ben Kingsley) and a free-spirited bear (voiced by Bill Murray), Mowgli learns a valuable life lessons on how to survive on his epic journey. The special effects making the animals look real were truly amazing. Made- $358M/ foreign -$571M- (budget- $175M)- ****
The Boss– A billionaire (Melissa McCarthy) is sent to prison after she’s caught insider trading. When she returns from prison to rebrand herself, not everyone she messed over is so quick to forgive and forget. If you like McCarthy style of comedy, then this film is for you. Made-$62M (budget- $29M)- ***
Eye In The Sky– Col. Katherine Powell (Helen Mirren) is in command of an operation to capture terrorists in Kenya. Her mission escalates when a girl enters the kill zone and the drone operator (Aaron Paul) has to pull the trigger. What would you do? Excellent suspenseful film. Mirren should be nominated for an Oscar as best actress. Made $17M (budget N?A)- ****
Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice: Batman (Ben Affleck) sets out to destroy Superman (Henry Cavill) because he feels the world has left Superman unchecked with super hero deeds. Meanwhile, villian Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) is creating a super monster called Doomsday to destroy Metropolis. Critics gave this film bad reviews, but I can’t see how! This film was action-packed and very violent with a shocking ending. 2hrs/30mins long. Also starring Amy Adams and Laurence Fishburne. Check it out in 3D-IMAX. Made -$328M/foreign $541M (budget-$250M)- four out of four and then some.
The Perfect Match(2016)– A playboy (Terrance Jenkins) meets the beauiful and mysterious Eva (Cassie Ventura). After agreeing to a casual affair, Charlie wants more from the relationship. This lady(Eva) has game. A light comedy only for adults. Made 9M (budget-N/A)- ***
The Divergent Series: Allegiant– After destroying the Insurgents, Tris (Shailene Woodley) and Four (Theo James) must escape the wall that encircles Chicago. They soon discover the shocking truth of the world around them. If you are a fan of the Divergent Series, then you would like this one. Made $56M (budget-N/A)- ***
10 Cloverfield Lane– After getting into a car accident, a woman (Mary Winstead) wakes up in a fallout shelter with a man (John Goodman) who says the world has come under a widespread chemical attack by the unknown. The woman and a second man (John Gallagher) must figure out if this is real. This psycho/sci-fi thriller is well worth your time for horror fans. Must-see! Made $70M (budget-N/A)- ****
Zootopia– In a city of animals, a rookie bunny cop (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) and a con artist fox (voiced by Nick Wilde) must work together to uncover a deadly conspiracy in the city. One of Disney’s best animations with a mix of humor, drama and timely themes about prejudice and stereotypes. Kids and adults will enjoy this animated classic. Must see! Still No. 1 at box office- $334M/ foreign- $649M (budget-N/A)- Five stars (classic)
London Has Fallen– In London for the Prime Minister’s funeral, Secret Service agent Mike Banning (Gerald Butler), the President (Aaron Eckhart)and his team (Angela Bassett) soon discover a plot to assassinate all the World leaders. This non-stop action film was surprisingly very good. Morgan Freeman also stars as the Vice-President. Made $61M (budget-$60M) –****
Race– Jesse Owens’(Stephan James) quest to become the greatest track and field athlete in history put him on the world stage in the 1936 Olympics in front of Adolf Hitler. Worth seeing ! Made $18M (budget-N/A)- ****
Gods Of Egypt– Mortal hero Bek (Brenton Thwaites) teams up with Horus (Nikolas Waldon) in an alliance to stop the prince of darknes Set (Gerald Butler) from receiving the Egyptian throne. Liongate received serious backlash for it’s predominatly white cast playing Egyptian (Africa) deities. Liongate and Director Alex Proyas apologized for the lack of casting diversity. Bombed at box office. Made $30M (budget-$140M)- **
Risen– A Roman soldier (Joseph Fiennes) is appointed the task to investigate the mystery of what happened to Jesus Christ (Cliff Curtis) following the Crucifixion. The story was good, but Hollywood continues to distort history with the color of the actors and actresses during these religious events in Africa. Disappointed! Made $36M (budget- $20M)- **
Deadpool– A former Special forces soldier (Ryan Reynolds) who works for a mercenary agency is forced to have a risky experiment. The experiment goes bad, but gives him accelerated healing powers turning him into Deadpool. Deadpool is on a crazy mission to find his girlfriend and destroy the the pyscho villain Ajax (Ed Skrein-The Transporter-Refueled). This film is mixed with extreme violence and humor by Reynolds that makes this a Marvel classic. Must-see for action fans. Really enjoyed it! Made- $362M (budget$58M)- Five stars.
Hail Caesar!– Directed by The Coen Brothers(No Country For Old Men), this film is about a hollywood agent in the 1950s working to keep the stars in line. You can wait for this one on DVD. Made $29M (budget-$22M)–**1/2
Kung Fu Panda 3– Coming off two blockbusters, Kung Fu Panda’s Po (voiced by Jack Black )must face two different threats: 1. a supernatural fighter and. 2.trying to train his family to fight. This film was surprisingly good and it moved fast from scene to scene. Must see for kids and adults. .Made- $142M (budget-N/A)- ****
The Boy (2016)– An American nanny is hired to be the nanny of a life-sized doll. After a few disturbing events, the nanny begins to believe the doll is alive. Had potential to be a really scary film. Disappointed. Made $34M (budget-$10M)- **1/2
Ride Along 2– Produced by St. Pete native Will Packer and directed by Tim Story, Ben (Kevin Hart) and soon-to be- brother- In-law James (Ice Cube) travel to Miami to bring down a drug dealer who’s supplying the dealers of Atlanta. A light comedy with a few laughs.This should be the last film for this franchise. Made-$90M (budget- $40M)- **1/2
13th Hour: The Secret Soldiers Of Benghazi– A security team (John Krasinski, James Dale) are forced to defend a U.S. compound when the American Ambassador is ambushed. Based on a true story, Director Michael Bay (Transformer) did a great job with this 2hrs/40mins intense drama. Made $52M (budget- $50M)- ****
The Revenant– A western tracker or frontierman (Leonardo DiCaprio) seeking fur back in the 1820’s fights for survival after being mauled by a bear and left for dead by members (Tom Hardy) of his his hunting team. A brutal and real life display of survival from the weather, Indians, and animals. DiCaprio won best actor/drama, Alejandro Inarritu-best director and the film won for best movie at the Golden Globe. Amazing film work by the director. 2hrs/ 40mins long. Made $179M (budget-$135M)- ****
The Hateful Eight- Director Quentin Tarantino does it again with ‘The Hateful Eight’ western masterpiece. The movie set during the post-Civil War delivers extremely strong (bloody) violence, (racial)language, humor and colorful characters. Bounty hunter John ‘The Hangman’ Ruth (Kurt Russell) and his fugitive prisoner (Jennifer Jason Leigh) encounter another bounty hunter (Samuel Jackson) and a man (Walton Goggins) who claims to be the new sheriff of Red Rock. Hoping to find shelter from a blizzard, the group travels to a Wyoming stagecoach stopover with four strangers inside the saloon. That’s when Tarantino’s clever, sinister structure in a one room pressure setting takes you on a crazy ride. “The Hateful Eight’ gives you everything (and the kitchen sink). If you like mysteries, then this film is for you. 2hrs/ 40mins long. Jackson and Goggin deliver strong performances with Golden Globe or Oscar consideration. Another Tarantino’s Oscar nomination masterpiece ( Django, Pulp Fiction). Made $52M/ foreign- $91M (budget-$44M)- Must-see! five stars!
Concussion– Based on a true story, well-renowned pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu (Will Smith) uncovers the truth about brain damage in football player who suffers repeated concussions in the course of playing football. Smith basically carries this film with great acting and is nominated for best actor by the Golden Globe. Very shocking information for parents who kids play football. Must-see! Made $34M (budget-$35M)- ****
Daddy’s Home– Stepdad Brad Whitaker (Will Ferrell) puts a lot of effort into getting his stepchildren to love him and call him Dad. His plans turn upside down when the biological father, Dusty (Mark Walhberg), returns home. This hilarious comedy is worth seeing for laughs. Made $148M (budget- N/A)- ***1/2
Joy– Directed by David O Russell (Silver Lining Playbook), Joy (Jennifer Lawrence) is a woman who struggled to make it from the bottom to the top of a powerful family business dynasty. Really enjoyed this film. Also starring Robert DeNiro and Bradley Cooper. Love the rags to riches type movies. Made $56M (budget-$60M)- ****
Star Wars: The Force Awakens– After the defeat of the Galactic Empire, the evil First Order attempts to rule the galaxy. A group of unexpected heroes (Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Harrison Ford) join forces with the Resistance to try and stop a younger Dark Vader, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). Director J. J. Abrams (Mission Impossible 3) did a great job keeping this 7th blockbuster franchise moving in a fast pace. Largest box office weekend of All-Time making $238M. Made- $928M /foreign- $1B (budget N/A)- ****
In The Heart Of The Sea– Inspired by the novel, Moby Dick, a crew of seamen (Chris Hemsworth) set sail for whaling oil, but is confronted by a giant whale with no mercy. Directed by Ron Howard, this film was really intense. Made $24M (budget- $100M)- ****
Krampus– A boy named Max (Emjay Anthony) who’s having a bad Christmas accidently summons an evil gremlin-like monster that comes to his home and terrorizes his family. An unconventional horror/comedy film during Christmas time that is a surprise hit at the box office. Definitely, not for kids. Made $42M (budget- $15M)- four out of four stars.
Creed– Former Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) is forced to act as a trainer and mentor To Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan), the son of his former rival and friend Apollo Creed. Tessa Campbell also stars. Really enjoyed this boxing drama. Must-See! Made $105M (budget-$35M)-****
The Good Dinosaur– Another Pixar animation classic about a dinosaur named Arlo (voiced by Raymond Ochoz)becomes an unlikely friend with a human (voiced by Marcus Scriber). Jeffrey Wright also stars as Poppa. Excellent animation for kids and adults. Really enjoyed it! Made $117M (budget-N/A)- ****
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Pt. 2– As the War escalates to the destruction of other districts by the Capital, Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) must bring together an Army against President Snow(Donald Sutherland). A serious upgrade of action unlike Part 1. Must-see for Hunger Games fans. Made- $277M (budget $160M)- ****
Spectre– James Bond (Daniel Craig) goes undercover to battle a sinister organization (Spectre- Christoph Waltz), while M (Ralph Fiennes) fights political forces to keep the secret service alive. This Bond film doesn’t compare to ‘Skyfall’ and this is the first Craig’s Bond movie his face doesn’t get bruised after all the crashes and fighting. 2hrs/30mins long. Still action-packed. Made- $198M / foreign- $673M-(budget -$245M)- ***1/2
The Peanuts Movie– Snoopy embarks on his greatest mission with his crew to take to the skies to pursue their enemies. Charlie Brown begins his own quest back home. Might be the best Snoopy/ Charlie Brown film. Kids will definitely like this animation. Made $129M (budget-$99M)- ****
Sicario– An FBI agent (Emily Blunt) is enlisted by an elected government Task Force (Benicio Del Toro) to help fight against the Mexican Drug Cartel. This thriller is definitely worth-seeing. Made $46M (budget-$30M)- ****
The Last Witch Hunter– The last witch hunter (Vin Diesel) fights against the most vicious witches in history. Had potential to be a good film, but fell short big time. Elijah Woods (Frodo-Lord of the Rings) also stars. Made $26M (budget-$90M)- **
Goosebumps– A teenager ( Dylan Minnette) hook up with the daughter(Odeya Rush) of horror author R.L. Stine (Jack Black) after the writer’s imaginary monsters are set free on the town. Definitely, a must-see for teens. Made- $77M (budget -$58M)- ***1/2
Bridge Of Spies– Directed by Steven Spielberg, this film is about an American lawyer (Tom Hanks) who is recruited by his law firm and CIA during the Cold War to help rescue a pilot and student in the Soviet Union. This movie was well-written, but moved real slow in action. If you like Tom Hanks, go see. If not, wait for DVD. Made $67M (budget- $40M)- ***
The Walk– Based on a true story in 1974, high-wire artist Phillippe Petit ( Joseph Gordon-Levitt) recruits a team to help him realize his dream of walking across the World Trade Center. It took an hour before this film became interesting. Petit had to be insane to actually try and pull this high-wire act off. Made $9M ( budget -$35M)- ***
The Martian– After a research mission on Mars (which takes 4 years to get there), Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is presumed dead by his crew after a fierce sand storm. The crew had to leave him to save themselves. Watney survives and then has to rely on his wit and spirit to survive on the planet without food. Well-written sci-fi thriller . Surprisingly, very good. 2hrs /10mins long. Made-$226M (budget-$108M)- ****
Hotel Transylvania 2– Dracula (voiced by Adam Sandler) and his friends try to bring out the monster in his half human grandson to keep his daughter Mavis from leaving the hotel. Kids will enjoy this animation. Made- $169M ( N/A)- ***1/2
Everest (2015)– Based on a true story, a climbing expedition (Jason Clark, Josh Broslin) is caught on Mt. Everest by a severe snow storm. The crew have to try all means to survive. A disaster film at the highest level. Made $42M ( budget-$55M)- ***
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials– After having escaped the difficult Maze, the Gladers (Dylan O’Brien, Ki Hong Lee, Dexter Darden, Thomas Sanster and Kaya Scodelario) now face a new set of craziness once they flee to the desolate landscape. I thought the first movie was very good and different, but this one was more intense with non-stop action. Must-see! No.1 at box office- $80M (budget-$61M)- ****
The Visit– Two young children (Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould) visit their grandparents (Deanna Dunagan, Peter McRobbie) and soon find out that things in their grandparent’s lives are very creepy. Director N. Night Shyamalan (The Sign) made this film really disturbing at the end if you are a parent. Made $64M (budget -$5M)- ****
The Perfect Guy– A corporate executive (Sanaa Lathan) breaks up with her boyfriend (Morris Chestnut) and soon gets involved with a man (Michael Ealy) who seems almost too good to be true. The Perfect Guy. One of the two goes psycho when they can’t get her back. Really enjoyed it! Must-see! Made -$56M (budget- $12M)- ****
The Transporter Refueled- Filmed in France, former special-ops Frank Martin (Ed Skrein) is set-up by a female fatale (Loan Chabanol) and her dangerous sideskicks who wants revenge against a Russian kingpin (Radivoje Bukvic). Ray Stevenson also stars as his dad. This movie received bad reviews by the critics, but if you want to see an action-packed film, then this one is for you. Enjoyed it, especially the very end. Made $15M – ****
War Room– Directed by Alex Kendrick, this film was about Priscilla Shirer and T.C. Stalling as husband and wife who turn to Miss Clara (Karen Abercrombie) for strategic prayer to help their volatile relationship. This faith-based movie was surprisingly very good. Must see! Made $67M (budget-$3M)- ****
No Escape– An Amerian family (Owen Wilson, Lake Bell) soon find themselves caught in the middle of a overseas coup, and they have to frantically look for a safe escape, because the rebels are executing all Americans and foreigners. Pierce Brosnan also stars. Made $26M (budget N/A)- ***
Hitman: Agent 47– An assassin-Agent 47 (Rupert Friend) searches for a woman (Hannah Ware) who unknowningly is more lethal than he, to help her find her scientist father before the other assassins. This movie received bad reviews from the critics, but if you want to see Agent 47 get busy killing people, then this film is for you. Enjoyed it! Only 1hr/30mins long. Made $22M (budget-$35M)- ***1/2
Straight Outta Compton– The supergroup NWA (Niggas With Attitudes- Eazy E, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, MC Ren and DJ Yella) emerge from the streets of Compton, California in the mid 80s and introduced the world to gangsta rap. The music and movie was about life in Compton with gangs, drugs, police brutality and how the group rose to fame despite the odds. Director F. Gary Gray (Friday) directed a masterpiece. Ice Cube (played by his son, O’Shea Jackson, Jr.), Eazy E(Jason Mitchell), Dr. Dre ( Corey Hawkins), MC Ren (Aldis Hodge), and DJ Yella (Neil Brown, Jr.) and manager Jerry Heller (Paul Giamatti) were all excellent. This movie should be nominated for an Oscar for best picture. You definitely can’t MISS this film based on the history of Hip Hop music. Didn’t feel like it was 2hrs/30 mins long. Still No. 1 at box office – Made $160M (budget- $28M)- Five Stars (Classic)
Fantastic Four– Four young astronauts (Michael Jordan, Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Jamie Bell) teleport to another universe which alters their physical form. The Four must learn how to use their power to save Earth from a former friend turned enemy, Dr. Doom (Toby Kebbell).The director and film received bad reviews and criticism, because he changed Johnny Storm played by Jordan to a Black superhero. This reboot is still worth seeing! Made $52M/ foreign $93M (budget-$60M)- **1/2
The Gift (2015)– A married couple’s lives (Jason Bateman, Rebecca Hall) are thrown into a mysterious tailspin when an old high school mate (Joel Edgerton) from the husband’s past brings gifts to their house and reveal an horrific secret that happened 20 years ago. Director/actor Edgerton did an excellent job with this pyscho/ thriller. Who’s side are you on? Made $35M (budget-$5M)- ****
Mission: Impossible- Rogue Nation– Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) super agent Illsa (Rebecca Ferguson) and the team ( Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames and Jeremy Renner) take on The Syndicate- an International Rogue Organization as highly skilled as they are. The Syndicate main purpose is to destroy the IMF and assassinate top officials. Director Christopher McQuarrie did a great job with the special effects and storyline. This film was very entertaining. A must- see! Still No. 1 at box office- Made $193M (budget -$150M) – **** and then some.
Southpaw– Director Antione Fuqua (The Equalizer, The Shooter, Training Day) and actor Jake Gyllenhal should be nominated for Oscar’s best director and actor for this emotional boxing drama. The movie was about light heavyweight champion Billy Hope (Gyllenhal) turning to trainer Tick Willis (Forrest Whitaker) for help after the tragic loss of his wife (Rachel McAdam) and his daughter to child protection services. 50 Cent also stars as the corrupt promoter. Gyllenhal brought the Oscar worthy emotions to this film. Must-see for drama fans!. Made $49M (budget- $30M)- ****
Trainwreck– Having thought that having one boyfriend at a time was never possible, a commitment-phobic woman (Amy Schumer) may have to face her fears when she meets a doctor ( Bill Hader) who really likes her. This movie was funny. 30mins too long (2hrs/5mins). Made $105M (budget- $35M)- ***1/2
Ant Man– Director Peyton Reed amazingly directed this new and fresh Marvel movie about a cat burglar Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) armed with a super-suit with the antonishing ability to shrink in scale with super strength, speed and being able to communicate with the ants. Lang must join forces with Dr. Hang Pym (Michael Douglas) and his daughter Holly (Evangeline Lilly-The Hobbit) to fight against Darren Cross (Corey Stoll) to save the world. Nice fight scene between the Ant Man and Avengers Falcon (Anthony Mackie). Scene stealing Michael Pena and T. I. also star. With the mixture of comedy and action, Ant Man is definitely better than Avengers 2 and a MUST-SEE. Catch it in 3D or IMAX. Made- $169M (budget $130M)- ****
Minions– Minions Stuart, Kevin, and Bob (speaking a combination of french and english) set out on a journey to find a new boss who they are accidently disposing of. They are recruited by Scarlet Over Kill, a super villian (voiced by Sandra Bullock) to take over the world. Kids and adults will enjoy this fast paced animation.- Made- $331M (budget-$74M)- ****
Ted 2– Newlywed couple Ted (voiced, written and directed by Seth McFarlane) and Tami-Lynn ( Jessica Barth) wants to have a baby, but Ted must prove he’s a person in court. His best friend John (Mark Wahlberg) will help Ted find a sperm donor and try to win the case in court. This movie was funnier than the first which was way over the top, dispite being a blockbuster at the box office. Morgan Freeman and Amanda Seyfried also star. Enjoyed it. Made $80M (budget -$68M)- ****
Terminator Genisys– John Connor (Jason Clarke) sends Kyle Reese (Jai Courney) back in time (1984) to protect his mom, a younger Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) from a futuristic terminator.When Reese gets there, he realizes Sarah is being protected by an older terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger). Terrible acting by the younger Sarah, same old terminators. average script, and Schwarzenegger needs to let the Terminator franchise go.Wait for it on DVD. Made $89M (budget-$155M)- **
Inside Out– Pixar (Toy Story, Finding Nemo) scores again! After young Riley (voiced by Kaitlyn Dias) moves to San Francisco, her emotions- Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness- conflict on how best to navigate a new house, city and school. Kids and adults will enjoy this animation. Made $355M (budget-$175M) – ****
Spy– A CIA analyst (Melissa McCarthy) volunteers to go undercover to infiltrate the brutal world of a deadly arms dealer (Rose Byrne) and prevent a nuclear disaster. Jason Statham and McCarthy make an hilarious team in this action/comedy. Enjoyed it! Made- $108M ( budget -$65M)- ****
Insidious: Chapter 3– A psychic Elisa Rainer (Lin Shaye) reluctantly uses her ability to contact the dead in order to save a teenage girl ( Stephanie Scott), who has been targeted by an evil entity. The first film was a horror classic, but this third installment was also creepy and disturbing. If you live alone, you might want to skip this one. Definitely, not for kids. Made $52M (budget-N/A)-****
San Andreas– A rescue chopper pilot (Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson) makes a dangerous journey across California in order to save his daughter from several earthquakes. The casting of his daughter was slightly off, but the ‘The Rock’ battling the devastation of earthquakes makes this film worth seeing. Made-$150M/ foreign-$309M-(budget-$110M}- ****
Tomorrowland– A teenage girl (Britt Robertson) and a young inventor (Thomas Robinson) embark on a mission to uncover the secrets of a place in the future. The girl runs into the young inventor who has become an older man (George Clooney). The two must escape to the future to save themselves. Special and visual effects were superb, but the confusing storyline will put you to sleep. Disappointed! Wait for it on DVD. -Made- $87M (budget-$190M)- Disney might lose big on this film. – ***
Mad Max: Fury Road– Action fans, this classic is what you are looking for. Director George Miller ( Mad Max, Road Warrior) revisits the Mad Max franchise with the best script of insane mayhem. Fast and the REAL FURIOUS. Amazing non-stop stunts and action scenes. Just flat out crazy! In a hopeless desert landscape, where water is gold, Max (Tom Hardy) and Furiosa ( Charlize Theron) join forces unexpectantly to escape the evil warlord (Hugh Keays-Byrna) and Nux (Nicholas Hoult). Furiosa and Max are on the run in a War machine to her homeland. Must-see for real hard core action fans. Should get Oscar consideration. Made $153M/ foreign- $221M (budget-$150M)- Five stars (classic).
Pitch Perfect 2 (2015)– After a terrible performance at the Lincoln Center, the Barden Bellas (Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Steinfield) enter an international competition that no American group has ever won. Very entertaining and funny. Enjoyed it! Made- $183M (budget- N/A)- ****
Avengers: Age Of Ultron– Tony Starks (Robert Downey, Jr.) tries to develop a peacekeeping program(software) that turns into the villainous Ultron. Ultron is set out to destroy the earth and the Avengers. Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Chris Hemsworth and Samuel Jackson also star. William Spader plays Ultron. 2hrs/ 30mins long. Made- $457M / foreign- $939M (budget- $250M) – ****
Ex Machina– A programmer (Domhnall Gleeson) is selected by a billionaire programmer (Oscar Isaac) to participate in evaluating the human qualities of an A.I. robot (Alicia Vikander). This movie moved slow, but it kept my attention. Very smart and interesting. The ending was unexpected. Made $24M (budget- N/A)- ***1/2
Unfriended (2014)- A group of online chat friends ( Heather Sossaman, Matthew Bohrer) find themselves haunted by an evil spirit using the Youtube account of their dead friend. You have to give this horror movie credit for being different. Cyberbullying is a serious problem. Made $32M (budget N/A)- ***
The Longest Ride– Director George Tillman, Jr. ( Barbershop, Notorious, Soul Food) directs this drama/romance film about a former champion bull rider (Scott Eastwood) and a college student ( Britt Robertson) troubled relationship. Their relationship interwine with a much older man (Alan Alda), as he reflects back on a past love. If you like romance films, then this one is for you. Made $37M (budget- N/A)– ***1/2
Furious 7- You already know what to expect from the Fast and Furious franchise. Fast cars, amazing fight scenes, pretty girls, and unbelievable stunts. Director James Wan put all that in this 2hrs/20 mins action movie and we wanted to see how the untimely and tragic death of superstar Paul Walker would end. Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family of street racer (Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriquez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Dwayne ‘The Rock” Johnson, and newcomer Natalie Emmanuel) have to protect themselves from Special Ops assassin (Jason Statham) who pledged vengence for his brother, left brain dead by Dom’s crew in Part 6. Emotional tribute to Paul Walker at the end. Action-packed and very entertaining. Try to catch it in the IMAX theater for the sound. Made-$351M / foreign- $1.1B (budget N/A)- **** and then some.
Home (2015)– An alien named Oh (voiced by Jim Parson) is on the the run from his own people, lands on Earth and makes friends with Tip (voiced by Rihanna), who is on a quest of her own. Kids will love this animation. Started slow, but ended up surprisingly very good. Made- $170M (budget- $135M)- ****
Get Hard– Hedge Fund millionaire James King ( Will Ferrell) is accused of fraud and set for prison at San Quentin, seeks out help from Darnell Lewis (Kevin Hart) who will get him ready for life behind bars. Also starring T.I. as the leader of a street gang. This movie was hilarious!!! Must-see for laughs. Made $89M (budget- $40M)- ****
Cinderella (2015)– Disney’s theme ‘Have Courage And Be Kind” was a winner in this classic fairy tale. The story follows the life of young Ella (Lily James) whose father remarries following the death of her mother. Her cruel stepmother (Cate Blanchette) and daughters mistreat Ella throughout her life. She finds hope when she meets a stranger (Richard Madden) in the forest. Made- $198M (budget- $95M)- ****
Chappie- Director Neil Blomkamp (District 9) brings to life the first robot named Chappie (Sharito Copley) with the ability to think and feel for himself. Chappie has to learn how to survive the mean streets of South Africa. Also starring Hugh Jackman, Dev Patel and Sigourney Weaver. Very violent. This movie started slow, but ended up as a well-written film. Surprisingly, good, Nice twist at the end. Must see for sci-fi fans. Made- $31M (budget-$49M)- ****
Focus– A con man (Will Smith) introduces a young woman (Margot Robbie) to the tricks of his trade. Three years later, the two see each other again in Argentina when he is asked by a race car billionaire to set- up a con on his rival owner. Must-see to learn how the con game business operates. Very entertaining and interesting. Made-$53M/ foreign-$94M (budget-$50M)– ****
The DUFF– A high school senior(Mae Whitman) finds out she has been labeled the DUFF(Designated Ugly Fat Friend) to her prettier more popular friends. This teen movie was pretty funny. Your kids will enjoy this teen comedy. Made $33M ($8.5M)- ***1/2
McFarland, USA– A cross country coach (Kevin Costner) transform a team of runners into championship contenders. Surprisingly, very good sports film. Made $42M (budget-N/A)- ****
Fifty Shades Of Grey – Based on the 100 million books sold, this drama/romance is about a student, Anastasia (Dakota John) who meets a sexually tormented billionaire, Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan), who goes through great lengths to break her down mentally and sexually. Note: Did he know he had her at “Hello.” This film was drama free. Someone who read the books said that the drama will come in the next movie “50 Shades of Darker.” Made $165M. (Budget $40M). **½
Kingsman: The Secret Service – A British Spy organizations (Colin Firth) recruits a street teen (Taron Egeton) into the agency training program to fight against a crazy tech genius (Samuel Jackson) and his ruthless bodyguard (Sofia Boutella), who are trying to control the world. This bloody, action adventure spared no one from the violence. Must see! Made $128M. (Budget $81M). ****
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water– SpongeBob and the crew must travel to the surface in order to get the secret Krabby Patty formula from a pirate who stole it. Voiced by Tom Kenny and Antonio Bandera, this second SpongeBob movie falls way short from the first. Disappointed. Wait for it on DVD. Made-$161M (budget- $74M)- **1/2
Jupiter Ascending– A genetically engineered warrior (Channing Tatum) is sent to Earth to protect a young woman (Mila Kunis) who does not know she is a Queen on Jupiter. A powerful family who lives on Jupiter is on a mission to kill her. This futuristic action film moves quick and the effects are worth-seeing. Andy Wachowski (The Matrix) is the director. Made $46M (budget-$176M)- ***1/2
Project Almanac– A group of teens (Jonny Weston, Sam Lerner) discover plans to make a time machine and use it to go back in the past. They soon realize that going back to the past will cost lives. Made $22M ( budget-$12M)- ***
The Boy Next Door– A divorced woman (Jennifer Lopez) falls for a younger man (Ryan Guzman) who lives next door to her. Their relationship soon turns deadly when the man refuses to let go. If you like Jennifer Lopez, as we do, then you will enjoy this thriller. Made $34M (budget- $4M)- ***1/2
American Sniper– Directed by Clint Eastwood, this film tells the true story about Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle’s life (Bradley Cooper) as a sniper in Iraq. Kyle’s pinpoint accuracy saved countless troops on the battlefield and he did four tours in Iraq which affected his family back home. Nominated for Oscar’s best movie, director, and actor, this movie comes under heavy scrutiny because the WAR in Iraq was unjust. We don’t fault Kyle or the American soldiers who were put in harms way or doing their duty and serving their country. We salute the troops. But, we do blame the Bush/Cheney administration for this unjust WAR and causing over 1M Iraqis killed, over 5,000 U.S. soldiers killed/ and over 10,000 U.S. soldiers maimed/injured. Fact check: The Iraqis had nothing to do with 9/11, it was Bin Laden (Saudi) and Al Qaeda who were training in Afghanistan. Made- $349M (budget-$58M)- ****
The Wedding Ringer- A non-sociable fiance (Josh Gad) hires the owner (Kevin Hart) of a company that provides the best man and grooms for a wedding. Kevin Hart scores again in this hilarious comedy. St. Pete native Will Packer was the producer of the soon to be box office hit. Must-see for laughs. Made $65M (budget- $23M)- ****
Selma– Directed by Ava DuVernay, this drama takes a look back in Martin Luther King’s (David Oyelowo) campaign and struggles to secure equal voting rights by marching from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery in 1965. Every young kid and adult should go see this powerful movie to understand how hard it was to VOTE. Nominated for Oscar’s best film, the best director (DuVernay, a Black female director) and Best actor (Oyelowo) were noticeably snubbed. When a movie is nominated for best film usually the director and main actor are nominated. Brad Pitt and Oprah Winfrey executive produced. Made $50M (budget-$20M)- ****
Taken 3– Ex- Agent Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) is accused of murder, so he has to tracked down the killers to clear his name and protect his daughter. Forest Whitaker stars as the detective trying to catch him. This third blockbuster franchise is officially over. Even Neeson seems bored in this movie. New director Olivier Megaton botched up the action scenes with terrible editing and sound. I hate saying about a Neeson’s movie, but you might want to wait for it on DVD. Made-$88M (budget- $48M)- **
Unbroken– Directed by Angelina Jolie and based on a true story, this film is about Olympian Louis Zamperini (Jack O’Connell) spending 47 days in a raft with two fellow crewman after their plane crashed in the ocean during WWII. They are captured by the Japanese Navy and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp to endure the torture of the warden named Watanabe (Takamasa Ishihara). Struggled watching a person get tortured for two hours. Doing well at box office- Made $115M ( budget-$65M)- ***
Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb– Larry ( Ben Stiller) returns to span the globe and reunite the old and new characters as they set out on an epic quest to save the magic before it is gone forever. This film is funnier than the last. Kids will enjoy this comedy. Made $112M (budget- $127M)- ***
Annie (2014)– A foster kid (Quvenzhane Wallis), who lives with her mean foster mom (Cameron Diaz), sees her life change when a billionaire tycoon (Jamie Foxx) takes her in. A family-oriented comedy/musical/drama for the kids and adults. Enjoyed it. Made $85M (budget-$65M)- ***
The Hobbit- The Battle Of The Five Armies– Director Peter Jackson put together a masterpiece. Bilbo (Martin Freeman), Gandalf (Ian McKellen), Thorin (Richard Armitage),Thanduil (Lee Pace), Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Bard (Luke Evans) are forced in a War against the terrifying Smaug (dragon) and an array of combatants (elves, orcs, trolls, bats, goblins) from acquiring a kingdom of treasure and destroying all of Middle Earth. This movie was better than Jackson’s best Lord Of The Rings “Return Of The King’. My new Oscar’s Best movie of the Year. 2hrs/25mins of non-stop fun and emotions. Made-$254M/ foreign- $700M- (budget N/A)- A must see in IMAX 3-D. Five Stars ***** (masterpiece).
Exodus: Gods And Kings– The God sent Leader Moses (Christian Bale) and the slaves set out on a journey from Egypt to escape the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses (Joel Edgerton). Director Ridley Scott is the latest director to distort the truth about Biblical stories. Six months ago, it was Noah starring Russell Crowe. Fact check: Moses was born in the Land Of Goshen (Egypt) and Egypt is located in Northern Africa. The special effects were great. No.1 at box office- $63M (budget- $140M)- **
Top Five– A superstar comedian (Chris Rock) tries to make it as a serious actor when his reality TV star financee (Gabrielle Union) talks him into showcasing their wedding on TV. This film was more about the things you have to watch out for while being a star. A raunchy romantic comedy with a few laughs. Also starring Rosario Dawson, Kevin Hart, J.B. Smoove and Cedric The Entertainer. Most definitely not for kids. Made $25M (budget-N/A)- **1/2
Beyond The Lights– Directed by Gina Prince-Bythwood (Love And Basketball), this romantic drama is about a superstar singer Noni (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) on the edge of destruction, meets a young cop Kaz (Nate Parker), who comes to help her find courage to live. Enjoyed it! Must-see. Made $14M -(budget- $7M)- ****
Penguins Of Madagascar- The fast talking Penguins of Madagascar (Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private) join forces with a new organization The North Wind to stop the evil Dr. Octavius Brine from destroying the world. Kids will love this fast paced animation, but the film misses the mark with adults. Made $79M (budget-$132M)– ***
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1- After Katiniss (Jennifer Lawrence) destroys the games, she becomes the symbol of rebellion while trying to save Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) from the Capitol. This blockbuster is the worst of the three films because there’s a Part 2. Lawrence performance was subpar. Very disappointed. Hopefully, Part 2 will have more action. With that being said, the movie was still a smashing success. Still No. 1 at box office- $329M (budget -$125M)- ***
Dumb And Dumber To- 20 years later after their first adventure, Lloyd (Jim Carrey) and Harry (Jeff Daniels) go on a second road trip to find Harry’s adopted daughter. This comedy falls way short from the first film. The antics are way over the top with a few laughs. Made- $85M (budget- N/A)- **
Big Hero 6– A special friendship between a plus-sized inflatable robot Baymax, and a teen inventor Hiro Hamada (voiced by Ryan Potter), team up with a group of high tech friends to fight against a ruthless villian. Great movie for the family. Made -$220M( budget- $165M)- ****
Interstellar– A team of explorers (Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, David Gyasi) travel through a Worm Hole in an attempt to find a planet that will sustain humanity. Director Christopher Nolan and his brother Jonathan( Dark Knight trilogy, Inception) will probably clean up at the Oscar’s with this film. McConaughey should win an Oscar for best actor. One of the Best Science Fiction movies ever! – 2hrs/40 mins long- Made $187M U.S. / Foriegn-$484M (budget- $165M)- **** and then some
Nightcrawler– Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal), a desperate cameraman looking for work, falls into the world of L.A. crime journalism, where he goes from observer to participant of his own story. Aiding him in his wild ride is a TV news veteran, Nina (Rene Russo). Gyllenhaal gives an Oscar nominated performance. Made $32M (budget- $8.5M)- ****
Ouija– A group of friends (Olivia Cooke) must confront their most terrifying fears when they awaken the evil powers of an Ouija board. Too scary for kids. Still No. 1 at box office- $50M (budget- $5M )- ***1/2
The Book Of Life– Manolo (voiced by Diegon Luna) embarks on an adventure that spans three worlds where he must go to find his true love. Zoe Saldana and Channing also star. Well-written animation. Kids and adults will enjoy this one. Made $48M (budget- $50M)- ***1/2
John Wick- An former hitman (Keanu Reeves ) comes out of retirement to track down the Russian gangsters that took everything from him. Reeves ( The Matrix) is back in rare form in this well-written, action-packed thriller about a code of honor among gangsters. Must- see! Made $42M (budget-$20M)– ****
Fury- Director David Ayers ( Training Day, Fast And The Furious) directs this World War II movie about a battle-hardened sergeant (Brad Pitt) who commands a Sherman tank and her five man crew ( Shia LeBeouf (Transformers), Logan Lerman, Michael Pena, Jon Bernthal) on a deadly mission behind German enemy lines. LeBeouf gives a great comeback performance. Well-written, action drama. Must-see!- No. 1 at box office- $85M (budget- $68M)- ****
Addicted– A businesswoman (Sharon Leal) risks her family (Boris Kodjoe) and her career when she enters into a series of affairs(William Levy, Tyson). Scandalous at the highest level.- Enjoyed it. Made $17M (budget-N/A)- ****
Dracula Untold– Facing threats to his kingdom and his family from the King, Vlad Tepes (Luke Evans) makes a deal with the Prince of darkness to gain strength to save his family. Must-see for action. Made – $55M (budget- $70M)- ****
The Equalizer– Director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) and Denzel Washington reteam again for this action-packed thriller about a former Black Ops (Washington) putting his past behind him for a quiet life. He meets a young girl (Chole Grace Moretz) who is under the control of the Russian mafia and he decides to help her. Denzel should be nominated for an Oscar for his role as a cold bloodied assassin. Made- $100M U.S /foreign – $101M -(budget- $55M)- ****
The Maze Runner– Thomas ( Dylan O’Brian) is trapped in a maze with vicious creatures that will require him to join forces with a group of boys (Ki Hong Lee) for a shot of escaping. Started slow but turned out to be action-packed. Made- $102M (budget-$34M)- ****
No Good Deed– St. Pete native/producer Will Packer scores again this time with a thriller about an escaped convict (Idris Elba) who terrorizes a married woman (Taraji P. Henson) and her two children. Nice twist at the end. Must -see! Made- $52M (budget-$13.2M)- ****
The Drop– Bartender Bob (Tom Hardy) and cousin Marv (the late James Gandolfini) find themselves at the center of a robbery gone wrong at their business and they find themselves the prime suspects by the police and mob. A crime drama of who did the robbery? Made $10M (budget- $12.6M)- ***1/2
The Remaining– A group of friends gather at a wedding celebration are soon experiencing apocalyptic events forcing them to choose between redemption and survival- Judgement Day. How Are You Living? Surprisingly, very good. Made $1M (budget-N/A) ****
When The Game Stands Tall– Director Thomas Carter tells a true story about legendary coach Bob Ladorceur (Jim Caviezel) journey with the De La Salle High School 151-game winning streak that shattered all records. Enjoyed it! Made $29M (budget-$15M)- ****
As Above, So Below– When a team of explorers (Perdita Weeks, Ben Feldman) goes beneath the streets of Paris, they uncover the dark secrets within the city of the dead. This move was surprisingly, very scary. Definitely, not for kids. Must-see for horror fans. Enjoyed it! Made $21M (budget N/A)- ***1/2
The November Man– An ex- CIA agent (Pierce Brosnan) is brought back in on a mission to save an agent who is close to him. He is challenged by his former CIA pupil and the Russian KGB. Action-packed and violent. Made $24M (budget -N/A)- ***
Guardian Of The Galaxy– After stealing a mysterious orb, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) and his renegade guardians (Zoe Saldana-Gamora, Bradley Cooper-rocket, Vin Diesel-Groot and Tampa’s David Bautista- Drax) are hunted by a vicious villian named Ronan (Lee Pace). Might be best Marvel Movie with the comedy, music and action. – Made- $330M (budget- $170M)- ****
Let’s Be Cop– Two struggling friends (Jack Johnson, Damon Wayans, Jr.) impersonate police officers for a costume party, decide to stay police officers to fight against the mob and corrupt cops. This comedy was hilarious. Must-see for laughs. Made- $82M ( budget- $17M)- ****
The Expendables 3– Barney (Sylvester Stallone) and his team (Jason Statham, Jet Li, Harrison Ford, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Wesley Snipes and Terry Crews) get into a personal brutal battle with the co-founder of the Expendables (Mel Gibson). 1hr/43mins of non-stop action. Made $39M (budget-N/A)- ***
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles– A group of mutated turtles and reporters (Megan Fox, Will Arnett) face off against an evil businessman who wants to take over New York. Surprisingly, this film was far better than the first and fun to watch expecially in D-Box seating. Adults and kids will like this action-packed sequel. The Ninja Turtles looked real. Made -$188M (budget- $125M)- ****
Into The Storm– Storm Trackers ( Richard Armitage, Sarah Callies) and a few thrill seekers document a series of tornadoes touching down in the small town of Silverton. The acting was average, but the special effects with the tornadoes are worth seeing. Made $46M (budget- $50M)- ***
The Hundred-Foot Journey– The Kadam Family led by their Papa (Om Puri) clashes with Madam Mallory ( Helen Mirren) after they open their restaurant across the street from her French eatery. The tension later eases when Madam takes young chef Hassan (Manish Dayal) under her wing. Produced by Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg. Made $53M (budget- $22M)- ****
Get On Up– From the director of ‘The Help’ Tate Taylor, this movie was based on the incredible life story of the Godfather of Soul, James Brown. This film takes you inside how James Brown (Chadwick Boseman) revolutionized the music BUSINESS. Boseman should win an Oscar for best actor for his performance. Anybody who trying to get in the music industry should go see this film. Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Nelsan Ellis and Dan Aykroyd also starred in this classic. Must-see! 2hrs/18mins- Made $30M (budget-N/A)- ****
Lucy– Director Luc Besson (Taken 1& 2) put together this sci-fi thriller about a woman named Lucy (Scarlett Johansson) who is accidently caught in a bad drug deal that turns her into a merciless assassin. What would you do if you could use 100 percent of your mind? This film is a wild and crazy ride. Enjoyed it. Made-$125M ( budget-$40M)- ****
Hercules- Directed by Brett Ratner (X-Men, Rush Hour 2&3) and starring Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson as Hercules, this film was more believable than the other Hercules movies. Hercules is a mercenary for hire who was hired by the King to defeat an unknown warlord. Enjoyed it. Must-see f0r the action packed fight scenes. Made $71M (budget-$100M)- ****
Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes- A growing nation of intelligent apes led by Caesar (Andy Serkis played Gollum in Lord Of The Ring) is threatened by a small group of humans who survived a deadly virus that destroyed the world. Another well – written blockbuster. No. 1 at box office- $207M (budget – $120M)- ****
Tammy– After losing her job and finding out her husband is cheating on her, Tammy ( Melissa McCarthy) hits the road with her alcoholic grandmother (Susan Sarandon). This average comedy had a few laughs. Wait for it on DVD. Made $83M (budget-$20M)-**
Earth To Echo- After receiving a bizarre message, a group of kids (Astro, Teo Halm, Reese Hartwig, Ella Wahlestedt) set out to the desert to find a small alien. This kids movie was good. Must see for kids. Enjoyed it! Made $38M (budget-$13M)– ****
Transformers: Age Of Extinction– A mechanic (Mark Wahlberg) joins forces with the Autobots (Optimus Prime) to save the world from a bounty hunter and new aliens. Action-packed. too long- 2hrs/40mins/. Must see, if you a Transformers fan. Made – U.S.- $245M- Foreign- $835M (budget- $210M)- ****
Think Like A Man Too– St. Pete’s Producers Will Packer and Rob Hardy (Rainforest Films) scores big again with this blockbuster comedy ‘Think Like A Man Too’. Lead by hilarious Kevin Hart, the couples (Michael Ealy, Taraji Henson, Regina Hall, Terrence Jenkins, Meagan Good, Romany Malco, Gabrielle Union and Jerry Ferrara) meet in Las Vegas for a wedding and bachelor party. Everything goes crazy when Hart plans the whole weekend. As you know, Kevin Hart makes the movie. Must-see for laughs. Made- $65M (budget-$24M)- ****
22 Jump Street– Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko ( Channing Tatum) goes undercover again from high school to college to investigate a killer drug dealer. Captain Dickson ( Ice Cube) and Schmidt were hilarious. This second installment was funny. Made- $190M (budget- $50M)- ****
How To Train Your Dragon 2– Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel) and Toothless(voiced by Randy Thom) discover an ice cave full of dragons and the mysterious Dragon Rider. The two friends find themselves at the center of a war. Kids and adults will love this animation. Made $172M (budget- $145M)- ****
Edge Of Tomorrow– A soldier (Tom Cruise) and his partner (Emily Blunt) find themselves caught in a time loop war with vicious aliens. This has to be the best action movie of 2014. Definitely, a must-see! Check it out in Imax -3D. Well worth the money. Made- $100M-U.S/ worldwide-$264M- (budget-$178M)- **** and then some.
The Fault In Our Stars– Hazel (Shailone Woodley- Divergent) and Gus (Ansel Elgort) are two teenagers who met at a cancer support group and the two soon become friends. This film is a love story and a real tear-jerker, so be prepared. Made-$124M (budget-$12M)- ****
Maleficent (2014)– A peaceful fairy (Angelina Jolie) turns wicked after being betrayed by humans. This Disney villain from ‘Sleeping Beauty’ faces an epic battle with the King after putting a curse on his newborn infant. Jolie brings this fairy tale alive and the film was surprisingly, very good. Kids and adults will enjoy this movie. Made- $237M ( budget-$180M)- ****
X-Men: Days Of Future Past– X-Men send Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) to the past to change history and prevent a creation of killer machines from destroying humans and mutants. Also starring Jennifer Lawrence, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen and Halle Berry. Made- $233M ( budget-$200M)- ****
Million Dollar Arm– A true story about a sports agent (Jon Hamm) going to India to recruit talented cricket players to play Major League baseball. Made $34M (budget- $25M)- ***1/2
Godzilla (2014)- The famous monster Godzilla comes from the ocean to fight other monsters who are threatening the existence of mankind. Slightly above average action movie. Made- $200M ( $160M)- ***
Neighbors– A couple (Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne) with a newborn baby are forced to live next to a fraternity house. Zac Efron and Dave Franco star as the fraternity brothers. This movie had a few laughs. Average comedy. No.1 at box office- $149M (budget- $18M)- **1/2
The Amazing Spider-Man 2– Spider Man ( Andrew Garfield) is back in action as the corporate giant Oscorp sends a few supervillians after him. One of the villians is Electro (Jamie Foxx). This film can’t compare to the first Spider Man, but the 3D special effects is worth seeing. 2hrs/ 30mins long. Made- $202M- (budget- N/A)- ***1/2
The Other Woman (2014)- A single woman (Cameron Diaz) discovers her boyfriend is married. She meets the wife (Leslie Mann) and they find out he has another girlfriend(Kate Upton). The three team- up for revenge. Nicki Minaj also stars. Women will enjoy this comedy. Made- $83M (budget- $40M)- ***
Heaven Is For Real– A father (Greg Kinnear) must find courage to tell his congregation that his son(Connor Corum) had a heavenly experience after his surgery. Executive produced by T.D. Jakes. Made $89M (budget-$12M)- ***1/2
Rio 2– The crew is back in Rio with Blu (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg) meeting his most fearsome adversary: his father-in-law. Voices by Jamie Foxx, Andy Garcia, Bruno Mars and Janelle Monae. Kids and adults should like this animation. Made $128M ( budget- $103M)- ***1/2
The Grand Budapest Hotel– This film is about the adventures of Gustave H (Ralph Fiennes), a legendary concierge and his most trusted friend, the lobby boy-Zero (Tony Revolori). A well-written off-beat comedy directed by Wes Anderson. Also starring Will Dafoe, Adrien Brody, Edward Norton, Jeff Goldblum, Jude Law and Bill Murray. Made $58M (budget- N/A)- ****
Captain America- The Winter Soldier– Captain America (Chris Evans) and his friends, Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and Nick Fury (Samuel Jackson) battle a new and deadly threat, the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stanl). This is definitely an serious upgrade from the first Captain America. The Winter Soldier was off the chain. Might be the best Marvel movie over the first Spider Man and Iron Man! Action-packed. Made-$258M (budget- $170M)- ****
Noah– Noah (Russell Crowe) is chosen by GOD to carry out a mission to rescue the animals and his family before a flood destroy the world. Very inaccurate and highly disappointed. Wait for DVD. No. 1 at box office- $100M ( budget-$125M)- **
Devergent (2014)- In a world divided by groups based on your status and virtues, Tris (Shailene Woodley) finds out that the government is plotting to destroy the Divergents. She must find a way to stop the massacre. Theo James and Kate Winslet (villian) also star. Made- $148M (budget- $85M)- ****
Need For Speed- A street racer (Aaron Paul) was framed by a rich business associate, decides to join a cross country race with revenge on his mind. Can’t compare to the Fast and Furious, but this film is still worth watching for the action scenes. Made $42M (budget- $66M)- ***1/2
300: Rise Of An Empire– The Greek General Themistokles ( Sullivan Stapleton) leads the Greek Army against the invading Persian forces led by Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and his vengeful commander of the Persian navy, Artemisa (Eva Green). Artemisa was a good villian. She made this movie come alive. Blood and guts. Made- $105M (budget- $110M)- ***1/2
Non-Stop– An air marshal (Liam Neeson) is forced into action during a flight after receiving text messages that said a passenger would be killed every 20 minutes, if the airlines don’t transfer $150M into an off-shore account. Couldn’t figure who the terrorist was until the end. Must-see. A nice twist. Made-$89M ( budget-$50M)- ****
12 Years A Slave– Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free Black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. This film was tough to watch! Nevertheless, Director Steve McQueen and cast won an Oscar for Best Movie. Lupita Nyong’o won for Best Supporting Actress. Made $56M (budget- $20M)- ****
3 Days To Kill- A dying CIA agent (Kevin Costner) is offered an experimental drug that could save his life in exchange for one last assignment. Surprisingly, good. Action-packed with humor. Made $30M (budget-$28M)- ***
About Last Night (2014)– This remake is about two friends ( Kevin Hart, Michael Ealy) meeting two women ( Regina Hall, Joy Bryant) in the club and soon their relationships will be tested from the bedroom to the real world. Another must-see comedy. St. Pete’s Will Packer produces another hit with Hart. Not for kids. Made $48M ( budget-$12.5M)- ****
RoboCop (2014)– Set in the future of 2018, a police officer (Joel Kinnaman) is critically injured in the line of duty. A multinational conglomerate, OmniCorp, sees their chance for a RoboCop. Gary Oldman and Michael Keaton star in this action-packed thriller. Made $57M (budget-$100M)- ***
The LEGO Movie– This well-written animation is about a LEGO figure, mistakenly thinking he’s the MasterBuilder, is recruited by the other figures to stop an evil LEGO tyrant from gluing the universe together. Your kids will definitely like this one. Made -$255M (budget- $60M)- ****
Repentence– An earnest life-coach/ author, Thomas Carter (Anthony Mackie), is mysteriously abducted by a deranged client, Angel Sanchez (Forrest Whitaker), who delves into Thomas’ teachings and uses his spiritual messages of Karma- action and reaction (Vipaka), against him to terrorize him and his family for their past sins. Made $1.7M (budget-N/A)- ***1/2
The Monuments Men– This all-star cast (platoon) set out to rescue art masterpieces from the Nazi thieves and return them to their owners. The all-star cast- (Director George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchette, and John Goodman). Made $76M (budget- $70M)- ***1/2
Frozen (2013)– A Disney animation about a sister (Anna) and a snowman (Olaf) , goes on an epic journey to find Anna’s sister( Elsa), whose icy power has trapped the kingdom in eternal winter. Disney almost ruined this film with too much singing. Made- $399M ( budget -$150M)- ***
The Nut Job– This animation is about a renegade squirrel helping his park buddies raid a (human) store to survive. Kids will love this film. Made $64M (budget-42M)- **1/2
Ride Along– Directed by Tim Story (Think Like A Man) and produced by St. Pete’s Will Packer, this film is about a wannabe cop/ security guard, Ben(Kevin Hart), joins his future brother-in-law, Detective James( Ice Cube) on a 24 hour patrol of Atlanta to prove himself worthy of marrying James’ sister, Angela (Tika Sumpter). This movie was hilarious. Must-see for laughs. Three weeks at No. 1 . Made – $134M (budget-$25M)- ****
I, Frankenstein– Frankenstein (Aaron Eckhart) finds himself in a war between the gargoyles and demons. A box office flop, the film special effects comes up short. Wait for DVD. Made $18M (budget-$65M)- **
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit– A young CIA analyst, Jack Ryan (Chris Pine) uncovers a Russian plot to crash the U.S. economy with a terrorist attack. Also stars Kevin Costner. Action-packed. Made $50M (budget- $60M)- ***
The Wolf Of Wall Street– Based on a true story of Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio), from his rise and fall as a wealthy stockbroker. DiCaprio won a Golden Globe for best actor. 3hrs long. It’s really amazing how much money stockbrokers make on Wall Street. Must-see! Made -$116M ( budget- 100M)- ****
Lone Survivor– Based on a true story, Navy Seal Marcus Luttrell (Mark Wahlberg) and his team set out on a dangerous mission to capture or kill a notorious al Qaeda leader in June 2005. One wrong decision could turned the mission into a battle for their lives. A brutal war movie. Made- $124M (budget- $40M)- ****
Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones: A young Latin teenager, Jessie (Andrew Jacobs) notices a number of disturbing deaths in his neighborhood. Once he investigates, he soon realizes he is marked by an evil spirit. This fifth franchise horror film provides a few scares. Definitely, not for kids. 1hr/24mins long. A box office success for the fifth time. Made $32M (budget-$5M)- ***
Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom– A light overview of Nelson Mandela’s life (Idris Elba) from his childhood to becoming a lawyer, being imprisoned for 27 years, his up and down struggles with wife, the rebellious Winnie Mandela (Naomie Harris) and becoming the first democratically elected president of South Africa. Must-see for a historical perspective. (2hrs long) Made $8M (budget-N/A)- ***1/2
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues: With the 70s behind him, Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) and his pals (Steve Carell, Paul Rudd) return to take New York’s first 24-hour news channel by storm. Meagan Good stars as the news channel boss. If you like Will Ferrell’s crazy comedy, then this movie is for you. Made $125M (budget- $50M)- ***
The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug– The Dwarves, Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf The Grey (Ian McKellen) continue their journey to reclaim the Dwarve’s homeland from the vicious, firebreathing, and talking dragon, Smaug. Action-packed, but about 40 mins too long. 2hrs/ 41 mins. Watch the film in D-Box/ 3D. Made- $258M (budget- N/A)- ****
Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas- Madea (Tyler Perry) and her friend (Anna Horsford) take a Christmas road trip to see her friend’s daughter who lives in the country. A good comedy to go see for a few laughs. Made $52M (budget-N/A)- ***
Out Of The Furnace: When a man (Casey Affleck) mysteriously dissappears, and the police (Forest Whitaker) fails to follow up, his brother (Christian Bale) take matters into his own hands. Also stars Woody Harrelson, Zoe Saldana, and Willem Dafoe. Made $11M (budget-$22M)- ***
Black Nativity– A streetwise teen who is raised by a single mother (Jennifer Hudson) travels to New York City to spend the Christmas holidays with his estranged relatives (Angela Bassett, Forrest Whitaker). A feel-good musical. Made $7M (budget-$17.5M)- ***
Homefront– A former DEA agent (Jason Statham) and his daughter move to a quiet town, where he soon tangles with a local meth druglord and bikers. Action-packed. Made $20M (budget-$22M)- ***1/2
Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Katnis Everdeen ( Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence-Silver Lining Playbook) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) become targets of the Capitol’s President ( Donald Sutherland) after their victory in the 74th Hunger Games which sparked a rebellion in the Districts. The two winners are picked to go back into a new game against the former winners best killers. Watch it in the IMAX theater for the sound. Made -$424M (budget- $130M)– ****
The Best Man Holiday– What an emotional rollercoaster-this movie was funny, sad, exciting, crazy, exhilarating, entertainng and so much more. This movie validates that true friendship will endure the tests of time, but will never end. Directed by Malcolm D. Lee and starring Taye Diggs, Terrence Howard, Harold Perrineau, Morris Chestnut, Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long and Regina Hall, this is one of the best movie’s of the year. -Made $70M (budget-$17M)- ****
Thor: The Dark World- Thor (Chris Hemsworth) must embark on his most perilous and personal journey to stop an enemy that even Thor’s world can’t handle. Slightly above-average. Made -$205M ( budget-$170M)- ***
Las Vegas– Four old-school friends (Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Kline) hookup in Las Vegas for a bachelor party. A lighter version of Hangover Pt.1. Made $63M (budget-$28M)- **1/2
Ender’s Game– The military is seeking out a young leader who can save the world from alien attack. Ender Wiggins (Asa Butterfield) is recruited and trained to possibly lead the soldiers into battle. Harrison Ford and Viola Davis also star. Kids and adults will enjoy this action/ adventure film. Made- $61M (budget- $110M)- ****
Bad Grandpa– 86 -year-old Irving Zisman (Johnny Knoxville) is on a journey across America to take his 8-year-old grandson, Billy, to stay with his father. Billy was funny, but grandpa was overbearing. Disappointed. Made- $101M (budget- $15M)- **1/2
Carrie – A shy girl (Chole Grace Moretz) is outcasted by her peers and isolated by her religious mother (Julianne Moore), develops telekinetic powers and unleashes a trail of destruction after being pushed too far at her senior prom. This horror classic remake was pretty creepy. Made $95M (budget- $30M)- ***1/2
Escape Plan- Ray Breslin (Sylvester Stallone), is a structural engineer who specializes in breaking out of prisons, is incarcerated in the world’s most secret and secure prison. The prison is so secure, Breslin must ask for help from a cellmate (Arnold Schwarzenegger) to survive. 50 Cent also stars in this action thriller. Enjoyed it! Made $25M (budget-N/A)- ***1/2
Captain Phillips- A true story about Captain Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks) and his American cargo ship being hijacked by Somali pirates. Note: President Obama signed off on sending the Seal Team 6 in to rescue the crew by any means necessary. Intense drama. Made- $104M (budget- $55M)- ****
Gravity- A medical engineer (Sandra Bullock) and an astronaut ( George Clooney) work together to survive after an space accident that leaves them floating in space. Check out this eerie, tense sci-fi thriller in 3D. Made- $255M (budget- $100M)– ****
Baggage Claim– Montana Moore (Paula Patton) finds herself with only 30 days to get engaged before her youngest sister’s wedding. Jill Scott (Montana’s best friend) was hilarious. Also starred Derek Luke and Taye Diggs. Enjoyed this predictable comedy! Made $20M (budget-$8M)- ****
Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2– This animated hit sequel returns with inventor Flint Lockwood (voiced by Bill Hader) on an adventure to save the world. Kids will enjoy this comedy. Made -$119M (budget- $78M)- ***
Rush– Director Ron Howard brings to life the 1970s rivalry between Formula One rivals James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda ( Daniel Bruhl). Made $26M (budget-$38M)- ****
Prisoners- This movie is scarier than a horror film. What would you do if someone kidnapped your child? Hugh Jackman and Terrence Howard star as two parents who would do anything to find their children. Very intense thriller. Must-see for parents. Made- $60M (budget- $46M)- ****
Battle Of The Year– A dance team is assembled to compete against the best dance teams from around the world. Chris Brown stars as one of the dancers. Made $8M ( budget- $20M)- **1/2
Insidious Chapter 2- The first “Insidious” was a horror classic, and the second fell short of constant tension and surprises that made the first film so chilling. The Lambert family ( Tampan Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne) picks up where the first left off with their family trying to uncover why the spirit world is coming after them. The movie was still scary. Definitely, not for kids. Made -$83M (budget- $5M)- ****
The Family- Under the witness protection program, the Manzoni family ( Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer) is relocated to France to get away from the mafia family who they snitched on. They also have to adjust to their neighbors. Enjoyed it. Violent with a mixture of comedy. Made $36M (budget-$30M)- ****
Riddick- Left for dead on a sun-scorched planet, Riddick must fight against two sets of bounty hunters and deadly aliens. Action-packed and bloody. Must-see for Riddick fans. Made-$40M (budget-$38M)- ****
The Grandmaster- This Kung Fu action film is about the legendary kung fu master, IP Man (Tony Leung). The movie was in Chinese (English subtitles). Started out fast and ended up as a love story. Made $6M (budget-N/A)- ***
The Mortal Instrument: City Of Bones- A ordinary teenager, Clary Fray (Lily Collins), discovers she is a Shadowhunter, locked in an battle to protect the world from demons. Made $31M (budget-$60M)- **1/2
You’re Next – When masked killers attack a family during their wedding anniversary getaway they soon learn that one of their victims has a hidden talent for killing. Best home-invasion movie of this year. Made $18M (Budget N/A) ****
Lee Daniel’s The Butler– Based on a true story, Director Lee Daniels tells about the life and times of a White House Butler ( Forest Whitaker) who served eight Presidents and how his wife (Oprah Winfrey) and his sons (David Oyelowo) where affected by the historical events such as the Civil Rights movement, Vietnam War, the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr and John/ Robert Kennedy. Whitaker should be nominated for an Oscar for best actor. Made -$116M (budget – $30M)- ****
Paranoia – Adam Cassidy (Liam Hemsworth), an entry level employee of Wyatt Telecom is blackmailed by the CEO Wyatt (Gary Oldman) into spying on a rival company. Harrison Ford stars as the CEO of the rival company. Made $7M. (Budget $35M). **1/2
Elysium- Set in the future where the wealthy live on an advanced space station called Elysium and the poor live on a polluted Earth. One man (Matt Damon) takes on a mission to save himself, but in the process changes both worlds forever. Good futuristic thriller. Sociopathic agent (Sharlto Copley) was a good villain. No. 1 at the box office – Made $92M (Budget $115M).- ****
We’re The Millers- A local marijuana dealer (Jason Sudeikis) creates a fake family as part of a scheme to smuggle marijuana across the Mexican border. Jennifer Aniston stars as a stripper and his fake wife. Average comedy that will make you laugh in a few scenes. Made $150M (budget- $37M)- ***
2 Guns- A DEA agent (Denzel Washington) and a naval intelligence officer ( Mark Wahlberg) find themselves on the run after a failed attempt to infiltrate a drug cartel. Paula Patton and Bill Paxton also star in this action/ comedy film. Enjoyed it ! Made $75M (budget- $61M)- ****
The Wolverine- The Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is summoned by a ninja warrior ( Rila Fukushima) to say goodbye to a dying friend in Japan. The Wolverine soon becomes embroiled in a old Japanese conflict between the families. Jackman brings the action in this X-Men franchise. Enjoyed it! Made $131M (budget- $120M)- ****
Fruitvale Station- Directed by newcomer Ryan Coogler, this film is based on the life and death of Oscar Grant (Michael B. Jordan), a 22 year old black man, who was fatally shot by an Oakland police officer. Could be the best drama of 2013. Must-see! Made $16M ( budget-N/A)- ****
The Conjuring- Based on a true story in Rhode Island, paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) Warren work to help a family get rid of evil spirits in their farmhouse.The investigators soon find themselves caught in their most terrifying case. This movie uses old scare tactics to scare you. Definitely, not for kids. Made- $137M (budget- $20M)- ****
R. I. P. D.- A murdered cop ( Ryan Reynolds) is recruited to work for an afterlife police force called Rest In Peace Department. Afterwards, he becomes partners with the afterlife best cop (Jeff Bridges) to battle monsters. This movie reminded me of a softer “Men In Black”. Wait for it on DVD. Made $33M ( budget-$130M)- **
Pacific Rim- When legions of monstrous creatures called Kaiju rise from the sea to consume everything, humans devise massive robots called Jaegars to combat the Kaiju in a last attempt to stop the extinction of mankind. Action-Packed. Must see! Made $101M. (Budget $190M). ****
Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain- Comedian Kevin Hart delivers new material from a 2012 sold-out performance at Madison Square Garden. This stand-up show was very good. Must-see for laughs. Made $31M ( budget-N/A)- ****
Despicable Me 2- Gru (voice of Steve Carell) is recruited by the Anti-Villian League to battle a new villian who is trying to rule the world. Not as good as the first, but kids will love it. No. 1 at box office- $367M (Budget- $76M)- ****
The Lone Ranger- Tonto (Johnny Depp) recounts the untold tales that transformed John Reid (Armie Hammer) a lawyer, into a legend of justice. This movie was actually entertaining and true to the history of the wild, wild west. But, I think the writers made the mistake of making the Lone Ranger to soft and annoying. Had a chance to be a classic. A big disappointment at the box office. 2hrs/ 28Mins. Made $88M (budget-$215M)- **1/2
White House Down- While visiting the White House with his daughter, Capitol policeman (Channing Tatum) must protect his daughter and the President (Jamie Foxx) from a group of terrorists. This movie resembled Antione Fuqua’s “Olympus Has Fallen”, which made $98M at the box office. Besides the aggravating daughter, I still enjoyed the action and humor. Made $72M (budget- $150M)– ****
The Heat- Special Agent Sarah Ashburn (Sandra Bullock) and Det. Shannon Mullins (Melissa McCarthy) are paired together in this action/comedy to take down a ruthless drug lord. This movie was funny. Check it out for laughs. Made $159M (budget-$43M)- ****
Monster University- Pixar(Disney) returns with a look back in the past at the rocky relationship between Mike (voiced by Billy Crystal) and Sulley (voiced by John Goodman) during their days at Monster University. Well-written animation for kids and adults. Made $267M (budget- N/A)- ****
World War Z – Brad Pitt’s “World War Z” goes into a world overrun by zombies who were inflicted by a virus. This movie waste no time getting the action started. Non-stop action. Made $202M (budget- $190M)- ****
Man Of Steel- A young boy finds out he has superpowers. When he becomes a man, Superman (Henry Cavil) must save the world from General Zod (Michael Shannon) and his troops who are from the same planet as Superman and have the same superpowers. Action-Packed. Must-see! 2hrs/25mins long. Made- $291M (budget-$225M)- ****
This Is The End- While attending a party at James Franco’s mansion, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson and Jay Baruchel are soon trapped in Franco’s home while the world is coming to an End. This movie is crazy and hilarious. A well-written comedy/horror film by director Seth Rogen. Not for kids. Made $96M (budget- $32M)- ****
The Purge- A family (Ethan Hawke and Lena Headley) is terrorized for harboring a homeless man during the Purge, a 12-hour period in which all crimes are legal. This thriller was actually refreshing and very good. 1hrs/25mins long. Made-$64M (budget- $3M)- ****
The Internship- Billy (Vince Vaughn) and Nick (Owen Wilson) defy the odds and take an internship at Google with a group of brilliant college students. This movies gives you a inside look into Google. Enjoyed it ! Check it out to see the amazing world of Google. Made $44M ( budget- $58M)- ***1/2
After Earth- Will and Jaden Smith star in this sci-fi thriller about a father and son crashing on Earth, 1000 years after cataclysmic events. The son has to retreive a device from the ship and battle wild animals/ alien in order for the two to return home. I don’t know why the critics gave this movie bad reviews, but I thought the film was very good. 1hr/40mins. (No.1 movie Overseas) Made $60M (budget-$130M)– ****
Now You See Me- A FBI agent (Mark Ruffalo) tracks a team of illustionists (Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson) who are pulling off bank robberies during their performances and rewarding the audiences with the money. Morgan Freeman stars as an illustionist who is trying to expose the team. Enjoyed this mystery! The ending had a nice twist. Must-see! Made $115M (budget-$75M)– ****
Epic- This 3D animation is about a teenage girl finds herself magically transported into a sceret universe in the forest where the forces of good and evil are battling each other. Voices by Beyonce and Colin Ferrell. Must-see for kids and adults. Made $107M (budget-$100M)- ***1/2
Fast & Furious 6- Director Justin Lin (Fast Five) has the right formula for this action-packed franchise. Since the last Rio heist, Dom (Vin Diesel), Brian (Paul Walker), Michelle Rodriquez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris and The Rock get back together for another mission. The reward; a full pardon to return home. The best of the Fast and Furious film. Made $238M ( budget- $160M)- **** and then some
Hangover Part III- There’s no wedding or party this time. The wolfpack hits the road one last time for fun. This should be the last film for this box office smash. Still did well at box office. Had a few funny scenes. Made $111M (budget- $103M)- **1/2
Star Trek Into Darkness- The crew of the Enterprise (Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto and Zoe Saldana) are faced with the most deadly villian (Benedict Crumberb), the organization has faced. The best Star Trek movie. Action-packed. Must-see in 3D. Made $227M (budget-$190M)- ****
The Great Gatsby- A mysterious millionaire/war veteran Jay Gatsby (Leonardo Dicaprio) finds himself drawn to the past and lifestyle of his millionaire neighbor. Toby Maguire (Spider Man) was good in this film. Started out slow, but this movie is a classic. A true mystery! Dicaprio should finally win an Oscar for best actor. Executive producer, Jay-Z. Made $144M- (budget- $105M)- ****
Tyler Perry Presents Peeples- Bad attitudes fly with the Dad (David Alan Grier) when Wade Walker ( Craig Robinson) crashes the Peeples annual reunion in the Hamptons and asks for their daughter Grace’s (Kerry Washington) hand in marriage. Didn’t do well at the box office, but this movie is still funny. Made $9M- (budget- $15M)- **1/2
Iron Man 3- Iron Man/ Tony Starks (Robert Downey, Jr.) finds his personal world destroyed by the villian, The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley). Iron Man must protect Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and asks for help from his friend the War Machine (Don Cheadle). Action-packed and fun. Made- $408M (2nd Highest Opening ever-$174M). (budget-$200M)- ****
Pain And Gain- Based on a true story about three steroid abusing bodybuilders , Daniel Lugo (Mark Wahlberg), Paul Doyle (Dwayne Johnson) and Adrian Doorbal (Anthony Mackie) engaging in a campaign of kidnapping, extortion and murder in Miami. A mixture of comedy and drama. A Michael Bay film. Made-$49M (budget-$26M)– **1/2
Oblivion- Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) is one of the last remaining repairman on Earth. He soon begins to question what he knows about the mission and himself. A little confusing in the beginning, but the action picks up during the movie. Tom Cruise can make any movie work. Morgan Freeman also stars in this film. Made-$89M (budget-$120M)- ***1/2
“42”- This movie is about the legendary life of Jackie Robinson, the first Black man to PLAY major league baseball. The film focuses on the two years of his life after he entered the game in 1947. Chad Boseman plays Jackie Robinson and Harrison Ford as Branch Rickey. Must-see for everyone! Made- $95M (budget -$20M)- ****
Scary Movie 5- Director Malcolm D. Lee, (The Best Man, Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins), did his best to resurrect this fifth franchise. Wait for DVD. The movie still did pretty good at the box office. Made $31M (budget-$20M)- **
Evil Dead (2013)- Five friends stumble on a remote cabin in the woods and discover a book of the Dead. Unfortunately, they unknowingly summon demons from the dead. If you like blood and guts, this movie is for you. Made – $54M (budget- $17M)- **
Jurassic Park 3D- Director Steven Spielberg re-releases the masterpiece Jurassic Park in 3D. Seen this movie many times, but the 3-D version brings this classic to life. The T-Rex and Raptors look real. Must-see! Made $45M (budget-$10M)- ****
Tyler Perry’s Temptation/Confession Of A Marriage Counselor- Don’t know how this movie received bad reviews, but this Tyler Perry film was very good. A married woman is tempted by a billionaire that leads to betrayal and a life altering mistake. A shocking ending. Must-see for married couples! Made $51M (budget- N/A)– ****
G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013)- Framed for crimes against the U.S., the G.I. Joe team (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson must fight Cobra to restore their honor. The action was good, but the writing was average. They should end this franchise with this movie. Made- $122M (budget- $130M)- **
Olympus Has Fallen- Directed by Antione Fuqua (Training Day, The Shooter), this movie is about a secret service agent (Gerald Butler) who is left alone to fight a group of Korean terrorists that has taken the President and his Cabinet hostage in the White House. Very violent and suspenseful. Must-see! Did very well at box office-Made $98M (budget- $70M)- ****
The Croods- A Dreamworks 3-D computer-animated adventure comedy about the world’s first family leaving their destroyed cave on a journey of a lifetime. Kids and adults will enjoy this well-written animation. Made-$186M (budget- $135M)– ****
The Call – A veteran 9-11 Operator (Halle Berry) takes a life altering call from a teenage girl (Abigail Breslin) who has just been abducted by a serial killer. Berry scores big with her acting in this thriller. Must-see! Made $50M (budget-$13M)- ****
The Incredible Burt Wonderstone- Superstar magicians Burt Wonderstone (Steve Carell) and Anton Marvelton (Steve Buscemi) ruled the Las Vegas strip for years until a newcomer (Jim Carrey) steals the spotlight. Wait for it on cable. Disappointed! Made $22M (budget- $30M)– *1/2
Oz The Great And Powerful- A circus magician (James Franco) gets hurled away by a tornado to the land of Oz. This film shows how the Oz was created in the classic “Wizard Of Oz”. Mila Kunis plays the wicked witch. 30 minutes too long. (1hrs/ 57mins) Disappointed! Wait for it on DVD. Made -$234M (budget-$215M)-**1/2
Dead Man Down- A New York crime boss’s(Terrence Howard) right-hand man (Colin Ferrell) is seduced by one of his boss’s victims who is seeking revenge. Action-packed and violent. Must-see! Made-$10M (budget-N/A)- ****
Jack The Giant Slayer- Jack (Nicholas Hoult) a farmer, must rescue a princess from a race of vicious giants after unknowningly opening a gateway to their world. The action might be to intense for kids. Action-packed. A little long (1hr/54mins)- Made $65M (budget- $195M)- ****
Snitch- The Rock (Dwayne Johnson) returns in this true story about a father doing whatever it took to prove his son’s innocense. Enjoyed it! Made $42M (budget-N/A)-***1/2
A Good Day To Die Hard- John McClane(Bruce Willis) is back in action when he visits Moscow to see his son, Jack (Jai Courtney), who is investigating the Russian Underworld. The two McClanes discover they need each other to survive. Fast-paced action. 1hr/ 37mins. No. 1 at box office- $67M (budget-$92M)- ***
Safe Haven- A young women, Erin (Julianne Hough) escapes to a small town to start a new life and later falls in love with Alex (Josh Duhamel). Erin’s abusive husband finds her and the horror begins. A romance film for couples. A nice twist at the end. Made $71M (budget-$28M)– ***1/2
Escape From Planet Earth- A 3D computer animated family film for kids. Kids will enjoy this movie. Made $56M (budget-$40M)- ***
Identity Theft- This comedy is about a financial consultant, Sandy Patterson(Jason Bateman) getting his identity stolen by a woman named Diana (Melissa McCarthy). Patterson flies to Diana’s location to bring her back to justice. McCarthy is the real star in this movie. Hilarious! Made-$134M (budget-$35M)- ***1/2
Warm Bodies- A classic love story about a zombie falling in love with a human. This comedy /horror film was different. Enjoyed it! 1hr/ 37mins.- $65M (budget -$35M)- ****
Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters – Hansel (Jeremy Renner) and Gretel (Gemma Arterton) are bounty hunters who track and kill witches around the world. This horror fantasy film has good special effects. Action-packed. Made $55M. (Budget $50M). ****
Parker– Jason Statham (Parker) brings the pain again with this action thriller. Two good movies (Safe) in a row. Jennifer Lopez plays a good side-kick. Must-see. Violent. Made $17M. (Budget- N/A). ***1/2
The Last Stand– Sheriff Ray Owens (Arnold Schwarzenegger) moves to a quiet town to settle down, but finds out an escaped convict and his crew are heading his way. Wait for DVD. Made $11M (budget-$45M)- **
The Impossible– A true story about a family who survives the Indian Ocean tsunami. Made $18M. (Budget N/A). ***
Mama – This supernatural film is about two little girls terrorized by a ghost (Mama) who was murdered five years ago. Scariest movie of 2013! Definitely not for kids. Made $71M. (Budget $15M). ****
Zero Dark Thirty – Oscar winning director Kathryn Bigelow (Hurt Locker) directs a spy thriller about history’s greatest manhunt, a decade of what it took to find and kill Osama bin Laden. Must-see! 2 hrs./37 mins. Made $95M. (Budget $40M). ****
A Haunted House – Malcom (Marlon Wayans) and Kisha (Essence Atkins) move into their dream home, but soon learn a demon resides there. The movie is off-beat hilarious. Not for kids. Made $40M. (Budget $2.5M). **
Texas Chainsaw 3D – A group of friends passing through a town is confronted by a deformed killer preying on humans to eat. Trey Songz first starring role. Definitely not for kids. Blood and guts throughout the movie. Made $34M. (Budget N/A). **
Parental Guidance – A grandfather (Billy Crystal) and his wife (Bette Midler) babysit their three grandchildren for the summer and try to show them new values. Good comedy for adults and kids. Made $76M. (Budget $25M). ***
Django Unchained – A former slave named Django (Jamie Foxx) and a bounty hunter (Christoph Watz) join forces to battle against a brutal plantation owner (Leonardo DiCaprio). Quentin Tarantino scores with another classic. Be prepared for the use of the N-word 106 times. It’s good to see a Black Hero for a change. Tarantino wins Oscar for best screenplay and Watz for best supporting actor. 2 hrs./43 mins. Made $162M. (Budget $100M). ****
Les Miserables (2012) – The King’s Speech Tom Hooper directs this musical drama about a ruthless policeman (Russell Crowe) beginning an obsessive quest to capture escaped convict Jean Vaijean (Hugh Jackson). 2 hrs./37 mins. Made $148M. (Budget N/A). ***½
Jack Reacher – Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise) is an undercover/drifter investigator on the hunt for a murderous sniper. Very good mystery. Made $79M. (Budget $60M). ****
The Hobbit – Director Peter Jackson returns to the early years of Bilbo Baggins (the hobbit who gave Frodo the ring) going on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf kingdom. There’s 3 movies to this journey and Jackson brought you Pt. 1. Must-see for the 3D action scenes. 2 hrs./43 mins. Made $302M. (Budget N/A). ****
Lincoln – A powerful drama that focuses on the 16th President, Abraham Lincoln’s final months in office. Well-worth 2 hrs./25 mins. of your time. Must-see! Made $181M. (Budget $65M). ****
Killing Them Softly – Brad Pitt stars as a hit man hired to track down 3 guys who robbed a Mob card game. Could have been better if the movie didn’t have so much unnecessary cursing. Made $14M. (Budget $15M). ***
Life Of Pi – An India teenager who survives a disaster at sea finds himself stuck on a boat with a hyena, monkey and a Bengal tiger. This is a true adventure of life or death. Excellent! Must-see! Which story do you believe? Ang Lee wins Oscar for best director. Made $123M. (Budget $120M). ****
Silver Lining Playbook – A romantic comedy-drama about a husband (Bradley Cooper) going crazy after finding out his wife cheated on him. His dad (Robert De Niro), Jennifer Lawrence (Hunger Games) and Chris Tucker try to bring him back to sanity. Very good love story. Lawrence wins Oscar for best actress. Made $131M. (Budget $21M). ****
Red Dawn – An American city awakens to the sight of Korean soldiers invading the U. S. Wait for DVD. Not believable. Made $43M. (Budget $65M). **
Rise Of The Guardians – When the evil spirit launches an assault on Earth, the Guardians (Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, Jack Frost, etc.) team up to protect the children. Only kids will love this movie. Made $100M. (Budget $145M). **½
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Pt. 2 – Bella (Kristen Stewart) awakes as a vampire after having a newborn daughter. She later learns that the Volturi Organization is coming to kill the baby and her husband, Edward (Robert Pattison), Jacob (Taylor Latner) and the Cullen family must seek help to save the baby. Very good fight scene at the end. Enjoyed it. Must-see! Made $292M. (Budget $120M). ****
Skyfall – James Bond (Daniel Craig) brings the pain for 2 hours/25 mins. in this action/thriller. This time, the villain is coming after the agency. Made $304M. (Budget $200M). ****
Flight – Denzel Washington stars as a pilot with a substance abuse problem, who has to land a damaged plane. Don Cheadle had a good role in this drama. Must-see! Made $93M. (Budget $31M). ***
Wreck-It-Ralph – An old school video game character attempts to shed his bad guy image by escaping to another game. Well-written. Excellent for kids and adults. Enjoyed it! Made $188M. (Budget $165M). ****
Argo – Ben Affleck stars in and directed this true story about six U. S. workers trapped in Tehran after the militants seized control of the U. S. Embassy. Affleck had to figure out a way to get them out. A 2nd winner for Affleck (he directed The Town). Argo wins Oscar for best picture. Made $132M (Budget $44M). ****
Cloud Atlas (2012) – Tom Hanks and Halle Berry star in this 3 hour epic film about how the actions of people throughout the past, present and future impact one another. Sounds confusing, but you have to check it out, if you have time. Made only $26M. (Budget N/A). **
Paranormal Activity 4 – There’s nothing new in this fourth version of a ghost haunting anther family. The ending was pretty good, but the story needed more action. Made $42M. (Budget $5M). ***
Alex Cross – Tyler Perry plays a cop on the hunt for a hired killer called “The Butcher.” It’s hard seeing Perry go from comedy to action. “The Butcher” (Matthew Fox) saved this movie with the way he was killing his victims. Made $19M. (Budget $35M). ***
Sinister – A father (Ethan Hawke) comes across a gruesome home movie in his attic and realizes when he plays the move, the monster comes from the movie into his house. The monster wants the kids. Very creepy and disturbing. Definitely, not for kids. Made $47M. (Budget $3M). ****
Seven Psychopaths – A writer/director (Colin Ferrell) sets out to audition seven psychopaths for his movie. He soon realizes the psychos are closer to him than he thinks. A well-written, Pulp-Fiction-type movie. Made $14M. (Budget $15M). ****
Pitch Perfect – A freshman college student (Anna Kendrick) is forced by her dad to join the acappella team on campus. The semi-musical was very good. Made $62M. (Budget $17M). ***1/2
Taken 2 – Brian Mills (Liam Neeson), the retired CIA agent and his ex-wife are taken by the father of the kidnapper he killed rescuing his daughter. The first Taken film was a classic, but this movie was still good. Good spy scenes with daughter. Must-see! Made $139M. (Budget $45M). ****
Hotel Transylvania – Dracula (voice of Adam Sandler) invites all the famous monsters to his castle for his daughter’s birthday. All trouble starts when his daughter falls in love with a human. Kids will love this film. Made $148M. (Budget $85M). ****
Looper – Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt take you on a wild sci/fi ride about futuristic hitmen who travel back in time to kill their targets. The ending is really crazy. Very violent, but fun. Made $65M. (Budget $30M). ****
Dredd – Police officers Dredd (Keith Urban) and his partner take on a violent gang who are dealing a powerful drug to the people. Action-packed. Made $13M. (Budget $50M). **
End Of Watch – Might be one of the best police movies since Training Day. Action-packed and intense. Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena come through as two police officers patrolling the streets of Los Angeles. Made $38M. (Budget $7M). ****
House At The End Of The Street – Jennifer Lawrence (Hunger Games) and her mother (Elizabeth Shue) move to a new town and make a gruesome discovery about the house next door. Black director, Mark Tonderai did a good job with this low budget-horror film. Made $31M. (Budget $10M). ***
Resident Evil: Retribution – Alice (Milla Jovovich) is back to kill mutant zombies and the evil Umbrella Corporation that created them. If you like blood and guts, then this movie is for you. Made $42M. (Budget $65M). ***
The Cold Light Of Day – Henry Cavill, Bruce Willis and Sigourney Weaver misfire in this ho-hum action film. Wait for it on HBO. Made $3.2M. (Budget N/A). *
Possession – A little girl gets possessed by an evil spirit that came from a box her Dad purchased at a yard sale. Definitely, not for kids. Made $49M. (Budget $14M). ***
Lawless – Shia LaBeouf and Tom Hardy (Bane) star in this true story about a bootlegging family battling the Law. Very brutal. Made $36M. (Budget N/A). ***½
Sparkle – The last and final film starting the legendary Whitney Houston. Enough said! Must-see. Made $37M. (Budget $14M). ***
Premium Rush – A quick pace, life or death movie about a bike messenger (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) racing through New York City delivering packages and running from the cops. This film was different. Enjoyed it. Made $20M. (Budget N/A). ***½
The Expendables 2 – Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham and the gang return to save the world from a believable bad guy, Jean Claude Van Damme. More blood and guts. Enjoyed watching the legends back on the screen. Made $85M. (Budget $100M). ***½
ParaNorman – This stop-motion animation film is about a kid named Norman who is considered weird by his family because he can see and talk to ghosts and zombies. Kids and adults will love this movie. Made $55M. (Budget N/A). ****
The Bourne Legacy – Jeremy Renner replaced Matt Damon as the new spy to be chased by the government. Not as intense as the other Bourne movies, but still good action. Made $113 M. (Budget $125M). ***½
Total Recall (2012) – Douglas (Colin Farrell) realizes his whole life is a lie and the bad guys want to destroy him. Kate Beckinsale (Underworld) plays a good villain and her role saves this movie. Action-packed. Made $58M. (Budget $125M). ***
Dairy Of A Whimpy Kid: Dog Days – Wimpy kid (Greg) grows up and now he wants to date girls. Kids will love this movie. Made $47M. (Budget $30M). ***
Beasts Of The Southern Wild – A 6-year-old girl named Hushpuppy and her father live in the southern community of Louisiana called the Bathtub. Despite limited means, the father prepared Hushpuppy to survive a hurricane, the swamp, and life without him. Hushpuppy (Quvenzhane Wallis) should win an Oscar for best actress. Enjoyed sitting in the balcony at the historic Tampa Theater. A Must-See! Made $10M. (Budget N/A). ****
The Watch – Just like Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller misfires on this horror/comedy film about aliens living in their community and Stiller setting up a neighborhood watch team to weed them out. Wait for the DVD. Made $35M. (Budget $68M). **
Dark Knight Rises – Director Christopher Nolan does it again with his last and final Batman. Can’t quite out-do the Joker, but Bane (Tom Hardy) came close to bringing mayhem to Gotham City and Batman (Christian Bale). Another classic by Nolan. Must see! Made $448M. (Budget $250M). ****
Ice Age: Continental Drift – This needs to be the final movie for the Ice Age franchise. Wait for the video. Made $157M. (Budget N/A). **
****/ Must-see! Worth your money ***/ Good- Check it out ! **/ average-Nothing else to do! */ wait for DVD
SOM Movie Reviews 