 Alice survived the trap which wiped out Washington DC but when the Red Queen makes her an offer she can’t refuse, she sets off to Raccoon City where the T virus began. Not only is humanity about to be wiped out, there is a cure in the Hive. With only hours left to save humanity, Alice must return to the underground headquarters of the Umbrella Corporation, defeat numerous threats and release the anti-virus before all humans are extinct. But can she trust the Red Queen who has been out to kill her in the previous five movies?
Milla Jovovich returns as Alice, the kick-butt hero who takes on the bad guys and zombies alike. The action sequences are outstanding, while the surprises will have you jumping out of your seat. While many of the previous characters aren’t in this movie, Iain Glen returns as evil Dr. Isaacs- the leader of the Umbrella Corporation and the thorn in Alice’s side. Alice finds a rag-tag group of resistant fighters who join her in getting the anti-virus but most are just cannon fodder. It becomes fifty ways to gruesomely die.
While I hadn’t seen any of the other Resident Evil movies nor played the video game, I enjoyed this movie as a stand-alone. The director did a nice job showing enough of the past movies to fill in any blanks but not overwhelm the audience with details. The movie feels a lot like a video game as the characters enter an unknown area and then pause to look around, searching for a way out or danger. But unlike Underworld’s latest movie, Resident Evil looks more realistic. Even the zombies and scary mutant animals appear as if they are real, not CGI graphics on the screen.
Twists and surprises as well as wall-to-wall action keep viewers entertained. Fans of the series will enjoy the movie because it wraps up the storyline of Alice and the destruction of our world. But even if you haven’t seen any of the other movies, the storyline and action will keep you interested. With violence as well as frightening images, this movie isn’t good for the younger audience members. Looking for an escape from the day-to-day doldrums, Resident Evil provides a few hours of compelling action!
 Sometimes a movie is just an escape… I’m giving XXX a B+. Former extreme athlete Xander Cage was believed dead but when an unstoppable weapon begins targeting satellites and kills his former friend and handler, Gibbons, Xander must come out of retirement to save the world.
Vin Diesel returns as the over-the-top Xander who uses his special talents and sarcastic wit against another team of mercenaries out to get the Pandora’s Box for their own purpose. Only things aren’t what they seem as enemies become friends and everyone’s a target.
Donnie Yen (Fresh off Rogue One) as Xang is a kick-butt martial art bad guy who lives in a shade of gray world. Along with Deepika Padukone as Serena, the two are leaders of a group who can take out intelligence officers and military specialists in a blink of an eye.
Xander gathers his own band of friends, a sharpshooter, hip-hop music man and You Tube Car sensation as they finally realize that the bad guy might be someone on their own team.
This movie is very typical of gun blazing, shoot-em up movies. The good guys aren’t entirely good but are very good on the eyes and good with the women. The bullets fly but never hit any of the good guys unless it’s needed for a reaction and just when you think the end is near, a surprise saves the day.
XXX makes you laugh and cheer. You marvel at the action and stunts. Each movie has to be bigger and better. Riding a motorbike through the water or skiing down a dirt-strewn mountainside. Plays with words and nods to things we all know as the audience are fun to watch, such as a character thinking they were trying out for the Avengers- After all…Samuel L. Jackson is both Gibbons and Nick Fury. But cheesy lines and predictability are two reasons I knocked points off this movie. Then there’s the whole part of the movie which took place in Detroit, however, it wasn’t even filmed there. Bummer loss of realism for the hometown audience.
But if you are looking for a fun escape, hot girls and sexy guys with in your face action and stunts… XXX is the movie to while away an afternoon. Just some eye candy at the end of a tough week.
 When Boston is targeted during the Boston Marathon, the city comes together to show they are Boston Strong. I give Patriot’s Day a B.
Based on the real-life events surrounding the horrific bombing at the Boston Marathon, Patriot’s Day tells the story of a variety of people who were involved, from policemen to bystanders. It also includes a look at the MIT campus policeman who lost his life and the young man who was carjacked by the bombers.
Mark Wahlburg plays Tommy Saunders, a veteran Boston policeman who is on the finish line when the bombs go off and assists in the takedown of the bombers. While Tommy is really a compilation of various real people, Wahlburg portrays this tough-as-nails policeman with grit and real emotion. Tommy ties the whole story together. This is a detriment to the movie (and why I marked it down) since there wasn’t any way a Boston policeman could be in all the places including Watertown where the second suspect was captured. As a viewer, I wasn’t vested in Tommy’s character. He was a distraction at times.
However, the supporting cast is stellar from Kevin Bacon as the FBI agent in charge to John Goodman as the police commissioner. Their contribution deepens the story and takes it from fact to emotional connection. It was great to see behind-the-scenes including all the pieces about how the FBI found the bombers’ identities.
While Patriot’s Day is a moving story about the people of Boston and the victims of this devastating event, it does leave the viewer with a positive message of love triumphing over hate and how people come together in times of trouble. That’s an important message these days.
 Looking for a movie long on action and special effects but short on plot? Watch Underworld- Blood Wars. I give it a B-.
Selene has been alive longer than any other vampire or lycan. It’s wearing on her. She’s seen so much death and destruction, she’d love to end it but her will to fight is stronger. In the fifth movie of the Underworld series, the Lycans have banded together under one leader, Marius, and are determined to exterminate all vampires. Unable to get along with themselves, let alone anyone else, the vampires face extinction. In order to survive, they rescind the kill order on Selene and ask for her help. But someone has a hidden agenda and spies surround the vampire council.
Selene is basically alone. She’s lost the man she loved in the battle between the species, had been forced to kill her mentor when it came to light he was using her, and was forced to hide her daughter to keep her safe. This sequel has many nods to the original movies and even shows some of the scenes in flashbacks, just in case you missed them.
The action is non-stop and Kate Beckinsale rocks out the black bodysuit. For 43, she looks damn good! Yet, the movie disappoints. The graphics are obviously CGI and appear to be very fake in some scenes with more of a “game” feeling. As well, some of the storyline makes no sense.
Selene’s blood can allow vampires to walk in the daylight and can bring someone back from the dead. However, the lycans are only after her daughter’s blood. Wouldn’t Selene’s blood be a good tool as well? The evil vampire seems to understand that. Then there’s the part about a vampire and lycan who fall in love and work together to bring about the fall of the vampires. Why doesn’t that relationship trigger feelings for Selene? After all, she was in love with a lycan. Couldn’t the union of a lycan and vampire also bring about another special child? Finally, if drinking the blood of someone allows you to see all that they know, why didn’t anyone think to drink the blood of the person who was manipulating things behind the scenes? There were certainly signs. So much pain and death could have been avoided.
This movie will appeal to fans of the series as well as those who love movies with a lot of action. And isn’t it good when you can see a movie that is just eye candy?
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Melissa KeirIt's all about the movies... Archives
January 2020
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