  Will Farrell is known for his raunchy comedies. Get Hard is just his latest. I give the movie a B. When James King played by Farrell is convicted of securities fraud, he is given 30 days to get his life in order all the while claiming his innocence. And rather than trying to find out who set him up, he mistakes the owner of a small carwash business as a former incarcerated person. Farrell offers him anything in order to prepare him for life behind bars. Seeing the money as a chance to get his family out of the hood, Darnell agrees even though he’s never even received a parking ticketed, let alone been in prison.  One thing is guaranteed in a Will Farrell movie, it’s going to be funny. This movie had laugh out loud moments, raunchy language, and nudity. There’s more than one reason not to bring your young teens to this movie.  Get Hard plays with race biases-no one is safe. Farrell deadpans so many misunderstandings about the African American culture and Kevin Hart as Darnell-the trainer, plays into this as well. But white supremacists, wealthy Americans, the Hispanic cultures as well as the gay community takes hits too.  Farrell reminds me of a modern day- Jerry Lewis type actor with the full body gags and pratfalls. His face is expressive and it shocks to see the swear words come out of such a “bland” looking face. Sometimes we need an escape from the complexities of life, and Get Hard is sure to do it…although you may need to wash your eyes out when you get home.
 Liam Neeson has become the man with a gun you want on your side. In movies like the Taken series or A Walk Among the Tombstones. I give Run All Night an A.  Best friends growing up Shawn Maguire (Ed Harris) and Jimmy Conlon (Liam Neeson) lived the life of Gangsters. Shawn was a mob boss and Jimmy was his hit man. Both were family men with sons who meant the world to them. The difference is that Jimmy walked away from his family because of his shady lifestyle. When he’s forced to kill Shawn’s son, their friendship is destroyed. Now Jimmy must keep his son alive. If protecting his son isn’t enough, then he’ll return to his roots and destroy his best friend before Shawn kills Jimmy’s son.  The action is fast paced and feels like a Soprano episode. As a parent, I would do anything to protect my child. Mother bear, Tiger mom, I’m not going to let someone hurt my child. Yet there’s a moral to the story about the lifestyle. Jimmy’s son grows up with morals because Jimmy walked away, where Shawn’s son is a mess. Was it because Shawn was always there to save his son as a helicopter parent? Being a parent means letting your child fail and learn from their mistakes not protect them from all failures. 
Liam’s incredible as a bad guy doing what’s right. The gun play and physical action sequences astound, even at his age. And while I do miss the more fun and carefree Liam from movies like Love Actually, at least he’s not crashing planes like Harrison Ford. 
 The original animated Cinderella has long been a classic. One that kept the Disney franchise afloat during difficult times. Remaking it as a live action movie was a risk…but one that paid off. I give Cinderella an A-. The story doesn’t exactly follow the animated movie but embellishes it. We still have the animals, the evil stepsisters and stepmother, as well as a prince. But in this movie, Cinderella meets the Prince and doesn’t know who he is. There’s a new dynamic and morality message with Cinderella this time.  I thought the changes would make me dislike this movie. The original Cinderella was a big favorite of mine. Who doesn’t wish for a bunch of animals willing to sew dresses, clean up after themselves, or a fairy godmother who can make your dreams come true? The movie won me over.  The only downside is that the songs are missing. They aren’t a part of the movie and only roll during the credits. I did keep hoping for someone to break into song…at least someone who wasn’t me! I guess I should apologize to those watching the movie with me. 
If you are looking for a movie that will appeal to all ages, Cinderella is a must see. Just embrace the change. :) 
How many of us have dreamed of telling off our boss and starting our own company, especially after being forced to take a pay cut? I'm sure I see a bunch of hands up. That's the premise of Unfinished Business. I give it a D. 
If you have seen a Vince Vaughn movie, you know he plays the same character in each of his movies. This one is no different. The bumbling guy who has horrible things happen to him, outside of his control...spoofs and physical comedy abound. But even the nudity of the "spitz bath" couldn't save this movie. It says something when more people laugh at a preview of an upcoming movie more than they laugh during this one. My husband said that this movie is one with a few good laughs but is quickly forgotten when you walk out the door.
The biggest problem with this movie was the way it hits you over the head with a message--No Bullying. It takes away from the "fun" of comedy when the viewer is constantly brought back to the children getting bullied, being a bully and how in a sense even Mr. Vaughn's character is bullied. When you go to a comedy you just want to enjoy and escape for a couple of hours. The best scene take place at a gay bar but even those five minutes on the screen couldn't redeem the rest of the movie. 
I recommend that if you are a fan of Vince Vaughn movies, you wait until this one is on pay per view and save the money of seeing it in a theater. 
 Can you extend life or even bring someone back after they are dead? The medical students in the movie, The Lazarus Effect set out to do that, only something goes horribly wrong. I give this horror movie a B-.  Horror movies are supposed to surprise and scare you. Dead bodies abound. Everyone is collateral. This movie certainly gives you the jumps. Surprises astound as the medical students set out to find a way to bring someone back to life. I loved the way that ending shocked you and set things up for what might happen next. However, pieces of the storyline felt reused…Rocky the dog, reminded me of Cujo and Zoe using all of her brain functions which gives her extra powers reminded me of Lucy.  The Lazarus Effect features some interesting messages about Heaven, Hell and Life after Death. But since this is a horror movie, those urges to dig deeper pass pretty quickly. And if you do get caught up in the urge to analyze, the next surprising twist will make you forget. Looking for a good escape from the snow, bring your main squeeze to see The Lazarus Effect…at least you have someone to hold on to. 
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Melissa KeirIt's all about the movies... Archives
January 2020
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