Directed and starring Russell Crowe, The Water Diviner brings to life one man’s search for his missing sons during World War I. I found it enthralling and give it an A. Joshua Connor is a man so in tune with the land that he can find water beneath the bedrock. When his sons are reported killed in WWI, he tries to move forward but his wife is unable to handle the loss of her sons. When she dies, he finally agrees to bring them home, even though it means heading to Turkey which is still involved in major conflicts. The Water Diviner is based on real life inspired events and will have you wanting to know more about the fall of the Ottoman Empire. It’s hard to categorize this movie. It’s a war piece, it’s a romance, it’s a sweeping epic…it’s all those things. Along the lines of Brad Pitt’s Fury, it doesn’t hide the harsh realities of battle, nor does it glorify it. We do see a seldom seen part of WWI, the point of view of the Turkish people and their amazing history. Russell Crowe does a nice job sharing small pieces of the big picture as the movie unfolds and you find out more and more, like a hidden picture or puzzle. The Water Diviner will have you reaching for a tissue but will also make you laugh out loud with the outrageousness of the Grandfather and believe in a second chance at love and redemption. Paul Blart attends a security conference in Vegas which is just the thing to help him get over the loss of his mother and his new bride leaving him. I suggest that if you want to lose your money, go to the casino rather than this movie. I give Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 a D. I grew up watching great physical comedians from Lucille Ball to Carol Burnett, from Jerry Lewis to the Chevy Chase. Kevin James isn't one of them. He tries to be funny as a mall security guard who thinks more of himself than reality is in this story written by James and produced by Adam Sandler. Yet the story was trite. Bad guys are stealing the Wynn art collection to get back at losing money at the resort and only Blart and his band of guards can stop them. I know that the first Mall Cop was a cult favorite but in this story all the typical comedic parts are there from the bad guy with two different colored eyes who thinks he’s crazy, to James’ stumbling , bumbling accidents. There’s a fight with a bird while a man continues to play the piano and a chase scene on a modified Segway. Gun’s that misfire as well as all the bad guys being such horrible shots to miss everyone! I didn’t even crack a smile during the movie and while I saw a lot of YOUNG children at the theater, I wouldn’t recommend it for children under 10. Better yet, go spend the money to take the kids to see Cinderella again or take them to a picnic lunch. “Love requires sacrifice... always”…Nicolas Sparks’ movies are guaranteed to pull at your heartstrings and The Longest Ride does just that. Much like his movie The Notebook, this story shows flashbacks of another relationship, which mirrors Sophia and Luke’s blooming relationship. I give the story a B+. There were two reasons I wanted to see this movie- Scott Eastwood and to see how Mr. Sparks’ cowboys compare to my own cowboys in the best-selling western romance books Cowboy Up and Cowboy Up 2. Luke, a champion bull-rider who is sidelined with an injury tries to regain his top standing the Pro-Bull Riding circuit. Sophia’s an art student who’s leaving for an internship in NYC in two months. The two are opposites who connect. We see their love story play out amongst the letters and remembrance of Ira (played by Alan Alda) and Ruth’s relationship. Scott Eastwood looks so much like his father that you close your eyes and you’re watching The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly if it was a sappy romance. The bull-riding scenes will have you gasping and wishing for your own sexy cowboy. But the storyline is predictable and while it does have a happy ending, like most Nicolas Sparks’ movies, it leaves you in tears. I liked Ruth and Ira’s romance more than Luke and Sophia’s. Their love was one that stood the test of time, sacrifice, and even death. Alan Alda is perfect for this role! The Longest Ride refers to being married forever...this movie is sure to appeal to women who love romance and believe in the strength of love, so see it with your girlfriends.
Are you ready to grab a hold of the edge of your seat and hold your breath? Furious 7 keeps the adrenaline pumping from the opening scene to the very end. I give Furious 7 an A. In this seventh installment of the popular series, the older brother of a former nemesis tries to settle the score. Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) is out killing the crew one by one for revenge and Dominic Torretto must get his family back together to keep them safe and find the one person (Ramsey) who has a computer program that can find Deckard no matter where he’s hiding. I haven’t seen the rest of the series but enjoyed the nail-biting action and sexy muscle cars. From amazing driving to exciting jumps, the action never stops. I love that they have to post a warning at the end of the movie about the stunts as if someone might try to parachute a car out of an airplane! Vin Diesel and “The Rock” are easy on the eyes as “kick-butt” good guys who go up against Deckard Shaw, a former black ops agent to a Somalia warlord. My favorite line is “Sir, someone double tapped our drone.” Sadly, Paul Walker passed away during the making of this movie. Using CGI and his brothers, the movie was completed. At times, you can tell it’s not him but knowing about his passing makes the movie even more poignant, especially at the end with Dominic’s message about family and always being together. Yes, my eyes weren’t the only ones crying at the end. After all, it’s one last ride. |
Melissa KeirIt's all about the movies... Archives
January 2020
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