Now You See Me

Now You See Me (PG-13) 201

Directed by Louis Letterrier

Starring:  Morgan Freeman, Isla Fisher, Mark Ruffalo, Dave Franco, Woody Harrelson, Michael Caine, Jesse Eisenberg, Mélanie Laurent, Common, Elias Koteas, David Warshofsky, J. LaRose and Caitriona Balfe

Here We Go:  A group of elite magicians comes together to pull off some extraordinary, and ultimately illegal, tricks.  I absolutely loved this movie!  It was fantastical, extraordinary, smart and intriguing.  I would say that it's magical, but that would just be lame, right?  Seriously, the amount of awesome in this movie made it worth seeing.  Who doesn't like magic?  The group of actors assembled for this movie are right on point and the ending is just like any magic trick...surprising.  

Bottom Line: It's a treat for the senses, and definitely one that we think is worth seeing! 

The Hours

A Resurrection (R) 2012

Directed by Steven Daldry

Starring:  Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, Nicole Kidman, Ed Harris, Toni Collette, Claire Danes, Jeff Daniels, Stephen Dillane, Allison Janney and John C. Reilly

Here We Go:  The Hours explores the parallels between the lives of three women during different periods of time.  This movie is, in one word, exquisite.  The stories run together with such fluidity that you never feel as though you've just been cut off from a story, but rather that you're excited to see what is going to happen next.  The director hits every mark, and film quickly transforms into art.  Nicole Kidman as Virginia Woolf is engrossing, and there were several times when I forgot that I was watching Nicole Kidman and not Virginia Woolf.  And Julianne Moore as a severely depressed wife and mother is so painfully real.  It takes more than a halfhearted effort at emotional drama to impress me, because frankly, I'm not all too interested in sap.  But this movie made me a fan and I am genuinely happy that I took the time to experience this beautiful piece of work.

Bottom Line: Watch it!

A Resurrection

A Resurrection (R) 2012

Directed by Matt Orlando

Starring:  Mischa Barton, Devon Sawa, Michael Clarke Duncan, J. Michael Trautmann, Stuart Stone, Nick Jandl, Matthew Willig, Alanna Janell, Morgan Wolk and Brenden Meers

Here We Go:  Some creepy kid's brother is killed in a hit-and-run and a group of teens are basically herded together as the possessed body of the dead brother comes back to take his revenge.  What a horribly stupid movie.  There are only a handful of people in the film, which may have saved the production company money but it made the credibility of the movie suffer.  You mean to tell me that ONE sheriff does the work of the entire department?  And students can just be held indefinitely by a school psychologist in a classroom, while the one absurd sheriff goes and talks to a witch?  Sure, why not.  And I guess that's why it makes complete sense that when (spoiler alert) Mischa Barton's character finds someone dead she backs out of the room and freaks out because she can't find her cell phone.  After all, why would ANY of the phones in any of the offices be an option for calling out.  I suppose it's because the ENTIRE town seems to consist of 12 people (all featured in the movie) and she needed to access her address book to find an out-of-towner to come save the day.  One last thing - Mischa Barton can't act and she should focus on learning to do something where she might excel, such as factory work or perhaps something in the realm of becoming a minor league baseball mascot.

Bottom Line:   Skip it!

Pitch Perfect

Pitch Perfect (PG-13) 2012

Directed by Jason Moore

Starring:  Anna Kendrick, Skylar Astin, Ben Platt, Brittany Snow, Anna Camp, Rebel Wilson, Alexis Knapp, Ester Dean, Hana Mae Lee and Kelley Jakle

Here We Go:  An all-girls college a cappella group comes together to update their image in order to stand a chance in a heated competition.  Pitch Perfect is like Glee with bite, but maybe that's the difference between high school and college.  There is still that chick-flick, cheekiness that comes from movies like this (think: Bring It On), but it's still a movie that both guys and girls can enjoy.  It's actually funny in an off the wall sort of way, and the singing is pretty awesome!  Of course there are those "it would never happen" moments, but so what?  Just listening to Anna Kendrick sing Cups makes it all ok!

Bottom Line:   Watch it!

The Last Exorcism Part II

The Last Exorcism Part II (UR) 2013

Directed by Ed Gass-Donnelly

Starring:  Ashley Bell, Julia Garner, Spencer Treat Clark, David Jensen, Tarra Riggs, Louis Herthum, Muse Watson, Erica Michelle, Andrew Sensenig and Judd Lormand

Here We Go:  This follow-up to The Last Exorcism brings you life for Nell (Bell) after the last movie.  Not a whole lot to say about this movie.  The Part I was entertaining but at times outlandish, poorly written and plagued with bad acting and bad cinematography.  Part II takes away the "entertaining" and leaves you with poor writing, bad acting and bad cinematography.  The one highlight is that Ashley Bell gives a strong lead performance if you can look past the bad script she had to work with.  

Bottom Line:   Skip it.  

Lawless

Lawless (R) 2012

Directed by John Hillcoat

Starring:  Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Jessica Chastain, Gary Oldman,Guy Pearce, Mia Wasikowska, Jason Clarke and Dane DeHaan

Here We Go:  Think old Western flick mixed with a '20s gangster film.  The Bondurant brothers are running a bootlegging business during Prohibition and have to deal with a new local lawman trying to stick his hand into their earnings.  This movie really has an outstanding all around cast that takes a decent, but not great, script and makes a good movie.  Shia LeBeouf is just right as the weakling little brother but it is really Tom Hardy and Jason Clarke that make this movie.  Both were very well cast and you truly believe they could be good ole' boys cooking up some moonshine in your backyard.  

Bottom Line:   Watch it!

The Conjuring

The Conjuring (R) 2013

Directed by James Wan

Starring: Vera Farmiga, Joey King, Patrick Wilson, Lili Taylor, Ron Livingston, Mackenzie Foy, Shanley Caswell, Hayley McFarland, John Brotherton and Steve Coulter

Here We Go:  Demonologists, Ed and Lorraine Warren, come to the rescue of a family that has been invaded by a deadly demon.  Maybe it's because this movie is based on a true story, but this movie is legit!  It's absolutely scary, the story moves along at a good pace, and I can testify to the fact that this movie had grown men bring out their inner child - their inner screams-like-a-little-girl child.  The cast is perfect and truly believable, (and we all know how easily horror movies can quickly lose points on believability).  I just keep thinking of the first time the demon makes an appearance...and on that note, I'm off to check under my bed and turn on a few more lights.

Bottom Line:  Watch it, ya big baby!