Archive for October, 2014

Summit Entertainment, OddLot Entertainment, The Montecito Picture Company,

Kevin Costner, Jennifer Garner, Denis Leary, Frank Langella, Sam Elliott, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, Terry Crews, Ellen Burstyn, Chadwick Boseman

Sonny Weaver, Jr (Kevin Costner) is now General Manager of The Cleveland Browns football team. He took over for his father who recently passed away and he has big shoes to fill. It’s the NFL Draft Day, and Sonny trades up to the Number One pick in order to get the hottest Quarterback on the market, but the cost is very high, and everyone else, from his girlfriend and fellow front office member Ali (Jennifer Garner) and his Mother, (Ellen Burstyn), as well as the whole front office think he’s blown it big time. But Sonny has to figure it out and see if he has what it takes to take over for his Father, whom everybody loved.

The high stakes poker style negotiating of the NFL Draft (and the NBA draft for that matter) is a roller-coaster ride of it’s own, but that’s even just as a spectator. Here we get to go into the back rooms and see how the wheeling and dealing goes on under extreme pressure for everyone involved. A simple mistake in negotiation could mean plus or minus millions of dollars as the season plays out. This film really takes you into the action, and it’s a very good movie. I found myself enjoying it a lot, even though I’m not the hugest NFL fan. I watch my Steelers when I can, but drafting a fantasy team, or following the draft on TV is not something I’ve really invested myself in. But I have to admit I was thoroughly entertained, and I think even a non-football fan could enjoy this film as well since there is so much other stuff going on. Though it reminded me of Moneyball a little bit, as the subject is similar, trying to find the right players at the right cost to make your team, I think it was even more enjoyable to me than Moneyball was. Kevin Costner was very good, and he carried the film really well. There’s such a feeling of realism, that you would swear that its’ a true story, and there are many real people who play themselves, even though this is a fictitious story, there is some similarity to a real event. There’s drama, suspense, humor, and good old fashioned drama going on here, and the movie never lets up. Very well presented, everyone deserves kudos from the script to the photography, to the casting and acting in this sports film. I really enjoyed this movie, and I would definitely recommend it, especially to anyone who is a football fan!

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

 

 

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Unified Pictures, Amberdale Productions, Bron Studios,

Clark Gregg, Amanda Peet, Sam Rockwell, Felicity Huffman, Molly Shannon, Paul Sparks, Niecy Nash, William H. Macy, Saxon Sharbino, Allison Janney

Howard Holloway (Clark Gregg) is a former child star, now a manager of acting children who is having a hard time. His arch-rival, Aldo Shocklee (Sam Rockwell) would do anything to steal his talent, and a casting director who despises him. When he accidentally runs across talented Lydia (Saxon Sharbino) and tries to land her as the next “big thing” not only does he have to fight everyone else, but now he’s got a demanding and over protecting Father trying to ruin it all. Just as everything begins to fall into place, Howard learns a big secret that could cause him to throw it all away himself.

Living in California and having a child who was a child actress for a short time, I can assure you, the business is as ruthless as it comes. This film is about a really nice guy, played by Clark Gregg, who wants to be ruthless to survive, and plays his cards close to the vest, but who can’t bury his heart of gold. Saxon Sharbino was excellent as the “too big for her britches” wanna-be child star who is really good in this film. Her role may leave you despising her, but there’s no question that she did a great job playing the role. With other excellent performers like Felicity Huffman, Molly Shannon, Niecy Nash, Amanda Peet, and William H Macy, there’s a lot of talent, and it can’t help but shine through. No, this is not a great story, but it’s very passable, and quite interesting. Some of it is really funny as well. There are twists and turns, and crosses and double crosses galore, and so there’s a lot of mystery here as well. But most of all it’s a story with a lot of heart, some good old fashioned values, and some lessons to be learned. I thought it was a rather interesting film, and very well made, and think it’s well worth watching.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

 

 

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VT Films, Flywheel & Shyster, Globomedia Cine,

Robert Duvall, Jeremy Irvine, Angie Cepeda, Luis Tosar, Joaquín Cosio, Javier Gutiérrez

Red Bovine *(Robert Duvall) is a cantankerous old rancher in Texas who is about to lose his ranch. He is not going to go out without a fight though. Estranged from his son who lives in New York, on the day they came to take his house, his grandson Gally (Jeremy Irvine) shows up. He’s dropped out of college for a while, and wants to get to know his Grandfather since he’s never heard much at all about him from his father, and what he did wasn’t good. They start off on a road trip and end up going to Mexico for a fine night of women and drink when a coincidence puts them afoul of the Mexican drug cartel that wants to kill them all. With a hopeful singer/stripper in tow (Angie Cepeda) they use their best skills to stay ahead of the killer that are after them.

This is a rough and violent story, but one with a lot of heart. This is one of the best roles I’ve seen for Robert Duvall in many years. It’s perfect for him, as a grumpy old goat who might remind you of Walter Matthau in “Grumpy Old Men”, he’s a softie at heart. As tough as he tries to be, we know he’s a sweetheart underneath, and it shows. He pulls this off perfectly. This is a buddy picture of a Grandpa and a Grandson he doesn’t even know, getting to know one another and find a way to build a bridge. But the unexpected events gives us a real suspenseful trip through the dangerous back streets of Mexico. I found this to be a very interesting story, with a great West Texas feel, and a great script, with an excellent cast. There is so many good things going for this film, that I don’t really know why it was not that successful. It’s an Indie film, and perhaps it didn’t have the budget for promotion, but I was really pleased with the quality of this story. I was riveted throughout, both with the relationship between the three leads and the suspense of the chases and outsmarting of the bad guys. It was a really good film, and though it’s fairly adult content, it was an excellent picture and one I can recommend.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

 

 

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Movie Rentals Releasing Tuesday November 7, 2014

  • Edge of Tomorrow
  • A Million Ways to Die in the West
  • Million Dollar Arm
  • The Grand Seduction
  • Obvious Child

Author: EdG

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New Line Cinema, Evergreen Media Group,

Annabelle Wallis, Ward Horton, Alfre Woodard, Eric Ladin, Tony Amendola

In 2013’s The Conjuring we met Ed and Lorraine Warren who study the paranormal and assist in supernatural situations. In their home vault they had a series of objects that had a strong connection to evil and demons and the like. The pride of their collection was a very creepy doll named Annabelle. Well, we know we’re not done with Annabelle just yet, but this film is actually a prequel to The Conjuring where we learn the back story about where Annabelle came from and what horrible things she has done in the past. Basically, a gift to a young expectant woman by her husband. She’s a doll collector and Annabelle completes the set. But when the deranged daughter of their next door neighbor arrives back home with her fellow cult member boyfriend to kill everyone in sight and takes a liking to the doll, from that point on Annabelle has a life of her own. The evil follows them, and Annabelle is a doll that can’t seem to be destroyed.

This is a rather simple horror film, but well made, quite interesting, and with lots of horror and suspense. Though the doll with a spirit has been done by Chucky for years, and the parents trying to save their unborn child has been around before, it’s quite a good little story, and Annabelle, the doll, will surely give you the creeps. I don’t know what it is about possessed children’s toys, but this doll is really dreadful. I don’t think this is going to be a huge box office hit, but the timing is perfect, and I do believe it will do better than most people expect. I think it’s a fun little movie, and will give you some serious jolts both through the creepiness of it, and as well as through the sound effects. They are suspenseful scares mixed with the usual startling sound effect scares. This is set back in what looks like back in the 60’s and the music and technology is really spot on. It was a trip back in time as well. But the story is pretty tight, well written, and for the month of October, I would think it’s a nice evening to go out for an evening of frights in the theater for a change of pace. We went to an early showing on Saturday, and the theater was probably at least 75% full. There were lots of shrieks and screams from the crowd, and I think most everyone had a great time. If you are a horror fan, this is a pretty good one, and I enjoyed it a lot. This one I’m glad I went out to see on the big screen!

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

 

 

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