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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Ixtlan, Onda Entertainment, Relativity Media,

Blake Lively, Taylor Kitsch, Trevor Donovan, Aaron Johnson, Salma Hayek, John Travolta, Benicio Del Toro, Emile Hirsch, Joel David Moore , Shea Whigham, Joaquín Cosio, Diego Cataño, Demián Bichir, Antonio Jaramillo, Jake McLaughlin, Alexander Wraith, Anthony Cutolo, Ali Wong, Sandra Echeverria

Three friends live in Laguna Beach and are living the life rolling in dough by growing and selling a particularly extraordinary strain of cannabis that was developed one one of the friends. Ben (Aaron Johnson) is the brains of the outfit and Chon (Taylor Kitsch) is the brawn. Chon is a former Navy Seal and a real bad ass. Ben is much quieter and wants to avoid trouble. Ophelia (Blake Lively) who calls herself “O” is the beauty and the lover of both boys. They think they lead the perfect life until a huge Mexican cartel led by Elena (Selma Hayek) and her thugs decide that the company has gotten big enough to take over and she decides to move North to take over the trio’s business. Trouble is bad cop Dennis (John Travolta) is on the take from both groups and figures there must be a big win for him either way. A huge drug war erupts and people are dropping like flies. Everyone has to determine what’s the most important thing for the other, and try to take it away in this violent and bloody R rated drug war!

This isn’t such a terrible story but director Oliver Stone surely managed to tear most of it out by the roots. There is so much bad acting in this film that’s it quickly turns absurd. This could have been done better in 1968 by Sergio Leone, I swear! This had the acting and script level of one of those Terrance Hill / Bud Spencer Trinity films (which I loved) without any of the humor.

First I’ll start with Blake Lively. She is lovely to look at, but she’s the narrator who starts off the film with a line something along the lines of “Just because I’m telling the story doesn’t mean I’m alive at the end of it.” The relationship of the 3 of them is also absurd. She needs one cause he’s gentle and one cause he’s rough, but what’s in it for the guys? Why not just admit from the start that they’re gay and it’s a better story. John Travolta as the dirty cop? Well, I like ole John Boy, but this was a farce of a performance in my opinion. Not bad, not good, and he yells his lines out like a kid in one of those acting classes their parents pay the big bucks for. The bad guys are cartoons. But they aren’t funny. Then they have to tack on a stupid ending that made me think I was watching the VHS version of the Clue movie with the 4 different endings. “This is what could have happened, but…..” It’s not exactly like that, but you get the drift. She has to redo the line about just because I’m telling the story doesn’t mean that I’m alive in the end…. Let’s hope not, ok?

All in all, they had a decent story to work with, and blew it all to hell with the melodramatic cardboard and cartoony acting that ruined it for me. I went in with high hopes and came out really disappointed with a “Is that all there is?” look on my face. Too bad it just didn’t work for me in the least.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

 

 

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Lemon Films, Terregal Films, Via Media,

Miguel Rodarte, Jesús Ochoa, Joaquín Cosio, Jaime Camil, Adal Ramones, Isela Vega, Juan Carlos Flores, Gerardo Taracena, Rodrigo Oviedo, Marius Biegai, Alexander Minchenko, Randy Vasquez

Julian Perez was a small boy when his father was murdered by a drug lord. He fought back against them, and ran away from home, only to be tracked down and given us choice, “join us or die”. Julian joined them, and in a few years was the most powerful man in Mexico. But his mother (Isela Vega) had disowned him for his criminal lifestyle until his brother was lost and presumed dead in Iraq. Julian’s mother told him to retrieve his brother to restore his reputation, so Julian puts together a crack team of rescuers and heads to Iraq to try to find his brother and bring him back home.

This is a very interesting film. I was very hesitant going into it, as I didn’t really know what to expect. I got a lot of things from it. First of all, it’s completely in Spanish. There are English subtitles. The quality isn’t great, there’s not enough budget, but with a little more money, this would have been a great film. I am not Hispanic, though I live in Orange County, California, but my heritage is English, German, Scottish, Irish, so I have no Mexican blood. I don’t get all of the cultural references, and still I enjoyed watching this film. One one side, it was really funny, and it is a comedy, and more so a parody. But I recognized the seriousness of the film. The story was poignant as well. I don’t know the actors in this film, but I am sure they are very well known in Mexican cinema, and I am sure there are lots of funny parts that I missed, but even the exciting gun battles and the rescue are very good to watch. Also the flashbacks of Julian’s life show where he came from and why he got where he was. He was forced into a life he didn’t choose. But even though this film gives the illusion of being a true news story, it’s not. It’s really a parody, so enjoy that.

All in all, they did a very good job, and it’s an enjoyable comedy with a lot of humor, adventure, and heart. I was very pleasantly surprised with the quality of this movie.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

 

 

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Depth of Field, Lime Orchard Productions, McLaughlin Films

Demián Bichir, José Julián, Dolores Heredia, Joaquín Cosio, Nancy Lenehan, Isabella Rae Thomas, Rolando Molina, Magi Avila, Chelsea Rendon

A Better Life is the story of Mexican immigrant gardener Carlos Galindo (Demián Bichir) and his relationship to his son Luis (José Julián) and his attempt to give him “A Better Life” by keeping him in school and away from East LA gangs. It’s a morality play about the hardships faced by illegal immigrants in a new land, and their problems hiding from ICE, while trying to simply make a living.

This movie is pretty good for what it is. It’s got a lot of family values. Luis is a good kid who is being pulled away by bad people. Carlos would do anything to protect his son. The acting is good, and it is very realistic. The story is strong, and you really get to know the characters. It’s a pretty decent film, and well worth the effort to rent this DVD and watch it. It really helps you understand and empathize with their situation. A Better Life is the perfect title for this film, as it gets right to the heart of the matter. I recommend this movie.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

 

 

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