Coup d’Etat Films, Sandbar Pictures, Abandon Pictures,

Tye Sheridan, Olivia Thirlby, Logan Miller, Ezra Miller, Nelsan Ellis, Michael Angarano, Keir Gilchrist, Jesse Carere, Miles Heizer, Gaius Charles, Nicholas Braun, Brett Davern, Benedict Samuel, Callan McAuliffe, James Frecheville, Ki Hong Lee, Moises Arias, Matt Bennett, Johnny Simmons, Harrison Thomas, Billy Crudup, Jack Kilmer, Thomas Mann, James Wolk, Chris Sheffield

In 1971, a Stanford University professor began an experiment, selecting 24 college students to participate in a study of the effects of incarceration on both the inmates and the guards. The participants were divided into two groups, guards and inmates, and the inmates were arrested by the local police force and brought to the “jail” that was setup in the basement of the psychology building on the university. What followed was a horrid experience for the nameless “inmates” who were psychologically tortured by the mock guards. The study was expected to last for 14 days, but did not make it near that long as the professor was urged to stop it after less than a week due to the horrifying impact on the kids who volunteered for this study. Much of what we know today is known from this infamous experiment, and many laws were put in place to make sure nothing like this ever happens again. This docudrama tells the story extremely realistically and is one of the most amazing stories of psychology gone awry.

This is similar to “The Experiment” that was released in 2010 which was loosely based on the same events, but this one is more like a documentary than fiction. The realism of the events are told in a straight forward “in your face” style that will surely shock you as well as educate you. Not much was known about whether your nature and background makes you more of an inmate or a guard, but in this experiment we found that the role you are “assigned” has a lot to do with how you act. There is a great deal of psychology included, and be sure not to miss the two special features on the DVD if you can. One covers the science of the experiment and is told by the actual professor who conducted this test. The second is about how they brought this experience to life in the video. It seems very close to the real story, as close as possible from an event from 1971, but that is probably because it is based on the book written by the professor who conducted the experiment and he plays a big role in advising and supervising the movie. This is a harsh story, and is filled with a lot of torture and very bad language. Not for the faint of heart or for the young folk, but this is one of the classic psychology studies that students today still learn about in school. This is a hard hitting and powerful film that is sure to affect you for a long time.

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Lionsgate, SJ Heat Productions, Sierra / Affinity,

Jason Statham, Michael Angarano, Dominik Garcia-Lorido, Jason Alexander, Sophia Vergara, Stanley Tucci

Nick Wild (Jason Statham) is a bodyguard with a gambling problem. But he works in Las Vegas, so that can’t be too good. Nick is known for his fighting skills and the fact that he never needs to use a gun. He can kill with a spoon and fork, or a plate, or an ash tray. But when a friend is beaten by her boyfriend, Nick steps in to help, without realizing that the boyfriend is the son of a big mob boss. They come after him, but he’s still a bad ass and he still has a few cards up his sleeve.

This is a run of the mill action film set in Vegas to add a little interest to the film. Jason Stratham’s movies are getting a lot similar these days, and this guy really deserves a good script. Ok, there is a market for crime stories with big tough heroes to fill up the late night time slots on the premium channels, but this is really not worth the effort to seek this thing out. It’s not bad, but it’s just not very good either. I mean, this was just ho-hum all the way. I’ve seen this all before again and again, and this is just another one. It’s a good idea that is just so run of the mill it’s tragic. With good actors in this thing, like Jason Alexander and Stanley Tucci, you would think they would bring something to it, but they barely appear in the film, and it’s just to setup the big final fight scene that is just plain silly by that point. I don’t recommend this film, that is unless you’re up late watching Showtime, and you’ve seen everything else that’s on. Sorry.

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24P Media Group, Emmett/Furla Films, Envision Entertainment Corporation,

Liam Hemsworth, Emma Roberts, Dwayne Johnson, Michael Angarano, Nikki Reed, Shenae Grimes, Jerry Ferrara, James Ransone, Chris Diamantopoulos, Gia Mantegna, Michael Rispoli

Chris Potamitis (Liam Hemsworth) wanted to be a policeman. But when he was kicked out of the NYPD academy due to a marijuana incident with his childhood best friend Eddie (Michael Angarano), so Chris takes a job with an armored car company. The main reason he said he had for taking the job was so he could get a pistol to carry around. But as he travels around learning the ropes, he finds that their security is really lax. Discussion the terrible security practices with Eddie leads him into getting roped into an extremely high payoff job robbing his own company. Chased by detective James Ransome (Dwayne Johnson) he tries to wiggle his way out of being caught, but the mob bosses are mad and trying to figure out who pulled off this job in their territory. This sends them off on a wild chase trying to escape from everyone who is after them. This is based on a true story.

This was a somewhat interesting film, but there was just no enough to hold your attention through the whole thing. Basically shortly into the thing, it turns pretty slow and boring and doesn’t recover a whole lot. The best thing this film has going for it is the interview on the “special features” with the real Chris Potamitis who is more interesting than anyone else in this movie. Unfortunately it’s just kind of jumbled up and hard to follow all the time, and just not enough going on to keep your interest. This film was released straight to video, which is always a bad sign. This is one you can skip, unless you’re familiar with the story and want to rent the video to see the special features on how it really happened. Otherwise, not worth the time to catch this one.

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Artina Films,

Julianne Moore, Michael Angarano, Greg Kinnear, Lily Collins, Nathan Lane, Fiona Shaw, Norbert Leo Butz, Jessica Hecht, Charlie Saxton, Nikki Blonsky, Sophie Curtis

Linda Sinclair is a 40ish English Teacher in a small town High School. Her life is obviously rather empty, and she’s just getting by, though things are going pretty well. A chance meeting with one of her former students reveals that he is a graduate in creative writing and gave his shot as a playwright, but has failed. He lets her read his latest play, and she is really touched, even more when she finds out it’s his story of a missing Mom, a domineering Father who forced him to go to Law School. So she decides to take him in, perform his play in the High School, mostly at her own expense. But this is where things get complicated. Linda is attracted to the guy, but mostly just lonely. She’s very jealous of his other girlfriends, and strikes up a hate relationship with the boy’s father (Greg Kinnear) who she blames for ruining his son’s life. Things turn for the worst in this romantic comedy, with a lot on the comedy side.

This is a chick flick, for sure. But the background of putting on the school play is kinda funny, and having Nathan Lane show up as the producer of the play is a great add. He plays his usual bubbly self and adds a lot of comedy to the film. Julianne Moore does a bang up job as the lonely spinster teacher, and she keeps getting herself in deeper and deeper by making bad decisions. The relationships between the characters are very well developed. We get to look at each one’s personal issues and why they do what they do. This is a decent little comedy, and worth a spot in your queue.

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Atlantic Pictures (II), Laundry Films, Northern Lights Films,

Juno Temple, Michael Angarano, Alexis Bledel, Alia Shawkat, Bobby Moynihan, Billy Magnussen

John (Michael Angarano) and Alice (Juno Temple) are a couple in a bit of trouble. They work hard, but there just isn’t enough money to go around. Their marriage is nearly on the rocks, when Alice brings home an old brass teapot she picked up. Through a strange coincidence she finds out how it works. There is no genie who pops out to grant wishes, but rather the teapot will give you money anytime one of the owners gets hurt, either physically or emotionally. They start out small, with a slap in the face or a punch in the stomach, but in order to get the money they need they have to get more and more violent with each other to keep up. The set a goal, and begin hurting each other and themselves until they are able to reach the amount. But in the meantime a number of characters find out that they have the teapot and either want to get it from them, or to warn them of how dangerous this thing is. In the end, it’s John and Alice who have to figure out how far they ware willing to go, and how much is really enough.

This is a really strange film. But it’s based on a comic book series, and there was a short subject made in 2007 based on the same story. This is the feature version, and so a lot of stuff is added. There’s a lot of crossed stories going on, and this is a film with a funny concept, with lots of chuckles and pratfalls, but with many lessons and morals to show us. It’s not preachy, but it does show us the evils of greed in a big way. It’s a little movie that didn’t get any attention when it came out, but it’s an interesting study in human nature with a bunch of good laughs thrown in. It does get a bit like the Three Stooges of old with the poke in the eye type stuff, but there’s a lot of other levels and some really interesting odd characters to watch at well, so you probably won’t be bored. It’s not a movie at all, but if you like this kind of off the wall humor, it could be a nice rental. I kind of enjoyed it, actually.

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