Homefront (2013)

Directed by: Gary Fleder
Starring: Jason Statham, James Franco, Winona Ryder
Running Time: 100 minutes: 

Synopsis:
Former drug enforcement agent Phil Broker is a family man who moves off the grid with his daughter to a seemingly quiet bayou backwater to escape his troubled past. However, Broker's world soon becomes anything but quiet once he discovers the town's drug-fueled, violent underbelly. Soon, a methamphetamine kingpin, Gator Bodine, puts Broker and his daughter in harm's way, forcing Broker back into action in order to save his family and the town.




 Once upon a time, I wouldn't have given a movie like this a chance, but I liked The Transporter, The Expendables, and Death Race and the trailer which you can find below looked intriguing. I don't enjoy all of this guy's filmography, notably Crank and The Bank Job, this $1.50 rental was a gamble-fortunately a less expensive gamble than if I went to see it in theaters. Although I rented the Blu-ray, I didn't think the few action scenes or movie in general warranted it unless you're a high-def or bust viewer.

 Jason Statham stars as Phil Broker, who's your typical outsider in a small town setting. Everyone around him seems to be related to one another, and everything that happens is big news. You'd think a town centered around a meth lab would be more secrete, but not this one. When Phil's daughter, Maddy (Izabela Vidovic) beats up the kingpin's bully nephew in self defense the bully's mother initiates threats towards Phil and Maddy and even gets her brother, the methamphetamine kingpin involved. The local police chief is worthless since the meth kingpin, Gator (James Franco) and his family pretty much run the entire town. Speaking of James Franco, he has the same questionable acting as he did in Pineapple Express (2008), and get this, he's pushing drugs once again. I can't think of a single movie he's starred in where he wasn't a drug dealer or kingpin, can you? After suspicious happenings at his secluded home and ignored police assistance, Phil decides to retaliate and go after Gator's business-the only problem: Gator decides to have Maddy kidnapped. A schoolyard fight turns deadly now as Phil will do anything to get his daughter back.Then at the end, like we've seen hundreds of times in the movies, the once afraid to do anything police chief decides to step in and do his job!

 To conclude this review, I've got to admit my thoughts on Jason Statham has changed extremely over the years. I went from not caring for him as an actor, to liking him in a select few movies, to now thinking he may be the next 1980s Bruce Willis-you know, when he was bad ass. Homefront was definitely worth the $1.50 rental. Do I wish I had seen it in theaters? No, but I will more than likely pick it up when it reaches the bargain bins.

No Brakes, Single Speed, Can't Stop..

Director: David Koepp
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Shannon, Dania Ramirez
Running Time: 91 Minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13

Synopsis
What happens when you can't fax, e-mail, or mail something to someone else? In the major metropolitan city of New York there are hundreds of bike messengers who enjoy riding their bikes so much that they're getting paid for it. This movie is about one particular messenger, a former trick rider who after a horrific bike accident doesn't believe in brakes or gears. When he's asked to pick up a package from his old college, a dirty cop with a large gambling debt seems to have interest in the same package and is willing to go through any measure to retrieve it.


Review:

Movie Still © AceShowbiz.com

As someone who recently adapted to cycling for transportation and fitness, there was no stopping me from checking this one out. At first glance, I was going to avoid it thinking it was a  boring movie about a guy wearing spandex and riding his bicycle through the busy streets of Manhattan while ignoring traffic and laws around him. Well, I guess there's half truth there, he does wear cycling apparel and he does ride competitive with the traffic around him. What I didn't think of was the reason behind the title, "PREMIUM RUSH" as in rush delivery. Wilee (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is chosen by his girlfriend's roommate to pick up a package, well..an envelope, and deliver it as soon as possible to a snake head smuggler. What he didn't realize was just how taking this job would be hazardous to his life, when a NY police detective with a large gambling debt gets wind of what the package is worth.

Movie Still © AceShowbiz.com

It seems Joseph Gordon-Levitt has starred in many movies as of late, that's building his filmography up, I still remember his important childhood role in Angels in the Outfield, which must have been one of his first movies. He's definitely come a long way since then.

Certainly not a 10-star film, Premium Rush is however, an exhilarating thrill ride from beginning to end. It's probably one of the few movies that the thrills seem to get better as it goes on, it never loses the energy that most movies are guilty of doing. It is indeed the best action movie based on bicycling made in the past decade. This is a movie worthy of popping some 'corn and sitting back and enjoying.


(Buy it at Amazon.com)

Nebraska (2013)

Directed by: Alexander Payne
Starring: Bruce Dern, Will Fort, June Squib, Bob Odenkirk

MPAA Rating: R for language
Running Time: 115 minutes

Synopsis:
When an aging drunk, Woody (Bruce Dern) receives a sweepstakes letter in the mail claiming he's won one million dollars, instead of sending a response via the mail he decides to set off on foot to collect the money. The problem, he's in Montana and has to get to Lincoln, Nebraska. Woody's son, David (Will Forte) reluctantly offers to drive him, although he's fully aware the letter doesn't state that his father has truly won a million dollars.Along the way, they decide to stop in Woody's hometown for a visit.


Review:
In my honest opinion, it's movies like this one that deserves an Oscar.

A pet peeve I had while viewing this was the fact that it's only available in black and white. Last I checked, this movie was made in 2013, is there any reason for a movie to not be shot in color? Upon finishing the movie, I realized this was just that: a pet peeve. I immediately understood why the director left it in black and white. It's not the quality picture that was meant to stand out in this movie, it was the story and the characters and what it all stood for!

Movies like this are a dime a dozen though, it seems like every year there's a movie based on a father-son relationship. Some even including long distance travels together, like Nebraska.

Regardless of the repetitive story, the acting and direction of this film earned an academy award, and for that I recommend you all watch it at least once...maybe come back and post your thoughts in the comments below?


Buy DVD from Amazon.com

Hours (2013)

Directed by: Eric Heisserer
Starring: Paul Walker, Genesis Rodriguez, Nancy Nave

MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 1 Hour 37 Minutes

Synopsis:
It's 2005, in Louisiana and because of hurricane Katrina, there is a state of emergency. Power lost, flooding, high winds, hospitals evacuating... The loss of Nolan's (Paul Walker) wife during the birth of their daughter left him feeling hopeless, not knowing what to do with a baby on life support. Regardless, Nolan will do whatever necessary to keep his newborn daughter alive.


Review
Supposedly this movie was based on a true story, and I don't doubt it one bit. To be honest, this movie flew by my radar last month, with it's limited theatrical release. When I saw it at Redbox, the only thing that struck out as a movie to check out was the fact that it stars the late Paul Walker. Without him, I probably wouldn't have given it a second look.

Walker played Nolan Hayes, a man who lived a normal life with a gorgeous wife. When his wife, Abigail (Genesis Rodriguez) dies from complications during the birth of their daughter and finds out his daughter needs to be on life support for an undeclared amount of time, he finds himself hopeless. I mean, he has no clue about raising a child, not to mention a sick baby.  And when hurricane Katrina strikes down, knocks the power out and the hospital is forced to evacuate there's no way to transport a baby stuck in an incubator, so Nolan is forced to stay to wait for her to wake up. How soon will that be, well that was undetermined, but could be as soon as two days. With limited power, a backup battery that only stays charged for 3 minutes at a time, the next 48 hours are going to be rough. If that wasn't enough, FEMA and other rescue organizations refused to help residents left behind because they become self-centered, if they don't get rescued first.

Although I really did like this movie,  I found it to be a little unbelievable. For instance, the hospital should have had a emergency plan for natural disasters. Hurricanes aren't something new for the southern gulf states, it seemed like no one was prepared. Other possible flaws in this movie, was how Nolan managed to run from the second floor of the hospital to the roof in less than 3 minutes all while being weak from malnutrition. Another instance would be towards the end, when just magically at the 48 hour mark when emergency crews come in to rescue them, the baby starts crying! I love a happy ending just like the next person, but just because the doctor predicted the baby waking up in 48 hours doesn't mean it's guaranteed to happen.

Regardless of the rushed ending and the time flaws, this was a fantastic story and one that is more than worth the buck fifty rental, if only for Paul Walker's role alone.

Green Zone (2010)

Directed by: Paul Greengrass
Starring: Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Jason Isaacs, Amy Ryan

MPAA Rating: R for violence and language
Running Time: 1 Hour 55 Minutes

Synopsis:
Matt Damon stars as Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller of the U.S. Army. Following the American invasion of Iraq in 2003, Miller and his team must hunt down the alleged weapons of mass destruction. Until veteran CIA operative Martin Brown (Brendan Gleeson) tells Miller there are no weapons, that it was a deception to take over the country. So now it's up to Miller to hunt for the truth, and that's just what he plans to do.



Review:
I'm going to try to keep this review free of political debate. I think by 2014, it's quite obvious that the invasion of Iraq wasn't what the general public had in mind. We were all duped by our leader in Washington into thinking  we were getting rid of a national security threat, following the unfortunate events that happened on September 11, 2001.

Director Paul Greengrass and star Matt Damon, best known from working together on the "The Bourne Supremacy" and "The Bourne Ultimatum" movies. Like the Bourne movies, I feel "Green Zone" didn't disappoint. The story wasn't as excruciating as "The Hurt Locker" from the previous year, but on it's own it didn't need upbeat action to hold up the story. This movie had something many like it doesn't have, a well-written, a political conspiracy thriller that has many points that many viewers would question themselves, such as 'why did we invade Iraq back in 2003?' although we had very little proof to back up whether Saddam Hussein was harboring weapons of mass destruction.

Now for the bottom line, if you're looking for a overdone action flick to watch on a Saturday night with a bowl of popcorn, find a different movie. If you're a conservative looking for a movie with a a superb narrated political thriller with a bit of a serious touch, this movie will be for you.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

Directed by: Francis Lawrence
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Donald Sutherland, Woody Harrelson
Runtime: 146 Minutes

MPAA Rating: PG-13
Theatrical Release: Nov. 22, 2013
Blu-ray Release: Mar. 07, 2014

Synopsis:
Following the 74th annual Hunger Games, the current victors Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) are catching fire from all the fame. President Snow (Donald Sutherland) is getting less control over the districts, and needs to act fast to make everyone fear him, before they rebel. To do this, he must kill their leader of the rebellion and so he decides to create a "quarterly" Hunger Games amongst past victors, including some of the toughest and ruthless competitors Katniss and Peeta have ever seen.

Review:
I'll begin with saying I really enjoyed the first Hunger Games, although I hadn't read the book it was based on-nor did I even know there was one at the time. It was no surprise that I wanted to see the sequel: Catching Fire. My original thought was to wait for the Blu-ray to be released but when I saw it advertised on the marquee of a small, second-run theatre nearby I decided the best way to see what may have been one of the best movies of 2013 is on the big screen.

Soon after the opening scenes, we see an appearance by president Snow who blatantly threatens to have Katniss and anyone close to her killed, if, she doesn't somehow prove to him that she and Peeta are truly in love. As the 74th hunger games victors are on tour to gain support of the games, we see Katniss experience a form of post-traumatic stress disorder. President Snow, quickly losing the intimidation he has accustomed to, then introduces a twist in the Hunger Games by choosing a past victor to represent each district for a quarter battle.This angers everyone who had ever won the Hunger Games, as they were promised freedom after they won the games. Katniss Everdeen is now leading the rebellion against the peacekeepers.

Overall this movie kept my entertained for the entire run time, and I anxiously await the next sequel as this ended on a cliffhanger. Will I buy it on Blu-ray upon release? Most likely not on release week, but when the price drops to below $10 I will definitely pick it up.

Hydra (2009)

Directed by: Andrew Prendergast
Starring: George Stults, Dawn Olivieri, Michael Shamus Wiles

MPAA Rating: Unrated (TV Movie)
Running Time: 94 Minutes

The Movie:
Former Marine Tim Nolan has been kidnapped - along with three ex-convicts - and forced to participate in a deadly game. Wealthy men have paid a fortune for the opportunity to hunt down men like him in the perfect place: a deserted island. However, this is no ordinary island - it is home to Hydra the Beast. As the hunters track down their prey, Hydra quickly turns hunter into hunted. With the island crumbling beneath him, Nolan finds himself in a race against time to stop the beast and get off the island alive.


Review:
This made-for-Syfy-channel movie will never earn an Emmy award, but it wasn't all that bad. I usually stay away from these cheesy made-for-TV science fiction movies, because I'm not a big science fiction fan and I usually walk away thinking 'What the hell did I just watch? Man I want the last 90 minutes of my life back!' This one was no different, it didn't contain a single recognizable face, and was overused in the CGI department but those are to be expected. On the other hand, this was a pleasantly surprising and very entertained creature flick. If you're a fan of low budget B-movies, this one is for you. A great movie to catch on the SyFy channel, that doesn't scream multiple viewing.

My Rating: 4.5/10