The Equalizer - Shoulda taken the money!

Denzel does it again!  He's as bad arse as ever in The Equalizer, a movie based on an 80's tv series.  Denzel is Robert, a quiet guy who works at the local home improvement store.  Robert mostly keeps to himself except when he's helping co-workers or killing Russians.  Clearly, he has a secret past that taught him the things he knows, but it also gave him a heart to help those who can't help themselves.

The Equalizer follows Robert on his journey of eliminating a threat by the Russian mob after trying to help a young Russian escort played by Chloe Grace Moritz (Hit Girl in Kick Ass).  He offers them money in exchange for her life, and then all hell breaks loose.  The movie is very cunning and clever with it's action and dialogue that keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time once things get moving.  And, once the action does finally start, it's a rip roaring roller coaster ride of punishment! 

Mr. Washington has been one of my favorite actors since I first saw him in Glory.  I've seen more than thirty of his movies.  I haven't loved all of them like I do Glory, X, and American Gangster, but tonight I have to add The Equalizer to the list of Denzel favs.  He has this stare down that proves how great of an actor he is.  You know the one when a single tear rolls down his face in Glory when he's getting whipped, or that stare down in X when just with two simple hand movements he got a small army of men to move, and tonight in The Equalizer, he had a stare down that said, "bish, you betta run because it's about to go down." 

Denzel Washington's first movie was forty years ago, and he's still got it even if he is getting and looking older.  Still, The Equalizer is fantastic!  Denzel makes you realize that the next time someone offers you a large sum of money for someone's life, you should probably take it.  And, if I ever run into Denzel and he's staring me down, I'm getting the heck outta dodge, but not before I try to get a picture. 

Think Like A Man Too - Too Funny

Think Like A Man based on Steve Harvey's self-help book was an extremely entertaining movie.  I laughed so hard, mostly at Kevin Hart, so I was very eager to see the sequel.  Think Like a Man Too picks up in Vegas with the entire cast returning for the wedding of one of the couples in the group.  Kevin Hart's character, Cedric, is the best man.  He's determined to be the best best man ever, and through an awesome bachelor party in Vegas.

The women are determined to have an even better bachelorette party.  The maid of honor has all types of Vegas activities planned, but first that have to get passed the none-too-thrilled future mother-in-law.  All sorts of comical travesties occur for both the men and women.  At one point, they end up in jail at the same damn time.  During these events, all of the couples discover things about themselves or their relationships.  For example: one of the men tries to come to terms with the possibility of being a father, one of the women gets her sexy back, and one of the men discover that maybe they are ready to settle down and get married too.  These revelations are kinda cheesy, but I'll let 'em make it because the rest of the movie is just too funny to care.

Kevin Hart isn't the only funny man in the movie, but he is by far the funniest.  That little man makes you laugh in darn near every scene that he opens his mouth.  Bennet, played by Gary Owens, had me rolling.  He and his fanny pack are so dorky that you can't do anything but laugh.  The women had their moments especially when they were singing my all-time favorite dance song, "Poison".  When I was cracking up at them, was wishing I could break out and dance on the table in Vegas with them.  They all did a fantastic Job.  I will say, I didn't really understand why LaLa Anthony was there as she was completely pointless and she's not a very good actress.  But, neither is Terrence J.  SN:  I really need Terrence to eat a steak or something.  He's just way too skinty.  You know who isn't skinny and was looking very yummy?  Mr. State Farm himself, Dennis Haysbert as Uncle Eddie.  Uncle Eddie could get it...but I digress.

Think Like A Man Too is just as funny as the first.  We lose the whole purpose of the original movie which was to teach women in a comical way how to use their brain differently when trying to cultivate a relationship.  That all is thrown out of the window to simply tell a story.  The story is good enough without all the lesson learning even though everyone does learn a lesson one way or the other.  Go see this movie.  It's great for all races and sexes.  A good time will be had by all.

I move to Houston, TX tomorrow and will be working on Fridays again, so I may not be able to catch movies so early anymore, but when I do, I'll be here writing for you all, so stay tuned.  Transformers is next week.

Maleficent - Magnificent

I'm so proud of Disney.  They have really stepped up their fantasy game, and joined the modern age where women are independent and self-suffecient and don't need men to take care of them.  Bravo!  I hope the days are gone when Disney and Pixar make movies about a damsel in distress who desperately need a man to save the day.  Maleficent, is such a movie.  Disney takes one of their oldest stories, "Sleeping Beauty", and decides to tell the tale from the "villains" point of view.  

Maleficent, starring Angelina Jolie, explains why Maleficent cursed the King's daughter, Princess Aurora, played by Dakota Fanning's little sister Elle and the youngest Jolie-Pitt, Vivienne.  It starts with Maleficent as a child, finding love as a teenager, and having her heart broken as an adult to the point that she seeks revenge on all humans in the nearby kingdom.  This is a visually pleasing and exciting movie.  There's lots of fantasy inspired creatures and fairies, and the magnitude of Maleficent's magical powers are fascinating and enchanting.

This isn't really a movie for children under the age of like ten.  It's kind of violent.  There are dark battle scenes, a fire-breathing dragon, ferocious fighting trees, and Maleficent can be kind of scary performing her magic and casting spells.  Some of the creatures of Moor (a magical realm near a human kingdom) can be cute and frightening at the same time.  It could give a sensitive little one nightmares.  The adults will enjoy it.  I sure did.  The pre-teens in the theatre with me applauded when it was done.  I'd say, they enjoyed it too even though they were a bit squirmy in the beginning when the action was a little slower.  

I thought Maleficent was magnificent especially since there was a twist to the happy ending.  There was just one thing I didn't like about the movie, the only black man in the movie getting bitch slapped by the white king.  Totally wasn't ok with that.  Other than that, it was great!  You'll enjoy it, but keep the teeny tiny ones at home.  You can thank me later. 

Nothing to see next week, but "Orange is the New Black" starts on June 6th.  

X-Men: Days of Future Past - Top 3 of all the X-Men Movies

I have seen just about every single Marvel Comic movie since Howard the Duck back in 1984.  (Yes Howard the Duck is a Marvel movie.  See the list here.)  So, it means a lot when I say, X-Men: Days of Future Past is one of the best, and definitely in the Top 3 of all the X-Men movies.  I've always enjoyed the X-Men movie series.  They usually are full of action and special effects with a great storyline.  My least favorite was The Wolverine, and even that was entertaining.  But, Days of Future Past is going down as one of my favorites and here's why.

I love sci-fiction movies, and it doesn't get more sci-fi than a movie that takes your from the future to the past with a plausible story.  My little Imp friend, Tyrion Lannister, (G.O.T reference) or Trask, a military scientists, creates these robots who in the future can seek out and destroy mutants and humans carrying the mutant gene.  In a dystopian future, the mutants send Wolverine's conscience to the past to stop the events that lead to the mass production of these robots that will cause a blood bath of a war in the future.  Hello, doesn't that sound AMAZING?!?!  It is.  A plausible storyline always helps make a huge movie a great movie!

The mutants are the best.  Although Hugh Jackman as Wolverine will always be my favorite, Peter Maximoff or Quicksilver, steals the show in his scenes.  His speed and ability is one of the most awe-inspiring.  He can do so much just by being faster than a speeding bullet.  I'm always impressed by Magneto's ability.  I would love to be able to move darn near anything metallic especially cars in my way when I'm trying to get to work.   My new favorite actor, Michael Fassbender, does a young Magneto magnificently.   But, Jennifer Lawrence, as a youthful, determined, and vengeful Mystic or Raven is impressive!  She gets a lot of flack sometimes for not being able to act, but I think she's great, and I was thoroughly convinced that she was out for blood.  There are many other exciting mutantic displays by Shadow Cat, Beast, Storm, Iceman, and Bishop among many others.  You definitely won't be disappointed in that aspect.

One other aspect of the movie that I liked is how it ties all the other ones together.  Sometimes, sequels and prequels make timeline mistakes that a die-hard fan would notice.  Days of Future Past picks up where both The Last Stand and First Class left off which is kinda hard to do since one is a prequel, but they make it work.  Just about everyone from the franchise makes an appearance and that is satisfying even if some of the cameos are brief (ROGUE).  I loved everything about this movie.  X-Men Origins: Wolverine is my favorite and X-men is my second favorite, but mostly because it's the first.  X-Men: Days of Future Past is great, full of a great sci-fi story with lots of mutant action.  It's my third favorite of the series, and one of my all-time favorite Marvel Comic movies.  I enjoyed it, and I know you will too.

Angelina Jolie as Maleficent is next week!

The Other Woman - Great Girls' Night Movie

Monogamy is not natural, but adultery can be comical.  The Other Woman is a comedy about a woman who befriends two of her husband's mistresses, plot together to get revenge on him, and hysterics ensue.  Cameron Diaz, or Carly, is the lawyer mistress who's the brains of the operation.  Leslie Mann is the wife named Kate.  She's overly dramatic about everything and is hilarious in the process.  Kate Upton as Amber is young mistress number two with the boobs.  I really didn't understand her purpose other than to have a Sports Illustrated model for the men to ogle when their wives drag them to the movies.  

The Other Woman is clearly a star-studded movie with celebs such as Don Johnson who's gotten old enough to play Cameron Diaz's quirky yet handsome father.  Nicki Minaj is Lydia, Carly's executive assistant.  At first I thought she was going to be as pointless as Jennifer Hudson was in Sex and the City the movie, but she had some funny lines, and could speak and act about as well as Beyonce.  Take that how you want.  The cheating man, Mark, was played by Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (that's the Kingslayer, Jaime Lannister, for my G.O.T. fans).  He's very handsome and suave, and you could see how women would be duped by his good looks and charm.  But, the most handsome one of them all was Taylor Kinney who is Kate's very yummy brother.  I couldn't keep my eyes off his rugged style and gorgeous eyes.  

And, speaking of style, the star of the show has to be Cameron Diaz's wardrobe, home furnishing, and decor.  EVERYTHING she wore was flawless!  I wanted EVERY item she had on her body from necklace to shoes.  It was fabulous, especially that red dress or the white one with the open back!  Let's not forget how smartly decorated her home was.  OMG!  I wish I could afford a decorator like that and a stylist like hers.  I'd be in heaven a very fabulous one.  

But, I digress.  The Other Woman is a very cute movie.  It's funny, has eye-candy, and you really are happy how it ends.  It may not be the best choice for a date night, but it'd be great for a girls' night out.  You all will enjoy it because it's laugh out loud funny, and it remind you how good it is to have a great girlfriend in your life.  

Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Better than the first!

It's a rarity to have the sequel be better than the first in "movieland", but that's definitely the case when it comes to the second Captain America movie, Captain America: The Winter Soldier.  This sequel, even with it's slow parts in the middle, was well written and well received.  The technology and hand-to-hand combat is was really takes this action movie to the next level.

S.H.I.E.L.D has been compromised and Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, has been told to trust no one while trying to figure out who's trying to kill him and everyone he knows plus stop them from deploying a weapon so massive it can selectively kill millions all over the world.  With the help of Wilson, aka Falcon, and Natasha, aka Black Widow, among other trusted S.H.I.E.L.D agents to bring down the whole evil covert operation, HYDRA, lead by Alexander Pierce played by Robert Redford.

Although I've seen all of the marvel comic movies, I haven't enjoyed most of them.  I always feel like they are all hype and no substance.  The only ones I really liked were Iron Man 1 and 2.  I can add Captain America 2 to the list.  The movie wasn't really hyped up, and is full of substance.  Captain America 2 is full of action, twists and turns, and fight scenes like no other.  I love a good fist fight especially when super-human strength is involved.  Captain America taking down a ship full of pirates with only his limbs and shield is exciting!  When Black Widow wraps her legs around a bad guy and strangles him with wire, you're on the edge of your seat.  And, The Winter Soldier and his steel robotic arm versus Captain America and his shield is thrilling!

I loved every minute of the action, and I think you will too.  There's about thirty minutes of the movie that has to set up the rest.  It's not as rousing as we'd like it to be, but you do have to actually tell a story, so I get it.  Don't let that drawn out dialogue spoil the enjoyment of the movie for you.  It's worth it in the end.  Oh, and just like at the end of most of these Marvel movies, there's more to see after the credits roll, so sit still and continue to enjoy the ride.

Non-stop: Liam Neeson can't be stopped!

After seeing Taken, I'll pretty much watch Liam Neeson in any movie with a him and a weapon.  He's one of the best action-movie heroes of the last two decades.  Liam's quiet-but-deadly demeanor makes for one great movie, movie after movie.  And, Non-Stop is no different.

Liam plays Air Marshall Bill on a flight to London that has been set up by a passenger.  This person is hijacking the plane and framing Bill.  Bill has to try and figure out who's sending threatening text messages, killing passengers, and clear his name all while flying over the Atlantic ocean.  Non-Stop has non-stop action (sorry, I just had to do it).  Bill's hand-to-hand self-protective blows are Matrix level epic.  I mean how do you beat up someone in an airplane bathroom?  You barely have room to relieve yourself let alone disarm someone.  Liam did it, and with such flare.  Loved it!!!

My girl Mary (Michelle Dockery) from Downton Abbey is Nancy, the flight attendant who believes Bill and continuously tries to help him.  Julianne Moore is Jen, a passenger who also tries to help Bill figure out everything.  Lupita Nyong'o makes a brief appearance as well as another flight attendant.  After her success in 12 Years a Slave, she doesn't really need this movie to further her career.  Her career is going to be great despite her small role in Non-Stop.  There are many more characters who keep you guessing until the end.  You are supposed to automatically choose the middle-eastern looking passenger, but that's too obvious.  All are suspects:  the sketchy looking bald headed passenger, the other air marshall; even the co-pilot is capable.  Heck, for even a brief second, I suspected the little girl with the window seat.  Ha!

Non-Stop is definitely my favorite movie so far this year.  Holding my breath, on the edge of my seat, I couldn't catch my breath waiting to see how it was going to end.  And wait until you find out whodunit and why?  It's a trip.  Liam is one tough guy.  You should be very concerned if he's coming after you.  Go see Non-Stop.  Liam won't disappoint you, and neither will Non-Stop.

The Best Man Holiday - The Best Sequel

Have you ever seen a movie, loved it, then heard they were making a sequel, and immediately became skeptical that it wouldn't do the original justice?  Me too, especially when it comes to The Best Man staring Taye Diggs, Nia Long, Morris Chestnut, Terrence Howard, and Sanaa Lathan.  I loved that movie, and so did many others.  It was the first time a rom-com with a 100% black cast went number one at the box office.  But, that was back in 1999, 14 years ago.  Can it be done again?  I say ABSO-FREAKIN-LOUTELY!!!  The Best Man Holiday may be one of the best sequels ever!!!

One thing that can destroy a movie sequel is not bringing back the original cast.  TBMH brought back the entire cast.  Taye Diggs and the yummy smile of his was there leading the charge.   His character, Harper Stewart, is now happily married with a baby on the way, and after the success of his book which was the premise of The Best Man, he's searching for a new bestselling book to pay off the many bills he and his new family has.  Sanaa Lathan, plays his wife and expectant mother, Robin.  Morris Chestnut is as sexy and chocolaty as sexual chocolate can be!  There is a God, and He certainly got that one right, hunty.  Morris reprises his role as Lance Sullivan, the very successful and super spiritual NFL running back who is married to Mia, his college sweetheart, played by Monica Calhoun.  They are happily married with four kids (I'm really hoping 2 of them are adopted because they look like they only got a drop of black blood in them), and they want all their friends together to celebrate Christmas.  They haven't all been together since The Sullivan wedding over a decade ago.

Nia Long is back as Jordan Long.  She's Mia's BFF and Harper's former love interest.  Now they are just friends as Jordan has her own love interest in Brian McDonald played by Eddie Cibrian.  Brian is a very attractive executive, and the fact that he is white isn't lost on any of their friends.  Julian Murch (Harold Perrineau) is now married to the stripper from Lance's bachelor party, Candy.  Candice (Regina Hall) and Julian now have two daughters and are running a private school together.  They have a little bit of trouble raising money when Candice's past as Candy is discovered by former donors.  They also have to contend with Julian's former girlfriend, Shelby (Melissa De Sousa), being invited to the Christmas festivities at Lance and Mia's home.  There are tons of awkward and funny moments between those three especially when you throw in Quentin's upfront and sarcastic remarks.  Quentin is played by Terrence Howard.  Quentin is now a successful businessman, but is still single and sleeping with any woman that'll fall for those pretty eyes, smooth talk, and middle aged belly.

Another thing that can destroy a sequel is not staying true to the integrity of the original and reusing the same jokes (ever seen The Hangover 2 or 3).  TBMH reminds you of the bond between these friends, and how true friends are there for you when times are at their lowest.  This group of friends have accomplished a lot, but it's not without trials and tribulations.  They seem to be there for each through it all.  This movie will make you laugh and cry.  Girl, you will boo hoo.  Bring a box or two of tissues because you are going to go through it all with them.  From illness, to fertility issues, poor parenting, and money problems, these friends are there for each other spiritually, financially, and emotionally, and you will feel all of the emotions right along with them.

I laughed; I cried; I lusted after Morris, many many times.  (Him in that fedora and suit singing "Can You Stand the Rain" was EVERYTHING)!!!)  I enjoyed this movie.  I'm so glad I did because I was going to be extremely disappointed if it was garbage.  It's not quite a Christmas movie because of the very serious and sad nature of the last 45 minutes or so, but it'll get you in the spirit if you have a little "bah humbug" in you.  The ending is VERY predictable, but I really couldn't care because the rest of the movie was so good.  One more thing that made this movie great: the soundtrack.  It was off the chain.  I may have to get it because it I like the new takes on old Christmas songs.  So, go see The Best Man Holiday.  Let's make it the number one movie again.  Remember what happened last time we did?  We actually got a string of decent Madea-free black movies for awhile.  Here's hoping.  

Next Week:  Catching Fire!!!!

Prisoners - Now that's how you make a thriller!!

I don't rave about most movies.  I either think they are bad, ok, or good enough.  It's rare that I think something is great or amazing.  Prisoners starring Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, and Terrence Howard is great and amazing!!!  I was on the edge of my seat, literally.

Prisoners is a crime-thriller about two families searching for their missing daughters.  They believe that the girls have been kidnapped by a young man with the IQ of a 10 year old because the girls were seen playing on his RV.  When the police have to let him go, the father of one of the girls (Jackman) decides to get answers on his own.  Meanwhile, the detective on the case (Gyllenhaal), discovers multiple clues that eventually leads to the truth.  That truth is as twisty and winding as the mazes that are ever present throughout the movie.

The answer is right in front of your face, but because there are so many emotions displayed by all of these fantastics actors, you can often over-look it.  We all know that Viola Davis is a fantastic actress which is evident here, but Hugh Jackman is the clear scene stealer.  His emotions are so raw and real that you feel his anger, his sadness, his fear, his need to protect, and his desire to find his daughter.  Terrence Howard is the other father, but he is the saddened, weary father who really doesn't know what to do or how to help.  He's kind of a punk.  I wanted to shake him and tell him to sack up.  Maria Bello plays Jackman's wife.  She's so distraught that she spends the majority of the movie drugged up and asleep.  Understandable.  Jake Gyllenhaal's character as the detective on this case struggles with finding the girls, keeping the parents from wilding out, and getting answers to the many clues that really make no sense until you see them all together.

Suspense and unexpected twist really take this thriller to the next level.  I truly enjoyed the raw emotions, the perfect plot, the incredible actors, and the movie as a whole.  They don't make great movies like this anymore.  There weren't any huge explosions, or sci-fi creatures, big car chase scenes, or tons of gun play.  It was a simple movie about how two families react to the kidnapping of their daughters, and how the detective on the case handles it.  But, it wasn't a simple situation by any means. It was a thriller like no other.

Fruitvale Station - Enough is enough

I'm a little late going to see Fruitvale Station, but it's not from a lack of trying.  I almost gave up trying, and was going to wait, but I'm glad I didn't because this movie was excellent and a must see by everyone.  **SPOILER ALERT**Fruitvale Station is based on the true story of the death of young innocent 22-year-old, Oscar Grant, who was shot by a California Police officer in the back after a night celebrating New Years with his girlfriend and friends.  The incident was caught on video camera back in 2009.  The movie depicts his last day alive and the events leading up to his death.

Oscar Grant is played by Michael B. Jordan who does a wonderful job playing the struggling young man trying to do the right thing by his girlfriend, his little girl, and his family.  Mr. Jordan has been working steadily since 1999, and after his performance, we may see him around a lot longer.  Academy Award Winner, Octavia Spencer, plays Wanda Grant, Oscar's mother.  She's the matriarch of the family and shows the struggle of being a single mom trying to raise a black man.  She's phenomenal!  The movie is great not because of the cinematography or the action or all of that other stuff that people rave about in movies, but because of the simplicity of the story, and the ease at which it shows how this simple man easily lost his promising life.  (Any life is promising despite your mistakes at 22.)

I don't like getting political or playing the race card, but after the Treyvon Martin verdict, political and racial emotions are running high.  Fruitvale Station only further those strong feelings about how young black men are treated in this country and how little their lives are valued.  I boohooed during this movie and I can usually fight back the tears during a movie, but I'm just so tired of the injustice and the carelessness of the lives of black men.  At one point in the movie, Wanda Grant was praying for the life of her son, and I found myself through the tears praying for my brothers and all the black men I see on the streets every day.  I even asked God how much longer will we be persecuited and treated unfairly because of the color of our skin.  The black man's life has never meant anything since the first time an African was taken from his home to become a slave here in America.  Enough is enough and maybe movies like Fruitvale Station and public trials like Treyvon Martin's will help bring awareness to this problem.  I'm hopeful and doubtful at the same time but when I see the white lady next to me crying just as much as I was, I feel it is possible.  Some people just aren't aware of the injustice because they refuse to see it.  We will have to work together to stop it, and it won't happen overnight.  More movies like Crash, Fruitvale Station, and other racially charged movies will help.

2 Guns - 2 Good

2 truths:
As a black woman, I'm supposed to think Denzel is the end all to be all in good looking black actors.  Truth is, he's alright.  Although he looks very hood handsome in this movie with his fedora, gold teeth, and silk shirts, there's many more handsome men out there.  Sadly, they aren't on the big screen or the small one for that matter.  Denzel is also getting older and has an old man's body which I really don't want to see.  He just doesn't do it for me, and if you are honest with yourself, you'd agree with me.
2.  Ever since Denzel won his oscar for Training Day, Denzel is always getting called for the n*gga role (my black friends will understand what I mean).  Truth is, he never plays a role with diversity or complexity anymore.  Malcolm X was the last role of interest for me (until now), and I've seen damn near every movie he's made since X.  Mr. Washington needs to get on that Morgan Freeman (who's played God), Will Smith agenda, and play roles that aren't defined by race before Idris Elba, my husband who I feel is much better looking and way sexier, takes his crown.

2 stars:
The movie 2 Guns stars Mark Wahlberg and Denzel Washington.  They compliment each other greatly in this movie about 2 undercover law enforcement agents with separate agendas.  Their comedic timing is perfect.  It felt like they've been working together on and off the screen.  I would definitely love to see then together again in a sequel or something else.

2 stories:
There's the story of these two trying to take down a mexican drug lord, and there's also the story of them trying to figure out who framed them for robbery, why, and who each of them really are.  All of these are intertwined really well.  The average movie goer will constantly be guessing and trying to figure things out; I, of course, figured out everything about 1 hour into the action.

2 countries:
Mexico and Texas (I know Texas is a state, but it's huge enough to be it's own country and it is in the USA so it's the second country) are the background for this movie.  There's lot's of border crossing to make one's feet hurt.  The plot also throws in a government conspiracy about how Mexican drug lords keep getting drugs into the US.  This Texas girl was proud to see all those Texas license plate, and a movie full of Texans that don't sound like country hicks.  Good job Mr. Director (Baltasar Kormakur)!

2 Chainz:
No, 2 Chainz isn't in this movie.  I just ran outta 2s.  I went into this movie thinking it was gonna suck.  The previews don't look that great.  I only went to see it because I knew yall were gonna want to know my thoughts.  Surprisingly, I loved it!  It had great action, Paula Patton's boobs (that one is for the fellas), lot's of gun play, drama, and comedy.  What more could you ask for in a movie.  I'd see it again and again (may add it to my dvd collection).  Thanks for being my motivation.  I saw a great one because of yall.

Despicable Me 2 - Definitely Cute

Despicable Me is one of my all-time favorite animated movies, second only to The Lion King!  Those darn minions are just too darn cute and funny.  I really hope after Despicable Me 2, they get their own movie because at one point, I laughed so hard at them I cried.  What makes them so adorable and hilarious?  Is it because they are yellow?  Because they speak some strange french Klingon?  Or is it because their comedic timing is always just right on point?  Whatever the reason is, they steal the show.  

As to not give away too much, in this sequel Gru (Steve Carrell) has given up being a villain, but the Anti-Villan League, the AVL, needs his help to find a villain that has stolen a drug that turn minions into indestructible killers.  He's been teamed up with Lucy (Kristen Wiig) from the AVL to help solve the case.  In the meanwhile, everyone is trying to hook Gru up with a date especially his 3 girls because the super cute Agnes needs a mom.  And, the answer to both of these situations is right in front of them.  

It was really going to be hard to top the first one, and I'm not so sure they tried.  I think the powers that be said, "let's just stick to the same formula and make a funny movie."  Which, I think they did.  The storyline, albeit extremely predictable, was easy to follow for young and old, was fast paced as to not lose the kids' interests, and reinvented some of the old jokes.  I think everyone enjoyed themselves.  The kids laughed at the slapstick comedy, and the adults laughed at the youthfulness of the movie and the little adult innuendoes.  There was a minion dressed as Issac from "The Love Boat", and in their layer, there was stripper pole.  Kids wouldn't get that, but I found it extremely comical!

I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I'd watch it again and again like I do the first one, and I'll probably add this one to my dvd collection like I did the first one.  Honestly, it's better than Monsters University to me.  Go see it.  Take the kids, or not.   Whatever you do, be ready to laugh at all those cute little minions from the beginning until the credits are almost finished rolling. 

World War Z - The Zombie Apocalypse is no joke.

I'm really not into zombie movies.  I find them kinda dumb.  The idea of the ravenous undead seems quite unreal to me, but something about World War Z intrigued me.  Maybe is was the very handsome Brad Pitt. (I never really thought he was that good looking, but maybe the long hair, unshaven beard, zombie fighter did something to me.)  Maybe it was the storyline or the theatrics.  Who knows?  But, what I do know is that I'm glad I saw this movie because ish got real in this one!

World War Z is about a former UN detective who tries to protect his family and the world by trying to find out where the zombie virus began in order to find a cure.  He travels all over the world while watching zombies quickly destroy it.  In the end, her finds an answer to the problem, and the world is spared from destruction...for now (hoping for a sequel and I don't even like sequels).  This movie is based on a book of the same name.  Both delve into what part we play as a people that causes this, and if we'd listened to one another at the beginning, could this virus be contained?  Those deep thoughts don't linger in the movie because there is so much action going on that you don't have time to breath, let alone think.  

I love movies that are action packed from jump!  This movie is one of those, and the action never stops until the credits role.  It's fast-paced, exciting, and serious yet fun.  The zombies take over New York and Israel in a matter of minutes which makes me think, what would I do if the Zombie Apocalypse popped off today?  All I can say is be ready, but if it goes down anything like it did in World War Z, we are NOT going to be!  Go see this movie.  I think you'll like it, and afterwards, get your ammo ready because the Zombie Apocalypse is no joke!

Monsters University tomorrow with mi Madre!!!

Now You See Me - A Magical Movie

It's a rare movie that dupes me in the end.  I usually have if figured out long before the halfway point.  This time, I was playing with the right deck, I'd just picked the wrong card.  Now You See Me is a movie that keeps you guessing until the end.  Everyone always watches magic and says or thinks, "how'd they do that?"  But, that's not what you will be doing while watching this movie; you'll be trying to figure out who's really running the show and why?

Now You See Me is a clever movie about 4 street magicians who are mysteriously brought together, and a year later go from crap magic to being huge Las Vegas stars known as The Four Horsemen.  Merritt (Woody Harrelson) is a mentalist/hypnotist who is great at guessing people's secrets.  Then there's J. Daniels Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg) who is a natural born leader and performs classic magic, slight of hand type tricks.  Henley, J. Daniels' former assistant turned show stopper, played by Isla Fischer, is an escape artist.  Lastly, there is the youngster of the group, Jack (Dave Franco), who is a very skilled con artist.  Together, they create large scale magic shows that has the whole world talking.  Their bank robbing magic trick gets the police, FBI, and Interpol involved led by FBI agent Dylan Rhodes played by Mark Ruffalo.  Agent Rhodes together with Interpol agent Alama Vargas (Melanie Laurent) from France rely on the expertise of Morgan Freeman's character, Thaddeus, to try and catch The Four horseman. Thaddeus Bradley is an ex-magician who spills magic secrets to the world via his viral internet show. Oh, and ladies, Common is in the movie too.  His part is small, but he's on the screen long enough to get a good look.

I was greatly intrigued from start to finish.  Like I said, I was still trying to answer the who and why with 20 minutes left.  I'm glad it didn't move so fast.  Sometimes, like Scandal, people are talking too quickly and the action goes so fast that you miss too much to understand what's happening.  This movie is not like that.  There is a lot of action and the magic tricks are cool, but it has a great balance that keeps you entertained.  I liked it enough that I'd watch it again and again.  Now You See Me is a must see.

Next week, The Internship and The Purge are out at theaters.  I'm not sure which one I'll see if either.  But check back here next week.

Fast and Furious 6 - Much more than man candy

Where can you find car chases, car crashes, and car races with bad arse girl fights, gun fights, prison fights, and big guys with beefy muscle fights, plus tough chicks who come back from the dead and mucho man candy?  Look no further than the 6th installment of The Fast and The Furious franchise.  Fast and Furious 6, aka Fast 6, aka Furious 6, is a fast paced, action packed, movie with a plausible story to back up all the excitement.

Let's start with the reason why most women go to see the movie...the man candy.  Fast 6 stars Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne "I don't wanna be The Rock anymore" Johnson, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Sung Kang, and Luke Evans.  (There's girls too.  I'll get to them later.)  Just about everyone on that list is lick-your-lips yummy.  Vin is Dominic Toretto, the leader of the criminal crew who likes to drive fast cars while stealing money, drugs, or what have you.  He use to be drop dead gorgeous to me, but the more I look at him, the more I notice how he's aging and how tiny his mouth is.  It's just so small for his face.  He looks like a terrible kisser to boot which takes his hot factor down a bit.  Not to mention he's not hitting the weights regularly any more.  He's looking more like Daddy Diesel than Hott Man Dom.

Paul Walker and those sexy blue eyes is Brian O'Conner, former FBI agent turned criminal, who is in a relationship with Dom's sister.  Dwayne Johnson, is the master of the muscle bound man candy who is the law man using Dom's crew to catch the bad guy, but I think he needs to lay off the steroids and weights just a tad bit.  He was looking a little too meaty and it took his sexy down a little...very little.  Tyrese, Mr. Super Sexy Yet Arrogant I Don't Like Black Women Chocolaty Man, is the comic relief as Roman.  He cracks many jokes with his big mouth, and they crack many jokes about him, that big mouth, and his big forehead.  He's oh so very yummy to gaze upon, but he'll never be on the CGI list with that attitude of his.  Luda (nerdy somewhat sexy computer geek), Sung (almost hot asian guy named Han), and Luke (hot bad guy with a scrumptious accent, Owen Shaw) round out the man meat.

All of these guys except Luke appear in at least one of the Fast movies.  It is very necessary to watch all of them or at least have an idea of what happens in each one (ok, well 3 and 4 suck monkey balls so just read about them on Wikipedia or something) because every last movie was referenced in Furious 6.  If you haven't seen any of the movies, you won't understand why they are going through all of this to see Letty (Michelle "My shoulders are ginormous" Rodriguez), and the relationships between Brian & Mia (the super cute Jordana Brewster) and Han & Gisele (the extremely tough Gal Gadot).  They really do a great job of trying to tie all of the movies together, and keeping the story fresh and new.  After five movies, they finally started to get it right.  That's good because there definitely will be a seventh.  The movie kept everyone on the edge of their seats.  There was even a twist that I saw coming but clearly no one else did.  Now, some of the action scenes were outlandish, but very cool nonethless, so I'll give the plausibility a pass.

I must say, I truly enjoyed this one as much as Fast 5 which is the only one that I own on DVD.  I had my reservations about it seeing that it the SIXTH one, and as you all know, I don't think sequels are necessary unless it's a book.  But, and this is a big but, the Fast and Furious series may be an exception to this rule if only for all that yumminess on the screen, and if they keep the storyline interesting.  Go see it.  There's something for everyone to enjoy.

Next week, After Earth and maybe Now You See Me.

Star Trek Into Darkness - Best One Yet!!!

There have been numerous Star Trek movies, some good, some terrible, very few fantastic!  Star Trek Into Darkness is one of the fantastic ones.  In fact, it's the best one yet!  It's very hard to do a prequel, let alone a sequel to a prequel, but JJ Abrams does a wonderful job in pulling the old and new together.

If I give you the plot, I may give you too much, but let's just say Star Trek Into Darkness leaves off where Star Trek's 2009 film ended.  I didn't love that one, but I loved this movie.  James T Kirk is still the captain of the Enterprise and still getting into a lot of trouble with Star Fleet because of his rash and often times selfish decisions.  Spock is still no nonsense Spock and learning how not to feel emotions and have relationships do to his human side.  There is a villian that ties the old and new movies together, and our (Trekkies) favorite aliens show up as well, the Klingons.  I loved the modern take on both.  The Klingon faces were just as menacing, but softer if that possible when you have huge boney indentions on your face.  It was new and fresh but still paid homage to the past.  LOVED IT!!

This movie was action-packed throughout the whole entire 2 hours and 20 minutes.  It was a roller coaster ride of emotion and action.  There were aliens fighting humans, humans fighting super humans, humans fighting humans, not to mention Klingon Warbirds shooting at humans, and Enterprise versus an extra large star ship.  Can you see how I was on the edge of my seat and why I felt like I never really got to breath until the credits rolled?  Amazing!  This JJ Abrams movie reminded me of how I felt the first time I saw Jurassic Park, mesmerized, intrigued, and excited.  I felt all of that watching Star Trek Into Darkness.  In other words, go see this movie Trekkie or not.  It's by far the best movie I've seen yet this year!

Fast and Fineness Furious next week!!!

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters - Keep the kids at home for this one!

Once upon a time there was a girl who liked to watch movies with vampires, werewolves, aliens, monsters, hobbits, dragons, ghosts, and witches.  This week she chose Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters.  She didn't have extremely high expectations for this movie, but was hoping that at least the cheesiness of it would keep her entertained for 90 minutes.  And well, it did!

Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters follows the siblings many years after their treacherous trip through the forest where they found the house made of candy and the witch wanting to eat them.  After killing that witch by pushing her through the furnace, they began a journey killing witches and making a living off of it.  They are employed by a town where witches are kidnapping children.  They must find the children and kill the witches in the process.  They also discover a little more about their past and learn what happened to their parents that fateful day in the forest.

This movie is very gruesome and definitely not for kids.  I didn't know there were automatic weapons back in fairytale land or that women were allowed to wear pants and curse like sailors, but clearly you can do anything you want when hunting witches.  This movie was a bit bizarre (Hansel and Gretel's relationship is a little incestuous) and very cheesy, but I enjoyed it.  There is lots of blood and guts and exploding witches.  There's also a huge troll with a soft heart.  I mean, this movie has everything except a big named actress well unless you want to count Jeremy Renner or Famke Janssen.  All-in-all, I enjoyed it.  It's not for everyone, but if you liked Van Helsing or any Underworld movie then you may enjoy this one.  The End.