The 355

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: The 355
  • IMDb: link

There’s a fun, if not bright, story in The 355 once things get going and the female operatives from various spy agencies around the globe decide to work together. I don’t know that the movie is going to do well enough to earn a sequel, but I would suspect a second film, without the need for such lengthy set-up, would be superior. The main takeaway from The 355 seems to be that a female-led action movie can be just as dumb as any with an all-male cast.

The plot, so to speak, involves a technological super-drive (the kind of device you only find in these types of movies) that can crack anything (planes, financial records, power plants, your Spotify account, etc.). Discovered by accident on a drug raid, an agent (Edgar Ramírez) in Columbia attempts to sell it only to see it fall into the hands of a black market auctioneer who plans to sell it to the highest bidder giving them the power to destabilize the world with the press of a few buttons.

…

The 355Read More »

The 355 Read More »

The Tender Bar

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: The Tender Bar
  • IMDb: link

Adapted from the memoir of J. R. Moehringer, The Tender Bar is a comfortable warm sweater wrapping up the childhood and college life of JR (played by Tye Sheridan and Daniel Ranieri) and his colorful family, most notably his Uncle Charlie (Ben Affleck) in whose bar he learned as much about life as four years at Yale.

Directed by George Clooney, The Tender Bar isn’t great drama, nor outrageous comedy, but it’s a light and breezy look at a young man’s life who would be raised by his mother (Lily Rabe), in the often-overflowing home of his grandfather (Christopher Lloyd), and his uncle who would instill in him a love of books leading to his eventual profession. With solid performances and some witty narration by Ron Livingston as an older, and perhaps wiser, version of JR, The Tender Bar doesn’t ask much of the audience other than to enjoy a good story.

…

The Tender BarRead More »

The Tender Bar Read More »

Hit-Monkey – Run Monkey Run

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Hit Monkey – Run Monkey Run
  • IMDb: link

Tired of dealing with Hit-Monkey, the Yakuza put a price on the monkey’s head that even makes his ghost sidekick blush. He’s also got to deal with the undead ghost assassin Yuki (Reiko Aylesworth) who arises to restore order to the streets of Tokyo and targets both Hit-Monkey and Bryce (Jason Sudeikis). With a ghost (who can harm them both) and host of assassins after them, there’s plenty of action in “Run Monkey Run.” Although Yuki comes to an understanding with the monkey, our protagonist has plenty of threats still coming after him as the Yakuza raise the price on the contract even higher.

…

Hit-Monkey – Run Monkey RunRead More »

Hit-Monkey – Run Monkey Run Read More »

The Nowhere Inn

/ / Home Video
  • Title: The Nowhere Inn
  • IMDb: link

The Nowhere Inn has one of my favorite opening scenes of the year as American musician Annie “St. Vincent” Clark, playing herself, is being driven by a confused limousine driver (Ezra Buzzington) with no idea who his latest passenger is, or why she’s famous, only to stop in the middle of a desolate highway and disappear. Seeds of the larger themes of the film are planted here, even if it never reaches the same heights.

The film’s plot involves Annie hiring her friend Carrie, also playing herself, to make a documentary about the band which the pair hope will help both of them reach wider audiences. What Carrie soon discovers, however, is life on the road isn’t all that interesting off-stage for the band. Carrie’s attempts to find an interesting hook for the story and Annie drastically changing her behavior slowly devolve into a situation where neither Carrie nor Annie can differentiate what is actually real.

…

The Nowhere InnRead More »

The Nowhere Inn Read More »