@take2reviews Top Five Movies of 2015

I may still be working on my Top Ten movie list, but I feel pretty confident in my Top Five.  Since we are airing this list on Fox 26, I thought I should commit it to my blog as well.

So barring any upsets (see footnote), here are my top five movies of 2015

5.  Trainwreck  

 

A comedy - with a bit of drama - & two outstanding performances by Amy Schumer and Bill Hader. Hysterical every time I watch it.

4.  Creed  

The feel good movie of the season that is nostalgic with a breath of fresh air.  Sylvester Stallone proves he is still a winner.  He will get an Oscar nod this year.

3.  The Danish Girl

Eddie Redmayne blows my mind in everything he does.  If it weren’t for Leo, he would take the Oscar again for his beautiful portrayal of Lili.

2.  The Revenant

I can’t say enough about this movie.  It is both torturous & breathtakingly beautiful.  I was spellbound. 

1.  Spotlight 

I went back & forth between Spotlight & The Revenant as my favorite movie this year, but I ultimately went with Spotlight.  It was rewarding to see a film tackle a subject so controversial, yet be so delicate with ALL the victims in the Catholic Church Sex Abuse Scandal.  It was amazing.  A must see. 

Footnote:  I still haven't seen a few movies (although they are stacked up ready to watch at home), so this list has the potential to shift.  Here are the movies that could shake things up a bit depending on how my weekend movie marathon goes:

• Clouds of Sils Maria
• Mad Max - Fury Road
• Love & Mercy
• 45 Years
• Son of Saul

So tell me, what do you think of my list?

About A Blog

Once in a while we should take inventory of what is working in our lives, and what really isn't.  For me, writing a weekly movie blog isn't really working.

Please follow @take2review on facebook, twitter & instagram to keep up to date on all my movie madness & to read my quick thoughts/reviews on new releases.

You can also watch Andrew and I review our favorite movies live on Fox 26 KNPN & on our website www.newspressnow.com

I may be back from time to time if I have something important to say.

Until then, I'll see you at the movies!

Brooklyn

With awards season upon us, there are many movies to choose from.  I recently checked out, Brooklyn starring Saoirse Ronan, a historical romance based on a novel by Colm Toibin.  The movie tells the story of an Irish girl who lands in 1950s Brooklyn, where she quickly falls into a new romance. When her past catches up with her, however, she must choose between two countries and the lives that exist within.

Saoirse Ronan stars as Eilis, the young girl who leaves her mother, her sister, and everything she knows behind in the hope of a better life across the pond. And she does a fine job.  Ronan is beautiful and poised – seems perfectly cast for this role.  It’s the love interests that really sank this ship for me.  They seemed weak and not really all that interesting.    Give me a hunky Irish lad such as Michael Fassbender and you will have my attention.  Overall, it is a sweet romance movie;  but I would recommend reading the novel (as was recommended by my daughter Jen,) and then waiting for the DVD on this one.  

Creed - Sylvester Stallone & Michael B. Jordan are both Knock Outs

Adonis Johnson is the son of the famous boxing champion Apollo Creed, Who died in a boxing match in Rocky IV. Adonis wasn't born before his fathers death and wants to follow his fathers footsteps in boxing. He seeks a mentor who is the former heavyweight boxing champion and former friend of Apollo Creed, Rocky Balboa who is now in retirement. Rocky then agrees to mentor Adonis. With Rockys help they hope to get a title job to face even deadlier opponents than his father. But whether he is a true fighter is to be seen....Written by Blake Ordonez

I was a big fan of Director Ryan Coogler with last year’s Fruitvale Station (also starring Michael B. Jordan) and he doesn’t disappoint with this second film. I admire the way he wrote the character of Rocky Balboa.  There is no macho man left in Stallone’s performance.   Coogler shows us Balboa for who he is – aging, lonely, but still in love with the game of boxing.  I will go so far as to say this is Stallone's best performance ever.  

I thought both on-screen performances by Sylvester Stallone and Michael B. Jordan were brilliant.  

The best moment in the movie for me was a fight scene showing Donnie (played by Jordan) completely  defeated in the ring and suddenly “Theme from Rocky” blasts over the air.  Everyone in the theater loved it  – including myself. 

There are many other scenes i really loved, but to discuss them now would spoil the movie. Creed is worth checking out.  You won't be disappointed.

Creed is rated PG-13

Spotlight - Best Movie of 2015 (So far)

Starring Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, Brian d'Arcy James and Stanley Tucci, SPOTLIGHT tells the riveting true story of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Boston Globe investigation that would rock the city and cause a crisis in one of the world's oldest and most trusted institutions. When the newspaper's tenacious "Spotlight" team of reporters delves into allegations of abuse in the Catholic Church, their year-long investigation uncovers a decades-long cover-up at the highest levels of Boston's religious, legal, and government establishment, touching off a wave of revelations around the world. Directed by Academy Award-nominee Tom McCarthy, SPOTLIGHT is a tense investigative dramatic-thriller, tracing the steps to one of the biggest cover-ups in modern times. Written by Open Road

My heart rate picked up at a steady pace all the way through Spotlight.  By Minute 128, my heart was pounding so loudly in my chest, I had to remind myself to breathe.

Such respect for Director Tom McCarthy.  His characters loved their Catholic faith & those lines were so important.  Because this isn’t a movie about faith.  It’s a movie about corruption of power.  

He told the story in a voice we could all understand, and he did so without graphic flashback scenes or repulsive language. 

Bravo to him.  Bravo to the cast.  And congratulations on your Oscar nomination that is sure to come, Mark Ruffalo.

Best movie of 2015 so far.

The Truth Is a Fun Conversation Starter

Truth is a newsroom drama detailing the 2004 CBS 60 minutes report investigating then-President George W. Bush's military service, and the subsequent firestorm of criticism that cost anchor Dan Rather and producer Mary Mapes their careers.

Cate Blanchett is getting Oscar buzz again this year  - more for her role in the upcoming “carol”, - but her portrayal of Mary Mapes is being mentioned as well.  Robert Redford, playing Dan Rather also gives us one of his best screen performances in recent years  – he nailed the mannerisms of the iconic news anchor, without coming off as an impersonator.

The supporting cast is also quite solid, including Dennis Quaid, Elisabeth Moss and Topher Grace.  Stacy Keach also scores high marks as a key witness.

But it’s Cate Blanchett and Topher Grace who steal the show for me – both actors gave brilliant performances and kept this movie interesting. 

If you are a history buff, you will love this movie.  It also stirs up quite a bit of controversy – so if you like a good debate among friends, definitely check this one out. 

I give Truth 3 stars.

Rock the Kasbah did NOT rock

A down-on-his-luck music manager discovers a teenage girl with an extraordinary voice while on a music tour in Afghanistan and takes her to Kabul to compete on the popular television show, Afghan Star.

Watch our full review here:

Seems like I spend less time blogging and more time chatting about movies on social media.  To keep you all in the loop, I will post my weekly television reviews here but please follow me on instagram, twitter and facebook @take2review.

See you online!

A Brave Heart - The Lizzie Velasquez Story

A BRAVE HEART: The Lizzie Velasquez Story is a documentary following the inspiring journey of 26 year old, 58 pound Lizzie from cyber-bullying victim to anti-bullying activist. Born with a rare syndrome that prevents her from gaining weight, Elizabeth "Lizzie" Velasquez was first bullied as a child in school for looking different and, later online, as a teenager when she discovered a YouTube video labeling her "The World's Ugliest Woman." The film chronicles unheard stories and details of Lizzie's physical and emotional journey up to her multi-million viewed TEDx talk, and follows her pursuit from a motivational speaker to Capitol Hill as she lobbies for the first federal anti-bullying bill. Written by Sara Hirsh Bordo

This young woman is the most beautiful, most amazing young woman I have listened to in quite some time.  Her family is the perfect example of how important it is that we not only protect our children, but empower them.  Stand beside them - not behind them.  Listen. Be aware. Be brave.

Lizzie took her situation and decided to use it for good.  And she rocked it.

We should all be so beautiful.  We should all be so brave. 

My daughter has always marched to her own drummer, so she met plenty of bullies growing up. Once I heard about Lizzie, I knew I wanted to be one of her soldiers.   So here I am - shouting from the rooftop - stream this movie now (it's available online - I used Google Movies).

It would be difficult to review this as a "film".  This is Lizzie's story - shared with her stamp of approval and that is all I am going to say about that.

Rated PG - 13 (but any child over the age of 7 can & should see this - in my opinion.)

You're Never Too Old To Be The Intern

"70-year-old widower Ben Whittaker has discovered that retirement isn't all it's cracked up to be. Seizing an opportunity to get back in the game, he becomes a senior intern at an online fashion site, founded and run by Jules Ostin." ~ IMDB

Rated PG-13

 Nancy Meyers makes movies just for me.  At least that's what I choose to believe.  I loved "Something's Got To Give" & "It's Complicated", so I was pretty sure I would like this movie.  What I didn't expect was to laugh hysterically - along with the entire audience - multiple times!

 I have to admit I wasn't blown away by Anne Hathaway. I kept feeling she wasn't that believable.  Give Reese Witherspoon or Jennifer Aniston this role, and now you have something. 

I was also bored with the character of Matt (Jules husband).  He was a real jerk & in real life - any strong woman would have kicked him to the curb.  

It was the interaction between Ben Whittaker (played by Robert De Niro) and the other three interns who stole the show IMO.  Adam Devine and Zack Pearlman – both were hilarious!

Overall, I really enjoyed this movie!  It was nice to see a film the whole family could enjoy. 

Johnny Depp is Pure Evil in Black Mass

"While his brother Bill (Benedict Cumberbatch) remains a powerful leader in the Massachusetts Senate, Irish hoodlum James "Whitey" Bulger (Johnny Depp) continues to pursue a life of crime in 1970s Boston. Approached by FBI agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton), the lawman convinces Whitey to help the agency fight the Italian mob. As their unholy alliance spirals out of control, Bulger increases his power and evades capture to become one of the most dangerous gangsters in U.S. history."  

Rated R (for brutal violence, language, sexual references & brief drug use)

Goodbye Edward Scissorhands - this is a whole new Johnny Depp.  His dark, honest portrayal of Whitey Bulger, one of the most notorious criminals in US History will come up in every Oscar conversation this season.  His icy blue stare is still haunting me.

Depp wasn't the only performance that blew my mind with this movie.  Joel Edgerton played "Good Cop Gone Bad" brilliantly.  His face seemed to slowly melt as he got sucked further and further into the dark world of Whitey Bulger & the Winter Hill Gang.

Dakota Johnson?  Turns out she is so much more than a silly young girl into S&M - her performance as Bulger's mistress was perfect.  She earned my respect as an actor with this performance and I can't wait to see more of her.

One of the scariest scenes of the movie is between Marianne Connolly (played by Julianne Nicholson) & Bulger.  While the men talk over dinner, she has locked herself upstairs pretending to be sick to avoid being around Bulger, of whom she is terrified.  Sensing something is off, Bulger goes to check on her.  I won't spoil the scene, but I will tell you it isn't one you will soon forget.  

While the movie seemed a bit slow paced at times, Director Scott Hooper keeps us mesmerized by the authenticity of the set, the costuming, & the makeup.  We were in a time machine and it was flawless.

Hooper knows how important it is to sell the level of sociopath Whitey Bulger really was. Because of that,   I admit to spending 1/2 of the movie looking directly at the floor because I couldn't stomach the violence.

Overall, I really liked this movie.  Even if I couldn't watch half of it.

Amy Schumer Shoots & Scores in "Trainwreck" - Movie Review

"Since she was a little girl, it's been drilled into Amy's head by her rascal of a dad that monogamy isn't realistic. Now a magazine writer, Amy lives by that credo - enjoying what she feels is an uninhibited life free from stifling, boring romantic commitment - but in actuality, she's kind of in a rut. When she finds herself starting to fall for the subject of the new article she's writing, a charming and successful sports doctor named Aaron Conners, Amy starts to wonder if other grown-ups, including this guy who really seems to like her, might be on to something." Written by Universal Pictures (IMDB)
Rated - R

Schumer has a huge following, thanks to her Comedy Central Show “Inside Amy Schumer” .  In Trainwreck, it’s hard to tell where the real Amy ends, and this fictional character begins.

This movie takes less than a minute to get it's first 

laugh, and never slows down.  In the opening scene, 

two young girl listen as their Dad uses doll analogies 

to explain why he is leaving their mom, and why 

monogamy isn't real.  Fast forward 20 years and we 

see just how much Amy listened to her Dad.  

Spending her weekends getting drunk, smoking pot 

and hooking up with one night stands she is a "hot mess". 

The entire cast has great chemistry -  and they all deliver the laughs.  John Cena has several "sexy?" scenes and of course we all fall in love with Aaron, played by the brilliant Bill Hader.  It took me a solid hour to figure out the actress playing her boss was none other than Tilda Swinton.  But it was LeBron James who stole the show for me.  James plays himself in the film, a patient and over-protective friend to lovable Aaron.  He was quite charming.

While Trainwreck was as funny as it gets, there is a serious undertone to the movie that sets Amy Schumer apart as an actress.  She handled drama like a pro.  My prediction?  We will be seeing a lot more of Amy Schumer, and that makes me a happy girl.

Meet Me In Montenegro - Movie Review

If you are a hopeless romantic like me, you will enjoy Meet Me In Montenegro.  Never heard of it?  Neither had I.  But I pay attention when Facebook "recommends" things to me, and this time it paid off in a sweet way.

In this personal, inter-continental love story two ex-lovers, Lina (Linnea Saasen), a Norwegian dancer and Anderson (Alex Holdridge), an American filmmaker, meet by chance during a visit to Berlin. Their romance is rekindled in spite of the fact that they are both moving to opposite ends of the earth in the next forty-eight hours. Meanwhile Anderson's friends, Stephen (Rupert Friend) and Friederike (Jennifer Ulrich), toy with exploring the sexual boundaries of their long-term relationship. Berlin nestles these couples in her outstretched streets, while they wrestle with the perennial challenge of finding love, recognizing it and keeping it alive.
Written by Anonymous (IMDB) Rated PG-13

~~~~~~~~~
I spent yesterday afternoon doing one of my favorite things;  losing myself in a sweet little romantic comedy.  

I loved the rhythm of this film - I was never exactly sure how things were going to end.  Back and forth - up and down.  Is she good?  Is she bad?  Is he going to be ok?  Is he bad? Will he leave her? Will she leave him?  Can they make it?  It was very unpredictable, but isn't real love?

I loved Alex Holdridge as Anderson -  in all his goofiness and odd little outfits.  So many times movies bring us unrealistic human beings - so perfectly beautiful we can't really connect. Not so in this film. Our lovers here are real, clumsy, messy, everyday people. But like the rest of us in the real world, they love.  They make mistakes.  They forgive.  They move on. They walk away. They regret.  They do second chances.

I am also in love with the whimsical sketches and graffiti sprinkled throughout the movie. Animation from Anderson's journal morphing into a scene added one more level to the intimacy I felt with his character.  

Tie this all up with a cool soundtrack and the backdrop of Berlin and Montenegro and you really have a winner.  I highly recommend!

All Good Things Must Come To An End. Bye, David!!

Well all good things must end - and so it goes with my friend David, who was going to give me a half a million dollars.  I knew it was to good to be true when he contacted two other facebook friends, Brian and Brandon and advised them of their winnings.  Brandon was all prepared to start a new conversation with him when he was met with this sad reply:

Who knows what happened to my dear friend, but I will share with you our last correspondence:


Wednesday 10:03am

Greetings.. Good morning to you...

Hi David.

Wednesday 1:05pm

How are you doing..what is the progress..

Thursday 1:02am

You are not responding

Do you want your winnings to be terminated

I am in jail.

Thursday 12:04pm

And you can still communicate with me

Tell your dad so he can bail you out

If you have pay the delivery fee,your will be happy now

Thursday 3:48pm

I have a phone hidden in a hole behind some books in the library. Haven't you ever seen Orange is the New Black?

Friday 1:45pm

You are not serious..

I am too serious. This sucks. I really needed that $550,000 to get out of this mess I am in

Fuck up you are not serious..You are opportune but you mess it up keeping it on pending..

Friday 3:33pm

Friday 5:17pm

Ok

5 hours ago

Good morning..How was your weekend..

*********
I am not sure why he had to swear at me.  That really hurt my feelings.  Sorry I didn't win the loot - I was going to throw one heck of a party!