Snowden

Attention Americans!  If you want a guide on how to be a traitor, act like a communist, or denounce your patriotism, this is the movie for you.  In a scenario where, lets say you are too weak to make it in the infantry, but you got a big brain and are recruited by the CIA.  You happen to fall upon some secret stuff that, well, you know the CIA does.  Then you manage it for a while but low and behold, you find out that they are watching you as well.  That's when you turn?  Okay, in all reality this movie really makes you feel bad for good ole Eddie.  The poor kid was just trying to be a good service member to his country but being naive, he was in a bit over his head.   The good news is, he now lives in Russia as they gave him save refuge.  So any hacking that may come from Moscow, like for instance the Presidential Election, would never involve someone like him.  JGL plays just about every role with absolute greatness, he has become one of my favorite actors.  The sinister backdrop of this movie makes it very intriguing and it is one that I highly recommend, especially if you were following the story as it happened.  Take a shot at this one, just be sure to turn off all devices connected to the internet.

FYI:  Many of the actual real life people portrayed in this film are in the movie.

***1/2

Atomic Blonde

Where were you before the fall of the Berlin Wall?  East, or West?  Oh, you were in America watching it on TV.  Just keep in mind, while you were doing that, there was a super hot blonde spy going back and forth on a very important mission filled with sex, violence, and deceit!  This movie was awesome!  Set in the 80's complete with the coolest 80's songs, clothes, and action.  Basically there are agents, spys, and double agents inter-tangled in a huge web of lies, all the while surrounded by the the political warfare of East and West Germany.  Theron plays the part of a bad ass perfectly and gives John Wick a run for his money.  She is super hot and has some steamy sex scenes with Sofia Boutella that you wont soon forget.  McAvoy is the slimy agent who runs the streets and nails his role as well.  There are some twists and surprises throughout the film but never a boring moment. 

FYI:  McAvoy's casted hand was actually real from an injury while filming Split.

*****

Shot Caller

Rule #1, dont go to prison.  Rule #2, if you do go to prison get super jacked and learn how to fight, fast!  After patiently waiting for this movie to come out, to my surprise I found it one night on Amazon, for free!!!  I was excited to watch Jamie Lanister turn himself into a hardened criminal and watch as the system makes him into a monster.  If you are a fan of prison movies (which I am) this is a pretty good one for you.  Jacob is a successful business man, loving father and husband with a pretty great life.  One night out with the friends and having a few too many to drink, he gets into a car accident and one of the passengers die.  Well the friends wife doesn't like that much, so presses charges and low and behold, good ole Jacob ends up behind bars.  We all know how the story goes, in order to survive, you need to put in work and get yourself some protection.  All that does is earn him some extra years on his sentence, all the while building his cred to become one of the top thugs.  When he finally gets out, he has to survive a different way with his old life in the rear view, its a struggle all around.  I loved this movie and put it right up there with some of the classic lock up flicks such as Blood in Blood out, Felon, and American History X.  I ended the movie wanting more but completely satisfied with the content.  I would recommend this to anyone who likes the gritty underworld of the American prison system.

FYI:  Many prisons in CA have adopted an inmate workout routine not unlike the one seen here.

****

The Bar

Take a good look at the movie poster above, now go watch this movie.  The picture tells a story worth a thousand words.  What would you do, as a self absorbed socialite who walks into a cafe/bar one morning only to find you are trapped inside with a bunch of strangers and a dead guy?  Get shit faced I hope!  This was a really good hidden gem found on Netflix that had cool dialogue to go along with the great plot.  In downtown busy Madrid, a group is forced to band together in a small cafe as they find themselves trapped inside by the local police.  Something more is going on, but the mystery forces them to turn on one another.  There were a number of great lines and situations throughout the movie, some were really disgusting but the entire film was extremely entertaining.  The only negative I have to say is that once it ended, I really wanted more.  More explanation, what happens next, how the situation was dealt with by the authorities?  Overall, great find that I would recommend to anyone.

FYI:  The homeless man wore his fake teeth non stop during the filming.

****

The Houses October Built 2

Just in time for the haunting month!  If you have read any of my reviews, you will know I love horror movies, especially this time of year.  I did review the first installment of this little franchise and loved it.  I thought it was a hidden gem that I came across one day so you can imagine how excited I was to see the sequel.  Lets get down to the nitty gritty of this little fright fest.  #1. I actually liked this, regardless of the awful reviews and the fans of part 1 hating everything about it.  #2. The characters are creepy and the final haunt was great just because of the silence and minimal decor of the rooms.  #3. the other haunts they went through were cool to see and some of the creepy characters were good. #4. The main chick is pretty hot!  #5. The ending was only good if you have seen part 1.  There, did I break it down enough for you?  If not, watch the damn thing!  The whole premise is not unique, a bunch of film makers go across the country to find the most extreme and scary haunt.  Using rumors of underground haunts where they do things no legal and crazy scary to fuel them.  The only real loser part of this film is that they talk the girl into coming back to work with them again, and even after getting spooked to the point of pissing her pants, she still keeps going.  Give this one a shot, let me know what you think!

FYI:  Written and directed by one of the main stars, who was also an All-American Pitcher at UCLA

***1/2

A Gang Story

Well, whats to say about this film streaming on Netflix right now that hasn't already been said?  Oh, wait, everything?  That's likely because no one has ever heard of this movie, or the true events it is supposedly based on.  You may also watch it and say, huh, I have seen this movie before but I cant place when.  I will let you in on a little secret, it was the last time you watched any gangster story ever!  Now don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad by any means, it actually kept me very interested the entire time, but just didn't quite have the spark it needed to be great and original.  Maybe they were trying to stick a little to close to the actual happenings, but I definitely would have "Holly-wooded" it up for a true great foreign film.  The acting was really good and the main character played by Lanvin was stone cold and awesome.  Don't let me pass over the ever and always creepy Tcheky Karyo who has been spooking me out since the 80's.  Good film about a gang of loyal friends who make it big in the underworld only to be double crossed.  There are a few really bad ass revenge scenes and a cool premise but it was just missing something???  Give it a shot and let me know what you think.

FYI:  Good soundtrack featuring Janis Joplin, Deep Purple, and The Animals.

***

A Message From the King

COngratulations Netflix, you just keep churning out the hits!  I guess when you give you writers and directors complete freedom to express themselves from their own creative mind you get a plethora of greatness (take note Hollywood).   This little gem surprised me from the beginning!  I was ready for another slow burn of a search for a missing person movie and got a whole lot more.  First off, Boseman is a complete bad ass in it, he comes in like a silent storm and gets his answers!  He partners up with an unlikely ally living in a run down hotel.  She is basically the better looking and better acting version of Kristen Stewart.  Then enter about 20 other actors that are pretty well known and do a damn good job.  So the skinny is that Boseman comes to LA from South Africa to find his missing sister.  What he does is strategically look for clues to get a good idea of how she has been living and is not happy!  It all explodes from there and the shit hits the fan!  Great movie, good acting and good plot.  Give this a shot on Netflix now.

FYI:  Twists, deceit, and beatings made this a movie that gets a good ole fashion Grind-House praise!

****