MOONTRAP (1989) blu-ray review
written by: Tex Ragsdale
produced by: Robert Dyke, John Cameron and James R. Courtney
directed by: Robert Dyke
rating: R
runtime: 96 min.
U.S. release date: April 28, 1989
Blu-ray release date: November 18, 2014
If you’ve heard of “Moontrap”, that’s probably because you’re a science fiction and/or horror fan, maybe even a completist. The sci-fi B-movie stars two actors known for those genres, Walter Koenig (Star Trek’s Chekov) and The Man with the Chin, Bruce Campbell (best known for the “Evil Dead” movies). Although I consider myself a fan, I guess I’m not a completist of those genres, since I never got around to seeing this low-budget movie from 1989. For its 25th anniversary, Olive Films has released it for the first time on blu-ray with a remastered transfer, which is how I came to finally watch it. I may have missed its late night cable run back in the day and I never owned a worn VHS copy, but I can still acknowledge the cheese factor of “Moontrap” as something of a cult classic, in the so-bad-its-good category, that is.
THE PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR (2014) review
written by: Michael Colton, John Aboud and Brandon Sawyer
produced by: Mark Swift, Lara Breay and Tripp Hudson
directed by: Eric Darnell and Simon J. Smith
rating: PG (for mild action and some rude humor)
runtime: 92 min.
U.S. release date: November 26, 2014
Because there absolutely must be a family-friendly, crowd-pleasing movie released during Thanksgiving, Dreamworks Animation (DWA) is releasing “The Penguins of Madagascar”. You know these penguins from the three “Madagascar” animated features (hence the title), where they were often the best part of each movie. But they’re not actually from Madagascar. They have their own past and their own tales to tell. The result is a vibrant, crazy and hilarious romp.
THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 1
written by: Danny Strong and Peter Craig
produced by: Nina Jacobsen and Jon Kilik
directed by: Francis Lawrence
rating: PG-13 (for intense sequences of violence and action, some disturbing images and thematic material)
runtime: 123 min.
U.S. release date: November 21, 2014
Upon hearing that Mockingjay, the third and final YA novel by Suzanne Collins in The Hunger Games trilogy, would be turned into two movies, my wife, who had read the books acknowledged the logic in that approach. She stated Mockingjay is the least of the three, yet probably the most cinematic. Having seen “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1”. I agree and disagree with her, in that order.
FURY (2014) review
written by: David Ayer
produced by: Bill Block, John Lesher, Alex Ott, Ethan Smith, Brad Pitt & David Ayer
directed by: David Ayer
rated: R (for strong sequences of war violence, some grisly images, and language throughout)
runtime: 134 min.
U.S. release date: October 17, 2014
War movies – any war – were a dime a dozen back in the 1960s, my without a doubt favorite decade for movies. The reasoning was simple: audiences ate them up for good or bad. Like any successful genre, there was an ebb and flow. With 1998’s “Saving Private Ryan”, the war movie (especially World War II) was forever changed. More realism, more violence, less glory and flag-raising. In one of the best war movies since 1998 and still chugging along in theaters, comes David Ayer’s “Fury”. Read more…
ROSEWATER (2014) review
written by: Jon Stewart
produced by: Scott Rudin, Jon Stewart and Gigi Pritzker
directed by: Jon Stewart
rating: R (for language including some crude references and some language)
runtime: 103 min.
U.S. release date: November 14, 2014
Back in March 2013, political satirist and comedian Jon Stewart announced that he would be taking a break from hosting The Daily Show to direct a movie. He had optioned the rights to write and helm an adaptation of Maziar Bahari’s 2011 memoir Then They Came For Me, which was primarily about the Canadian-Iranian journalist’s arrest and 118-day imprisonment while covering the 2009 Iran presidential election. It comes as no surprise to find Stewart making his directorial debut with a sharply focused political perspective.
INTERSTELLAR (2014) review
written by: Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan
produced by: Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Lynda Obst
directed by: Christopher Nolan
rating: PG-13 (for some intense perilous scenes and brief strong language)
runtime: 169 min.
U.S. release date: November 5, 2014
In Christopher Nolan’s science fiction film, “Interstellar”, Earth’s landscape is no longer a sustainable place for humans. Coincidentally, movie theaters are no longer a sustainable place for film enthusiasts – what with all the entitled moviegoers and their annoying behavior. Nolan upgrades the landscape of movie theaters with the escapism of “Interstellar”, by creating a cinematic experience with amazing and beautiful visuals, utilizing IMAX film more than he has in any of his previous films. The breathtaking spectacle of Nolan’s space odyssey is expected, but what comes as a surprise is how emotional and moving this movie is.
ST. VINCENT (2014) review
written by: Theodore Melfi
produced by: Fred Roos, Jenno Topping, Peter Chernin & Theodore Melfi Ryan
directed by: Theodore Melfi
rating: R (for strong violence and language)
runtime: 102 min.
U.S. release date: October 10, 2014
So that Bill Murray guy, he’s got “Saturday Night Live”, “Stripes”, “Caddyshack” and “Ghostbsters” to his name. Not a bad career right? Yep, for most, but Murray did all those over about a 10-year stretch. What’s weirder? He’s in icon status now and probably has more popularity in 2014 than he did 10 or 15 years ago. If he keeps starring in movies like “St. Vincent”, that popularity is going to go nowhere but up.
SNIPER: LEGACY (2014) review
written by: Don Michael Paul and John Fasano
produced by: Jeffrey Beach, Phillip Roth and Scott Einbinder
directed by: Don Michael Paul
rating: R (for strong violence and language)
runtime: 98 min.
U.S. release date: September 30, 2014 (direct-to-DVD)
Released way back in 1993, “Sniper” was a moderate success and little more. It received generally mixed to negative reviews and earned only $18 million in theaters. So why did this movie have such a second life? It’s 21 years later, and the original “Sniper” has spawned four sequels, all of them of the direct-to-DVD variety. They’re not especially good but in the guilty pleasure category, they qualify as highly entertaining flicks. Here is the fifth and newest sequel, “Sniper: Legacy”.
BRICK MANSIONS (2014) review
written by: Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen
produced by: Luc Besson, Ryan Kavanaugh, Tucker Tooley & Christophe Lambert
directed by: Camille Delamarre
rating: R (for strong violence and language)
runtime: 90 min.
U.S. release date: April 25, 2014
DVD/Blu-ray release date: September 9, 2014
Well, it’s almost a full year later, and it’s still odd and incredibly hard to believe that Paul Walker isn’t with us anymore, the actor dying November 30, 2013 in a car crash. There was an odd sentiment watching “Hours” and “Vehicle 19” for me knowing he’s not around anymore, taken too soon. His last completed film before his tragic death was “Brick Mansions”.
NIGHTCRAWLER (2014) review
written by: Dan Gilroy
produced by: Jennifer Fox, Jake Gyllenhaal, Tony Gilroy, David Lancaster & Michael Litvak
directed by: Dan Gilroy
rating: R (for violence, including graphic images, and for language)
runtime: 117 min.
U.S. release date: October 31, 2014
Louis Bloom. Louis Bloom is a name that will stick out when we look back on the films of 2014. Hard-working and observant, Louis Bloom is a quick learner with an absorbent mind for self-improvement techniques. He’s also kind of odd, socially awkward and a persuasive sociopath. The character is portrayed by one of the most talented young actors working today, one who seems to be taking on quite a transformative assortment of roles in the last several years. The film is “Nightcrawler” and its the absorbing, fascinating and unnerving directorial debut of screenwriter Dan Gilroy.
