sleight

From the producer of Get Out comes a new kind of hero. See Sleight in theaters on April 28th. #SleightMovie A young street magician (Jacob Latimore) is left to care for his little sister after their parents passing and turns to illegal activities to keep a roof over their heads.

I'm sure you're familiar with the typical inner-city drama movie, involving a young man getting involved in something he shouldn't have, because of some unfortunate circumstances that's put him in that position? What if the movie includes magic tricks into the formula? How about a guy with a superpower? While the "kid from a poor neighborhood, trying to get by with what's handed to him by life" premise is still the main focus of this film, I have to admit that the added genre-defying elements of magic and superpower makes "Sleight" better than it already is. It at least makes things a little more interesting and a little more complicated; but in a good way. 

Jacob Latimore does a great job as Bo, who just wants to take care of his little sister, even if it means doing things he'd rather not do. The movie does an excellent point of not making it so black and white in terms of Bo's part in the moral lesson of this story. That's one of the main things I really liked about this movie, it's that it doesn't completely judge the misdeeds of the characters for their choices in life, but it also doesn't completely excuse their actions either.

The story does start off cautiously innocent and typically familiar enough, plus it definitely progresses into an out of control situation that our hero will need to figure out how to come out on top. You might be able to predict where it's going, but you'll still feel encouraged to see things through until the end. 

I also really like the supporting cast in this movie, from Seychelle Gabriel, Dule Hill, and Storm Reid. They are all really good here, and contribute to the plot in compelling enough ways. Each of their characters aren't as cookie-cutter as they may seem at first, which I really appreciated. Of course there are those cool magic trick related sequences, and those super powered scenes too, which I also really appreciated seeing in this movie. Some of the strongest scenes in this movie, are simply comprised of some strong conversation pieces. Solid film. 

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how to be a latin lover

HowToBeALatinLover - In Theaters April 28th Having made a career of seducing rich older women, Maximo marries a wealthy woman more than twice his age. 25 years later, spoiled and bored from waking up next to his now 80-year-old wife-he gets the surprise of his life when she ends up dumping him for a younger car salesman.

An essential thing about being a comedy, is that it has to be funny. Of course comedy is subjective, but for me I'm happy to say that I found this movie to be really funny! There are some really good variety of clever jokes in this, from physical jokes, sight gags, lowbrow humor, lines with double-meanings, scenes of comedic embarrassments, hilarious banter, to just the whole adage of being "funny because it's true." There were funny scenes in this movie that I couldn't help but laugh out loud at. Besides the deft comedic direction by Ken Marino, or the witty writing by Chris Spain and Jon Zack, a huge part of what makes this movie work as well as it does is because of the characters. 

Leading the charge in this movie is international funny man Eugenio Derbez as Maximo. Derbez has amazing comedic timing in this, and is able to juggle being an embarrassing doofus, as well as a sympathetic loser, that makes it hard for us not to root for the man even when he is being such an idiot. His chemistry with his nephew Hugo; fantastically played by Raphael Alejandro, and his sister Sara; played excellently by Salma Hayek, is also one of the main highlights of the movie. Rob Lowe, playing his best friend and fellow gigolo, also brings us some good scenes to the movie. If there's one rough patch in the ensemble of characters, it's likely the ones played by Rob Huebel and Rob Riggle. 

The premise of this movie is arguably not that original, and isn't necessarily something you haven't seen before. However, this story usually applies to some young dumb blonde woman, and not some middle aged Mexican man. So despite some familiar plot tropes, this feels like a fresh take of it anyway. A quarter of the movie is also in Spanish with English subtitles; which gives the characters a nice air of authenticity. As typical as it is, there is a moral to the story, and there are lessons to be learned. Oddly enough though, not every plot thread ends up with a learned moral lesson, which honestly surprised me. 

After watching this movie, I found myself repeating or reliving some of the jokes and funny scenes from the movie. I think that's a good sign that as a comedy, this might be a lot more memorable than initially thought. Funny movie! 

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the circle

Based on the international best-seller by Dave Eggers, The Circle is a thrilling modern morality tale starring Emma Watson, Tom Hanks, and John Boyega. As she rises through the ranks of the world's largest tech and social media company, The Circle, Mae (Watson) is encouraged by company founder Eamon Bailey (Hanks) to live her life with complete transparency.

Simply put, this movie is going to rub people the wrong way. Not necessarily by it's sleek production value, like the clever floating text bubbles of social media that permeates certain scenes, or the beautiful location settings. While this is really nice to look at visually, the movie is really more focused on being a cautionary tale and a social commentary about human surveillance and privacy. How it goes about doing that is what will antagonize the audience, because it's message feels almost like it's directly criticizing anybody that has embraced the modern tech in an almost one-sided way. Isn't that most of us though? 

This really felt like a propaganda movie that is very heavy handed in it's point of view, and I would have liked a bit more subtlety. I admit there were plot points that would suggest that it's not completely biased in favor of one perspective, but it's hard not to think it is anyway. I'll give it some credit for being ambitious with it's big ideas, and I actually do appreciate the concepts that this movie is trying to relay to us, but it still felt like a rather undercooked story. I would liked to have just suspended by disbelief and just go with it, but it was really hard to do so with this movie's plot conveniences, logical flaws, as well as it's biggest problem; the characters. 

A lot of the characters in this movie simply do not act like they are real human beings. There were simply some unbelievably ridiculous things that "The Circlers" would say and do, that I was utterly gobsmacked into thinking that the filmmakers can't possibly be serious into believing that this is what the so called enlightened people of the tech industry would act in real life. I also noticed that the Circlers were predominantly people in their 20s too, which makes me also question if this is how they believe Millennials act. 

It also doesn't help that Emma Watson was just simply average in her role, or that her character just wasn't as interesting as this movie thinks she is. All the other supporting characters were also just passable and unfortunately underdeveloped; which includes the roles played by Tom Hanks, Patton Oswalt, John Boyega, and Karen Gillan. I will however say that I did like the characters that Bill Paxton and Glenne Headly played, so there's that at least. 

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the devotion of suspect x

Starring: Kai Wang and Luyi Zhang The Devotion of Suspect X Official Trailer 1 (2017) - Kai Wang Movie Chinese adaptation of the Japanese novel The Devotion of Suspect X. Subscribe to INDIE & FILM FESTIVALS: http://bit.ly/1wbkfYg Subscribe to TRAILERS: http://bit.ly/sxaw6h Subscribe to COMING SOON: http://bit.ly/H2vZUn We're on SNAPCHAT: http://bit.ly/2cOzfcy Like us on FACEBOOK: http://bit.ly/1QyRMsE Follow us on TWITTER: http://bit.ly/1ghOWmt You're quite the artsy one, aren't you?

As far as murder mystery crime thrillers go, this doesn't necessarily elevate the genre to new heights. It may have a really good premise to be entertained by, but it's not that much different than most procedural shows you can see on TV. The production value is just not that high, plus the story and direction is generally very straightforward. Despite the by the numbers feel and look of this movie, you're still going to want to see this through to the end. 

The mystery for this movie should hook you in pretty easily, and the crux of the matter is not even about figuring out who the murderer is, because it's revealed during the first half of the story. The mystery of this movie is in the "why," and the "how." While there is some detective work and some procedural aspects to the story, this is really more about the tense face-off of competing minds. Expect some twists and turns that you may not suspect. 

Kai Wang as the very smart police detective Tang Chuan, and Luyi Zhang as his former classmate Shi Hong who is also a very intelligent man, are what makes this movie work. Their cat-and-mouse relationship drives this movie forward, and you might actually not be able to decide on who you should be rooting for between the two. The neighbor connected to the murder case; Ruby Lin as Chen Jing, is also really good in this and adds an alternative point of view to the murder. 

Despite the fact that this movie isn't exactly what one would typically consider to be a prestigious film, it's still pretty good at telling this excellent crime mystery of a story, as well as adding some effective drama that may even move you to tears. 

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the lost city of z

This spring, discover the incredible true story of THE LOST CITY OF Z, based on the bestselling book by David Grann. Directed by James Gray, starring Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson, Sienna Miller, and Tom Holland. " SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/AmazonStudiosSubscribe " Now in Select Theaters!

From the opening scene involving men on horses hunting a deer, to trench warfare, and of course the many encounters in the jungle, you can tell that this is a highly produced movie, that has an involving story to share with us by the very talented writer-director James Gray. This movie will take you on a journey, filled with adventure, dread, and obsession. From the moment British explorer Percy Fawcett steps in Brazil, it's hard not to get hooked into seeing through this movie to the end, just to see where he eventually ends up. 

While this isn't exactly an Indiana Jones type of adventure, nor does it have the leading man character of Harrison Ford to entertain us, Charlie Hunnam is still really good as Percy Fawcett, and is able to show us a man haunted by his desire to find his so called Lost City Of Z. However, despite the somewhat grim tone that this movie seems to keep throughout, the deliberately luxurious pacing, and the unnecessarily long run-time at 141 minutes, there is somehow still a very romanticized angle to the lead character and to his obsession that people might find captivating. 

Depending on your point of view of Fawcett's actions in the movie, or how familiar you are with the real life history of the man, will likely determine how much you will enjoy this story. I myself had issues with the character of Fawcett, and I'm afraid to say that it has indeed affected by overall opinion of the movie. It's actually far more interesting researching the facts vs the fiction of Fawcett, than what we've seen in the movie itself. 

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the promise

Empires fall, love survives. When Michael (Oscar Isaac), a brilliant medical student, meets Ana (Charlotte Le Bon), their shared Armenian heritage sparks an attraction that explodes into a romantic rivalry between Michael and Ana's boyfriend Chris (Christian Bale), a famous American photojournalist dedicated to exposing political truth.

Frankly speaking, I believe there are a lot of people who aren't familiar with the Armenian Genocide during World War 1, that began 20 years before the Holocaust by the Nazi. With that said, there is definitely a sense of importance that is felt within this film to show the world that this atrocity did happen. Scenes of Armenians suffering and dying under their oppressors, are shown multiple times in this movie, and there are definitely many heartbreaking moments. The historical recreation in itself should be enough to justify seeing this movie, but apparently Co-Writer/Director Terry George thought it was necessary to throw in a fictitious love-triangle tale into the mix. 

That war-romance sweeping epic part of the story is arguably the weakest aspect of this film, with it being rather derivative and emotionally manipulative at times. It's not egregiously horrible of a plot though, and I can honestly see the appeal of it. Oscar Isaac, Charlotte Le Bon, and Christian Bale, are all effective enough in their roles, that people might find themselves even more invested in this movie, just to see how this genocide will affect the fate of their characters. It hits all the expected plot tropes to generate a reaction from the audience, so it serves it's purpose. 

Like many historically based movies around, the actual history can be much more interesting than the filmed version of it, and this is no exception for "The Promise." I'm not denying that this movie has great production values and beautifully shot scenes, as well as having it's heart in the right place as to why it was made. It's not a bad movie by any means, but the impact it's trying to create as a historical and societal commentary is diluted by the more fictitious parts of the movie. However, if it gets people to be more exposed to the fact that the Armenian genocide did happen, then this movie deserves our gratitude. 

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free fire

SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/A24subscribe From director Ben Wheatley and starring Sharlto Copley, Armie Hammer, Brie Larson, Cillian Murphy, and Jack Reynor. FREE FIRE - In Theaters April 21st. RELEASE DATE: April 21, 2017 DIRECTOR: Ben Wheatley CAST: Sharlto Copley, Armie Hammer, Brie Larson, Cillian Murphy and Jack Reynor.

You know how shoot-out scenes in movies usually last a minute, a couple of minutes, seven minutes, fifteen minutes, maybe even thirty minutes tops? Well for this movie, the shoot-out scene last for pretty much one whole hour! Keep in mind that this is already a ninety minutes movie, and that includes the credits, plus the John Denver songs that plays in the background on occasion. How does this movie maintain this premise? In a very flimsy way. First they put our gun-toting characters into the one single setting that is inside a warehouse; kinda like a TV show "bottle episode." Secondly, they give them multiple stupidly convenient reasons on why they couldn't just straight up kill somebody, to the point where I was thinking they apparently don't really want to kill somebody. Thirdly, they just make it a really long "Mexican stand-off." 

I suppose this very extended shoot-out sequence is part of the charm and appeal of seeing this movie, and I admit that I did find entertainment in it. The motley ensemble of characters bickered with each other a lot, constantly made jokes and taunts, plus a lot of complaints and confusion on what's happening. At one point, a character actually yells out "I forgot whose side I'm on!" It's also very amusing to see everybody forced to just crawl or hobble around the warehouse the majority of the time from their wounds. The chaos and irreverence is what people will likely find enjoyable about this movie, although it immediately gets to the point when it demands you to suspend your disbelief just to have fun with what's going on. 

In all honesty, I think it's a little ridiculous that this guilty pleasure of a movie exists, and comes off like a throwaway film of no importance. In fact, I think the movie actually does know it's a little ridiculous that it exists, and intends to be a throwaway guilty pleasure film of no importance. So I guess that makes it okay then, because it knows what it is? 

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colossal

Written & Directed by NACHO VIGALONDO Starring ANNE HATHAWAY, JASON SUDEIKIS, DAN STEVENS, AUSTIN STOWELL, TIM BLAKE NELSON http://sheiscolossal.com

Just from watching the trailer, it's easy to assume that this is a fun fantasy tale involving a down on her luck woman who discovers she can control a giant monster on the other side of the planet. All that does describe what happens in this movie, but there's more to it than that. With Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis in the picture, it's easy to assume that it also has some romantic-comedy vibe to it as well. That vibe can be felt in this movie, but there's much more to it than that. Can I just say that whatever you think this movie is, based on the initial level of just what you've seen in the trailer, well there is so much more to it than that. 

It's a giant monster movie, but it's not really a giant monster movie, except that it is. Kinda. Needless to say, this film absolutely subverted my expectations to what it's about. If you're only looking forward to the Anne Hathaway and the giant monster story, don't worry because that is ever present throughout the movie, and produces several very entertaining highlights to see play out on screen. Kudos to Writer-Director Nacho Vigalondo for making this very enjoyable and imaginative take of a giant monster movie. 

To my pleasant surprise, this movie is also much more thought provoking than I initially thought it was going to be. The social commentaries, allegories, and metaphors, featured in the story should definitely make you want to discuss this movie in depth after seeing it. Talking about the negative repercussions of alcoholism, abusive personalities, life regrets, and other heavy subject matters, is a delicate balance that the movie successfully balances between the scenes of fun lightheartedness to those moments that get really dark. There are some plot points that I can see people having issues with, but it's hard to deny the clever writing of this movie. 

This is a genre-defying story that fits perfectly well within the indie-film aesthetics, as it is far from just being another typical Hollywood special effects blockbuster. If it needs to also be mentioned, Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis are fantastic in this, as well as the supporting cast like Tim Blake Nelson and Dan Stevens. From beginning to end, the story and the cast got my complete attention. This giant monster movie is an instant classic in my eyes. 

LOVED IT  enjoyedititsokayitsmehitsterrible 

P.S. Full disclosure, I am an investor in "Legion M," which is one of the companies involved in this movie. Don't let that sway your opinion of what I thought about the film, because I'm just glad that I loved it as much as I did, especially since my money went into this project in some way.

the zookeepers wife

The real-life story of one working wife and mother who became a hero to hundreds during World War II. In 1939 Poland, Antonina Żabińska (portrayed by two-time Academy Award nominee Jessica Chastain) and her husband, Dr. Jan Żabiński (Johan Heldenbergh of "The Broken Circle Breakdown"), have the Warsaw Zoo flourishing under his stewardship and her care.

As far as movies about true stories goes, this one leans more towards a very "Hollywood" adaptation. The tale of zookeeper's doing everything they can to help the Jews in Nazi controlled Warsaw, Poland, is already an incredible story in itself, but this movie version decided to add in all the typical plot tropes you would expect from a typical story about World War II. This can be grounds to complain about the film, but the straightforward and predictable nature of the story telling isn't completely bad. The movie just doesn't feel very inspired, what with it's use of cliches and plot conveniences, whenever there is a need to advance the story. 

At least Jessica Chastain definitely knows how to work in front of the screen as Antonina Zabinski. Chastain gives her character a slight innocence to her personality as an animal lover, while still being able to display the strength of somebody who will do what is necessary to undermine the Nazis. The other cast like Daniel Bruhl and Johan Heldenbergh are also good in their roles, but this is really a story that's made for Jessica Chastain to shine. However, going back to the whole Hollywood effect of this story, most of the characters come off as typical archetypes, that doesn't lend itself to especially interesting dynamics. 

Besides Jessica Chastain's presence, the simple reason to see this movie is just to see an adaptation of this incredible true story. The premise of the story is what will make you want to see the film all the way through until the end, despite all the make-believe content. Besides that fact, I can't deny that the more emotionally dramatic scenes are all very well done, and helps excuse the many liberties that this movie took with the real story. 

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the fate of the furious

The Fate of the Furious - OFFICIAL TRAILER https://www.fastandfurious.com In Theaters April 14, 2017 Music: Bassnectar - Speakerbox ft. Lafa Taylor, from the album "Into The Sun" http://smarturl.it/IntoTheSun2015 https://www.facebook.com/Bassnectar http://spoti.fi/2l8wEy0 On the heels of 2015's Furious 7, one of the fastest movies to reach $1 billion worldwide in box-office history and the sixth-biggest global title of all time, comes the newest chapter in one of the most popular and enduring motion-picture serials of all time: The Fate of the Furious.

Considering that this is the 8th movie in the franchise, there's a lot of character backstory and stories from the previous films, that the audience are already expected to know before watching this. That way, this installment can simply focus much more on the action set pieces than any of that plot development and story telling nonsense. I say that a little flippantly because I knew that the story isn't necessarily what most people look forward to when they plan to see this movie, but the action definitely has to hold up. Does it though? 

Needless to say, the story is at best just serviceable. It created the necessary premise for an ultimate betrayal within the group of our familiar characters to drive the plot forward. There's a bigger threat that needs to be stopped, which means that this movie created a villain, that is a bigger villain than the last villain, who was already suppose to be a bigger villain than the last villain... With that said, Charlize Theron plays the stone cold villain pretty well, but then there are new characters like the one played by Scott Eastwood that I wished wasn't in this movie at all. At least the movie is automatically better when Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham are on the screen. 

At this point, the characters really are just there to play their parts, and not too much more. Character development is now superficially done at best. This is honestly disappointing. It only makes this franchise seem like it's starting to spin it's wheels in place, without doing anything really interesting, besides just trying to one-up itself. That derivative factor, the plot conveniences, the huge requirement to suspend disbelief, are all starting to feel really obvious and tiring now.

Luckily, it seems this franchise can still rely on what it's good at. Figuring out ways to make action sequences with vehicles; plus now there's a submarine involved too. I would say that there are at least five huge action set pieces that highlight this movie, and some of them can really justify that price of admission. From a fun street race, to a heist involving a lot of cars crashing, this franchise is still able to entertain me with how they use vehicles like super weapons. How far can they go with this franchise though? It's starting to feel like it's getting past it's expiration date. 

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