Jobs

Jobs

Rated PG-13 and Released in Grand Rapids 8/16/13

Reviewed 8/23/13 at Celebration North in Grand Rapids, Michigan

with Gary and Mark

I liked this movie probably more than a lot of viewers. Critics are saying this is no Social Network and they are right. That movie was more exciting. All three of us thought Jobs was an intriguing film that kept our attention easily to the end. Ashton Kutcher plays Steve Jobs and while Kutcher has more TV under his belt, he really delivers an outstanding performance on the big screen.

One minute you are impressed with Steve Jobs and all of his creativeness and forward thinking; the next minute you think he's the biggest jerk and almost feel sorry for him. In the 1970s the hippy-like and awkward Jobs humbly begins in his parents' garage with a bunch of other mega nerds including Apple co-creator Steve Wozniak (Josh Gad). Through Jobs' perseverance he gets their garage-built computer in stores and then he builds, builds, builds the business. Along the way he seems to transcend into a full-of-himself innovator that is ruthless in his demands and a brute to everyone around him, even those in his shrinking circle. This leads to his ousting after the company goes public in 1984. Subsequently, things don't go so well for Apple as does Jobs, with his quest for Macintosh, is getting in the way of the one objective for the Board of Directors - profit! Approximately one year later the Board bullies founder Jobs out. Not much goes on in the next 10 or so years. Jobs tidies up his personal life: marries, starts a family, begins a relationship with his estranged teen daughter and starts a company.  The story concludes around 2001 where he is presenting his next big idea - a "device" that plays music - to a cheering crowd of Apple employees. The movie may end, but as I type this review on my new MacBook Air with my iPhone 5 sitting close by, we all know where innovation led the creative genius of Steve Jobs, and Apple, after that.

QUIET Rating system: 3 1/2 Js

Quality: JJJj

Understood story:  JJJJ

Interest: JJJJ

Entertainment:  JJJj

Time:  JJJ

The Butler

The Butler

Rated PG-13 and Released in Grand Rapids 8/16/13

Reviewed 8/20/13 at Celebration North in Grand Rapids, Michigan

with Gary and Denny

3 1/2 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System 

Gary and my dad thought this film was closer to a 4. But what did, or didn't do, it for me was the fact it was called The Butler. I wanted the movie to show more of the butler and his life at the White House. While they did show some, it was really more about his life outside his job and a lot of what was happening with his son. It should have been titled "The Butler's Son." Don't get me wrong, it was really good and amazing acting with Oprah Winfrey and Forest Whitaker, but I think I was expecting more of that aspect of the story.

Cecil Gaines (Whitaker) has disturbing childhood memories that involved his father and mother. This sets up Cecil being brought out of the fields in to the house as a child to work in the owner's home and sets into motion his future. He leaves that home, works through the system perfecting his services as a butler and playing non-existent to those he was serving.

Along the way, he marries Gloria (Winfrey) and they have two sons who eventually take very different paths. Meanwhile, Cecil has an opportunity to interview for a butler position at the White House. He begins his job with Eisenhower and works his way through Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Carter, and Reagan. Most notably, James Marsden plays JFK and Jane Fonda as Nancy Raegan. Quick little interchanges with each President are portrayed and this is where I was looking for more.

All of the horrific racial injustices are shown through each of the President's terms and while there's gradual progress, it is hard to imagine what occurred not that long ago. The Gaines youngest goes into serving in the military during Vietnam and the oldest is led to the causes to fight racial divides and ends up in jail over and over. He is involved in some pretty significant battles that help make change. Gloria and Cecil dispute over their son's choices and involvements which eventually come full circle. Cecil retires under President Reagan, always the mild-mannered, poised gentleman throughout his career and retirement is no different. At the conclusion, the joyous Cecil embraces the victory of President Obama and is tickled about being invited as a visitor to 1600 Penn where he spent all those years serving. The Butler is a lovely movie with some sadness, silliness, and even some brutality that makes you wonder how our country could have been that way. But it has enough tender moments that make this a for sure "go see".

QUIET Rating system: 3 1/2 Js

Quality: JJJJ

Understood story:  JJJJ

Interest: JJJ

Entertainment:  JJJ

Time:  JJj

Paranoia

Paranoia

Rated PG-13 and Released in Grand Rapids 8/16/13

Reviewed 8/19/13 at Celebration North in Grand Rapids, MI

with Gary

2 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

A movie with Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, and Richard Dreyfuss has to be magnificent, right? Well...there are a few exceptions. This could be one. Liam Hemsworth is certainly nice to look at so when his acting falls short, at least we can look at him.

Adam Cassidy (Hemsworth) is a struggling developer in a giant telecommunications industry. Living with and taking care of his ailing father Francis Cassidy (Dreyfuss) and his mounting bills, gives him great cause to work hard and make money. But at what cost? It won't take long to find out. Adam has the ideas to make products better, but no one has heard them until he has an opportunity to present an innovation in front of the dismissive owner Nicholas Wyatt (Oldman). After Cassidy and his team gets quickly fired (for a bad idea, I guess) they pack up their belongings and move on...sort of. The next day there is a quick turnaround for Adam. He's presented with an opportunity from Wyatt to work for competitor Jack Goddard (Ford), who happens to be trying to buy out Goddard with a hostile takeover.

It gets complicated for Adam, but what it doesn't get is paranoid. I didn't really see where the title applied to the plot at all. Paranoia is mis-named. A more appropriate title would be The Follower or Bad Choices Never Pay Off - haha. Along the way Adam practically forces a relationship with a coworker and former one-nighter, the striking and equally young executive Amber (Emma Jennings). She overplays hard-to-get for only so long.

The corporate spying, the back and forth, and the who and what is watching gets a little muddled so don't wait for clarity. You just have to roll with it. This storyline was fairly predictable with a little twist at the end that adds to the drama, which is needed. You could go see Paranoia if you have exhausted all other options. It will probably be fine. But be warned...don't expect a quality film out of this lineup; it's just passible entertainment.

QUIET Rating system: 2 Js

Quality: JJ

Understood story:  JJ

Interest: JJj

Entertainment:  JJj

Time:  JJj

Elysium

Elysium

Rated R and Released in Grand Rapids 8/9/13

Reviewed 8/15/13 at Celebration North in Grand Rapids, MI 

with Gary

2 1/2 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

Matt Damon is usually in quality movies and his action movies are particularly thrilling. This one was pretty good, but with all the hype it was a little disappointing. Gary liked this more than I did. It was between a 2 1/2 and 3 for me, but I thought it would be too generous giving it a 3. It kept moving along and the premise was interesting at times, but too predictable. Jodi Foster is a great actress and she did well playing the dark Secretary of Defense. She might have been a little underutilized.

Elysium is set in 2154 and Matt DeCosta (Damon) is stuck on decrepit, disease-ridden Earth with the rest of the unlucky population. He works at a factory run by wretched John Carlyle (William Fichtner) who basically takes orders from the pious Secretary Rhodes (Foster).

She, along with other elitists, live in a peaceful space station hovering above Earth. It is artificially manufactured, yet supposed to be like paradise. This is supposed to be desirable (yes, in lieu of miserable Earth it does look superior), yet the movie makers just give us glimpses of it and don't make it look that exciting.

The hardworking ex-con DeCosta has a devastating work place accident and as a result he is very routinely told by a robot that he just has days to live. DeCosta springs into action and gets aid from old girlfriend Frey (Alice Braga), a long lost love that happens to be a nurse. Her complicated life is spent with her young dying daughter that while on Earth there is no hope for her. Everyone's desire is to get to paradise up in the sky at whatever costs, but of course can be extremely difficult with fatal consequences. DeCosta, with a team of outlaws, hatches the plan to get to Elysium but they all have their own motives for the risky 15 minute trip via space ship. All the while, Secretary Rhodes micro monitors Earth and hastily protects the Space Station. She commissions an illegal enforcer, the very creepy Agent Kruger (Sharito Copley), who eagerly pursues outlaws including DeCosta.

Like an explosion, their lives all intersect at the conclusion and DeCosta must decide his and mankind's destiny all in a matter of seconds. While entertaining enough to see Elysium in the theatre, you can probably wait to see it at home. You'll be less disappointed and maybe even like it a lot more. I think I would.

QUIET Rating system: 2 1/2 Js

Quality: JJ

Understood story:  JJj

Interest: JJj

Entertainment:  JJJ

Time:  JJJ

    

We're the Millers

We're the Millers

Rated PG-13 and Released in Grand Rapids 8/6/13

Reviewed 8/7/13 at Celebration North in Grand Rapids, MI

with Gary

3 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

Jennifer Aniston is funny, but she hasn't been in a flick quite like this one for some time. Aniston playing Rose O'Reilly and Jason Sudeikis as David Clark are spot on hysterical. A few scenes got Gary and I laughing so hard! We looked around and it seemed it didn't quite strike others as funny as it did us. So what does that say about us? We're not sure if we really care too much.

David is a small time marijuana dealer in Denver, Colorado, that catches a bad break. Some street thugs steal 40K and all his drug reserves. This is bad for him, really bad. His "upline" and old college buddy Brad (Ed Helms) wants his cashola. Never fear...Brad will cut David a break if he goes to Mexico to bring back a smidge or so of drugs and then all will be forgiven. Sounds easy enough and so does the route there and back. But he hatches a hair brained brazen plan which includes his stripper neighbor Rose and make believe kids that are barely acquaintances - homeless Casey (Emma Roberts) and nerdy Kenny (Will Poulter). The adventure...or misadventure...begins.  Aniston and Sudeikis will crack you up! They meet a few crackpots along the way, like Edie (played by comical Kathryn Hahn) and funny man Nick Offerman playing her husband. Outrageousness is the theme of this flick and some of these scenes might even make you blush! I think you will find We're the Millers worthy of a trip, but be prepared to wear a bucket over your head so no one recognizes you leaving the theatre. Don't run anyone over in the process!

QUIET Rating system: 3 Js

Quality: JJj

Understood story:  JJJ

Interest: JJJ

Entertainment:  JJJj

Time:  JJJJ

2 Guns

2 Guns

Rated PG-13 and Released in Grand Rapids 8/2/13

Reviewed 8/6/13 at Celebration North in Grand Rapids, Michigan

with Gary

3 1/2 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg (Michael Stigman) are a refreshing surprise and pretty funny together in this action film. Wahlberg's comedic presence in this was the perfect combo with the talented Washington. We ran into some friends on the way out, Dave and Brandon, and they both were pretty fired up about it and thought it had all the right mix.

The twists start almost right away in this flick. At first it jumps around a bit, but standby as it doesn't take too long to settle in. Trench and Stig (Stigman) are a team but not really "partners" as they both have a few secrets. Thye don't trust each other...and they shouldn't. You are never really sure who the two are as the story is an irresistible puzzle crafted just so. While stalking a sleepy, Texas border town, they pull off an enormous heist at a not-so-enormous bank. They can hardly believe what they raked in. That catapults the Mexican cartel, CIA, and Navy commando types in hot pursuit of the pair, all for different shady reasons. This movie is all Washington and Wahlberg. Hotsie girlfriend Deb (Paula Patton) of Trench's pops in and out at the right times being the liaison with Trench and his boss. She is really in the movie for one reason and it's not for her spectacular acting. James Mardsen is kind of lame playing Quince, a Navy tough guy, and I just don't think it was quite the right role for him. But Bill Paxton, on the other hand, amusingly plays Earl, a CIA bugger that makes his nasty character almost likable. Once underway, this movie is fast-paced with plenty of action that has enough shoot 'em ups and lots of laughable mishaps along the way. I like that it's not over the top violence with humor forced in like Pulp Fiction. Go see 2 Guns and you will be impressed with Wahlberg and Washington and be wondering when the sequel debuts. Trust me...this one will not disappoint.

QUIET Rating system: 3 1/2Js

Quality: JJj

Understood story:  JJJ

Interest: JJJj

Entertainment:  JJJJ

Time:  JJJJ

Fruitvale Station

Fruitvale Station

Rated R and Released in Grand Rapids 7/26/13

Reviewed 7/31/13 at Celebration North in Grand Rapids, MI

with Gary

3 1/2 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

If you are interested in feeling warm and fuzzy when you leave a movie, you might want to skip Fruitvale Station. Don't get me wrong, it is a great film, but if this doesn't provoke emotion you might need to get checked out. This is a true story dramatization of tragic circumstances at a train station in Oakland, California. While the story leaps around a bit, it ultimately ends up on New Year's Eve 2009. Gary and I both thought the portrayal was well done.

Oscar Grant brilliantly, played by Michael B. Jordan, is a 22 year old trying to turn his life around for his girlfriend Sophia (Melonie Diaz) and his darling daughter. He's been around the block so to speak and has spent some time in jail. He keeps hitting road blocks that he tries to not let hinder him. He has a strong relationship with his mother Wanda (Octavia Spencer) and he doesn't want to disappoint her. After he loses his supermarket job, bills are piling up and he considers turning back to selling drugs in order to support his family. He keeps considering his loved ones, especially his daughter, and it drives him to do the right thing. You can't help but feel his plight, even though in the past he made bad choices that landed him in trouble. He is really trying to catch a break, even by begging for his job back. On New Year's Eve, Oscar and his girlfriend join friends in San Fransisco for the fireworks celebration. At his mother's urging to stay safer they take the Bart (local train). Riding back to Oakland, Oscar is confronted by a thug he encountered while locked up a few years prior. A fight ensues and Bart authorities are called.

The over aggressive, very incompetent police blow it before they even start and their actions end up costing dearly: someone's life. It is heartbreaking to say the least, but the maddening part is what does or doesn't happen thereafter. Several observers recorded the whole scenario with their cell phones, so with that evidence it is implausible on the so-called justice. Coincidentally Gary and I watched a story on this movie a few days prior and they mentioned that the Bart chief made all of his officers watch Fruitvale Station and probably will continue in the future for training. If it is anything slightly redeeming, hopefully there will be education and lessons learned so this preventable tragedy will never be repeated.

QUIET Rating system: 3 1/2 Js

Quality: JJJ

Understood story:  JJJJ

Interest: JJJJ

Entertainment:  JJJj

Time:  JJJ

Wolverine

Wolverine

Rated PG-13 and Released in Grand Rapids 7/26/13

Reviewed 7/29/13 at Celebration North in Grand Rapids, MI

with Gary, Denny, nephew Rielly

2 1/2 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

This film is gifting us with backstory to X Men, so if we remembered more of the last movie in this franchise it probably would have helped. In spite of this, we all thought it was exciting enough to keep our interest. Rielly liked it a lot more than the rest of us as he knew all the history, or at least remembered it. But since the average age of Gary, my dad and I is 59, then we kind of have an excuse, don't we!?

Logan or Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is brough back to Japan to say goodbye to Yashida (Hiroyuki Sanada) who Logan saved in WWII. He is escorted in this trip by Yukio (Rila Fukushima) who has some special powers and could be a mutant herself. Since the war, Yashida has become one of the richest men in Japan. He shocks Logan by offering to trade places with him...basically. The dying man also wants to skip a generation and leave his wealth to his granddaughter Mariko (Tao Okamoto), which makes for some unhappy people including Mariko's father. Bad motives from everyone surrounding Mariko surface and she, along with Wolverine and Yukio, are on the run. They fight their way through their enemies and have a final showdown with some surprises thrown in that almost cut down Wolverine for good. Almost.

Some fun action scenes, most notable is the Japanese bullet train, offer some spectacular effects. I thought there was a lot of violence for a PG-13, and not much else would constitute an R rating. This is a fun movie, but if you want to understand Wolverine a little more you should catch up by watching Last Stand first. Or if you don't care as much, take someone knowledgable with you (like my nephew), and they can explain away.

QUIET Rating System: 2 1/2 Js

Quality: JJ

Understood story:  JJ

Interest: JJj

Entertainment:  JJJj

Time:  JJ