Avengers Age of Ultron - Mini Review

Avengers Age of Ultron

Rated PG-13 and Released in Grand Rapids 5/1/15

Reviewed 5/4/15 at Celebration North Theatre

with Brian, Jerry & Reilly

4 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

This addition to the Marvel Comics movie franchise is wildly entertaining. We all loved it. James Spader is excellent as the villain Ultron and the talented Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark always steals the show.

Ultron (Spader) draws out the Avengers who team up due to repercussions of the misguided actions of Tony Stark (Downey Jr.). Stark convinces fellow Avenger Banner, aka The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), to work with him as the virtual Hydra has been attacked from the trickster Ultron. The story gets a bit muddled, thus the justified lengthy 141 minutes. For once, I believe the long running time is needed. With so many characters flooding the scene with subplots you had to really pay attention. This box office smash is very worth seeing in an IMAX if you get a chance.

QUIET Rating system: 4 Js

Quality: JJJJ

Understood story:  JJJ

Interest: JJJJj

Entertainment:  JJJJj

Time:  JJJj

Age of Adaline

Age of Adaline

Rated PG-13 and Released in Grand Rapids 4/24/15

Reviewed 4/26/15 at Celebration North Theatre

with Cindy

3 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

Age of Adaline is unrealistic as a marvel comic, but it makes up for it with all the charm. Blake Lively is adorable as Adaline in this romantic fantasy.

Adaline (Lively) is born in the early 1900s and after an accident she's rendered "ageless" stuck in her 29-year-old beautiful body. Hmmm...what is wrong with that? She cannot have relationships like everyone else and she is changing scenes but not looks, her entire existence.

After decades in this state she meets a man worth exposing her never-revealed secret. A little too much coincidence ensues that we have to overlook, but it is a movie after all. This plays out like a Nicholas Sparks story, "follow your head or your heart?" Heed my warning and see this delightful gem of a film at the theatre with JUST your girlfriends!

QUIET Rating system: 3 Js

Quality: JJJj

Understood story:  JJj

Interest: JJJ

Entertainment:  JJJj

Time:  JJJ

Danny Collins

Danny Collins

Rated R and Released in Grand Rapids 4/17/15

Reviewed 4/19/15 at Celebration North Theatre

with Gary

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

Gary and I really liked this, but feel it was a bit slow. Interesting story and loosely inspired by true events. All the cast was very good including Al Pacino and Annette Bening.

An aging Danny Collins (Pacino) has second thoughts on the life he leads and decides to leave his fabulous but shallow lifestyle after being inspired by a letter from John Lennon. His mission is redemption as he heads to New Jersey to reunite with his long lost son and his family. He checks into a hotel where he meets Bening's character and their interchanges are cute, but lack some chemistry. This is his home base for his journey through what now is his turnstile on life. Sweet and worth seeing.

QUIET Rating system: 2 1/2 Js

Quality: JJJ

Understood story:  JJ

Interest: JJJ

Entertainment:  JJJj

Time:  JJJj

Paul Blart Mall Cop 2

Paul Blart Mall Cop 2

Rated PG and Released in Grand Rapids 4/17/15

Reviewed 4/20/15 at Celebration North Theatre

with Gary

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

The funny Kevin James is not going to save this one. He is back again as the hero Mall Cop but this time he and his daughter head to Las Vegas for a Security Guard Expo. Something for everyone in Vegas! This had us laughing for about half an hour with the ridiculous nonsense humor, but then it fizzles fast. See it some time at home, but let's hope this sequel (no match for the first one) will force Paul Blart into retirement.

QUIET Rating system: 1 1/2 Js

Quality: J

Understood story:  JJ

Interest: Jj

Entertainment:  Jj

Time:  JJj

The Woman in Gold

The Woman in Gold

Rated PG-13 and Released in Grand Rapids 4/9/15

Reviewed 4/9/15 at Celebration North Theatre

with Gary, Laurie and Denny

4 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

All four of us left the theatre saying we loved this movie! A very touching story based on true events that is inspiring enough to make a trip to see this famous painting in its final resting place. Helen Mirren superbly plays austrian Maria Altmann who had to flee her homeland escaping the Nazis in WW2. Not all of her family was as lucky as she.

It's now 1998 and a poignant but humble Maria seeks legal counsel to claim something very valuable that belongs to her and her family.

Thousands of pieces of art were stolen by Hitler and the Nazis during the war so retrieving this masterpiece referred to as "The Woman in Gold" is going to be a hurdle...or more like a mountain. Maria works with her nephew, inexperienced attorney Randol Schoenberg (Ryan Reynolds). Her motives are pure but the battle they face together takes its toll on Maria's emotions filled with very dark and buried memories. The underdog pair are going to take on the government and not just any government: her homeland. The story toggles back and forth between 1998 California and wartime 1940s Austria. Mirren and Reynolds are fabulous together. Bring a Kleenex for this story worth being told and for sure worth being seen!

QUIET Rating system: 4 Js

Quality: JJJJ

Understood story:  JJJJ

Interest: JJJJj

Entertainment:  JJJJ

Time:  JJJj

Longest Ride

Longest Ride

Rated PG-13 and Released in Grand Rapids 4/10/15

Reviewed 4/10/15 at Celebration North Theatre

with Cindy

3 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

Longest Ride can be described as the typical Nicholas Sparks chick flick but don't let THAT scare you off. Standard in a Sparks film is the male lead being the romantic hero. Ruggedly handsome, strong, smart, and able to fix anything, are just a few of the metaphoric adjectives to describe his characters and this is no different. Though Scott Eastwood (Luke Collins) has a tough mold to follow being the son of Clint Eastwood. Scott has the same quiet mannerisms as his father, but his acting may need to come around a bit. But hey, acting is way overrated!

Bull rider Luke and college student Sophia (Britt Robertson) meet up in North Carolina near both of their home bases. Sophia's dream is pursuing art in the New York City scene far from the rodeo life that Luke leads. The pair are on their way home from one of their first dates when they come upon an auto accident involving an elderly man, Ira Levinson (Alan Alda). None can imagine how this will change all of their lives forever! Sophia becomes involved with Jack's healing in and out of the hospital. The story shifts back and forth between the present relationship trials of Luke and Sophia and the ordeals and hardships of young Ira and the love of his life Ruth. The relationship dilemmas including the typical "to go" or "to stay" are peppered throughout this film, while having all the right heartstring pullers that brought out the tissues. Go see Longest Ride, as what can be better than a Nicholas Sparks movie?

QUIET Rating system: 3 Js

Quality: JJ

Understood story:  JJJj

Interest: JJJj

Entertainment:  JJJj

Time:  JJj

Furious 7

Furious 7

Rated PG-13 and Released in Grand Rapids 4/3/15

Reviewed 4/7/15 at Celebration North Theatre

with Gary

2 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

I don't think I am spoiling anything when I say Furious 7 is mindless and predictable. Apparently this has not slowed down the franchise that began in 2001. Case in point, it made almost $144 million opening weekend. It's the ultimate guy's movie, but far too long at 137 minutes. This just means plenty of time for an excessive amount of absurdity, nonetheless absurdity can be very entertaining. Although Vin Diesel, playing Dominic Toretto, reminds me more and more of Sylvester Stallone. Just fight, but please don't try to act. The fewer the lines the better! At the conclusion, the film has a nice tribute to the late Paul Walker, which is tough to pull off after an energized flick. I confess I got a bit teary.

The new threat to the gang is the dark and brooding Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham). He is hunting the same renowned computer hacker Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel) that Dominic and his gang are after. She is the key to the whole operation. This sets into motion the car chases, explosions, and even a cat fight between Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) and a bruiser body guard gal.

A pleasant surprise is scene stealer Kurt Russell playing government operative Snake Plissken. Russell is an impressive diversion. Too bad for the acting "bar" that he isn't in more scenes. Furious 7 is entertaining with the crazy number of digitized car stunts as well as the characters surviving crashes and dodging bullets like they are super heroes. But then that is why audiences keep coming back. See it sometime, but my recommendation is to save this for home. You can watch it while doing your taxes or folding some laundry so the whole 2 hours and 17 minutes are not lost to the nonsense that we embrace.

QUIET Rating system: 2 Js

Quality: J

Understood story:  Jj

Interest: JJJ

Entertainment:  JJJj

Time:  J

Insurgent

Insurgent

Rated PG-13 and Released in Grand Rapids 3/20/15

Reviewed 3/20/15 at Celebration North Theatre

with Brandon and Cody

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

I loved Divergent, the first in the franchise. I feel like the second movies are always the big set up for the third installment - Twilight, The Hunger Games, and Hobbit to name a few - and Insurgent is no different. We all liked this, but we were not overwhelmed.

Beatrice Prior (Shailene Woodley) and Four (Theo James) are on the run and hiding out with one of the harboring factions. Jeanine (Kate Winslet), the powerful Erudite faction leader, wants to ferret out all of the divergents, who are a small group that don't belong to any faction but possess the qualities of all of them. The evil-minded Jeanine has her reasons. While the Resistance power grows behind Four and Beatrice, the only way to take down Jeanine and her minions is to band together with other outcasts, but they are finding that difficult. In the end there is a remarkable turn of events, but the rest of the story didn't have the excitement of the first film. Woodley still carries this movie and it is a must-see sometime if you want to stick it out to the end. And you'll see where the third installment starts, which unfortunately is going to be broken up into two parts. Ugh!

Quality: JJ

Understood story:  JJ

Interest: JJj

Entertainment:  JJJ

Time:  JJJ

Run All Night

Run All Night

Rated R and Released in Grand Rapids 3/20/15

Reviewed 3/20/15 at Celebration North Theatre

with Brandon

3 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

This is Liam Neeson's type of movie. The kidnappings in his Taken films were getting a bit tiresome; so glad to see Neeson in something else. Even though Run All Night could be considered much of the same, it is action-packed with all the usual senselessness.

Jimmy Conlon (Neeson) is former henchman for his longtime friend Shawn Maguire (Ed Harris). Despite years of loyalty and friendship, Jimmy is forced to defend his estranged son Mike (Joel Kinnaman) against Shawn and his thugs after they both get tangled up in a crime spree. They must survive while being chased all over NYC by the police and bad guys. The plot has all the elements of predictability, but for the most part it is exciting to the end.

QUIET Rating system: 3 Js

Quality: JJ

Understood story:  JJJj

Interest: JJJ

Entertainment:  JJJj

Time:  JJJ

Oscar Party!

On Sunday I hosted an Oscar party for friends and family. Leigh, Gary, and I did a little pre-partying before guests started to arrive.

Andrew stopped for photographers on the red carpet

Lindsay arrived normally, unlike her husband.

Next came Drew and Cindy

plus past neighbors Carrie, Tami, and Barb.

Once everyone arrived, it was time to make Oscar predictions! Kim and Donna filled out their ballots so diligently.

If only they would have taken school so seriously! 

Dad and Laurie really debated on their choices.

Andrew's party face before he learned of the choices...

Dave telling Steve the answers, but I don't think it worked!

Phoning a friend for answers...

Julie trying desperately to concentrate...

and Mike probably should have concentrated on his picks a little more,

but all the yummy food was so distracting!

Now let's see who is eating, who is drinking, who is talking and who is WATCHING the Oscars...

It's almost over. Dad and Laurie get those ballots in!

Great night with friends and family! Though American Sniper (my pick for Best Picture) didn't win, my prediction was right. Birdman got it!

Oscars - Best Picture of 2014

Birdman

Weird movie. Wish I could get those two hours back, though I can see why Michael Keaton is nominated for Best Actor as he did a fine job but I am hoping for either Eddie Redmayne or Bradley Cooper to win in that category.

Boyhood

Snoozer. Too long, but I can appreciate this taking 12 years to film so the director should get kudos. But that's it.

Selma

Well done movie. Loved it. Great acting all around and it should have received more nominations.

The Theory of Everything

Amazing Story. I really liked it. Eddie Redmayne playing Stephen Hawking seems like the most challenging as his portrayal.

The Imitation Game

Interesting story. Loved it. Benedict Cumberbatch is another strong contender in the Best Actor category.

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Quirky. I didn't embrace it at all!

American Sniper

Favorite movie of 2014. Loved it. Even though I feel like Bradley Cooper won't win in the Best Actor category, he is amazing and is my favorite. But I'm partial to this movie, as you'll see from my review.

Whiplash

Offbeat, but a surprise that I really enjoyed this one so much. J.K. Simmons should win as Best Supporting Actor and he deserves it.

MY CHOICE for BEST PICTURE:
American Sniper. Though my prediction is Boyhood or Birdman will win.
To see nominations for all categories and view trailers, go to the Oscars website here.