Now Playing

Here's a look at the movie I saw this week. (I know, not a huge selection. But as a bonus, I've included a mini film selection rant).


The Losers
Starring: Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Idris Elba, Zoe Saldana, Columbus Short, Jason Patric, and Chris Evans
Quick Take: This is actually based on a comic book from Vertigo, though there's probably not too many out there familiar with it. It also smacks a bit of the 1980s series "The A-Team," which is set to be adapted into a film on June 11. The plot centers on a group of elite soldiers who are framed for an atrocity they tried to prevent and forced to go underground to clear their name. The plot is fairly predictable, but this isn't a film that's designed to have a tough to crack plot. There is a breezy quality to the film, which doesn't take itself too seriously. The script from Peter Berg ("Friday Night Lights," "The Kingdom") and James Vanderbilt offers plenty of humorous moments. Evans offers plenty of humor in his role, Short plays a great straight man in a number of sequences and Patric plays a villain that's just quirky enough to be entertaining. There's plenty of solid action sequences as well. Again, you just don't want to dwell on the plot too deeply.
Rating: PG-13 for sequences of intense action and violence, a scene of sensuality and language.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Mini-Rant on film selection:
Last year, Disney unveiled it's documentary "Earth" as a part of the Earth-Day celebration. I didn't know what to make of it, but I headed to the theater when it opened to watch with my sister. I was fascinated, touched, entertained, and moved. It was a great film that I snapped up on Blu-Ray when it came out. So when I saw that this year Disney was releasing another documentary, "Oceans," to coincide with Earth Day I was excited.

I was at a conference on Earth Day (Thursday, April 22), but when I returned on Saturday I planned to look the film up. I eagerly flung open the listings for Paso Robles only to discover — it isn't playing here. In fact, the only place it's playing is in San Luis Obispo. This isn't the first time this has happened.

I hope that when the new theaters open in Atascadero our movie selection in the North County will improve, but I'm not counting on it. There is more to films than the commercialized dreck that gets churned out every week, and there is nothing wrong with a little variety. I like independent films. I like religious releases. I would love to see some documentaries. I hope we find a way to get a wider variety of films opened in this area because it would be nice not to have to travel to SLO every time a meaningful film is released.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Image
Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) is a brash trial lawyer who is good at rallying a jury to his cause. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is a quiet grandfather who is trying to ensure the business his family built remains viable after he’s gone. These two don’t appear to have much in common on the surface. But when they’re brought together by young lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) brings them together, a connection is formed over their shared background of working hard to become self-made men. And it turned out that Willie was just who Jerry needed in his corner to win the fight of his life. The new Prime Video film The Burial, which opened in theaters October 6 and started streaming October 13, captures that trial against the Loewen Group that changed the course of their lives. The film is based on the true story and covers the trial, but more importantly captures the relationship between the men. The film plays out like a traditional courtroom drama. Foxx is solid as Willie Gary, while Ju...
Read more

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co...
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve...
Read more