Now Playing


Here's a look at the new movie I saw this week.

The Longest Ride
Starring: Scott Eastwood, Britt Robertson, Oona Chaplin, Jack Huston, and Alan Alda
Synopsis: By now, audiences have certain expectations when they see a film is “based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks.” The romance author has 10 of his novels adapted into films in the last two decades. They are reliable stories of love and loss. And in some ways, they’ve become predictable. Two people have to overcome obstacles to be together — often coming from different worlds — only to see their romance come apart. Their happy ending can be curtailed for a variety of reasons, but the most common is a death. “The Longest Ride” has a lot of the familiar themes and set ups of other Sparks adaptations, but it’s fair to say this might be the most hopeful of his stories yet. Even if it does follow most of the familiar path. This film is directed by George Tillman, Jr. — best known for “Men of Honor” and “Faster” — and based on a script by Craig Bolotin (“Straight Talk,” “Black Rain”), but it will feel familiar to Sparks fans. The characters are different, the setting is a bit different, as are the story elements, but there is something very familiar about “The Longest Ride.” The film does do a nice job of shooting the bull riding scenes, something that feels different for a major film. Audiences don’t get to explore bull riding much in mainstream films, and “The Longest Ride” does a nice job of capturing the PBR events and the physical toll it takes to ride a bull. It also finds time to let its story and characters breathe. Eastwood — the son of legendary actor/director Clint Eastwood — does a nice job in the lead role, as does Robertson. Some of the best sequences are Robertson’s scenes with Alda, who adds some gravitas to the production. I also enjoyed the flashback sequences of Ira’s romance in and around the time of World War II. Jack Huston does a nice job portraying young Ira, and Oona Chaplin shines as Ira’s bride, Ruth. Their story is more interesting, and helps to ground the film. “The Longest Ride” is one of the more enjoyable Nicholas Sparks adaptations. It’s not hard to tell how the film will go, though the ending felt more surprisingly up beat than many of his other stories. It’s not a complicated movie, but it’s an enjoyable one.
Rating: PG-13 for some sexuality, partial nudity, and some war and sports action.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:
Friday, May 1 — "Avengers: Age of Ultron," "Far From the Maddening Crowd," "Welcome to Me"
Friday, May 8 — "Hot Pursuit," "The D Train"
Friday, May 15 — "Mad Max: Fury Road," "Pitch Perfect 2," "I'll See You in My Dreams"
Friday, May 22 — "Tomorrowland," "Poltergeist"
Friday, May 29 — "San Andreas," "Aloha"

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