Movie #1049 ........................."Bloody Sunday"

Movie #1049 "Bloody Sunday" In my continuing viewing of Irish films, I have watched "Bloody Sunday,"  and for the most part, I did not care for it much.  As I watched it and started listing what I didn't like (hand held camera, not much information, lots of mumbling, point of view is always from the back of the line so there's mostly chaos and confusion), I said to myself that the style seemed a lot like the flight film from September 11 --- and when I looked it up, sure enough, the same director.  I didn't get much out of that one, as well, because it was filmed much the same.  And for such an important story in both situations, I as a viewer was let down by the tediousness mixed with spurts of chaos  in which the stories unfolded.   The high point is very hard to watch, and it is an important story to be told, but I would never watch it again, nor would I recommend it.







Bloody Sunday2002R110 mins       I would give this 3 stars out of 5

On Sunday, Jan. 30, 1972, in a Catholic district of Northern Ireland, 13 unarmed civilian demonstrators were shot and killed by members of the British Parachute Regiment. Director Paul Greengrass's documentary-style drama depicts the massacre.

Cast:

James Nesbitt, Allan Gildea, Gerard Crossan, Mary Moulds, Carmel McCallion, Tim Pigott-Smith, Nicholas Farrell, Christopher Villiers, James Hewitt, Declan Duddy, Kathy Keira Clarke, Gerard McSorley

Genre:

Political Dramas, 20th Century Period Pieces, Dramas Based on Real Life, Drama

Movie #1048 .........................."Mission Impossible : Rogue Nation"

Movie #1048 "Mission Impossible:  Rogue Nation" is a real winner when it comes to action films.  However, I don't think I'm much of an action film connoisseur !  Basically, this is one of the franchises that I do see because I like to watch the Cruise stunts!  And the ones in here are amazing --- they get better and better in each film.  There are amazing parts of this film:  the opening sequence with the plane, a big scene in the theatre, and a chase scene on motorcycles that are heart pounding and hard not to watch (and believe me, usually in chase scenes I get bored and look around the theatre).  One big plus here is that I could follow the story, make some guesses and get fooled by the end.  What I esp. liked about the film is that it is a heist, and that's the best kind to me.  And I like Mission Impossible films esp. because I never have to  worry about them not being able to get through whatever the bad guys set up.  I nail bite a little, but just a little.  And I don't turn away because I want to see the amazing stunts.  So I recommend this one --- it's one of the best of the franchise!  Simon provides a lot of humor, too, and that helps make the movie to me!








I give this 5 stars out of 5 --- I recommend it!
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation2015PG-13

Legendary superspy Ethan Hunt pushes his mental and physical capabilities to the limit once again as he accepts another ridiculously dangerous assignment in this explosive globe-trotting sequel.

Cast:

Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Ving Rhames, Sean Harris, Alec Baldwin

Genre:

Action & Adventure

Movie # 1047 ........................."About Adam"

Movie #1047 "About Adam" is an odd film about odd people, one in particular, Adam. The story was silly to me and hard to believe, and I'm not sure why.  Perhaps it was that the main character just wasn't all that charming to me.  Maybe it was hard to believe that all these sisters in one family could be so needy that they would seek sex with this phony, but charming, guy.  That they couldn't see through him.  Or find him hard to believe.  I guess we are supposed to find him wonderful because by bedding down all these women in the one family (while being engaged to Kate Hudson), he was able to allow them to open up to their sexuality and find love in their husband or friend or whatever.  What a wonderful guy he is, huh?  Nope, I didn't buy it.  But all the actors were capable, esp. the women, all beauties in their own way, within and without.  Interesting piece of casting to make the lead, Kate Hudson, speak with such a thick Irish brogue when she doesn't normally do that.  I didn't even know she was Irish at all!  I really wouldn't recommend this, and I'm starting to really think the Irish film industry needs a lot of work!











About Adam2000R     I would give this 3 stars out of 5

Stuart Townsend stars as Adam, a charming gadabout from Dublin who catches the eye of waitress Lucy Owen. She falls hard for him, but little does she know that Adam is also romancing her middle sister and oldest sister.

Cast:

Stuart Townsend, Frances O'Connor, Charlotte Bradley, Kate Hudson, Alan Maher, Tommy Tiernan, Brendan Dempsey, Cathleen Bradley, Rosaleen Linehan

Genre:

Romantic Comedies, Indie Comedies, Indie Romance, Comedy

Movie #1046 ........................."Train wreck"

Movie #1046 "Trainwreck" was an uneven bit of a modern day comedy.  I think I say that a lot about Apatow films (hated "Knocked Up"but liked others) Sometimes, the scenes or lines are right on the money, but then others, no so much.  This one was really raunchy in parts (liked "Knocked up")  and what I had problems with in this one is that the persona that Amy Shumer plays is not very endearing to me.  I'll take the raunchiness in someone like Melissa McCarthy's character in "Heat" or "Bridesmaids" because under all the language, there's some heart, but Shumer's character seems to be just mean-spirited.  She is playing a person who likes to push buttons --- she says something mean to get a rise out of you, and I guess I don't think that is very funny.  Maybe it's her limitations as an actor, perhaps she is still growing in that department, but Hader played his character with truth and honesty, and I think this is the best we've seen him on screen, and I hope this opens doors for him as an actor.  So I had mixed feelings on this one.  Oh, one more thing --- the trailers for the film showed some of the best parts, and that's never good.  Her friend was funny in the trailer, but was treated as a buffoon and ditz in the film that I didn't much care for (that's all females need is another ditzy pal just used for humor and then thrown away).  I know, mixed review,.  Sorry about that.  Depends on what you find funny, I guess.  I like Romantic Comedies, and I know I won't be buying this one for my library.








Trainwreck2015R          I'd give this 3.8 out of 5 stars.

Single and successful, Amy has no intention of settling down -- or even going on a second date -- until she meets the subject of her next magazine piece, a handsome doctor. Confronted with a real-life good guy, she begins to reconsider bachelorhood.

Cast:

Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Brie Larson, Colin Quinn, Vanessa Bayer, Tilda Swinton, LeBron James, John Cena

Genre:

Comedy

Movie #1045 ........................."The Snapper"

Movie #1045 "The Snapper" is my first attempt to watch some Irish films before we visit Ireland in the coming weeks, and this was not a good one.   None of the characters were endearing or winning to me --- they all shouted all of their lines.  The dad and the pregnant daughter were the only saving graces, and really I liked the father better.  Whole film very much overacted, so I wondered if this was an Irish style of acting or what?  The movie wasn't filmed well either --- looked clunky in most parts, non-creative choices with the camera, and sound was weak.  Lots of mumbling and no way when streaming from netflix can you put subtitles on, so that's not good!  All around, not worth watching, and I don't recommend it!










The Snapper1993R94 mins    I give this film 2 stars out of 5.

Stephen Frears directs this dramedy about a working-class Dublin family that's thrown into chaos when they learn that daughter Sharon (Tina Kellegher) is pregnant. But by choosing not to reveal the identity of the father, Sharon becomes the target of rampant gossip. Colm Meaney co-stars in this adaptation of the book from Irish author Roddy Doyle's Barrytown trilogy, which also includes The Commitments and The Van. 

Cast:

Colm Meaney, Tina Kellegher, Ruth McCabe, Eanna MacLiam, Peter Rowan, Joanne Gerrard, Colm O'Byrne, Ciara Duffy

Genre:

Indie Comedies, Indie Dramas, Dramas Based on Contemporary Literature, Comedy

Movie #1044 ........................."Instructions not Included"

Movie #1044 "Instructions Not Included" was a story I've seen many times before.  A person (usually a man who has very little purpose in life) gains purpose when a little girl is dropped on to his doorstep (Silas Marner come to mind?) , and this Spaniard guy, Valentin, seems to bed down every girl he sees, and one time a woman drops her child claiming it is his on his doorstep.  The guy is much of a buffoon!  A Jerry Lewis of a guy!  He seems to overact in every scene, and I never really warmed up to him --- yes, his heart melted when he raises this little girl, but it's the little girl, Maggie, who steals the movie.  She and her mother, who comes back into the picture when she is about 8 years old.  Because of the very truthful acting of the child and mother, and the way overboard acting of Valentin, I found the film not as enjoyable as I wanted to, and it was very uneven for me.  Nice ending, though.  It was just okay, but I'm glad I watched it.











Instructions Not Included2013PG-13115 mins   I would give this 3 stars out of 5.

When Acapulco playboy Valentín finds a baby girl on his doorstep, he hightails it across the border to locate the infant's mother. But when she proves elusive, Valentín unexpectedly begins to develop feelings for the tot.

Cast:

Eugenio Derbez, Jessica Lindsey, Loreto Peralta, Daniel Raymont, Alessandra Rosaldo, Hugo Stiglitz, Arcelia Ramírez, Sammy Pérez, Agustín Bernal, Karla Souza

Genre:

Foreign Comedies, Showbiz Comedies, Indie Comedies, Comedy

Movie #1043 ........................."The Proud Rebel"

Movie #1043 "The Proud Rebel" I caught on TCM the other night, and I hadn't seen it in a long time, nor had I critiqued it in this blog before, so I thought I would sit and watch it.  I was amazed at how good Olivia de Havilland was (and still is, probably, since she is still living) --- here is Melanie from GWTW, such a different character in this film.  But another feeling I had was how Alan Ladd wasn't as good as I remember him --- but then, I esp. like him in film noir films like "Blue Dahlia" with Veronica Lake, so I guess it's the limitations he had.  He is playing a cowboy here, much like in "Shane" so I guess I felt it was just a repeat, only he is older.  "Shane" is no doubt to me the better film, but what was interesting about this one is that his real son is playing his film son, and Ladd lets the boy dominate the screen.  I don't know much about Mr. Ladd, but I found him very generous to his other actors in this film, and he's more in the background.  The title probably refers to him, but the other people come across as more fitting the title.  And that was okay with me.  Bottom line?  okay film, but if I had a choice, I would pick "Shane" over this.

The Proud Rebel (1958)  |  103 min  |  Western  |  2 November 1958 (UK) I would give it 3 out of 5 stars A Confederate veteran living in the Yankee North struggles with his son's shock induced muteness and the hate of the Northerners. Director:  Michael Curtiz Writers:  Joseph Petracca (screenplay), Lillie Hayward(screenplay), 1 more credit » Stars:  Alan Ladd, Olivia de Havilland, Dean Jagger