There were some interesting selections this weekend, one that impressed a whole lot, one that was par for the course and one that disappointed some. On top of that I got to watch some movies that have come out in the last two to three weeks that I didn't get to give a chance to prior which is always nice. So without further ado let's dive right in. First things first though, if you are not familiar with our rating system the MMM, then please follow this LINK and read the article there, it'll make more sense of the ratings.
10 Years (PG-13) MMM Rating: 1 star
So we have the normal High School reunion format with a new up and coming cast to follow it along. The movie follows the general drama you would expect from a High School reunion, you have some love triangles, someone who wants to get married but can't get over their crush, a remorseful bully and so forth, pretty standard and to the book. Overlooking the fact that this is the best looking High School bunch ever created, this movie failed in the most important element, humor. Frankly I didn't find this movie that funny, I also thought a lot of the humor was very forced, as in they tried to play on controversial points in order to get laughs but really only got boos. This isn't a movie you should pay to see, wait for it to come on TV, or watch it with come friends and make fun of it, that's the only way I feel that this movie would turn out fun.
Resident Evil: Retribution (R) MMM Rating: 2 stars
I'm a huge Resident Evil fan, played through all the games, and have seen all the movies, so when I say this movie is comparable to your general Jason Statham movie I feel like I know what I'm talking about, maybe just out of shear love for the franchise. The whole story of Resident Evil, within the games, is brilliant, truly awe inspiring and are all fun to play. The movies started off right, following the game plot and keeping up with the characters we learned to love, but took a twisted turn on their third through fifth installments, it's not to say that these are bad movies, but they are just not great productions. This falls under your general "Jason Statham" story arch due to the fact that the movie is simple, it's action to have more action, there's no real story working it's way within it, and the story that is being told could be told in a mere ten minutes or so. With all that said, if you liked the previous movies then go watch this one, you'll like it, but if you are looking for something engaging and smart then this is not the movie for you.
Arbitrage (R) MMM Rating: 3 Stars
Oh Richard Gere, how awesome are you? So this movie is by far the best release this weekend, if you are ready for a good thriller that will mess with your emotions and your conception of morals this is the right movie for you. This movie messes with you in a few ways, the story follows a thief of a business man who has more negative qualities then any other lead character I've seen in a while. The whole time we follow him and understand that this guy is a selfish prat, that there really isn't any redeeming quality about him but in the end you still cheer for him to win, that's where your morals are being tested, why do we cheer for him, why does it seem that he should get away with it, I personally think it's due to how messed up our sense of right and wrong is in today's culture, this is a good mirror into our own souls type of movie. If you are looking for something more engaging this weekend then I recommend this movie, there really isn't anything else out that can fight on the same level as this movie, but just because it is the best along the line of bad movie this does not make it a 4 star movie, that's an important distinction to make around these times.
The Expendables 2 (R) MMM Rating: 2 stars
The first installment in this franchise was released as a half joke half serious movie, the movie had a plot, a beginning and an end, it had decent dialogue and it delivers exactly what it promises, the most brash action movie ever made. The second installment takes this whole thing a notch higher, we have a bigger cast, more action and less serious, meaning the movie goes from being half and half to being 1/3 serious, 2/3 humor. In the end though, this movie is truly entertaining, you laugh and cringe throughout the whole thing but you stay glued to the screen wondering what they will do next. The play on Chuck Norris was brilliant, and his line about a king cobra will forever be funny to me, it was awesome that Chuck was down for making fun of his own legacy. This is your perfect action satire, with some of the best action heroes ever to be on the big screen, if you are a fan of action movies I recommend you watch this one, it's definitely a fun one.
The Campaign (R) MMM Rating: 1.5 stars
Poor storyline, zero plot (of any significance) and really no overly funny moments (if you have seen the preview), this is how I would describe my "The Campaign" experience. I wouldn't count this as the worst movie ever made, nor would I say that this movie lacks humor, but I am saying that this movie was disappointing in that it not only did not meet the hype but also failed to be very entertaining from beginning to end. I'm a huge fan of both actors and frankly this movie just didn't do it for me, it's again another title for you to watch with some friends and make fun of the whole way through. Some jokes got me laughing but they weren't enough to make this more than a one and a half star movie, it's just not that good and I don't recommend it. But if it comes on TV and you are bored out of your mind then do give it a watch, maybe in the right setting this thing is a masterpiece, maybe, with the wind behind it.
This wraps up another Friday movie review, hope you all had great weeks and pray that this weekend might be a joyous one and a safe one for you all.
Love from your humble blogger,
