ARGO

Plot:


During the 80's, the United states held and refuse to release a former Iranian leader causing a revolt in Iran in which the people storm a compound taking the US citizens that worked there as hostages. But realizing that 6 unidentified Americans managed to escape 5taking refuge within the home of the Canadian Ambassador (Garber), they do whatever to race to identify them so that they can capture and put them to death as an example for the United States to witness. Knowing time is of the essence, the CIA allows their hostage specialist Tony Mendez (Affleck) to go to Iran posing as a filmmaker scouting to shoot a film there and using the 6 fugitives as his Canadian film crew in order that he can get them out.


Reel Talk:

Base on the real occurrences that took place in the 80's, this movie packs intensity. It is not an action film with a lot a car chases or fight scenes but rather a drama film depicting what took place in the life of 6 people's will to survive and one man's determination to save their lives to the point of risking his. Although you pretty much know the outcome, you are still not prepared for the intense moments that leads to the climatic ending. Excellent directing job by Affleck and Alan Arkin pretty much makes the movie with his scene stealing performances. Awesome movie worth checking out and you may want to stay for the credit and review some of the remarkable still pictures from the actual events of that era.

Starring: Ben Affleck, Bryan Crankston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman and Victor Garber
Directed by: Ben Affleck
Rated: R

I give it 5 corn dogs.

By: Corn Dog - The Reel Hustler

WON'T BACK DOWN

Plot:



Jamie Fitzpatrick (Gyllenhaal), tired and frustrated with the school that her daughter (who suffers from a learning disability) attends because most the teachers there are unwilling to commit to teaching and unable to get her in a better school, she sets out with the help of one of the few teachers, Nona Alberts (Davis), who still likes to teach and wants a better education for her learning disabled son as well. The two finds a loop hole in the system that allows parents and willing teachers to take over a school so that they can control how to educate the students that attend. But this is not an easy mission as the failing Pittsburg school program led by the union will set up all types of road blocks possible to deter the women from succeeding.


Reel Talk:



This is a very inspirational movie regarding how to help improve the school system, but it was also a little boring. It really doesn't pick up any type of steam about a little bit past the half the movie. It doesn't help that Gyllenhaal and Davis both very good actresses, lack any real intensity for their characters. They were protrayed as scared, unassured women instead of strong women who should lead a rally. I actually like the characters of Holly hunter, Rosie Perez and Marianne Jean-Baptiste because of the strength that they eluded on the screen. I'm a strong advocate for education so on that note alone I will recommend this movie but don't go in with high expectations.

Starring: Maggie Gyllenhaal,  Viola Davis, Oscar Isaac, Holly Hunter, Rosie Perez, Emily Alyn Lind and Marianne Jean-Baptiste
Directed by: Daniel Barnz
Rated: PG

I give it 3 corn dogs.

By: Corn Dog - The Reel Hustler

LOOPER

Plot:


In the near future time travel is prohibited except for criminals that are sent back in time to be executed by assassins that are led by Abe (Daniels), a gangster from the future. A young drug addicted Joe (Gordon-Levitt) is one of Abe's top killers, one who always gets his target until he is assigned to terminate himself from the future portrayed by Bruce Willis who has an agenda of his own and that was to go back and time and murder some people that have affected the outcome of things in his future. But since the younger Joe missed his mark, he has a wave of Abe's assassins out to elimanate both him and his older self.


Reel Talk:


Bruce Willis is back in semi-action form in this ultra violent action thriller along with Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Die hard action junkies will enjoy this movie even thou the story is sorta all over the place. You will really have to stay in tune with the movie to actually know whats going on. But despite the scattered story the action is definitely on point and the violence is very graphic. Bruce willis and action fans won'yt be disappointed with this movie.

Starring: Josepph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt, Paul Dano, Noah Segan, Jeff Daniels and Pierce Gagnon
Directed by: Rian Johnson
Rated: R

I give it 3 and a half eaten corn dogs.

By: Corn Dog - The Reel Hustler

END OF WATCH

Plot:


LAPD Officers Brian Taylor (Gyllenhaal) and Mike Zavala (Pena) patrol the toughest areas in South Central and have gained the reputation of being two of the best on the street, willing to knock down any door and take a bullet for each other all while unlawfully video taping their quest. The latter will soon be put to the test when the two street heros unknowingly stumble upon the illegal operations of the Mexican Crime Cartel who become tiresome of the officers interference and puts a hit out on them. With so much to live for, with Mike and his wife just having adding a newborn to their lives and Brian settling down and marrying his girl Janet (Kendrick), the two still will not take a back seat to the threats from the street but rather continue to take crime head on willing to watch each other's back til death if need be.


Reel Talk:


In this gritty street drama about the LAPD and their battle against the intruding Mexican Cartel, Gyllenhaal and Pena put in compelling performances as the two cops who acknowledge each other as brothers, fearlessly willing to fight law defiers to the death. The movie's action is riveting from the beginning to it's surprising climatic ending. Where I think I could never do the job as a police officer, this movie truly helps you appreciate the very hard and dangerous job that the men in uniform provide us on the daily.Definitely a movie to catch but be warned this is a graphicly violent movie!

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Pena, Natalie Martinez, Anna Kendrick, David Harbour and Frank Grillo
Directed by: David Ayer
Rated: R

I give it 4 corn dogs.

By: Corn Dog - The Reel Hustler

TROUBLE WITH THE CURB

Plot:



Gus (Eastwood) is an aging pro baseball scouter with a deteriating eye desease that puts to question his continued ability to do his job. With 3 months remaining on his current contract, a young zealous executive name Phillip (Lillard) feels that computers finds the best recruits for the team, so he wants to put Gus out to pasture feeling his way of recruiting is dated. Given one last chance to prove his worth, he is sent to North Carolina to scout a hot shot batter for the potential 1st draft pick. But his best friend and co-worker Pete (Goodman) knows the deck is stacked against him so he pleads with Gus's daughter Mickey (Adams) to meet him there in hopes that she can help him out. Mickey an aspiring attorney caught up trying to make partner at her firm relunctantly agrees to help her father hoping to get a chance to get closure to why he has been so distant from her for so many years.While there the father/ daughter dou encounter Johnny (Timberlake) another scout there to check out the same talent but is also keeping a sharp eye out for Mickey/


Reel Talk:


Remember seeing Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry as a grumpy man, well in this film you get to see him as Old Grumpy Dirty Harry...lol. Being an old grumpy man seems to be a role fit for him as he plays the stubborn and stern Gus. This is a charming and delightful but very predictable movie that you will enjoy. With an all star cast that ranges from various ages and talents, they all contribute to this movie at some point. You will also catch Eastwood's son Scott in it as young pro baseballer Billy Clark. AS  Not a great movie but an enjoyable one worth checking out.

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Amy adams, John Goodman, Robert Patrick, Matthew Lillard, Justin Timberlake and Scott Eastwood
Directed by: Robert Lorenz
Rated: PG-13

I give it 3 corn dogs.

By: Corn Dog - The Reel Hustler

PREMIUM RUSH

Plot:

Wilee (Gordon-Levitt) is a talented New York City bicycle courier that lives life on the edge, his philosophy  and how he rides is no gears and no brakes, take whatever  that comes your way head on. Even though that’s a reckless way to live, his life has never been threatened more than when he is assigned to deliver a package from a friend that is also the target for an erratic, compulsive gambling cop named Bobby Monday (Shannon) who must retrieve the package so that his debt to the Chinese mob will be forgiven, so he will stop at nothing to stop Wilee from delivery it. But what the dirty cop doesn’t count on is that Wilee will use all his skills and resources to deliver his package on time, even his cycling courier buddies.

Reel Talk:

On one hand this is an action film junkie’s type of movie because it is action packed pretty much the entire movie but on the other hand it is so farfetched and unbelievable that you may not take it seriously. I understand that cycling and driving can be hectic in NYC, but there is no perfect calculation in either, so the way they were riding in the film is not happening in the real world. But for the sake of entertainment it is a fast paced movie that will keep your attention and Michael Shannon as the dirty cop is hilarious. There is no need to rush for this one unless you are in dire need for some fabricated action.

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Dania Ramirez, Wole’ Parks, Michael Shannon and Aasif Mandvi

Directed by: David Koepp

Rated: PG-13

I give it 2 and a half eaten corn dogs.

By: Corn Dog – The Reel Hustler

HIT AND RUN

Plot:

Yul Perkin (Shepard) is living in a small quiet township with his girlfriend Annie (Bell) under the witness protection program under the assumed name Charles Bronson. All is great between the two until Annie either must, take a job in LA or become unemployed. When the couple agrees that she should take the job, he promises to drive her there in his super charged classic Lincoln, compromising his safety from the witness protection group.  Once they set out on their journey to LA they realize that they are being pursued by his old gang that he testified against led by Alex Dimitri (Cooper), Annie’s ex-boyfriend Gil (Rosenbaum) and a accident prone U.S. Marshall agent played by Tom Arnold, causing Charles to convert back to some of his unsavory ways as Yul that eventually affects his relationship with Annie.

Reel Talk:

This is a decent movie despite the cheesy written story.  I give credit to Dax Shepard, who I think is a very talented actor on the rise who wrote the cheesy plot, produced, co-directed and starred in with his real life girlfriend Kristen Bell, which their real romance exudes on the screen making it easy for them to perform the couple’s roles. Like I said this is not a great movie, but it is an entertaining film if you’re in need of a worthy date movie. It is also good for a few laughs, of course you can count on Tom Arnold to provide his off brand style of humor for some laughs. Walk, you don’t have to rush out for this one.

Starring: Dax Shepard, Kristen Bell, Tom Arnold, Michael Rosenbaum, Bradley Cooper, Joy Bryant and Beau Bridges.

Directed by: Dax Shepard and David Palmer

Rated: R

I give it 2 and a half eaten corn dogs.

By: Corn Dog – The Reel Hustler

SPARKLE

Plot:


Sparkle (Sparks) is a young talented church going songwriter as well as singer, but would rather take a backseat to her charismatic and sultry but worldly older sister named Sister (Ejogo). While on one of their sneak out the house ventures because of their over protective and GOD fearing mother Emma (Houston), they encounter a young but ambitious manager named Stix (Luke) who wants to make the  two young ladies in addition to their other sister Dolores (Sumpter) a powerhouse girls group that would rival the Supremes. Along with worrying about being caught by their mother, they also have to deal with the negative aspects that comes with being in show business like drugs, domestic abuse and failed relationships, that mainly engulfs Sister as she engages in a dangerous affair with a ruthless Comedian named Satin (Epps). Eventually the sisters will realize that the price for fame does not come without the price of blood as all their lives will take drastic changes as they pursue the performance spotlight as singers.


Plot:


I have made no secret that I am a skeptic of remakes, because most remakes don't do the original classics any justice. Well this one is one of the exceptions! Where there are some major changes from the 1976 version to this one, it still works to the advantage in making this a good film. Director Salim Akil does a great job with a superb talented cast that puts in work on this film. You will be compelled with emotions as you watch Whitney Houston in her last screen performance before her unfortunate and untimely death in months to follow. Jordin Sparks delivers big in her cherry popping role as Sparkle, but I must honestly say that Mike Epps performance as the menacing Satin is worthy of an Oscar nomination. This is by far his best role yet as an actor. Filmed entirely in Detroit, some of the city's celebrities such as R&B Artist Kem and actor Sidi Henderson make cameo appearances along with the music from the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin which contributes to an awesome soundtrack. Definitely a must see and be sure to carry a napkin in case you feel the need to shed a tear or two because there are some powerfully emotional moments in this film.

Starring: Jordin Sparks, Whitney Houston, Derek Luke, Mike Epps, Carmen Ejogo, Tamika Sumpter and Omari Hardwick
Directed by: Salim Akil
Rated: PG-13

I give it 4 corn dogs and a soda on the side!

By: Corn Dog - The Reel Hustler

Be sure to check out my Red Carpet interview with Jordin Sparks at the the Detroit Premier below the review.

SPARKLE - RED CARPET DETROIT - JORDIN SPARKS -ARETHA FRANKLIN INTERVIEW

TOTAL RECALL

Plot:


 Colin Farrell plays Doug Quaid a mine worker who feels dissatisfied with his life, seeking a little more excitement he is introduced by a co-worker to an underground mind vacationing program that would allow him the chance at being a super spy, but there is a set back when it is realized that he is already a top spy named Hauser in real life. Soon he is targeted by his wife Lori (Beckinsale) who is really an agent assigned to stay close to him by organization head Cohaagen (Cranston) and to terminate him if he was to go rogue which now is her primary mission. On the run and hunted by Lori and her squad of robotic goons and unable to determine what is real or a dream, he must enlist the help of a woman Melina (Biel) who he has seen in his dreams so that she can take him to meet Matthias (Nighy) who heads up the rebel forces that are trying to overthrow the corrupted Cohaagen.


 Reel Talk:


This is a remake of the 1990 classic film of the same title which starred Arnold Schwarzeneggar. Although I am a hard critic of remakes this one was not that bad, not great but acceptable. It does not compare to the original but offers it's own flair by way of the action (mainly with the cat fight scenes with Beckinsale and Biel) and the good visual ccinematography Not a big Farrell fan, i will say this is one of his more impressive performances. The action is fast and constant so you will stay focused on the screen and it doesn't even matter about the changes in this film, like it takes place on Earth oppose to on Mars in the original. still an entertaining movie worth checking out.

Starring: Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Bryan Cranston, Bokeem Woodbine and Bill Nighy Directed by: Len Wiseman
 Rated: PG-13

I give it 3 corn dogs

 By: Corn Dog - The Reel Hustler