American Sniper: Legendary Performance by Bradley Cooper (Spoiler Alert- Ending is revealed.)

I have to apologize for ever discounting Bradley Cooper.  After He's Just Not that Into You and other movies he's been in, I had him deemed as a guy that probably just plays himself, but happens to be in a movie.  So for the record, I am taking back all said comments because the way he played the role of Chris Kyle in American Sniper- I was wrong, very wrong.

This movie entails the true story of Chris Kyle, "The Legend", who was the most accurate sniper in American history. This film doesn't need to be for the veteran, or family of veterans, as it can be for anyone who has empathy for what this man went through over the course of his time as a Navy Seal.

Chris joined the Seals because he simply wanted to defend his country.  There was no other motive.  In his mind, this was the path he had to choose to protect those he loved.  To serve and protect was his purpose.  This task can be quite difficult for anyone, especially those with a wife and children at home.  Chris eventually experienced what I am sure most do.  Coming home wasn't easy.  Serving in a tour where you see death daily then coming home, knowing that it is still continuing while you go to the mall with your wife, or have a home cooked meal, is almost impossible and was for him.  It consumed him to the point where he went on tour after tour to finish what he started.  What would it take to bring him home?

After several attempts, Chris would finally kill the one person he had been hunting for years.  A sniper from the other side.  It was in that moment, when death seemed near even for Chris, that he called his wife, crying, ready to come home.  Although, it wasn't the running into her arms you would think.  After killing so many, even children, seeing innocent people murdered by their own, friends dying, and so much devastation, he may have been physically home, but he was somewhere far away.

It took Chris finding a way to help those back in the states for him to go back to the man he was before the war turned him.  Eventually his smile would return, he would play with his kids, and love his wife the way a husband should.  Unfortunately, this wouldn't last long, because during one of those times where he was helping veterans back home, a veteran would be the one who killed Chris, not a terrorist, or enemy.  Someone from the same roots.

I encourage you to not only bring tissues, but see this movie with an open mind and heart.  We can all be divided in our stances on war.  But what we cannot do, is see this movie without feeling for this man who gave so much, his wife who raised these children on her own, and the heavy burden placed on men and women who come home from tours such as these, completely changed and forever impacted by their experiences.

Clint Eastwood did this perfectly and Bradley Cooper performed his best role yet.  A must see.

Immitation Game: The True Story of Alan Turing

Alan was always different than his peers.  He was a mathematical genius who had a hard time understanding social cues of others.  His on and only friend from school passed away, leaving Alan alone.  As time passed and Alan grew up, his skills would lead him to a special operation with the military during World War 2 in which he and fellow mathematician would work day after day to crack the German Enigma code.

Working with others was not one of Alan's strengths.  In fact, when beginning this mission, he locked himself in a separate room, not to be disturbed, to create his machine that would crack the Enigma codes.  With the military demanding a faster turn around rate and his teammates questioning his time on task with the mission, it seemed Alan was not going to succeed.

Fortunately, Alan did prove himself and what his machine was capable of when the Enigma code was cracked.  This accomplishment brought more burden than they imagined though.  You see, they soon realized they could not destroy Enigma, as this would cause the Germans to create something else and they would be back at stage 1.  They even had to determine which people to save and which not to in order to not seem obvious.  It was hard on all of them.

Alan was also going through some of his own personal dilemmas.  Alan's sexual orientation was masked through his marriage to a close friend and partner at the time.  Eventually she would find out and what transpired was both sad and heartfelt.  Life continued to get harder for Alan from here as the government found out about his secret and gave him hormones to "help him with his problem."  Alan would eventually end his own life as it all got to be to much for him.  He was alone and would always be so.

I didn't know if I was going to be engaged in this movie as I didn't know much about it.  I had never heard the Alan Turing story.  His life had so much triumph and hardship that tugged at my heart strings.  He was a genus and helped save thousands of lives, yet was contemned because he wasn't heterosexual.  The treatments given to him were infuriating.  I left feeling better off for hearing and seeing his story.  It was a well written and had wonderful performances from the cast.  Unsurprising as it is, Benedict Cumberbatch was astounding.

Big Eyes: A Movie Review

Women do not divorce their husbands, let alone work without their husbands approval.  This was the life for Margaret in the 1950's.  She made a bold move and left her husband for a better life with her daughter.  She knew it would be hard but did not realize even finding a job would be a difficult task with her whole dilemma of being a woman and all.  Luckily, she was able to start over.  She found a job  doing something she loved.  Painting.  Yes, it was painting the wood on furniture, but it was painting nonetheless.  So here was Margaret on a beautiful Sunday in the park, showcasing her talent at an art fair, when the man who would change her life forever entered the picture.  

Walter was a passionate artist who won Margaret over immediately.  She was cautious at first, but once he convinced her to be his wife, she was his forever.  Lucky her........

You see, Margaret began to see her new hubby's true colors.  This man of many talents (not really) was not talented in one area in which he claimed to be to everyone he met.  He was not a painter,  He loved paintings and if he had it his way, he would be a painter, but sadly this just wasn't the case for dear Walter.  Walter was, however, an impeccable liar.  In fact, he had the lovely people of San Francisco convinced that the beautiful imagery of his wife's paintings were in fact his.  The Keane signature on each painting was Walter Keane, surely not Margaret Keane.  

It wasn't like Walter started out this way.  He was honest at first and told Margaret someone misunderstood and thought he painted one her of beautiful works of art, but once he realized the profit to be made, the issue occurred that always occurs......money got to him.   Before Margaret knew it, her "Big Eyes" were being sold in every gallery, winning awards, being offered to politicians, actors, world leaders, and even a compilation of first drafts and finished products.  What nobody realized was that Margaret did all of this.  Yes, poor Margaret who sat in her attic all day for long hours, painted every last picture while Walter took the credit.  I think her lowest point was when she had to lie to her daughter who basically called her out on what was happening.  I think every feminist out there would have had a fit.  I certainly wanted to punch her a few times for not sticking up for herself. (Kidding......)  Please do not fret though, Margaret did get her revenge and it was oh so sweet.

This true account was directed by Tim Burton and definitely had his flair throughout.  It was cheesy in a comical way and creatively done.  I need to see Christoph Waltz in something where he plays a good guy because of how well he played the most annoying character ever.  But in all seriousness it was a perfect Sunday afternoon movie that would be wonderful for the creative movie goers who like to see something a little different.

Unbroken: A Movie Review

Louis Zamperini was a kid who knew just where to find trouble.  Whether he was smoking, drinking, or getting caught fighting, he was falling and falling fast.  That is, until his brother got him interested in the sport that would give him winning records and Olympic status.  If only this was the only obstacle he had to overcome in life.

After he was drafted during WW2, Louis and his fellow crew were sent on a mission to rescue a team not yet found.  Unfortunately, it was this crew that would need rescuing.  Louis' plane not only crashed after malfunctioning, but only 3 men survived, and they were stranded in shark infested waters for weeks.  The men were eventually found, but only 2 would leave the sea.

You'd think being rescued would be a good thing, but this is questionable as it was the Japanese who were doing the rescuing.  Louis and his friend were taken to a camp for American prisoners of war.  This new chapter Louis was about to embark on would change his life forever, more than any shark infested sea.

You see, Louis was now at the camp run by "The Bird."  The Bird was known for his evil conduct with prisoners and when he met Louis, he was fixated.  The Bird's mission was to break Louis down until he was nothing.  Whether it was severe beatings, being punched in the face as hard as possible by all of the prisoners at the camp (by order of the Bird), working in harsh conditions with injured limbs, and starvation, he would not stop until Louis faltered.

Here was Louis, one of the fastest runners in history who couldn't be beat, and he was being tested.  Tested on just how much someone can go through before just letting go of life itself.  Louis kept fighting though.  he kept pushing, because that was all any of them could do to get back at the Japanese.  They just had to survive until the war was over.

This true story was one of those movies I delayed seeing.  I knew what it entailed as I read the book, and I just didn't know if I could see it.  I am glad I did.  Angelina did a wonderful job capturing the spirit of this man, this fighter.  It will make you feel grateful for those who put themselves through the worst conditions for others.  It will also remind you that even in circumstances when others hurt you more than imaginable, whether it be physically, emotionally, or both, forgiveness is possible.

The Main Art Theater in Royal Oak: A Heaven for Indie Film Goers

I don't know about you, but I always find myself frustrated when I see this amazing trailer for a movie only to find out it is in selected theaters. Yes, sometimes the successful indie films do make the big screens across the nation eventually, but this is not always the case.  Luckily for me, I have found my happy place.  I call it The Main Art Theater and it resides in a lovely town called Royal Oak, Michigan.

The Main Art Theater is rustic and will make you nostalgic for movies back in the day.  It's prices are extremely reasonable and the concessions have organic options!  I also appreciate the free refills on popcorn and soda.


More importantly, this amazing theater plays indie films every week!!  I saw Begin Again, Third Person, and will soon be seeing Boyhood.  Two of which are not playing in major theaters.  So my friends......if you are seeking for an indie film watching experience, seek no further!

Emagine: A Movie Theater Review

As mentioned in a previous post, I recently moved from Okemos to Novi, Michigan.  As you can probably guess, my first concern was what movie theaters would I have access to?  I knew there was an Emagine near by but was skeptical as it seemed to me, to be a costly theater without much reason.  I am here to tell you, I was very mistaken.

As I walked in, I was pleasantly surprised to see the prices for tickets!  If you have been to NCG in Lansing or a similar theater, you pay the same amount or close at Emagine.  My ticket was 8 dollars (yeah...I still use my college id....shhhhh).  The next pleasantry to discover was in the popcorn!  As you know, I pretty much eat enough for a small village of movie theater popcorn which contains oil that wouldn't be healthy for an automobile let alone human.  However, they use a healthier olive oil on their popcorn if you so choose.  This healthy alternative truly won me over. The  when entering the theater, I was quite content with the seats.  They were comfy, wide, and all had the option of moving the arm rest for those that wish to snuggle their movie date.  That along with an amazing screen and I was happy to be very wrong about such a great place for film viewing.

There are several Emagine Theaters so I encourage you to find one in your area if you are lucky to have one.  Don't judge it like I did and see for yourself!

www.emagine-entertainment.com/

Summer Movie Spotlight

Well hello there!  No, I have not died.  I know it's been forever and a day but as you know, life has it's way of making us too busy for our own good.  This is not a blog about my personal life but I did move to another city, get a promotion, and have been traveling for various training.  So I do apologize for my absence but assure you friends, I have still gone to the movies every week.  Please don't ask me how much I have been reading (Insurgent is amazing by the way....and yeah I am still on chapter 3).  Instead of bombarding you with new posts, I decided to consolidate my July movie experiences into one post.  So, without further ado, I give you the Summer Movie Spotlight by yours truly.

Begin Again

This movie had some awesome names such as Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, and Adam Levine.  It portrays the beauty and art if music from various perspectives.  Our leading lady, Gretta, is discovering herself after a breakup from her boyfriend who recently was signed to a major label.  Gretta has to find out who she is without him and follow her own path through her love of music.  With the help of an eccentric producer, Gretta remembers why all she has ever wanted to do was write music.

Why You Should See It:  I mean really, it has Mark Ruffalo....need I say more?  No but seriously, this movie is beautiful.  Whether you enjoy romantic comedies with a smart edge or are simply  a lover of music, you will not regret seeing this wonderful tale.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
After seeing the first one, I was so excited to find out they were filming another!  Our buddy Caesar has successfully lead his fellow ape friends to a rather civilized and successful existence away from humans. The fact that an outbreak occurs and the human population has dwindled to nothing, seems to have helped  a great deal, or so they think.  A group of humans immune to the virus has created a colony and are in need of more power.  They make their way to Caesar territory and so ensues a conflict of power, trust, and respect. This conflict isn't just between man and ape, as Caesar soon finds out he cannot trust his own kind.

Why You Should See It:  Besides the fact that this film is visually dynamic with its amazing graphics, the story is truly touching.  You know the injustices the apes faced when in the labs so many years before and yet you know the humans, for the most part, mean no harm.  Although long in parts, I felt myself engaged and anticipating what would happen next.  It was gripping, entertaining, and had heart.

Third Person
This was an indie flick I saw at an awesome theater I found in Royal Oak, Michigan (which will be featured in an upcoming post).  It was so deep and complex that I don't want to give too much away.  Liam Neeson stars as a writer who you find out is writing a twisted novel.  As what so easily happens with writers, he tends to use characters from his own life  and as a result real life scenarios he has experienced or witnessed.  Just when you think you have it all figured out, your mind if blown.

Why You Should See It:  It is smart and I mean smart.  The characters with their internal conflicts keep you watching as you try to put all the pieces together.

Sex Tape
Annie and Jay are trying to spice up their marriage and make a rather creative sex tape.  What they soon realize is that instead of deleting it like most intelligent people would, it is synced to their iCloud which so happens to be synced to all of their apple products. Yes, they could just go to each device and delete them all, but Jay likes getting new iPads and has given write a few out to friends and family. Now you see the problem.

Why You Should Rent This:  I would expect this movie from Cameron Diaz, but Jason Segel....really?  Be better.  Be better than this.  Besides maybe 2 or 3 funny parts (like Cameron doing a flip literally onto her husband), the story line is awful!  It's lacking the humor you hope to see when watching the trailer and even though you keep watching in hopes of it changing, it just doesn't.  Ever.

Lucy
Lucy is kidnapped and injected with a drug that is meant to stay in her system as a warehouse, but ends up mixing with her insides and giving her more access to her brain than any species has been able to do.  Lucy's brain capacity increases as time passes and gives her amazing abilities.  Her sole mission is to seek revenge on the evilness that did this to her, but also to help humankind with the evolution of information she has retained.  With the help of one scientist (Morgan Freeman), she is able to do both.

Why You Should See It:  How are you not intrigued by a film about the power of the human brain which is such a mystery.  The typical human doesn't even use 1/4 of the brain capacity and here we have a girl reaching for 100% of hers.  It makes you wonder if it would be helpful or a hindrance to have such abilities.  You'll just have to see what she goes through to find out.