The Last Witch Hunter

The Last Witch Hunter

Rating 4 out of 10

When I saw the previews for this movie I got excited.  Vin Diesel swinging a sword that is on fire killing witches released near Halloween?  How could that not be great?  Then the reviews started to roll in.  Terrible reviews. It is standing at a bad 15% on www.rottentomatoes.com.  Maybe they just don't like these type movies or Diesel and it is not that bad.  I set the bar low and went to an early show on a rainy day.  Sadly the reviews were accurate.

Eight hundred years ago Kaulder (Diesel) and a group of warriors are hunting down an evil witch that put a plague on their area.  Kaulder manages to sink his flaming sword into the evil witches chest but before she dies she curses him to live forever.  Over the years Kaulder becomes a witch wrangler who with the help of a catholic priest sidekick called a Dolan round up witches around the world and bring them to a court who then puts them in witch prison.

When really bad things start to happen in NYC Kaulder enlists the help of a dream walker Chloe (Rose Leslie- the red head bow and arrow girl from Game of Thrones).  She can somehow help him find the bad witches within dreams.

The biggest problem with this movie is it's an action movie without alot of action.  Most of the movie they are just sitting around talking about witches or things of their past.  The action that is here is not very good.  Kinda plods along.  The climax at the end is not much of a climax.

I'd say rent this one if you must.  It should have been much better.

Bridge of Spies

Bridge of Spies

Rating 7 out of 10

I will go see pretty much anything Tom Hanks is staring in.  This movie looked interesting from the first preview.  Didn't hurt that it was directed by Steven Spielberg.  If nothing else I knew it would be well acted and visually incredible.  That pretty much describes my movie experience.

Loosely based on a real story. In the early 1960s the CIA caught a Russian spy red handed.  There was no doubt.  While most Americans thought he should be taken out and shot he still had to be tried in a US court.  James Donovan is recruited to defend the spy and he takes his job seriously.  His defense of a spy causes problems for him and his family.  Turns out New Yorkers don't take kindly to a liberal lawyer befriending a spy.

After the spy is convicted an American U-2 spy plane is shot down 70,000 feet over Russia.  When both sides want a spy swap Donavan is the logical choice to negotiate.  Things get interesting when an American student is taken at the German wall and they want him back too.

This movie is a bit like watching the Titanic.  You pretty much know what is going to happen.  Even if you are not up on your Cold War history lessons the previews lay it out for you.  The reason to watch this movie is to see Tom Hanks at work.  He does the fantastic job you would expect.  Any other actor and this movie is a 5 at best.  Beautifully shot.  You feel like you are watching actual 60s Russia and Germany.

I was entertained even though it was a bit on the slow side.

Sicario

Sicario

Rating 6.5 out of 10

I have been seeing trailers for this movie for months now.  Very well put together.  Showing Emily Blunt in the back seat of a car at the Mexican border.  Something big is going down but she is not sure what.  Next thing you know a bad guy is pointing a gun at her and she reacts quickly and blows the guy away.  Action packed.  This movie definitely has action from start to finish.

Emily Blunt is a Phoenix FBI agent dealing with the increasing problem of the Mexican drug cartel moving into the city and bringing their violence with them.  When a special task force recruits her with promises of going after the cartel getting the people responsible she cautiously signs up.  Soon she begins to question her decision.  The task force is very secretive and not real clear on who is who or what side of the line their methods are on.  The task force is run by Matt (Josh Brolin) with quite a few bad ass military guys.  There is also Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro) who is a "consultant" and seems to be so much more.

I like most everything Emily Blunt is in and Benicio reminds us what a good actor his is and why he earned an Oscar.  Casting is very good.  My biggest problem with the movie is it bugs me when I'm an hour in and still have no idea what is going on.  The movie unfolds eventually and mostly makes sense.  Action is good.  Movie shows the gritty life on the border and worse on the other side.

I was entertained.  Would probably recommend waiting for a rental.

The Martian

The Martian

Rating 8.5 out of 10

I read the book of the same title by Andy Weir earlier in the year and was excited to see it was already going to be a movie. It always makes you leery that they will screw it up.  I'm glad to report that for the most part they got it right.  The casting was spot on.  The effects I saw on the bigger screen was fantastic.  Matt Damon does a great job in the lead.  I liked this movie alot.

In the future NASA is regularly sending manned missions to Mars.  On the latest one a freak storm blows up and the crew is forced to head to the ship in a hurry and cut the mission short.  On their way to load up a combinations antenna blows of and hits Mark Watney in the chest.  It takes him out into the storm and as far as anyone on the crew can tell he is dead.  The commander (Jessica Chastain) with the ship on the verge of blowing over and stranding everyone makes the tough decision to leave Watney for dead and take off.

As it turns out the antenna pierced Watney's suit and taken all his stats offline. His blood seals the hole in his suit and saves his life.  Glad to be alive he realizes the problem being while he has plenty of water and air another mission can't get to Mars for four years and he only has a years worth of food.  He has to figure out how to stay alive.  NASA eventually realizes he is alive and puts things in full motion to rescue.

As I said great cast.  I thought Matt Damon was spot on.  Can't go wrong with Jessica Chastain in any movie.  Michael Pena and Kate Mara are funny and entertaining as crew members determined to save Watney. Jeff Daniels is always good when he's not in Dumb and Dumber mode.

Good movie.  I was entertained.  Go see this on a big screen.  Don't wait for rental.