Mike's Movie Tips

2.5/4 Starring: Michelle Yeoh, David Thewlis Rated R for Violence including Some Bloody Images Looking at her picture, you wouldn't imagine that Aung San Suu Kyi would be the thorn in the side of a brutal military regime.  She looks kindly, soft-spoken and motherly; closer to a teacher than a revolutionary.  And yet, she ended up winning the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to bring democracy to Burma. After her father was murdered for trying to bring democracy to the tiny East Asian nation, Aung San Suu Kyi was raised in England, where she married a man named Michael Aris (Thewlis), with whom she had two children.  Her homeland is ruled by a military junta, whose violent oppression of its people has brought about a number of massacres.  Suu's mother has had a stroke, and when she goes to visit, the academics believe that she should be the one to carry on her father's legacy.  Despite having no political experience, she reluctantly agrees. The failing of "Th

2/4 Starring: Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester, and the voice of Douglas Rain Rated G Stanley Kubrick was always an intensely cerebral filmmaker.  Even "The Shining," which was certainly terrifying, was horror of a psychological kind.  Never has that been more true than in "2001: A Space Odyssey."  There are definitely elements of this film that are worthy of praise, and the visual effects are brilliant (even by today's standards).  But the amount of time and effort (Kubrick's films are not "easy viewing") that the film demands doesn't reward enough to recommend sitting through it. The film's plot is not its strong suit.  It's paper thin and not very interesting.  A large black monolith has been discovered, and two astronauts (Dullea and Lockwood) have been sent on a secret mission, although they don't know its parameters.  The rest of their crew is in cryosleep, but when the ship's computer, HAL 9000 (Rain)

1/4 Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Ben Johnson, Hart Boechner, David Copperfield Rated R (Probably for Violence/Gore and Sexuality/Nudity) Everyone gives slasher movie villains such a hard time.  I mean, they do kill people, but so does Arnold Schwarzenegger.  But instead of misguided men with testosterone issues or aliens, mad slashers ensure humanity's survival by offing the species' most stupid members.  That's not villainy, it's community service! All joking aside, "Terror Train" is a pretty shitty slasher movie.  The characters are some of the dumbest people to ever wander in front of a camera (even by slasher movie standards), the script is in rough draft form, the atmosphere constantly mistakes darkness for being ominous, and the film moves along at a crawl (it's as if the filmmakers were convinced we actually cared about the characters, none of whom have anything resembling a personality). The premise for the film (a fraternity finds out yea

2/4 Starring: Kurt Russell, Madeline Stowe, Ray Liotta, Roger E. Mosely Rated R for Terror and Violence, and for Sexuality and Language "Unlawful Entry" is a mediocre "stranger within" thriller; better than " The Resident " but certainly nowhere near the level of " Fear ," or more appropriately, " Fatal Attraction ."  With its pedestrian direction, bland screenplay and flat performances, it's just poor filmmaking.  But more than that, it feels like a missed opportunity.  After all, what could be scarier than being terrorized by a police officer? Michael (Russell) and Karen (Stowe) Carr are settling in for the night when their home is burglarized.  While Karen is briefly taken hostage, she escapes without a scratch and the robber flees.  Two police officers, Officer Pete Davis (Liotta) and Officer Roy Cole (Mosely), answer the call.  Michael plans on buying a gun, but Pete talks him into getting a security system instead.  Pe

2/4 Starring: Eamonn Owens, Alan Boyle, Fiona Shaw, Stephen Rea, Sinead O'Connor, Aisling O'Sullivan, Brendan Gleeson Rated R for Language and Violence With a title like "The Butcher Boy," one could be excused for believing it to be a horror movie about a kid.  While the film's central character is certainly a terror in his small Irish town, it's a misguided assumption.  In reality, "The Butcher Boy" is a coming-of-age story laced with some black comedy.  It's a pretty simple story, but telling it effectively requires a defter touch than Neil Jordan possesses (at least in this case). Francie Brady (Owens) is the walking definition of a "problem child."  He's a bully to Phillip Nugent (Andrew Fullerton), the son of his nemesis, Mrs. Nugent (Shaw), has a foul mouth, and will lie to and con just about anyone he can.  Considering his home life, with his father (Rea), "the best drinker in town," and mother (O'Sulliv

3/4 Starring (voices): Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Mindy Kaling, Lewis Black, Bill Hader, Richard Kind, Kaitlyn Dias, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan Rated PG for Mild Thematic Elements and Some Action No other studio is as reliable as Pixar Animation.  Aside from "Toy Story 3" and " Monsters University " (I can't count "Cars" since I fell asleep during the middle of it), they haven't had a misfire, and have two undeniable masterpieces in their cannon ("Finding Nemo," " Brave ") and the rest is up there.  I think James Berardinelli put it best in his review of "Up:" "Pixar views their films as creative and artistic endeavors; Dreamworks and Fox see theirs as products. With Pixar, it's about the movie.  With most other animated features, it's about the marketing." I think that's why they are so successful (apart from utilizing top talent instead of whoever will sign the dotted line).  They tell

2/4 Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Matt Malloy, Stacy Edwards Rated R for Language and Emotional Abuse Let's hurt someone. That's the line that grew into this screenplay.  The premise, about two businessmen playing a cruel joke on a vulnerable woman, is sleazy, and despite aspirations to do otherwise, it doesn't do much else.  Writer/director Neil LaBute forces us to watch these characters, neither of whom is likable, talk and talk and talk.  That's fine, but they don't say anything interesting or insightful. Chad (Eckhart) and Howard (Malloy) are sitting in a nameless airport talking.  Both of them are burned from bad break-ups, but Chad is especially angry because he sees women interfering in the "man's world," and how the workplace bends over backwards for their sake, but he has to walk on tiptoes around them lest he get fired for saying the wrong thing.  Both are travelling businessmen, so on their next six-week trip, they decide to "find

2/4 Starring: Marlon Brando, Miiko Taka, Red Buttons, Miyoshi Umeki, Patricia Owens, James Garner, Kent Smith, Martha Scott, Ricardo Montalban Not Rated "Sayonara" is primarily a victim of its length.  I have nothing against long movies in principle, but that excludes movies that last longer than they need to.  "Sayonara" has a running time of nearly 2.5 hours.  A half hour, or more, could easily have been cut off with little lost.  More compelling protagonists would have helped immeasurably, as well. American servicemen were still stationed in Japan after World War II.  Military policy tried to prevent servicemen from marrying Japanese women, although 10,000 members of the armed forces did so anyway.  One of them was James A. Miechener, who wrote the book upon which the film was based (Michener's first novel was "Tales from the South Pacific," for which he won a Pulitzer and was the basis for the famous musical). Major Gruver (Brando) is a p

1.5/4 Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Jim Caviezel, Terrence Howard, Sonia Braga, Jeremy Sisto, Shirley Knight Rated R for Language, Violence and a Scene of Sexuality Bring on the suds!  "Angel Eyes" is a would-be tearjerker that is too dim-witted and too inept to provoke any streaming of tears in anyone except those who will cry if they see a little kid get a paper-cut.  In fact, there are definitely times when the film ventures into self-parody. Sharon Pogue (Lopez) is a cop working in Chicago.  There is a mysterious man watching her, but instead of confronting him, they just exchanged soulful glances at each other.  It's a good thing too, since he saves her from getting shot by a criminal.  When she invites him out with her buddies in thanks, sparks fly.  His name is Catch (Caviezel), and he's kind of an odd duck: polite, innocent, but socially awkward ("I was imagining what you looked like without your clothes," he tells her.  It's not what he mean

3/4 Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins, Nick Robinson, Vincent D'Onofrio, Omar Sy, B.D. Wong, Judy Greer Rated PG-13 for Intense Sequences of Science-Fiction Violence and Peril Everyone has their favorite moment from the original " Jurassic Park :" the T-Rex chase, the kitchen fight, the final battle (for action scenes, my vote goes to Dennis's run-in with the dilophosorus, which still scares me to this day).  But the scene that sticks out in my mind the most is when we see the merchandise while John Williams' theme plays softly in the background.  It's a poignant moment, perfectly composed by Steven Spielberg.  It gives us a sense of John Hammond's vision of what Jurassic Park could have been. "Jurassic World" is built on that idea.  Not the poignancy, but the imagination of what Jurassic Park would be like when it actually opened.  Now called Jurassic World, the park is indeed open, but as we all know, when man play

1.5/4 Starring: Stefanie Scott, Dermot Mulroney, Lin Shaye, Tate Berney, Hayley Kiyoko Rated PG-13 for Violence, Frightening Images, Some Language and Thematic Elements The good news about the prequel to the 2010 shocker (that made my Top 10 list that year) is that it's better than the second chapter.  The bad news is that the first sequel was a trainwreck, so that statement must be taken as a back-handed compliment. "Insidious: Chapter 3" is a prequel, although the only difference it really makes is a quick scene at the end and sparing Rose Byrne, Patrick Wilson, Barbara Hershey and most of the rest of the cast from the indignity of appearing in this blatant cash grab.  Apart from the two ghost hunters played by Leigh Whannel (who wrote and directed this installment) and Angus Sampson, the only returning character is Lin Shaye, who appears bored for the most part. Quinn Brenner (Scott) lost her mother to breast cancer a year and a half ago.  But she wants to

1.5/4 Starring: Angelina Jolie, Ethan Hawke, Tcheky Karyo, Olivier Martinez, Gena Rowlands, Kiefer Sutherland The version being reviewed is unrated.  For the record, the theatrical cut is rated R for Strong Violence including Disturbing Images, Language and Some Sexuality I remember shortly before "Taking Lives" came out the studio released the first ten minutes as a marketing ploy.  It was a scene featuring the then-unknown Paul Dano and Justin Chatwin (who is fantastic) as the killer and his first victim.  It's the best part of the movie, which I suppose makes sense from a marketing standpoint, since once word got out about how awful the rest of it was, no one would see it. "Taking Lives" is a serial killer movie, and as is the case with almost all serial killer movies, it has a gimmick.  In this case, the killer "takes lives" both literally and figuratively.  When he gets tired of one, he kills someone who doesn't look like he will be mi

3/4 Starring: John Cusack, Paul Dano, Elizabeth Banks, Paul Giamatti, Jake Abel Rated PG-13 for Thematic Elements, Drug Content and Language For "Love & Mercy," the biopic of The Beach Boys member Brian Wilson, its biggest hurdle isn't its lack of quality, but avoiding getting lost in the summer blitz.  "Love & Mercy" has its problems, such as performances that are solid but not standout and a lack of innovative direction, but all in all its a pretty good movie.  I don't doubt that this movie was originally designed with the word "Oscar" in mind (biopic of a disturbed genius + mental illness = Oscar gold), but the film doesn't quite make it to a level where it could be a serious contender.  Still, for those who are interested, it's worth seeking out. Like many biopics, "Love & Mercy" divides its focus into two time frames simultaneously: the past and the 1980's.  The past, where Brian Wilson is played by Pa

2.5/4 Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Miranda Hart, Allison Janney, Jude Law, Jason Statham, Bobby Cannevale Rated R for Language Throughout, Violence, and Some Sexual Content including Brief Graphic Nudity Jay Leno was fond of saying that the worst thing you could do to a comedy is to throw money at it.  I thought about that a lot as I was watching this movie.  There are definitely some funny bits in this movie, but Paul Feig, the wearer of many hats behind the film, ends up making a legitimate entry of the genre he seeks to parody.  While it's certainly possible to create a spy movie that's fresh, original and never stops poking fun at itself (" True Lies " is a tremendous example), Feig lacks James Cameron's talent in both writing and directing. Susan Cooper (McCarthy) is a CIA agent, although she stays behind a desk offering help to the suave, debonair Bradley Fine (Law).  She holds a torch for him, although he's far too self-absorbed to re

2.5/4 Starring: Joe Swanberg, AJ Bowen, Kentucker Audley, Gene Jones, Amy Seimetz Rated R for Disturbing Violent Content including Bloody Images, Language and Brief Drug Use By the third act of "The Sacrament," the most recent film from Ti West, I began to feel uneasy.  Under most circumstances, that would be praise-worthy for a horror movie.  Not here.  I felt uneasy because it uses a real life tragedy as a setting for a horror movie, and by sticking so close to it while using many familiar horror clichés, it renders the film exploitative. Sam (Bowen), Jake (Swanberg) and Patrick (Audley) are journalists working for a media company called VICE, which reports the news by having the reporters immerse themselves in the story and report from within.  Patrick has just received a mysterious letter from his sister, Caroline (Seimetz), who after a trip to rehab for drug addiction, has found a new life on a commune and invited him to visit.  Patrick, Sam and Jake go, and it s

3.5/4 Starring: Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly, Lloyd Bridges, Katy Jurado Rated PG for Some Western Violence and Smoking "High Noon" was unlike any Western that audiences at the time had ever seen.  There are no over-the-top stunts, tumbleweeds, or Mexican standoffs.  Instead, the violence is quick, violent and brutal (relatively speaking, of course).  "High Noon" is to Westerns for the 50s as what " Saving Private Ryan " is to war movies. Marshal Will Kane (Cooper) is getting married to Amy Fowler (Kelly).  Since she is a Quaker, that means hanging up the gun and the shield for a life as a shopkeeper.  That all changes when Frank Miller (Ian MacDonald) is released from prison.  Miller and his gang used to run the town, but Will cleaned it up and sent him to prison.  Now released, Miller is intent on revenge.  His friends urge him to flee, which Will would love to do, except for the fact that the new Marshal doesn't arrive until tomorrow and he know

3.5/4 Starring: Jeremy Piven, Adrian Grenier, Kevin Connelly, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Hayley Joel Osment Rated R for Pervasive Language, Strong Sexual Content, Nudity and Drug Use "Entourage" will only appeal to its core audience: guys, and maybe a few girls, who are in their 20's and 30's.  This is, like "Swingers" and any given "Frat Pack" movie...in other words, it's a "bro" comedy.  Older viewers and certain politically correct people will find this movie dull or even offensive.  After all, it's about a quartet of friends (plus the foul-mouthed agent) with more money than they know what to do with trying to score and party as much as possible.  It's "Sex and the City" for guys. Much as the series did, "Entourage" follows Vincent Chase (Grenier), now one of the biggest guys in Hollywood, and his three best friends: his manager Eric, or "E" for short (Connelly),

3.5/4 Starring: Sean Connery, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Will Patton, Ving Rhames, Maury Chaykin Rated PG-13 for Some Language, Sensuality, Violence and Drug Content "Entrapment" is just plain good.  Mass entertainment, yes (as if that were automatically a bad thing), but for white-knuckle tension and a great story, few are better. A valuable Rembrandt painting has just been stolen.  Insurance agent Virginia Baker (Zeta-Jones) is convinced that it was notorious thief Robert "Mac" Macdougal (Connery) who did the deed.  Her boss, Hector Cruz (Patton), reluctantly sends her to trap him, but Gin has her own agenda.  She needs Mac's help to pull off the heist of a lifetime.  Or is that just her cover?  And what exactly is Mac's role in this? While no one would call this story anything but straightforward, director Jon Amiel (who is as underrated as they come) plays up the ambiguities enough to make this more than a standard order heist movie.  There are, in

3/4 Starring: David Alpay, Charles Aznavour, Eric Bogosian, Christopher Plummer, Arsinee Khanjian, Marie-Josee Croze, Elias Koteas, Bruce Greenwood Rated R for Violence, Sexuality/Nudity, and Language Atom Egoyan's films have always been intellectually demanding.  Dense in both narrative and character, he doesn't allow the audience to turn off their brains.  Like "The Sweet Hereafter" and "Adoration," his two other movies that I've seen, "Ararat" is jam-packed.  Egoyan has a lot to say, but the constraints of the film and his limited vision work against it. As is his style, "Ararat" is less about story than about a diverse group of characters surrounding a central focus.  In "The Sweet Hereafter," it was a bus accident, while in "Adoration" it was an act of terrorism.  Here, it's the Armenian Genocide.  Two filmmakers, director Edward Saroyan (Aznavour) and screenwriter Rouben (Bogosian), are making a m

3/4 Starring: Alexis Bledel, Zach Gilford, Michael Keaton, Jane Lynch, Rodrigo Santoro, Carol Burnett, Bobby Coleman, Catherine Reitman Rated PG-13 for Sexual Situations and Brief Strong Language One of the great pleasures of going to the movies is being able to watch something on screen and know exactly how the characters are feeling.  I had plenty of those moments while watching "Post Grad," a comedy about a college graduate who is unable to find a job while everyone else around her has one (and isn't letting her forget it). Ryden Malby (Bledel) has it all figured out: get good grades, get a scholarship to college, get good grades, and get a job at the hottest publishing company in LA.  Of course when she graduates, she realizes that it's not that simple: an impressive resume and references mean little compared to someone who is already in the know, as her self-absorbed friend Jessica (Reitman) tells her.  Of course, she has her kooky family and her best fri

3.5/4 Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario, Hugo Johnstone-Burt, Art Parkinson, Paul Giamatti, Archie Panjabi, Ioan Gruffudd Rated PG-13 for Intense Disaster Action and Mayhem Throughout, and for Brief Strong Language Putting it bluntly, "San Andreas" kicks ass.  It may be on the limited side when it comes to story, character and acting, but for pure, awe-inspiring, visceral pleasure, there's nothing else like it.  It certainly beats " Mad Max: Fury Road " and " The Avengers: Age of Ultron " hands down. Watching this movie, I feel like I was back in the 90's, where not every action movie featured a guy in a cheesy costume with an even cheesier nickname, where the hero, if he's not named James Bond, isn't trying to save the city or the world but instead trying to save the girl or his daughter.  And where the words "sequel," "remake," "reboot" do not apply, and neither Joss Whedon no