Mike's Movie Tips

2/4 Starring: Dougray Scott, Kate Winslet, Jeremy Northam, Saffron Burrows, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Tom Hollander, Matthew MacFayden Rated R for A Sex Scene and Language There is something intrinsically exciting about a World War II movie.  The deadliest and most complex conflict in human history, the number of stories that can be told about that conflict (real and fictitious) are limitless.  "Enigma," based on the novel by Robert Harris, is one such story, but after watching it I would have rather spent my time and money watching something else. With a pedigree like this, it's rare that a movie turns out to be this bad.  It was directed by Michael Apted, acclaimed for his documentary franchise "The Up Series" and the James Bond flick "The World is Not Enough."  The screenplay was written by playwright Tom Stoppard, who wrote the grossly overrated "Shakespeare in Love" and Terry Gilliam's cult classic "Brazil."  It was pr

3.5/4 Starring: Dennis Weaver, Carey Loftin Rated PG (probably for Terror/Violence) Everyone has those times where there's some driver who seems to be actively trying to make their lives miserable.  I recall one terrifying experience where I had to play a game of chicken on the highway with a meathead in a Hummer.  Of course, stories like that are the exception rather than the rule.  Most times, the driver who becomes your mortal enemy for two minutes straight is simply distracted or not very skilled.  Unfortunately for David Mann (Weaver), he's going to run into an exception of the worst kind. David Mann is a salesman driving from one unspecified destination to another.  His wife (Jacqueline Scott) wants him home on time, and David assures her he will be.  On the way to meet with a client, he gets stuck behind a gas truck so rusted that you could get tetanus just by looking at it.  It's belches out oily smoke that makes him cough, so naturally David passes the guy

1.5/4 Starring: Billy Crystal, Danny DeVito, Anne Ramsey, Kim Greist, Kate Mulgrew Rated PG-13 (probably for Violence and Some Language) Anyone who knows me knows that I have a dark sense of humor.  The blacker and more twisted, the better.  Witness my glowing admiration for " Burke and Hare ," for example.  Or " Santa's Slay ."  So with Billy Crystal and Danny DeVito in the film, and DeVito (who is a master at this sort of thing) directing, I thought I would love this.  A twisted take on "Strangers on a Train?"  Sign me up.  The difference between the two comedies I mentioned is that they were actually funny.  This isn't. Larry Donner (Crystal) is steaming mad.  His ex-wife Margaret (Mulgrew) took credit for his book, which became a bestseller.  While she's living it up in Maui, he's stuck teaching creative writing at a local community college to a bunch of freaks and weirdos.  One of those is a pudgy man named Owen (DeVito), who i

3.5/4 Starring: Ian Holm, Sarah Polley, Bruce Greenwood, Gabrielle Rose, Alberta Watson Rated R for Sexuality and Some Language The word "sweet" in this film's title, "The Sweet Hereafter," is tragically ironic.  There is nothing sweet about this film, or at least nothing that doesn't have a cloud of tragedy hanging over it because we know what the future holds.  This is a sad story.  The characters are sad, the plot is sad, even the weather seems to project an air of sadness. "The Sweet Hereafter" is ostensibly about a bus accident that took the lives of many schoolchildren, although the crash itself is but a minor detail.  Rather, the film examines how the tragedy has fundamentally altered the small, close-knit town in which it had occurred.  Atom Egoyan's approach to the story, where he shows a scene and comes back later to show how that scene came to be, ensures that the aftermath is the focus of the film as opposed to the accident

2.5/4 Starring: Liam Hemsworth, Jeff Goldblum, Jessie T. Usher, Maika Monroe, William Fitchner, Nicolas Wright, Charlotte Gainsbourg Rated PG-13 for Sequences of Sci-Fi Action and Destruction, and for Some Language " Independence Day " was a surprise hit, becoming the highest grossing movie and, for a while, the #2 all-time box office champ.  It also catapulted Will Smith into the Hollywood stratosphere, establishing that black men could headline movies (although Hollywood still doesn't get it, despite the fact that audiences want it).  The two men behind the project, Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich, were paid to create sequels, but returned the money when they couldn't find a good story.  Although "Independence Day: Resurgence" is not a bad movie, I think they should have waited a bit longer to make it. In the 20 years since the War of '96, Earth, realizing the potential if they set aside petty differences for a common goal, is at peace.  They h

3/4 Starring: Mickey Rourke, Lisa Bonet, Robert DeNiro, Charlotte Rampling Rated R (probably for Disturbing Violent and Sexual Content including Graphic Bloody Images, Language and a Drug Reference) "Angel Heart" is a fusion of film-noir and gothic horror.  It makes sense; both genres deal with the darker side of human nature and tend to be violent and scary.  "Angel Heart" combines the sensibilities and style of a Humphrey Bogart movie and mixes it with Christianity and voodoo, explicit sex and bloody violence, and a fear of chickens.  Surprisingly, it works. New York City, 1955.  Harry Angel (Rourke) is a small-time private dick who has received a new case.  A mysterious man named Louis Cyphre (DeNiro) wants him to track down a crooner by the name of Johnny Favorite.  Apparently, Favorite has a debt to Cyphre, and the man wants to collect.  The case takes Harry from Harlem to Louisiana, with bodies piling up, he soon realizes that he got more than he barga

3.5/4 Not Rated (probable PG-13 for Violent and Disturbing Images) I was born in 1988, so my memory of the disaster in Waco, Texas is next to nil.  My knowledge of what happened to the Branch Davidians was that it was a similar incident to Jim Jones and the People's Temple: a charismatic fruitcake brainwashed many people into worshiping him as a prophet and when they became violent, the government intervened and they committed mass suicide.  According to the documentary "Waco: The Rules of Engagement," nothing from that statement is true in any way, shape or form. The Branch Davidians were classified as a cult, but as the documentary informs us, this movement, an off-shoot of the widely recognized Seventh Day Adventist part of Christianity, actually started in the 1930's.  And while David Koresh did consider himself a prophet, he wasn't the only one to do so.  Nor did any of the surviving Branch Davidians act in ways that are consistent with cult behavior.

2.5/4 Starring: Terry Farrell, Doug Bradley, Paula Marshall, Kevin Bernhardt, Ken Carpenter Rated R for Strong Violence and Sexuality, and for Language Horror movie sequels, especially ones that are content to never venture beyond the boundaries set by their predecessors, are hard to review.  What else can I say about the third installment in the " Hellraiser " franchise that I didn't say about the first two ?  They're all essentially the same: some moron with evil intentions finds the puzzle box (or Lament Configuration Box, as it's called on the back cover), opens it, Pinhead gets released and wreaks bloody hell.  The pun is intended this time. News reporter Joey Sommerskill (Farrell) is sitting at the quiet emergency room hoping for a story and stewing because there is none.  Doc (Carpenter), is sympathetic, but is called away to film another story.  After he leaves, paramedics rush in with a man who has chains attached to his body.  During surgery, the

1.5/4 Starring: Kevin Hart, Dwayne Johnson, Amy Ryan, Danielle Nicolet, Aaron Paul, Ryan Hansen Rated PG-13 for Crude and Suggestive Humor, Some Nudity, Action Violence and Brief Strong Language I could see how "Central Intelligence" could be a good thriller.  Take the wrongfully accused trope that Hitchcock loved and the audience wonder if the sidekick is friend or foe.  It's a good idea, and I'm surprised no one has done it yet.  Ironically, this is the only thing that works.  For an action comedy, the film doesn't thrill and only manages one or two laughs (which are weak at best). In high school, Calvin "The Jet" Joyner (Hart) was on top of the world.  Everyone adored him, he was destined for great things, and so on.  You know the type.  Robbie Weirdicht (Johnson) was not.  Hugely overweight with limited social skills, Robbie is the butt of a merciless joke when he is literally thrown on the gym floor while nude (he was previously in the showe

Every movie, or rather, every story needs a good villain (there are exceptions, but those are few).  A hero is the one we can all get behind, but it's the villain who provides the color and the motivation for sticking it out just so we can experience his utter destruction.  Some villains are good (in the sense that they're interesting and dislikable) and some are bad.  There are a few, however, that are so despicably evil that they deserve a special shout-out. Since this is a matter of personal opinion, I won't claim that they are the greatest villains of all time.  I should also explain my personal tastes, as far as villains are concerned.  I admire ruthlessness and intelligence in a villain.  Any mad slasher can kill someone, but it takes a special kind of nasty to push the main character to the brink mentally and emotionally. There are going to be some surprises on this list.  While Norman Bates, Michael Myers , and others are great villains, they're not among my

3/4 Starring (voices): Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Ed O'Neill, Kaitlin Olsen, Ty Burrell, Hayden Rolence Rated PG for Mild Thematic Elements I think what makes Dory so appealing is that despite her short-term memory loss, she's almost constantly in good spirits.  I guess it's hard to remain depressed if you keep forgetting why you're depressed.  And also why you should be careful and decide whether your idea is good or balls out insane. A year after the events in "Finding Nemo," Dory (DeGeneres) is living comfortably in the reef with Marlin (Brooks) and Nemo (Rolence).  Strange things are happening to Dory, though: she's remembering things from her childhood.  Specifically, that she had parents.  So with the resigned Marlin and eager Nemo in tow, she sets off to find them.  After getting a ride from Crush (Andrew Stanton), the trio ends up at an aquarium.  Trouble happens when Dory gets scooped up from the water and is tagged to be shipped off

0.5/4 Starring: Harvey Keitel Rated NC-17 for Sexual Violence, Strong Sexual Situations & Dialogue, Graphic Drug Use "Bad Lieutenant" is a godawful movie.  It's pretentious, self-indulgent and without any apparent purpose.  The acting is terrible, the cinematography bland, and the screenplay is worthless trash. An unnamed lieutenant in New York City is investigating the brutal gang rape of a nun.  He is, however, totally unqualified to do the job.  He's a boozer, a gambler, and a junkie for anything that will get him high.  The film details his investigation on occasion, but mostly it's watching him indulge himself in his vices. This is what happens when you make a character study of someone whose entire existence can be defined by a single characteristic.  The Lieutenant is addicted to just about everything.  That's it in terms of character development.  That's barely enough for a character that's on screen for a single scene, let alone

4/4 Starring: Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Margaret Colin, Vivica A. Fox, Judd Hirsch, Randy Quaid, Mary McDonnell, James Rebhorn, Brent Spiner, Harry Connick Jr. Rated PG-13 for Sci-Fi Destruction and Violence For me, my first movie love was "Independence Day."  Not " Star Wars ," which I enjoyed but not as much.  Perhaps it's because I saw this in the theater first.  Regardless, it became quite an obsession for me at the time...I even dragged my family to see it on vacation at one point.  It's been 20 years (!)since it came out, and my love for it has not diminished. It's not hard to see why it would appeal to an 8 year old boy.  Or anyone for that matter (for a time, it was the second biggest moneymaker ever, right behind " Jurassic Park ").  The action is spectacular.  The characters are fun.  The script is smart (as far as big budget spectaculars go) with a number of insanely quotable lines.  And some big laughs, as in

3.5/4 Starring: Kate Siegel, John Gallagher Jr. Rated R for Strong Violence/Terror and Some Language Not to be confused with the 1998 thriller with Gwyneth Paltrow "Hush" is something I never though possible: a smart horror movie.  Films in this genre rely on contrivance and their characters' stupidity to move the plot along.  Even classics like " Halloween " or " The Descent ."  The best ones ramp up the terror so we don't notice the mistakes the characters make. Maddie (Siegel) is a reclusive writer living in an out of the way cabin.  Deaf and mute due to a bout of meningitis as a teenager, she has adapted to the point where she can live comfortably as a single woman on her own.  While up late working on her second novel, her neighbor appears at the door, begging to be let in.  But of course Maddie can't hear her, and it's goodbye neighbor.  However, Maddie soon comes face to face with the killer herself.  Thus begins a deadly g

2.5/4 Starring: Tobey Maguire, Jeffrey Wright, Jewel, Skeet Ulrich, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Simon Baker, Jonathan Brandis Rated R for Graphic War Violence The thing about war is that, no matter how high your ideals were when you started, eventually disillusionment sets in.  You begin to understand that reason has no place in battle.  It all boils down to killing your enemy before he kills you.  Death quickly loses its meaning. What sets "Ride with the Devil" apart from most other war movies is that it stays away from traditional battles and concentrates on guerilla warfare.  Without any sort of structure or strategy, feuds and pointless murder quickly replace any attempt at furthering an agenda.  It's this realization that forms the heart of the film. Jake Roedel (Maguire) is a German immigrant who, unlike most of his people, is a Confederate sympathizer.  With his best friend Jack Bull Chiles (Ulrich), he joins the Missouri militia with the hopes of protecting th

2/4 Starring: Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, Polly Bergen, Lori Martin, Martin Balsam Not Rated (probable PG-13 for Violence) The best scene in "Cape Fear" comes at around the halfway mark.  A lawyer named Sam Bowden (Peck) is having a drink with Max Cady (Mitchum), a recently released ex-con who is stalking Bowden and his family.  Bowden is trying to ascertain the amount of money it will take for Cady to stop harassing his family, but Mas has something far more sinister in mind than revenge.  He has the gall and arrogance to explain his plan, which is as disturbing as it is legal, to his victim.  Cady believes that it was Bowden whose testimony put him behind bars for 8 years, and he wants to make sure that Bowden suffers for it.  8 years is a long time to nurse thoughts of revenge. It's a gripping scene because Mitchum and Peck are so good.  Unfortunately, it's one of the few elements in this movie that works.  Everything else is either half-baked or not push

3/4 Starring: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Madison Wolfe, Frances O'Connor, Simon McBurney, Franka Potente Rated R for Terror and Horror Violence There's nothing like being in the hands of a strong, confident director.  Especially in the horror genre, where usually, at best, nervous or slacking directors throw special effects, cheap shocks or gore at the screen, or worse, fail to tell a coherent story.  Not so with James Wan.  Ever since his film "Saw" was unleashed on the public in 2003, the young Australian (but born in Malaysia) director has had a remarkable success behind the camera in a genre where effective entries are few.  "Saw" was a tense and grisly low-budget chiller while " Insidious " remains one of the most terrifying movies I've ever seen.  " The Conjuring " wasn't as scary per se, but it showed real technique and skill.  "The Conjuring 2" continues in this tradition, albeit with different strengths

3.5/4 Starring: Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Sydney Pollack, Todd Field The version being reviewed is unrated.  For the record, the theatrical cut is rated R for Strong Sexual Content, Nudity, Language and Some Drug-Related Material Aside from " Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace ," there was no movie more anticipated than Stanley Kubrick's final film, "Eyes Wide Shut."  Due to its provocative marketing campaign, Kubrick's insistence on secrecy (which led to all kinds of wild rumors), its legendarily long shoot, and the combined star power of then-Hollywood super-couple Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, the fervor and anticipation was felt even by nine-year-old me, who had no idea who any of these people were. As moved as I am at the thought of the general public being excited about a film by a world class filmmaker rather than a cheap marketing ploy like " Twilight ," "Eyes Wide Shut" is not a mainstream film.  This is an art film

0/4 Starring: Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron, Chloe Grace Moretz Rated R for Crude Sexual Content including Brief Graphic Nudity, Language Throughout, Drug Use and Teen Partying Seth Rogen should be arrested. "Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising" is a crime.  It is a crime against comedy.  It is a crime against all the joys and wonders of film that I hold dear.  It is a crime against humanity in general. " Neighbors ," released two years ago, was a funny concept that was ruined by Seth Rogen's ego and complete ineptitude at screenwriting, producing and improvisation.  Although I laughed a few times, my overall impression was one of disgust and bitter hatred.  When they came out with a sequel, I groaned, but held fast to the hope  that it couldn't possibly be worse than the original.  Boy was I in for a surprise.  One that would be about as pleasant as being dragged through raw sewage. Mac (Rogen) and Kelly (Byrne) Radner are moving up in the world. 

1.5/4 Starring: Megan Fox, Will Arnett, Laura Linney, Stephen Amell, Tyler Perry, Brian Tee, and the voices of Noel Fisher, Jeremy Howard, Pete Ploszek, Alan Ritchson, Tony Shalhoub Rated PG-13 for Sci-Fi Action Violence The best I can say about "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows" is that it's better than the first one.  Considering that the 2014 reboot was a mind-numbing mess that made my Bottom Ten list that year, that is not a compliment.  So while that movie threatened to drive the viewer insane with its aggressive visuals and utter inanity, this one is simply dull. The notorious Shredder (Tee), the leader of the villainous Foot Clan, has been caught.  On his way to prison, he has been rescued by his gang of nefarious ninjas.  While the Turtles attempt to put a stop to it, Shredder mysteriously teleports away from the scene.  This is witnessed by corrections officer Casey Jones (Amell), but Chief Vincent (Linney) doesn't believe him.  His i

2.5/4 Starring: Joan Plowright, Maggie Smith, Cher, Judi Dench, Lily Tomlin, Baird Wallace Rated PG for Thematic Elements, Language, Brief Nudity and Some Mild Violence "Tea with Mussolini" doesn't start out strong, but at least it finishes well.  Director Franco Zeffirelli has trouble introducing all the characters and setting up the plot, but once things kick into high gear around the 30-45 minute mark, the film takes off.  The question is, can the rest of the film "save" the film?  I'm not sure, but it comes close. In the era between the wars, there was no better place to be for art-loving retirees than Florence, Italy.  Filled with pieces from just about every period dating back to Ancient Rome, it was the perfect place for those with a lot of money and nothing to do.  The film follows five of these ladies: prim and arrogant Lady Hestor Random (Smith), motherly Mary Wallace (Plowright) is raising a child Luca (Charlie Lucas) whose father and step

3/4 Starring (voices): Richard Ian Cox, Moneca Stori, David Kaye, Kirby Morrow, Kelly Sheridan, Jillian Michaels, Jonathan Holmes, Michael Dobson, Richard Newman Not Rated (probable PG-13 for Graphic Violence and Some Language) "Inuyasha" is not great art, but it is good storytelling.  It understands that characters we like, a fun atmosphere and attention to the rhythms of story development are more important than good dialogue or flashy special effects.  The first "Inuyasha" film was fun but the second one lacked a coherent story.  The third, like the others, has its pluses and minuses. 250 years before the events in the story, The Great Dog Demon (Don Brown) raced towards certain death.  A mortal woman named Izayoi (Alaina Burnett) is giving birth to his child, and the humans guarding her will not let him near.  They are led by Takemaru (Holmes), who has loved Izayoi, and who would rather kill her than see her give birth to the child of a demon.  Takemaru