Mike's Movie Tips

3.5/4 Starring: Naomie Harris, Tyrese Gibson, Frank Grillo, Reid Scott, Mike Colter, Beau Knapp, James Moses Black, Nafessa Williams Rated R for Violence and Language "Black & Blue" is one long chase picture, and for better and worse, it relies solely on director Deon Taylor's ability to keep the adrenaline high and generate strong, visceral thrills.  On that level, the film is a tremendous success.  This is a gripping thriller that pins you to your seat and never lets go.  Roger Ebert called movies like this "bruised forearm" movies because you spent the running time grabbing the arm of the person sitting next to you. Alicia West (Harris) is a rookie cop who patrols the slums of New Orleans.  She's a no nonsense lady in blue who does not tolerate bending the rules and will absolutely call someone out when they cross the line.  While taking a double shift so her partner Kevin (Scott) can have some fun with his lady love, she's paired up with ...

1/4 Starring: Reese Mishler, Pfeifer Brown, Ryan Shoos, Cassidy Gifford Rated R for Some Disturbing Violent Content and Terror For the past 20 years, the "found footage" genre has been a horror movie staple.  While it has been used in other genres, such as the superhero movie (" Chronicle ") and sex comedy ("The Virginity Hit"), it's mostly used in an attempt to scare the living hell out of the audience.  "The Blair Witch Project" wasn't the first film to use this form of filmmaking, but it's the film that brought it into the mainstream.  Without it, movies like " Cloverfield " and "Paranormal Activity" wouldn't exist. If only the same thing could be said about "The Gallows," which is how not to make a "found footage" movie.  It's dumb, it's badly made, and it's almost never scary.  Why doesn't it work?  I could suggest that the genre has simply gotten tired with ove...

3/4 Starring: Patricia Arquette, Heather Langenkamp, Craig Wasson, Robert Englund, Laurence Fishburne Rated R (for Horror Violence and Gore, Language and a Scene of Sexuality/Nudity) If nothing else, you have to admit that the idea behind the " Nightmare on Elm Street " franchise is genius: that a person is stalked by a magical serial killer, and if they die in their dreams, they die in real life.  The first film took this concept and ran with it, turning it into a horror classic (overrated in my opinion, but chilling nonetheless).  The second film, " Freddy's Revenge ," tried to subvert this idea with mixed results.  The third entry, "Dream Warriors," adds another twist: using Freddy's abilities against him. Teenagers are killing themselves at alarming rates.  Actually, they're being murdered in their sleep by Freddy, but the willfully blind adults don't believe them.  That includes Dr. Gordon (Wasson), who is desperate to help his...

3/4 Starring: Tommy Knight, Shane Murray-Corocan, Gemma Leah-Devereux, Eoghan McQuinn, Thommas Kane-Byrne, Ross Noble Rated R for Strong Bloody Violence and Gore, Sexual Content, Language, Drug and Alcohol Use - All involving Teens "Stitches" cares more about generating laughs than it does scares.  Indeed, this movie is at times riotously funny.  But the level of gore in this movie makes it difficult for the laughs to shine through in the latter half of the film. On his birthday, Tom (Ryan Burke) had a clown perform.  Unfortunately for him, Stitches (Noble) is a lousy clown and an all around despicable person.  So when his friend Vinny (Gerald Ahern) played a prank and Stitches ended up six feet under, it was probably for the best.  Tom soon finds out that Stitches was part of a secret society of clowns, and they warn him that the party doesn't stop until the clown says it the party is over.  So when Vinny (Murray-Corocan) throws a party for Tom's b...

2.5/4 Starring: Will Smith, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clive Owen, Benedict Wong, Douglas Hodge, Ralph Brown, Linda Emond Rated PG-13 for Violence and Action Throughout, and for Brief Strong Language A script that has been in development for two decades.  Mega producer Jerry Bruckheimer.  Two-time Academy Award-winning director Ang Lee at the helm.  And Mr. July himself, Will Smith, in the lead role.  All that talent and we end up with...this? "Gemini Man" is a disappointing film.  It's not a bad film per se, but it's impossible to watch this movie and not feel let down.  It's such a good premise that it deserves a better treatment than to be used for a bunch of action scenes (some of which are admittedly spectacular).  There are so many different directions that this film could have gone in, so many avenues that it could have explored, that it's a shame that it settled for Generic Action Movie 101.  Particularly with someone as int...

3/4 Starring: Debbie Rochon, Danny Wolske, Allen Nabors, Orly Tepper, Ronnie Gene Blevins, Laura Nativo Rated R for Strong Violence/Gore, Sexuality and Language There are two ways to look at “Bleed,” a slasher film made for $65,000.   One is as a grade z slasher film no redeeming value other than copious nudity and gobs of fake gore.   The other is a little thriller that may not boast the most impressive production values but is able to capture one’s interest nonetheless.   If you take it on a surface level, you’re probably going to take it as the first example.   But if you accept it for what it is, you’ll see that there’s more to this movie than meets the eye. Maddy Patterson (Rochon) has just been offered a job.   That she writes herself a note of congratulations from non-existent parents and throws herself a party from non-existent friends tells you that she’s not exactly living on planet Earth, if you know what I mean.   Still, her bo...

3/4 Starring: Beat Takeshi, Aya Kokumai, Tetsu Watanabe, Masanobu Katusmura, Susumu Terajima, Ren Osugi, Tonbo Zushi, Ken’ichi Yajima Rated R for Bloody Shootings, Language and Some Sexuality “Sonatine” is a strange little movie.   It is not a normal film, for one thing.   It relies on unspoken dialogue, inaction and stark violence to tell its story (what little story there is).   This is a movie that demands audience involvement and their intellectual participation.   Uncovering the pleasures of “Sonatine” takes effort, but the rewards are worth it. Murakawa (Kitano) is tired of the gangster life.   He wants out.   But his superior, Takahashi (Yajima), has a new assignment for him.   There is war brewing between two clans in another part of Japan, and Murakawa is sent to mediate.   Of course things aren’t that simple, as he soon finds out. Anyone expecting something like “ The Departed ” is going to be bored out of their min...

2.5/4 Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Frances Conroy, Zazie Beetz, Robert DeNiro, Brett Cullen Rated R for Strong Bloody Violence, Disturbing Behavior, Language and Brief Sexual Images "Joker" is a frustrating film.  While there is no denying that it will get under your skin and features a brilliant lead performance, the film as a whole feels incomplete.  The screenplay is underwritten and while it deserves props for its unique approach, it feels a bit like the emperor with no clothes. Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) is an odd duck.  He's ostracized at work, has no friends, and lives with his invalid mother Penny (Conroy).  Arthur is determined to make his way in the world as a stand-up comic, but his severe personality flaws and the cruel reality of the world turn a harmless weirdo into a murderous maniac. This is a character study of a man's descent into madness.  That's fine, especially considering that the central figure is one of the most famous villains in lit...

1/4 Starring: Will Horneff, Helen Shaver, Jean Marie Barnwell, Peter Boyle Rated PG for Mild Language "Born to be Wild" has a few nice moments in between about 90 minutes of astounding banality and stupidity.  This was a mildly promising idea that always takes the dumbest ideas and executes them terribly.  There are times when I was wondering if Ed Wood had come back to life and directed this movie. Rick Heller (Horneff) is a troublemaker.  Particularly after his father left him and his mother Margaret (Shaver).  After his latest joyride, she forces him to clean the cage at her lab, where she is studying a gorilla named Katie.  Unfortunately, the gorilla is leased to a collector named Gus Charlney (Boyle).  After his negligence results in the death of his previous gorilla, he takes Katie and puts her on display.  Naturally, the suddenly devoted Rick can't have that, so he frees the giant ape and flees to Canada.  Apparently, if they cross ...