Third Person

Third Person, the latest film from Oscar Award winner writer/director Paul Haggis is a complete mind fuck, in a good way. It takes you on a myriad of journeys as you follow a collection of some seriously flawed and sometimes very damaged people as they live their lives. The story within the story element here works for me on a good number of levels which is why I give Third Person three buckets of Killer Korn.












I first became consciously aware of Paul Haggis when I first saw the 2004 Best Picture award winning film Crash. It was a movie that stunned me into silence, granted it was a bit heavy handed at times, but it made a significant point to me about the world in which I inhabit. I instantly became a Haggis fan and since that day in 2004 he hasn't really let me down. I won't say he's done spectacular work, but when I see the name Paul Haggis, I expect nothing less than a well written story and a solid film. That's exactly what I got in his latest offering, Third Person. Since the movie is about a writer, much like myself I definitely wanted to see it, to see if I could relate to it in some way. Needless to say I could. The film follows many characters played by a collection of talented actors like Liam Neeson, Olivia Wilde, Mila Kunis, Maria Bello, Adrien Brody, Kim Basinger, James Franco and on and on. They all play people struggling in some way to make it to the next day. Some deal with insecurities so paralyzing that that they could stop a team of oxen in it's tracks while others will do anything, absolutely ANYTHING for love.

Liam Neeson is a world renown, Pulitzer prized novelist and he is currently working on a new book. Apparently what makes him such a good read is he exposes his life on the pages of his tomes, baring his soul for all those who dare to read. The movie shows the characters living out their lives and doing battle with each other on one level or another and most of those battles center around children. One woman is fighting to see the son she almost let die in her care as she goes up against her famous artist ex husband. Another is a couple dealing with the loss of a child due to neglect that tears them apart at the seams. There is a woman who falls for a man as he tries to do everything he can to help get her daughter out of the hands of an extortionist. And the most interesting storyline is the author's affair with a beautiful young, vibrant, independent, cruel, and extremely insecure woman. Like Crash I wondered if all these story lines would somehow intersect, that would have been amazing. Instead what I got was an ending that wasn't as amazing as it was satisfying.

Third Person is an intriguing film, I just don't think everyone would get it. I fell in love with this movie because I understood the author and his creative process, how as a writer you eat, sleep, and breathe your characters every day and you get to know them almost as well as you know yourself. That "living in your head" thing that most writers get accused of is prevalent here, but it's done in an honest and truthful way. Shot by cinematographer Gianfilippo Corticelli, this movie was beautiful to look at. With this kind of story the film was shot with a realism that was almost surprising. Scored by the Oscar Award winning composer Dario Marianelli, the music was amazing. It fit the pace, playfulness, and heartbreak of this film perfectly. Kudos to you Dario. I recommend Third Person but that comes with a caveat, if you leave the film scratching your head don't say I didn't warn you...because I did. I'll see you at the theater.

MarkEricEntertainment

Transformers: Age Of Extinction

Transformers: Age of Extinction, the latest movie from bombastic director Michael Bay is at times entertaining and at others just utterly ridiculous. In typical Bay fashion this movie is completely over the top, long, and almost incoherent. Since I have decided to movie to a five bucket review system, and since every Micheal Bay movie looks alike, leading me to believe he is a one trick pony, I am going to give Transformers: Age of Extinction two buckets of Killer Korn.











Two words that describe Transformers: Age of Extinction aka T4 perfectly are looooong and LOUD! Was it witty, charming, engaging? Not really? Did it have confusing elements that made no sense? Yes! Did it have plot holes the size of which you could drive two semi's through side by side? Absolutely! Did it have action you could barely keep up with because the camera was too close? Isn't that the Michael Bay way? Was there way too much on the Yeager family, a family you don't really give a damn about? Is the sun hot? The same problem I had with Godzilla, where they focused too much on the family aspect of the story and not enough on the monster is the same complaint I have here. The only difference between Godzilla and Transformers 4 is in T4 they tried to balance human interaction and robot action which led to this being an almost three hour movie. Yes, I'll say that again, Transformers: Age of Extinction was almost THREE FUCKING HOURS LONG! And for NO damn reason other than to justify it's $210 million dollar budget. Honestly I was surprised that they even decided to do a fourth film, but when I found out T3 made over $1.1 billion dollars at the box office, it all quickly made sense to me.

This time around, there's no Shia playing the bumbling, frenetic Sam Witwicky. Taking his place is the overacting Mark Wahlberg who plays Texas inventor (quite the stretch there) Cade Yeager. Cade finds a truck in an abandoned movie theater he is cleaning out for parts and brings said truck home to his farm. Turns out this truck is the hunted outlaw Optimus Prime who's been turned on by the humans he saved in Chicago in the previous film. Of course there's the blonde haired, blue eyed, short shorts wearing girl, typical Bay casting, who's Cade's daughter Tessa, played by Nicola Peltz. She does the typical Bay thing of being strong one minute and then screaming like a little helpless baby the next. Her boyfriend is an Irish rally car racer (yes apparently there are Irish rally car racers in Texas, who knew?) Tessa falls for against her fathers wishes. He is Shane Dyson, played by Jack Reynor and this movie would have been just fine without his presence, but the dating element gives Bay an excuse to focus on the family as they use cliche'd, melodramatic dialogue every chance they got. The plot seems like it was conceived during a night of booze and weed (and maybe some pills), because it made NO sense. Writer Ehren Kruger may need an intervention people, seriously.

Surprisingly Stanley Tucci and Kelsey Grammer are in Transformers 4, I'm guessing to add some gravitas. They failed to do so, but I'm sure they were paid handsomely for their efforts. This film looks like every other Michael Bay film except this time around it's louder, bigger, and longer. Scored again by the masterful Steve Jablonsky, the music was the best thing in the movie. Subtle at times, dramatic at others but never overreaching, which I appreciate. Steve could have easily mailed this one in but he's been making incredible strides as a composer in my opinion and has elevated his game with every new score. The cinematography by Amir Mokri, who did T3 was nothing new. It was a very bright and pretty film to look at with some interesting camera work, same as the last Transformers movie. So to summarize, if you have almost three hours to spare, have a twenty burning a hole in your pocket, and you don't mind unabashed nonsensical movies with mammoth sized plot holes, then check out Transformers: Age of Extinction and I'll see you at the theater.

Mark Eric Entertainment

Think Like A Man Too

Think like A Man Too, the latest from director Tim Story is in league to be one of the worst films of the year in my opinion. It falls flat on almost every level and it has not one iota of the charm it's predecessor possessed. It truly was a waste of time and money and because of that I can only bring myself to give Think Like A Man Too a half a bucket of killer Korn.












I can't fucking stand a "cash grab movie", I hate them with a passion so intense it could cause a natural disaster. A "cash grab movie" is a movie that doesn't need to be made but because the first movie made a good amount at the box office, the producers decide to make another movie, a sequel in the hopes that the people will come out and see it like they did the first. Never mind the fact that after the opening weekend, word of mouth is going to scuttle the film and send it to the bottom of the ocean. They're fine with that as long as the movie opens big. Guess what ya'll, Think Like A Man Too may just very well sink to the bottom of the ocean after its big opening weekend.

Starring all the same players from the first one, this time around absolutely nothing has changed. There has been absolutely no growth or evolution in any of the characters or their relationships. The same problems that confronted the characters in the witty first movie are almost the same ones that confront them in this unnecessary and idiotic second one. Now I am aware that my opinion WILL be in the minority on this film and that people will probably talk about how much they loved it and how funny it was. I get that, and I'm cool with that because it happens almost all the time, but I don't care. I am not going to be fed bullshit by director Tim Story, writers Keith Merryman and David A. Newman, the films producers, and the marketing campaign and have them make me believe they are feeding me a five star Michelin meal.

Some of the actors look like they are there for a paycheck, and there is WAY too much Kevin Hart being Kevin Hart in this movie. Over the top is putting it mildly and his Risky Business routine falls flat. This time around, if you aren't aware, all the friends and their significant others converge in Las Vegas (yawn) for bachelor and bachelorette parties and a wedding. After the first film works to bring these couples together, this film rips them apart in the most hedonistic city in the country. What could POSSIBLY go wrong? This is a tired, predictable, and lame movie that I honestly hope does well. I'll tell you why.

The fate of a few potential Black films are hanging in the balance. Hollywood is waiting to see how Think does at the box office before green lighting a movie like Best Man 3. That is completely unfair and racist of Hollywood to put the burden on this movie to do well enough to see if the studios are willing to back other Black films when that same structure doesn't exist for white movies. And because I thought Best Man 2 was amazing I hope Think Like A Man Too earns enough money for studios to allow production to begin on other Black movies like Best Man 3. The question is will word of mouth not only kill this movie but future African American heavy films as well? Only time will tell but if I had a choice I would tell you all to stay away from this god awful film. The women are cardboard cutouts, what they want and feel don't matter as most of the screen time went to the guys. There is no personal growth recognizable in the beginning of the movie and they only come to those moments at the end, just like they did in the first one. All the women seem to want to do is get drunk and party. There are no moments of romance or joy in this movie and the chemistry that was so profound in the first movie was sorely missing this time around.

Honestly, everyone should skip Think Like A Man Too, save their money, and watch the original again. However, if we want a Best Man 3 and other Black movies, then this movie is going to need your support even though it doesn't deserve it on any level. I'll see you at the theater.  

MarkEricEntertainment

Ivory Tower

Ivory Tower, the latest documentary from director Andrew Rossi is a frightening movie about the high price of higher education. This movie will make you think, it will upset you, and it will enlighten you on what the colleges and universities across the country are doing that puts students and families in serious debt. Because I loved this movie, and because I walked out happy that I am not burdened by the staggering and suffocating debt that parents get into trying to get their kids a really fancy diploma, I have to give Ivory Tower three buckets of Killer Korn.









I don't usually do documentaries but when I saw this trailer I knew I HAD to see this film. The trailer grabbed me and it wouldn't let me go until it ended. And when I left the theater I felt this movie should be seen by EVERYONE FOR FREE! It should be on youtube or some other platform where it can be viewed for free because it needs to be. Andrew takes you on a tour of certain universities that have campuses that look like small cities. That explains to a certain extent why schools cost so much and it taught me something I didn't know anything about. Ronald Reagan is almost single handedly responsible for the lack of federal funding for higher learning institutions which then made those schools raise tuition costs. He thought it wasn't the federal governments responsibility to help pay for education, and ran for President on that platform and won. That seems to have been the death knell for kids whose parents couldn't afford to pay the rising tuition prices.

This film follows certain story lines of a few kids and they are incredibly compelling and it really rounds this movie out. It also adds a very provocative perspective on staying in college, dropping out of college, and to whether or not college is even necessary. Ivory Tower shows you a free college for men only called Deep Springs College, it compares that college to Playboy's choice for number one party school for 2014, Arizona State University. Tower also brings up the occupation of Cooper Union by the students who fought to keep the school from charging tuition back in 2013. Ivory Tower will have you scratching your head as to how this industry hasn't imploded in on itself yet and how there is still a message that brainwashes both kids and parents alike about how college will lead kids to a better life. There is no certainty of that as Tower shows a graduate with a Masters applying for a job at Starbucks, but what college will definitely ensure is debt. Serious, soul crushing debt that Starbucks won't help anyone get out from under...EVER!

See Ivory Tower if you have kids or you know someone who has kids who are almost at that age where colleges are talked about. Then direct those kids as fast as you can to Peter Thiel and I'll see you at the theater.

MarkEricEntertainment

How To Train Your Dragon 2

How To Train Your Dragon 2, the latest movie from writer/director Dean DeBlois just clearly indicated to me why I don't see animated movies. The 12 year old boy that lives within doesn't get moved by animated movies and fell asleep as this movie unspooled. Now because all the things I love about movies don't apply here such as acting, sets, cinematography and so forth, I can only give this movie two buckets of Killer Korn (but your kids will LOVE it).












The most important thing about an animated film in today's world isn't the animation, since that's pretty much all computer driven. No, the most important thing is the story. So, with that being said let me start with the first Dragon film. Now just to be clear, I didn't see the first Dragon film in theaters, but nonetheless I thought it was adorable. It was funny, charming, and engrossing with an edge. In the first movie you never meet Hiccup's mother, Hiccup voiced by the actor Jay Baruchel. He's a young forward thinking viking who's father Stoick, voiced by Gerard Butler who is the leader of the village is stuck in his ways when it comes to dragons. THEY ALL MUST DIE! That is until the dragons prove themselves worthy in battle and save the humans.

Dragon 2 shows Hiccup's village now fully incorporating the dragons in everyday life and loving everything about them. They even have dragon races, complete with sheep (looks kinda like a Quidditch match from a Potter movie if you ask me). The main character Hiccup and his dragon Toothless are out exploring the world due to a conversation father and son had earlier in the day. It's too much pressure on the skinny boys shoulders, so he runs, well flies, you know what I mean. I won't drop any spoilers here but I will say that Hiccup and Toothless run into a dragon nest that's run by a mammoth Alpha dragon and a human, who seems to be the caretaker. That human happens to be Valka, voiced by Cate Blanchett and she is Hiccup's mother.

There is a battle that ensues and it's epic. Even for an animated movie it was impressive. I won't give out any key plot points, just know that Dragon 3 is already underway. The music to Dragon 2 by John Powell was nicely done. It was lively most of the time as it tried to keep up with the images on the screen, and poignant at just the right moments (particularly during the family reunion). If you are a fan of animated movies and you enjoyed the first Dragon then How to Train Your Dragon 2 (still one of the worst movie titles ever in my opinion) will not disappoint. I'll see you at the theater.

MarkEricEntertainment

The Signal

The Signal, the latest film from writer/director William Eubank is an intriguing film about the other side of alien abduction. It has a "down the rabbit hole" feel which could have gone off the rails easily, but with this film you care about the characters and that's what holds this film together. The creepy feel to the movie keeps you on your toes all the way to the end and that's the reason I give The Signal three buckets of Killer Korn.











I am going to tell you off the bat, The Signal isn't anything new in the sci-fi genre and it's unlike anything you've ever seen before. I know, I know, confusing right? Exactly. The Signal is the kind of movie that makes you THINK you have it all figured out and that you know where it's going, only to have the rug pulled out from under your feet at the end. I walked out of the theater both happy it was over and sad it had ended. This movie takes you from pillar to post. Let me explain.

The Signal stars three relative newcomers to the movie world. Little known Brenton Thwaites plays Nic, a guy on crutches helping his girlfriend move across country to go to school in California. His girlfriend Haley is played by Olivia Cooke, and they are joined by their best friend Jonah played by Beau Knapp. Those three were once students at MIT and while there their computers and servers were hacked by someone named Nomad. Nomad also hacked the computers of some students and Nic and Jonah were some of his victims. While traveling across America, Nomad makes contact with them again and this time they decide to track him down and give him a piece of their mind. Haley thinks they should just let it go but boys being boys, they dive in head first.

From there, the movie get's truly interesting. One second they are at the location of the IP address used by Nomad, the next they are awakened by hazmat suited scientist trying to discern what happened to them. Leading the scientists is the creepy soft spoken Dr. Damon played by the amazingly gifted Laurence Fishburne. The rest of the movie from that point on will have you wondering why certain things don't add up, but you won't figure that out until after you've left the theater. I always love movies like that, those that ferment in your mind and get better each passing day until you have to tell others that they should go see it, and that they should prepare themselves for what's coming.

The Signal is William Eubank's second film who cut his teeth as a cinematographer in the industry, so while the direction is somewhat iffy at times, the film looks absolutely breathtaking thanks to cinematographer David Lanzenberg. The music by Nima Fakhrara is dark and moody and perfect for the tone of this film. At times it's poignant, lush, desperate, and sparse which fits the characters and their struggles beautifully. It was a job well done. This movie, as stated earlier is about the other side of alien abduction and if you're truly interested in that, along with seeing something you've seen a thousand times and something you've never truly seen before, then I highly recommend The Signal. I'll see you at the theater.

MarkEricEntertainment

Edge of Tomorrow

Edge of Tomorrow, the latest film by one of my favorite directors, Doug Liman is rollicking, roller coaster of a ride filled with humor, action, and a mind bending plot device. In the hands of a lesser skilled director, this movie could have been horrid, but Doug Liman is in fact one of the best directors in the game today, and he's the reason why Edge of Tomorrow get's three buckets of Killer Korn.











You've seen the poster for this movie, right? You've read the tag line haven't you, the "LIVE, DIE, REPEAT" words emblazoned across the figures of Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt? They are to be taken quite literally in this film. Now like I said, Edge could have been crap, and in some circles the pre-buzz talk was that it was. I heard a number of things about how bad it was and that it made no sense and how spending money on a ticket was akin to lighting that money on fire. I, of course laughed in the face of those naysayers for one reason, well actually two reasons, but the MAIN reason was Doug Liman. The man behind The Bourne Identity with Matt Damon and Mr. and Mrs. Smith with Brad and Angelina just to name a few reassured me that Edge was going to deliver, and deliver it did. The second reason that assured me this movie was going to impress was that the screenplay was written by Christopher McQuarrie. If you have no idea who he is then know this, if you saw The Usual Suspects, The Way of the Gun, Valkyrie, The Tourist, or Jack Reacher and you liked any of those films, then you have him to thank because he wrote the screenplays for those movies. Adapted from the book All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka, Christopher did a masterful job of taking a wonderful book and turning it into a screenplay that kept all of the magic the book brought to the reader.

Starring Tom as Major Cage, a one time advertising executive until the alien invasion hit is a straight up coward with no combat training. He's thrust to the front lines and is forced to take part in Operation Downfall. He is woefully out of place and when he lands on the beach you know it's just a matter of time before this guy buys it. The military, the United Defense Forces are battling the Mimics, the alien horde, and Cage's platoon get's wiped out. In the process however, Cage kills an Alpha Mimic and get's bathed in it's blood giving Cage the power reset the day. He wakes up that morning and starts the day all over again. He meets Rita Vrataski on the beach who is single handedly responsible for winning an earlier battle at Verdun before Downfall and is a hero to all who fight now. Cage saves her life, and after saving her life a few times, Rita knows that Cage has the power of reset because she had it too and agrees to train Cage to become a legitimate soldier. No one else in the cast really matters which is one of the drawbacks of this film. Everyone else basks in the shadows of Tom and Emily which is unfortunate because with the other characters in the film a real tapestry of emotions could have been woven into the fabric of this story. Doug however has never really cared about that in his films, he's a straight ahead story teller and if he can tell the story using just two characters to focus on then that's what he'll do.

Edge of Tomorrow is still a great movie. The action sequences are fantastic and while the body armor looked cheesy (seriously, they could have done a better job with that), they don't take away from the movie or the characters journeys. The acting is superb and as a fan of both Tom and Emily's this movie just strengthened my appreciation for what they can do. The dialogue is witty, emotional, humorous, and sparse. The sets looked like millions were spent and in a movie loaded with CG aliens which always costs a pretty penny, it looks like no expense was spared. My only other issue with this film was the music, utterly forgettable. I'm no real fan Christophe Beck and this score showed me why as it was devoid of so many key elements needed and it didn't really match much of what was on the screen. Sure he nailed the action sequences but when the movie turned quiet or funny, Christophe missed the mark. All in all though, Edge of Tomorrow is a film I highly recommend (even to you Tom Cruise haters, and you know who you are), it is worth the price of admission. Trust me and I'll see you at the theater.

MarkEricEntertainment