Better Living Through Chemistry (2014) 3/5

Better Living Through Chemicals (2014), directed by David Posamenteir (first film) is a film about a clean cut, by the book married pharmacist, Doug (Sam Rockwell),who just bought the pharmacy (Bishop Pharmacy) from his wife's father. This pharmacy is in a small town where everyone knows each other, and the Bishop pharmacy is also the closest thing to a doctor's office in town it seems.
Once a hot customer, rich by marriage, Elizabeth Roberts(Olivia Wilde) receives a delivery that Doug had to complete because of his employee that had to skip out in work early, Elizabeth seduces Doug and he ends up sleeping with her.
Meanwhile the love affair of Doug and Elizabeth is going on, Doug's home life isn't the best either. With an unruly son(Ethan) who gets in to trouble at school, to an over achieving, professional cyclist/intense spinning class instructor wife, both seem to be incredibly bored with Doug and his mundane daily life.
With a steamy affair going on, a mix of accessible pharmaceutical drugs seem to further bring Doug to the place he wants to be. With rejection from his wife and son, combined with Elizabeth's never around rich husband, the both start to plot the death of Elizabeth's husband in order for them to run away together with his money.
Upon the transfer of owners, the DEA launches an investigation on Bishop pharmacy for an inventory count.

Ok, so this film moves pretty slow in the first hour, plot building every aspect of Doug's life that could go wrong, and making it go wrong. Now in the beginning when Doug starts making these awful decisions you kind of feel for him. A guy stuck in a small town expecting to do the best he can because it's his father in laws pharmacy that he is taking over, receiving verbal abuse from his wife and isolated son. He eventually takes it to far to balance all three his affair, his relationship with his wife, and his relations

hip with his son, all on top of the DEA investigation of Bishop Pharmacy of a pill inventory that he is stealing from for his affair. So, I guess if I was in the same position, murder would be the only way out.
I really like the way this film played out, being a bit slow made it somewhat boring in the beginning, but still had this feeling that Doug was about to have a mental break and go insane, which is what made me stay for the rest, which I'm glad I did, the last I'd say 30-45 minutes are just filled with "oh shit" moments. Which is portrayed in the most hilarious fashion. Between how he gains the respect of his son, to how he takes his wife on and shows her up, in the craziest fuck everyone type of way.
This brings me to the characters. Doug is played by Sam Rockwell, who is an amazing actor in such recent films as Poltergeist, which if you haven't read my review on it, I'll link it here, Cowboys vs Aliens, The Sitter, Conviction, so many great films, but personally it would of been a whole lot funnier with another actor, the movie was great, but someone who could take this movie to another level. First person that comes to mind would be Steve Carell, but still a great movie nonetheless. Elizabeth and Kara (Doug's wife) are played by Olivia Wilde(Drinking Buddies, The Lazarus Effect, House) and Michelle Monaghan(Gone baby, Due Date) I also felt should of been played by other characters, maybe Katie Holmes and Michelle Monaghan as Elizabeth? Still regardless, the cast that was casted still did a good job. In the end I give this movie a 3/5 for now slow starting off it was, to where it seemed the cast could of done more, but still did a great job throughout making it still a great hilarious story and movie.

The Cobbler (2014) Netflix Exclusive 5/5

IMDB.com

The Cobbler directed by Thomas McCarthy (2012, Meet the Parents, UP) starring Adam Sandler (do I really need to mention what he has been in?) and Steve Buscemi ( Fargo, Grown Ups 2, G-Force), is a unique story about a shoe repair shop worker who uses an older manuel shoe repair machine after his breaks down only to find that it has given the ability to see through the eyes of whoever's shoes they are. Bringing new to light to walk a mile in someones shoes.

nypost.com

This film is a refreshing move for Adam Sandler, showing his range as an actor rather than another predictable Happy Madison film;(I.E Grown Ups, Deuce Bigalow, Mall Cop,) Although the movie started off slow, it kicks it up a notch with comedic humor that is expected with Adam Sandler films. From all the actors who were portrayed in this film they all seemed to be able to nail Sandlers comedic film style, making it more believable to everyone watching.

I give this movie a 5/5,

The Cobbler:

Movie Review: Would you Rather (2012): 5/5

Coming from a director who is used to doing shorts, David Guy Levy hits it out of the park with this sinister twist on a childhood game. With the help of a cast of great actors this film had me intensely watching the entire time. With a great cast, this movie soared out of my expectations. Starring Brittany Snow (Pitch Perfect,John Tucker Must Die) as Iris, Jeffrey Combs(The 4400, Transformer Prime: The game) as Shepard Lamrick, and Sasha Grey(Multiple Pornographic films) as the wonderfully bitchy character Amy.

When Iris is put into  a stressful decision about her brother needing a transplant, a wealthy millionaire offers her and others the chance to win a game and fix their problems. 

This film really had me in it from the first 5 minutes, all the way until the very end. Between the decisions they have to make, to how they try (and fail) to work as a group to get all out together. Jeffery combs really is what set this movie over the top, he did such a great job as a sinister, manipulative, villain that gave me chills. I would hands down give this film 5/5. From the opening scene to the credits I was hooked. This is exactly how you should make horror films, I look forward to seeing more from David in his future films.

Would You Rather(2012):

Information and pictures obtained from Here, Here, Here, 

Movie Review: Snowpiercer (2013) 4/5

Snowpiercer, directed by korean director Joon-ho Bong(Tokyo, Haemoo) ,starring Chris Evans (Captain American, Avengers), is a post-apocalyptic movie where countries around the world, in an effect to reverse global warming, release CW-7 into the air creating such a reaction that turns the earth into a giant ice ball.  Prior to the reaction of the chemical, one designer created Wilford Industries, foresaw this outcome and invented an eternal engine, an engine that will never die. This engine is housed in a super train that holds the remains of humanity. This train was designed with all aspects of life in mind, carrying an aquarium, a full sauna, a night club and all of the thing you would hope to find in a "normal" scenario. Although, just like in the real world, the back of the train holds the lower class. This part of the train is packed with as many people as possible, being only fed protein bars manufactured specifically for the tail passengers. Tired of living the way they do, along with the abduction of all the children tail passengers, the occupants stage a revolt.

This movie overall is great, the action and special effects are quite amazing along with the unique idea of a super train that inhabits the remainder of humanity. The journey from the tail passengers through all of the different trains on the car really show you how the social classes work. Going from the dark, cramped, dirty to the better cars that cater to the higher class society shows you how well they were treated compared to others. This movie offers the feeling of a society that has been ripped away from everything, yet still feels like it is set in the future.

With the crazy awesome action scenes and the way they made the apocalypse on a train seem like a viable way of life when the world goes to hell, I give it a 4/5. This is a movie I wish would have been in 3D or IMAX.

Snowpiercer(2013)

actor information obtained from IMDB

Images from Here, Here, Here.

Movie Review: Poltergeist (2015) 3/5

Poltergeist is another remake from the 1982 original directed by, Tobe Hooper (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, TCM2) written by the great, Steven Spielberg(Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List) and starring, Craig T Nelson (The Incredibles, Red Riding Hood, The Proposal). The original Poltergeist movie was great, for the time that it was released it was considered a very terrifying film. It did very well for its self, earning 4 awards(3 Oscars and 1 BAFTA award) and gaining two sequels also.

The remake of Poltergeist starring Sam Rockwell (The Green Mile,Seven Psychopaths) had high expectations on my part due to that fact of how well he original movies were. For the most part it lived up to the hype. But going and seeing any PG-13 film now comes with other drawbacks that you have to deal with in most theaters, because it is a PG-13 film, the odds are if you went and saw it either opening weekend or a couple days after, you had to deal with the young kids yelling and screaming at the screen every 30 seconds. The film its self, was good, I wouldn't say great. The cast had good chemistry throughout the film, along with a bit of humor. It was just boring, other then the clowns that come to life, the first hour of the movie was pretty boring. I understand you have to build upon the plot to get a good climax, but it was a crazy amount of time building the plot before the climax hits. This film probably could of been cut down at least 30 minutes in it's over all time of 93 minutes.

The climax was great though. between all of special effects and the way they connected the real world from the spirit world was fantastic. Between then chaos that is happening inside the spirit world and how detailed it is, combined with the chaos that is happening in the house on the real side was great.

All in all I give this a 3/5 mostly for the length of the film and unnecessary storytelling,  I do think they made up a lot of that time though with a great finale, one where I was at the edge of my seat. I wouldn't go see this in theaters again simply because of the things stated above, but I would pick it for a movie to watch at home with the lights out.

Poltergeist (2015)

Poltergeist (1982)

All actor information/actress/film information used from IMDB

Upcoming Films: Point Break 2/5

So, looking at different trailers today, another remake that shouldn't happen is happening. Point Break's plot from the trailer pretty much shows a action packed heist thriller. If this was all it was, another heist film with lots of explosions, firefights, and choreographed fight scenes, I would be happy with that, haven't really seen a good heist film since The Town. The only thing that is really disappointing, is the plot line.

Extreme athletes gone vigilante, from quoting the original trailer from 1991, "anything to catch the perfect wave" pretty much makes me feel like all it is is adrenaline junkies gone mad for more. What I don't understand is how someone who does extreme sports and isn't getting the 'high' they want from it, go directly to killing tons of people and robbing banks. It comes across as someone who had caffeine for the first time, and is suddenly craving heroin. This is a huge plot hole for me, and just thinking about that in the trailer makes me not want to see it. Maybe as a Redbox rental, or waiting for it to become available on Netflix or Hulu.
The whole heist type of movie is great, but for something like that to be successful in anyway it needs to  have a strong backstory to help everything come together.  I would rate it a 2/5, mostly because of the ridiculous story, I do look forward to seeing how the special effects, and action scenes do turn out though.

Point Break (2015)

Original Point Break (1991)