Results (2015)

Results (2015)

Two mismatched personal trainers' lives are upended by the actions of a new, wealthy client.

Director:

 Andrew Bujalski.

Writer:

 Andrew Bujalski.

Stars:

 Guy Pearce, Cobie Smulders, Kevin Corrigan.

Storyline

Two mismatched personal trainers' lives are upended by the actions of a new, wealthy client.

By Melissa Antoinette Garza

I only recently heard of this film, but the reviews have been extremely positive. Though still in cinemas, it is currently available for rent off Amazon streaming.

Results follows gym owner Trevor (Guy Pearce) and the complicated relationship he has with employee Kat (Cobie Smulders). When Danny (Kevin Corrigan) recently acquires a hefty inheritance from his estranged mother shortly after a divorce, he decides to use a portion of it to get personal lessons from Trevor's gym with the hopes of successfully being able to withstand a punch.

Despite Trevor being wary, Kat insists she takes the job as she wants more clients. Danny has an instant attraction to her and she's not completely uncharmed by him. After stopping by his house to get high, they have a romantic encounter which most certainly means more to Danny than to Kat. When she comes over for her next session, Danny has a jazz band and a romantic dinner waiting. She becomes furious and storms out.

She runs to Trevor who is jealous as he and Kat were former lovers. Though it's obvious Kat wanted more, Trevor whose philosophy is based on visualizing goals and attaining them, didn't see her as a long-term part of his life. Despite his own feelings and affection for her, he insists on keeping their relationship professional.

Trevor calls Danny to threaten him, and when Danny is unimpressed with the tactic, Trevor shows up at his house. The two end up getting along and Trevor even starts training Danny to become stronger.

They become such good friends that Danny purchases 50% of the business to help Trevor's goal of expanding become a reality. A falling out of sorts occurs when Danny discovers Trevor's feelings for Kat. This is done extremely well as it's not for the usual rivalry reasons seen within most films depicting two people who share an affection for the same person.

The focus isn't on a love triangle, but instead the existence of three decent yet flawed individuals and the way in which each person impacts the other. The strengths and weaknesses of the trio compliment one another and help each find success in all avenues of their lives.

From start to finish I enjoyed this movie immensely. It will certainly be one I purchase once available. The characters are believable in The acting both from the main players and the supporting cast is fantastic.

Giovanni Ribisi portrays a corporate lawyer Danny befriends in a bar trying to score weed. I've always loved Ribisi's work and have followed his career for years. Whereas friends of the main characters can sometimes be easily forgotten, Ribisi really brings out the eccentricity in his portrayal to ensure, it won't be soon forgotten.

Another side character who brought so much to the table was Danny's ex-wife Christine (Elizabeth Berridge). At one point Danny thinks about going back to his ex, despite objections from Trevor. Rather than making Christine a caricature of the evil ex, Berridge portrayed her as a genuine and sympathetic woman who cares enough to be there for Danny when he's trying to reassess his life.

Berridge is Kevin Corrigan's real-life wife. She also played beside him on Grounded for Life as his girlfriend Amy which of all Eddie's girlfriends was my favorite and the one who stands out the most. Amy was a hilariously demented character, and Berridge flawlessly walked the line keeping her sympathetic and crazy without making her a villain. I really hope to see Berridge in some new projects soon as she always adds so much to any production.

Both Guy Pearce and Cobie Smulders were fantastic in their roles. They shared great chemistry and portrayed each character with a level of realism and intelligence.

Smulders was tough as nails as Kat without going overboard into Tomb Raider style badass-ery. She calls out a woman for not paying her bill on time and eating a cupcake with such a nonchalant aura of confidence that was both hilarious and cutthroat.

Last but never least, Kevin Corrigan stole every scene he was in. Danny could have been easily portrayed as a joyless person. He's a little insecure, depressed, bored, lost contact with his mother for years before her death, tries too hard and fails with women – the list goes on and on. Corrigan breathes life into Danny with his expressions, mannerisms, and humor which makes for some of the funniest scenes in recent cinematic history. Corrigan is one of those few actors who when walking in a room immediately takes over the scene. In everything he's in, opposite anyone, he just has that capability. The attention is drawn to him like eyes to Fireworks on the 4th of July. It's like Henry Fonda in 12 Angry Men (1957) or Sidney Poitier in A Raisin in the Sun (1961). Even when on screen with the best in the business, everyone is watching them because they have a level of talent which is unsurpassed. 

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Minions (2015)

Minions (2015)

Minions Stuart, Kevin and Bob are recruited by Scarlett Overkill, a super-villain who, alongside her inventor husband Herb, hatches a plot to take over the world.

Directors:

 Kyle Balda, Pierre Coffin.

Writer:

 Brian Lynch.

Stars:

 Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton.

Storyline

The story of Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment's Minions begins at the dawn of time. Starting as single-celled yellow organisms, Minions evolve through the ages, perpetually serving the most despicable of masters. Continuously unsuccessful at keeping these masters - from T. rex to Napoleon - the Minions find themselves without someone to serve and fall into a deep depression. But one Minion named Kevin has a plan, and he - alongside teen-age rebel Stuart and lovable little Bob - ventures out into the world to find a new evil boss for his brethren to follow. The trio embarks upon a thrilling journey that ultimately leads them to their next potential master, Scarlet Overkill (Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock), the world's first supervillainess ever. They travel from frigid Antarctica to 1960s New York City, ending in modern London, where they must face their biggest challenge to date: saving all of Minionkind...from annihilation. 

I don't usually write reviews but this was such a disappointment that I felt I had to put something. Most of the good jokes were shown in the trailers, so if you've seen the trailer then it's probably not worth the money. There were 3 of us watched this and although we all loved the despicable movies none of us enjoyed this. My son (11) said it felt like it was 2 hours long it was so boring. I can't really explain why it came across as so poor - but it just seemed really lazy and without Gru to play against the Minnions were just to simple. It was slapstick with no soul. The music although quite good didn't really seem to fit the film - just seemed to be tacked on at bit were they felt they should have a soundtrack and a famous song. Buy yourself a copy of despicable me and watch it again and again. Much better value for money! This just felt rushed, with loads of stock jokes, maybe hoping enough of them would hit the mark - they didn't.

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Mortdecai (2015)

Mortdecai (2015)

Juggling angry Russians, the British Mi5, and an international terrorist, debonair art dealer and part time rogue Charlie Mortdecai races to recover a stolen painting rumored to contain a code that leads to lost Nazi gold.

Director:

 David Koepp.

Writers:

 Eric Aronson (screenplay), Kyril Bonfiglioli (novel).

Stars:

 Johnny Depp, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ewan McGregor.

Storyline

Juggling some angry Russians, the British Mi5, his impossibly leggy wife and an international terrorist, debonair art dealer and part time rogue Charlie Mortdecai must traverse the globe armed only with his good looks and special charm in a race to recover a stolen painting rumored to contain the code to a lost bank account filled with Nazi gold.

On the 31st of January 2015, a great tragedy befell upon me. Being an avid cinema goer and comedy lover I decided to go and watch Mortdecai,a seemingly alright film. How wrong was I. 

Mortdecai was an abomination. Annoying and unlikable characters, an uninteresting story, and cheap laughs. All the factors that a good comedy should not have. With such a star studded cast and high budget i can not believe how far off the mark this film was. The following 3 points will explain to you why I despise this film.

Jokes: Please, the key to comedy is not repetition. I refuse to believe that the writers deliberately put in the amount of "Gag at the mustache" jokes that I saw. I think I laughed once during this movie.

Transitions: I'm talking about the plane scenes here. Overused and boring.

Johnny Depp: Annoying accent, Annoying character, Annoying Jokes, Annoying Depiction of Upper class England. Just annoying. This movie has single-handedly slit the throat of Johnny Depp's already dying career.

To conclude, do not pay to watch this movie. It will hurt both your brain and your wallet. If you do decide to see it, get a lighter ready; your going to want to burn you ticket.

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The Humbling (2014)

The Humbling (2014)

A stage actor who is slowly losing his mind engages in a relationship with a sexually confused younger woman.

Director:

 Barry Levinson

Writers:

 Buck Henry (screenplay), Michal Zebede(screenplay).

Stars:

 Al Pacino, Greta Gerwig, Nina Arianda.

Storyline

An aged and addled actor has his world turned upside down after he embarks upon an affair with a lesbian, in this acidulous adaptation of the Philip Roth novel.

One of the Problems with Al Pacino Films in Recent Years is His Aging. He Looks Old and One is Constantly Reminded as He Performs in Various Roles of Late at Just How Old He is Getting and Just How Old He Looks.

That is Definitely Not a Problem in This One. A Dark Comedy from Director Barry Levinson with a Script by Buck Henry from a Book by Philip Roth. Because, You See, the Character Pacino Plays is an Old Actor that is Losing His Grip on His Craft and His Looks are Not Receding, Their Lost. It's an Uncanny and Personal Role for Pacino.

It's an Odd Movie and Off Beat with an Awkward Rhythm that Comes Together Occasionally and Then Just as Quickly Quirks Up and Falls Out of Step. That Keeps Things Interesting and the Cast of One Goofy Character After Another Helps Things Stay Frosty.

Greta Gerwig Co-Stars with Pacino as a Scatterbrained Lesbian that has had a Life Long Crush on the Actor and She Helps the Strange Story Along with a Lot of Unpredictable Behavior. Overall, Worth a Watch for Something Different and to See Pacino Finally Playing His Age. 

An Arty Film for Lovers of Stage and Screen with Enough Gravitas to Entertain Thanks to Some Good Performers and Some Sharp Writing.

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The Wedding Ringer (2015)

The Wedding Ringer (2015)

Two weeks shy of his wedding, a socially awkward guy enters into a charade by hiring the owner of a company that provides best men for grooms in need.

Director:

 Jeremy Garelick.

Writers:

 Jeremy Garelick, Jay Lavender.

Stars:

 Kevin Hart, Josh Gad, Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting.

Storyline

Doug Harris (Josh Gad) is a lovable but socially awkward groom-to-be with a problem: he has no best man. With less than two weeks to go until he marries the girl of his dreams (Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting), Doug is referred to Jimmy Callahan (Kevin Hart), owner and CEO of Best Man, Inc., a company that provides flattering best men for socially challenged guys in need. What ensues is a hilarious wedding charade as they try to pull off the big con, and an unexpected budding bromance between Doug and his fake best man Jimmy.

I haven't laughed this much watching a movie in a very long time. It was truly a entertaining movie filled with laughter and comedy. A very positive and fun movie that will leave you with a big smile on your lips.I totally recommend this movie to anyone. Kevin Hart was great in his role, so was Josh Gad as well. I didn't expect this movie to be THIS good and funny. Loved every scene in this movie and each character in this movie was super hilarious. The only thing i can think of that wasn't that great was actually Kaley Cuoco-Sweetings acting, she was a bit annoying in this movie. But it doesn't matter everything else is perfect. You will not get disappointed in watching this movie, it will leave you with a big big smile on your lips.

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Loitering with Intent (2014)

Loitering with Intent (2014)

Showing one plot summary

Two male actors/close friends want to jumpstart their careers. They end up making a big shot producer think that they have a hot script that everyone wants to get their hands on. The 2 men then drive to upstate New York and hole up in a family member's country home- with 10 dedicated days to write said script. Dominic and Raphael then get derailed by a beautiful gardener, Ava and Dominic's sister, Gigi. Both women appear at the house, which was supposed to be serene enough to focus on the task at hand. But to add to the problems, Gigi's boyfriend Wayne arrives, still suffering from PTSD, and his brother Devon as well, creating even more havoc. A looming deadline and complicated personal histories create scenes that are humorous and emotional.

Director:

 Adam Rapp.

Writers:

 Michael Godere, Ivan Martin.

Stars:

 Ivan Martin, Michael Godere, Marisa Tomei.

Storyline

Two male actors/close friends want to jumpstart their careers. They end up making a big shot producer think that they have a hot script that everyone wants to get their hands on. The 2 men then drive to upstate New York and hole up in a family member's country home- with 10 dedicated days to write said script. Dominic and Raphael then get derailed by a beautiful gardener, Ava and Dominic's sister, Gigi. Both women appear at the house, which was supposed to be serene enough to focus on the task at hand. But to add to the problems, Gigi's boyfriend Wayne arrives, still suffering from PTSD, and his brother Devon as well, creating even more havoc. A looming deadline and complicated personal histories create scenes that are humorous and emotional.

I had not heard of this flick but noticed Sam Rockwell is one of the actors along with Marisa Tomei and these two seem to always give life to each role they play. Both are multidimensional actors always capable of capturing the viewer.

The basic plot is two actor/writers escape the distractions of NYC in the summer to go to a NY country side house to concentrate on writing a script. But unexpectedly find themselves even more distracted by family and friends who happen to show up. They also unexpectedly find themselves dealing with their own emotional & psychological needs and conflicts.

A well done story of people at crossroads in life. Don't expect closure at stories end because this story is just a look at a few days in these characters life.

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Match (2014)

Match (2014)

As a Juilliard professor is interviewed by a woman and her husband for her dissertation on the history of dance in 1960's New York, it becomes increasingly clear that there are ulterior motives to the couple's visit.

Director:

 Stephen Belber.

Writer:

 Stephen Belber.

Stars:

 Patrick Stewart, Carla Gugino, Matthew Lillard. 

Storyline

Tobi Powell (Patrick Stewart), an aging Juilliard dance professor with a colorful and international past, is interviewed by a woman and her husband (Carla Gugino & Matthew Lillard) for a dissertation she's writing about the history of dance in New York in the 1960's. As the interview proceeds, it becomes increasingly clear that there are ulterior motives to the couple's visit. Explosive revelation is followed by questions about truth versus belief. MATCH is a story about responsibility, artistic commitment...and love.

Match (2015) movie review: -Match is a limited release film that focuses entirely on an older dance instructor, played by Sir Patrick Stewart, who agrees to be interview by a younger couple, only to abruptly discover that they may have a very different agenda. (Nothing sinister, it's a drama, not a thriller) -Match is an example of an alright film that would be better, but really can't be because of its limitations.

-The story I thought was pretty good and deviant of cliché.

-The pace was probably too quick. With the story, it felt like a longer TV episode.

-The acting was good. Patrick Stewart did a good job, but other than learning how to dance, nothing outside of his skill set. Carla Gugino did well, but nothing beyond her usual roles. I was most impressed by Matthew Lillard, (live action Shaggy) who was really compelling and impressive.

-The characters were deep and there was a lot to either like or dislike. However there is no character that you really feel good liking.

-The music is forgettable. However playing one song twice worked in this.

-The thing I either really liked or really did not like was that the entire film takes place in like a day, and it is right to the point. It is 90 minutes of the main story.

-Match is rated-R for some language, although not heavy, and an R amount of sexual dialogue. By R standards it is not that bad though.

-Match is well acted, compelling, and has a well written story, but lacks in being anything more because of its runtime and lack of anything but the story. I will say I enjoyed it, but it is only worth watching on Netflix/Redbox. 7/10.

-Did you see Match? What did you think? Leave a comment or a like if this review helped and make sure to stay tuned for my review of The Wedding Ringer soon!

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Let's Kill Ward's Wife (2014)

Let's Kill Ward's Wife (2014)

Ward's wife is a bitch. Everyone knows it. Including Ward. After numerous conversations and ruminations on the subject amongst Ward's colorful group of friends, a fortuitous accident leads to a whole new world of problems and possibilities. Everyone hates Ward's wife and wants her dead, Ward (Donald Faison) most of all. But when his friends' murderous fantasies turn into an (accidental) reality, they have to deal with a whole new set of problems - like how to dispose of the body and still make their 3 p.m. tee time. Scott Foley's directorial debut is a blackly comic caper about helping a friend out of a bad relationship by any means necessary.

Director:

 Scott Foley.

Writer:

 Scott Foley.

Stars:

 Amy Acker, Ava Carpinello, James Carpinello.

Storyline

Ward's wife is a bitch. Everyone knows it. Including Ward. After numerous conversations and ruminations on the subject amongst Ward's colorful group of friends, a fortuitous accident leads to a whole new world of problems and possibilities.

Scott Foley did a fine job creating this lighthearted murder story and each actor pulls it all together. This is a fun but not so funny story of a group of close friends finding themselves involved in an accidental on purpose murder. Now they must dispose the evidence and here is found the brilliance of the story.

Maybe how the friends pull it all together isn't quite believable but you find yourself wanting them to get by with it - for reasons you will see at movies start.

It's an adventure, murder, mystery, and scheming story that is sure to keep you watching. My only disappointment was the ending at the bar - did I miss an important detail?

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