Movies: Mass Post... Part II

A bit more of a serious note today with some heavy dramas that I've seen lately.

We'll start with the amazing Dallas Buyers Club based on the true story of AIDS sufferer Ron Woodroof, set in the 1985. Woodroof (Matthew McConaughey) fought the FDA for years over the illegal drugs he was taking that were actually improving his quality of life as a HIV patient. He goes from being anti-gay to having a transgender best friend and business partner. After his discovery of alternative treatment drugs he starts up the Dallas Buyers Club: a loophole in the laws that allows him to legally sell memberships rather than the drugs themselves. Who knows how many lives he saved / extended with this endeavor. After watching this movie I can see why Jared Leto and McConaughey won Academy Awards for their performances, they were both amazing, especially Leto. Worth a watch.

The Book Thief is an adaption of the book by Markus Zusak, which I haven't read yet but is still on my to-read list after having watched the movie, so that's saying something right? Narrated by Death (Roger Allam), set in 1939 Nazi Germany, we know this movie will have some tense / sad parts, and man does it ever. The story revolves around Liesel (Sophie Nelisse) who just loves to read books in a time when books and knowledge are dangerous things to have. I don't want to give anything away but it's a really lovely story...right until it's not. Also starring Geoffrey Rush, who I just found out was born very close to where I was born. I would watch it again, probably after reading the book.

I had been waiting for 47 Ronin to come out but I hadn't heard anything about it except that it was a samurai movie starring Keanu Reeves (The Matrix). It's based on an old legend about a group of ronin - samurai without a master - who avenge their fallen lord. What I didn't realise about it was that there was going to be such a fantasy element to it, I suppose I should have known better though... The first beast scared the hell out of me purely because I wasn't expecting it. The animations are obvious but the creatures and the art itself is fantastic, as is the film style. I enjoyed it but then again, I enjoy a lot of foreign films... This is pretty Westernised though considering. It didn't do very well according to the box office but it's another movie that I would watch again.

That'll do for today. I have some rather strange movies lined up for tomorrow's post, so stay tuned!

Love Gee
xoxo

Biopic: CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story (2013)

CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story
Biography, Music

When I heard about this biopic I had to go and find it. I grew up with TLC, they were my high school jam ya'll! Seriously, I remember hanging out with the girls in the quad and working out all the dance moves during lunch. We even did No Scrubs as one of our music assignments; I can still remember the lead guitar tab for that song.

I won't talk too much about the film because you should go watch it. I found it very nostalgic and a little weird to watch scenes that I can actually remember happening, reenacted by these three girls who look, dance and speak a lot like the real thing. I remember after they won a bunch of awards and were asked by the media how the high life was going and they revealed they hadn't actually made any money. I remember Lisa - Left Eye - burning down a house and causing all kinds of a ruckus.

The three actresses - Keke Palmer, Drew Sidora and Niatia 'Lil Mama' Kirkland - did an amazing job. They recreated all the video clips as we saw them. I actually got to a point in the film where I forgot they weren't the real thing and that they were acting. In fact, Lil Mama did so well at portraying Left Eye that T-Boz and Chilli signed her up to be a part of TLC 2.0. They performed together at the AMAs just a few days ago. I didn't particularly like that performance, but her part in this film was brilliant.

If you grew up with TLC like I did, you should watch this film. Very nostalgic, very in-your-face honest, very good.

4 out of 5 waterfalls...

RIP Lisa Lopes

TV: Spartacus

Spartacus 
Action, Adventure, Biography

I have no idea why they class this biography, its not exactly correct is it?

I've loved this series since the beginning when Spartacus was played by Andy Whitfield who unfortunately passed away after battling cancer. The producers of the show even stalled for a season, airing the prequel Gods of the Arena in the hopes that he would recover and be able to continue the series. Unfortunately this didn't happen and the baton was passed to Liam McIntyre with Whitfield's blessing and he has done a fantastic job in continuing on this brilliant series!

I'm always a little shocked when this show starts up again. After a while of not watching it you tend to forget how much nudity, crassness and blood and guts are in this show and the first time you see a a string of naked slaves chained together casually walking through a marketplace, you actually have to take a second look. True Blood and Game of Thrones have nothing on this show as far as boob and wang go.

It's the story of a legendary Gladiator who leads a slave rebellion against the Roman Empire. The first season is the story of their slavery and escape while the second season revolves around their campaign and the Romans' response. The prequel is about the legendary Gladiator Gannicus (Dustin Clare) who is the only one to ever win his freedom from the arena. There is always lots of blood and gore and lots of sex; how can they go wrong?

Filmed in New Zealand with brilliant Australian and Kiwi cast members such as Manu Bennett (you might recognise him from Arrow right now), Lucy Lawless (uhh, Xena!), John Hannah, Peter Mensah and too many more to name.

Highly recommend this show even though I've heard that this season will be the last, it's worth it.

5 out of 5 Spartans...

Movie: Magic Mike (2012)

Magic Mike (2012)
Biography, Comedy, Drama

Ok, so as much as I know this is based on a true story and that true stories don't always have a clear-cut conclusion, this movie pissed me off. I'd heard from others that what this movie was lacking in plot line, it made up for in hotness. Yeah, I'll give you some of that, but it wasn't the lack of plot that got to me, it was the lack of conclusion.

Before I rail on and on about how annoyed I am by this movie, lets take a look at the steaming cast. We have Channing Tatum (Dear John, Haywire) as Magic Mike; shameless stripper working multiple jobs in the hope that one day he can start his own business. He meets The Kid - Alex Pettyfer (I Am Number Four, In Time) - on a job one day and invites him back to the club, shoving him totally unprepared on stage to strip terribly in baggy undies in front of a packed house of screaming ladies. He joins the gang which includes; Big Dick Richie (Joe Manganiello), Ken (Matt Bomer), Tarzan (Kevin Nash), Tito (Adam Rodriguez) and ring leader Dallas (Matthew McConaughey).

IMDB's synopsis - A male stripper teaches a younger performer how to party, pick up women and make easy money - is what follows. Things get a little hairy. Mike's friend Joanna (Olivia Munn) - who I immediately recognized as Sloan from The Newsroom! - dumps him, while The Kid's sister Brooke (Cody Horn) goes nuts at Mike for not looking after her little brother.

So there is some story line, which is great, but none of these story-lines actually conclude. Mike wants to start his own business, bank knocks him back but we never see if he did it or not. The Kid goes off the rails selling drugs and ends up owing some bad people lots of money. Mike pays the debt off for him and then leaves the club and The Kid takes up his spot. We've hear about Miami the whole way through the film and even though everyone seems really happy about that, we don't hear much more about it. There is not enough Matt Bomer. Mike has the hots for The Kid's sister and even though we see a little flirting and one kiss as the closing scene; that's pretty much it.

The hotness almost cancelled out the crappy plot...almost. I could have looked past it if they had showed us Mike starting his own business and The Kid running the show in Miami, but they didn't and I was left disappointed. So if you want to see this movie, make sure you're only watching it for the glistening abs...

2 out of 5 six-packs...

Movie: Machine-Gun Preacher (2011)

Machine-Gun Preacher (2011)
Action, Biography, Crime

I loved this movie, like, really loved it. I'd watch it again right now. I want all of you to watch it right now. You think the Kony 2012 Youtube sensation was something, try watching this movie. It's orginally a book written by Sam Childers - Another Man's War: The True Story of One Man's Battle to Save Children in the Sudan - about his life and some of the amazing things he's done.

I'm blown away. This guy went from a drug taking, biker ex-felon to a man of God on a mission to rescue as many Sudanese orphens and child-soldiers as he can. You think Kony is bad, take a leaf out of this guys' book, literally! *Adds to my Goodreads list*

We should probably set this straight right now; I'm not a believer of God but that does not mean that I don't respect those who do believe. My husband and I had a discussion during this movie about how sometimes it takes that belief for someone to get up and do something they know they should. Like Sam Childers; God saved him, but Sam also saved himself. I think both of those are true and sometimes it just takes that little bit of belief, that little push, from God or a friend or your own beliefs to achieve that thing.

In saying all this, this film is not always easy to watch. A lot of the beginning is about how Sam was before. Then there's a bit about his family and how he was saved and what brought him to Sudan in the first place. I hadn't seen a preview, had no idea what this film was about. All I knew was that it starred Gerard Butler (Law Abiding Citizen, RocknRolla) and some of the roles he picks have just knocked my socks off with how amazing they are. He has to be one of my favourite leading men right now and this film just proves it.

Besides the amazingness that is Butler, this film also stars Michelle Monaghan (Source Code) as Sam's wife Lynn and Michael Shannon (The Runaways) as Sam's best friend, Donnie. Sam and Lynn established the Machine Gun Preacher Angels of East Africa and you can donate to the appeal or buy a shirt from this link.

Amazing, can't stop thinking about it. Must buy a shirt.... or a well for the kids... or something! Keep up the work Sam, the world needs more people like you!

5 out of 5 happy kids...

The video below is of the real Sam Childers, the real Machine Gun Preacher. 

This video may be disturbing to some people...

Sam Childers on Twitter

Movie: The Devil's Double (2011)

The Devil's Double (2011)
Biography, Drama

Based on the alleged true story of Saddam Hussein's sadistic son, Uday and his body double, Latif. It's hard to believe that this is an entirely true story, it's so far fetched at times. I mean, you know this kind of thing probably does happen somewhere in the world, and Hussein's sons would probably be the people to do it, but it's more what you'd see in a James Bond flick.

Latif Yadia has published three books on the matter; I Was Saddam's Son, The Devil's Double and The Black Hole. I might add them to my Goodreads, something a bit different to what I normally read...

Latif and Uday are both played by Dominic Cooper (Captain America: The First Avenger, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) and he does both roles so fantastically that I had to check he actually played both roles and didn't have an identical twin! I want to see more of this guy, he's awesome!

Poor Latif is basically kidnapped - I mean, who can say no to Uday? No one, that's who - and transformed into Uday's exact double. He really is a sick spoiled man-child, he does whatever he wants. It's disgusting. Wonder if he was really like that in person, wouldn't want to find out...

Great ending! Doubt its entirely fact after doing a little research on the book/film but even so, captivating storyline.

4 out of 5 horny lil devils...

Uday: I had a word with the doctor, he says your cock's too big. We need to make a surgical reduction.

Latif: A what?

Uday: Chop a bit off.

Latif: What?!

Uday: Not much, just a teenie weenie.

Latif: Not much?!

Uday: My cock is well known in Bahgdad, the women, they talk.

Movie: Kill The Irishman (2011)

Kill The Irishman (2011)
Biography, Crime, Thriller

This is the true story of an Irish mobster in Cleveland named Danny Greene. It stars Ray Stevenson (Upcoming season of Dexter, Thor) who looks a little like Ray Romano's brother in Everybody Loves Raymond.

You've got to be kidding me Val Kilmer (Batman Forever, Top Gun)! He's popping up everywhere now! He's the cop which is even stranger to me because I always love to hate his characters and this time he's playing the good guy? Damn. And then there's Vincent D'Onofrio (Law and Order; Criminal Intent) and Christopher Walken (Pulp Fiction) who need no introductions and always play the best bad guys. 

I freakin' love Vinnie Jones (Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels). That accent is so dirty - like Brad Pitt in Snatch *reow* - and that quick appearance by Bob Gunton. I swear I've seen him in more than 24 and Royal Pains but I can't think where... and I couldn't get over the fact that his trusty sidekick reminded me of Drew Carey. Love it! Awesome casting, awesome cast.

Basically Greene gets enmeshed in the mob. He borrows a large sum of money to start a restaurant and loses it, and suddenly everyone's trying to kill him.... and they fail, many many times.... It's pretty amusing actually. And then of course, someone finally got him. 

Good movie. 

3 out of 5 assassinations....

Movie Quote - "Badge or no badge I'll cut your heart out with a rusty butter knife and eat it while it's still beating" - Val Kilmer

Movie: Moneyball (2011)

Moneyball (2011)
Biography, Drama, Sport

I'm not a major fan of Brad Pitt (Fight Club, Se7en), at least not recently anyway. It's not that I don't like him, I just don't see what the big deal is about... I'm not a fan of baseball either, it's not a big sport here in Australia. I don't think I've even ever watched a game, but I do understand it.

Still, I thought I'd give this one a go and by now you must have figured out that I will watch pretty much anything!

Everything I needed to know about this film is in the preview and I probably don't need to go through the torture of the long monologues and bartering conversations swapping baseball players I didn't know. But, it seems to be True Story Sunday and I thought I'd stick with the theme.

Billy Beane, coach of a failing baseball team wants more money to get better players to get more money, I get that. There's lots of arguing, lots of talking and I got a bit bored. Then in comes Jonah Hill? Was I the only one a bit confused to see the Jonah who usually stars in comedy dramas like Superbad and 21 Jump Street? Then I realized he plays a nerd. Riiight.

This is a feel-good true story, I probably wouldnt watch it again though... too long and too much talking for my liking.

2 out of 5 Sandlot Kids...

Movie Quote:"Talking, la la la la" - Pitt.

Secret: I wrote this review before I finished watching the movie.... hahaha