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In: 2015, Hot Take

Hot Take: From socially awkward to socially asshole, Slow Learners loses it’s way but finds it’s way back. There are laugh out loud moments but the middle 30-40 minutes derails a brilliantly comedic opening and a satisfying albeit predictable ending.

Unlike it’s title, Slow Learners starts off fast with wry, comedic wit and characters you can’t help but like. Jeff (Adam Pally) and Anne (Sarah Burns) play co-workers and close friends who decide to stop being polite and start being… wait, that’s the intro to MTV’s The Real World. Let’s try again. Jeff and Anne have no look, no game and are too damn nice. They decide they are sick and tired of being nice and make a pact to reinvent themselves and live a summer full of alcohol and sex. (That’s MTV’s The Real World, too… but only by coincidence this time.)Read More →

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In: 2015, Trailers

Anticipation (Before Trailer): 75/100

Anticipation (After Trailer): 85/100

Don’t take the anticipation as excitement. This is more curiosity than anything. Why’s the whale so damn fast? Why does the inspirational real-life tale that inspired Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick” look ridiculously unrealistic? Why do I feel like I’m going to hate In the Heart of the Sea?

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In: 2016, Trailers

Anticipation (After International First Look): 45/100

Anticipation (After Trailer): 45/100

The concept of this alien invasion YA thriller is fleshed out here. Watching the official trailer, I already feel like The 5th Wave will drag it’s way through this somewhat interesting idea. I’ll be curious to see how much time The 5th Wave spends on the 1st through 4th waves.

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In: 2016, Hot Take, Trailers

Anticipation (Before Trailer): 50/100

Anticipation (After Trailer): 80/100

Any live action creation of an animated feature brings skepticism. The Jungle Book looks made for the theater and visually impressive. There will be plenty of internet nonsense about the “crappy CGI” but that’s pretty much every CGI-heavy film ever.

See you in 2016!

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In: 2016, Hot Take, Trailers

Anticipation (Before Trailer): 30/100

Anticipation (After Trailer): 40/100

Colonia wasn’t on the radar before seeing the trailer. Emma Watson is one of the many Harry Potter stars worthy of a post-Potter flyer. However, Colonia doesn’t feel like the vehicle.

Maybe I’m wrong but a January release date doesn’t bode well either. Sorry Hermione.

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In: 2015, Hot Take

Hot Take: An unnerving low-budget Sci-Fi horror/thriller with some subtle and not so subtle influences from a multitude of other films. The Hive isn’t scary but while some will find it gory, it’s black goo. Somehow The Hive makes the end of humanity as we know it kind of fun to watch.

To be totally honest, you’re not going to get a lot out of this blog from me about horror movies (maybe if we grow, we’ll get a horror guru) but sometimes a horror film is intriguing enough to bring me into the dark. Enter Nerdist‘s one night showing of The Hive.

The Hive brought a fairly unique version of a virus wiping out humanity to a film with obvious influence and reverence for a number of films. From Evil Dead to Memento to 28 Days Later to Cast Away (yes, Cast Away!), director David Yarovesky delivers an interesting, highly watchable, unnerving tale of YAZA in the age of YAZA (Yet Another Zombie Apocalypse). Read More →

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In: 2015, Hot Take, Trailers

Anticipation (Before Trailer): 85/100

Anticipation (After Trailer): 95/100

Growing up, Rocky was one of the best movie franchises of all time. The first two movies are cinematic masterpieces. Rocky III, Rocky IV and Rocky V are great popcorn flicks. Then, the series returned to its roots with Rocky Balboa. Everyone has their favorite. Everyone has their least favorite. Personally, I’m not a big fan of III or V. I’m torn between I and II as they are very different in structure and feel.

Plucking Creed from the Rocky universe and marrying it with Fruitvale Station (one of the best films of 2013) director Ryan Coogler and star Michael B. Jordan had me before the first trailer, sealed the deal with trailer one and now has me completely salivating after the second trailer. Jordan is going to be huge and my gut tells me this delivers.

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In: 2013, Hot Take

Hot Take: Technically, Gravity is nearly flawless. Great! Once you strip away the stunning, beautiful visuals you have a good (not great) movie with respected actors playing themselves as astronauts. In summary: Great experience, good movie.

My first experience with Gravity was on a 20″ screen. Even on a 20″ tube television, the Alfonso Cuaron helmed film is spectacular to look at. The beautiful visuals and tight, meticulous camera work were both mesmerizing and frustrating but only the latter because I somehow missed this at theaters and will not be happy until I experience it.Read More →

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In: 2015, Hot Take, Trailers

Anticipation (Before Trailer): 50/100

Anticipation (After Trailer): 90/100

Some great dramatic performances have been turned in by comedians in dramatic roles. Sarah Silverman in a drama where she’s the focal point is especially intriguing. Coming in October, maybe this is the great under 90 minute movie I’ve been waiting for.

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In: 2015, Hot Take

Hot Take: A Swiss cheese thriller with a microwave plot. It melts away your give a shit for characters who are initially charismatic (except for Michael Ealy’s Carter Duncan who is a batshit lunatic) but seriously lack fundamental impulse control.

With the speed of an Indy racer, a two year relationship dissolves when Leah (Sanaa Lathan) sees boyfriend Dave (Morris Chestnut) showing the ability to goof around with a child (which means he’s going to be a great father) but Dave talks crass about the possibility of fatherhood and, well, done with that guy!

Two months later (skipping those two months, of course, because this movie has to move like the zombies in 28 Days Later), Leah runs into Carter (Michael Ealy) in a restaurant bar while waiting for her friend. (She previously ran into Carter in a coffee shop on the morning of her McBreakup with Dave.) Carter swoops in, saves Leah from some annoying drunk white guy (credited as Mr. Inebriated) trying to pick her up and, after resisting her advances for about a half second, agrees to an on-the-spot date.Read More →