The Bronx: The Ultimate Gude to New York City's Beautiful Borough
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Often overlooked by most tourists and locals alike, the Bronx - one of five boroughs that comprise...
Gareth von Kallenbach (974 KP) rated The Secret Life of Pets (2016) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
From the studio that brought you those lovable Minions, the Secret Life of Pets is Illumination Entertainment’s pet version of Disney’s Toy Story. The film opens up with Max (Louis CK), a cute, funny loving, gregarious little terrier with an extreme attachment to his owner, Katie (Ellie Kemper). One day, Katie brings home a new “brother” to keep Max company. Duke (Eric Stonestreet), a scruffy, friendly, shaggy dog that competes with Max for Katie’s affection. The competition gets so out of hand that both Max and Duke end up lost in the streets of New York City and without their only form of identification, their collars. Now, they are on the run from the dogcatchers that want to take them to the Pound. They manage to make their way to the sewers and befriend a group of rebel castaway pets whose mission is to destroy all the pampered pets and their owners. Fortunately for Max, his pet friends band together to try to find Max and Duke and help bring them home.
Despite the similar storyline tone as Toy Story, this movie definitely stands on its own. Albeit, the emotional tones were not as poignant. Even though Max seemed to be the primary character in the movie, each individual character stood out on their own. Gidget (Jenny Slate), the feisty Pomeranian who will stop at nothing to save the Max, her true love. Snowball (Kevin Hart), the wise cracking leader of the rebel animal gang. You would have never thought so much hilarity and animosity could come from such a cute little bunny.
Visually, Pets gives us a great animal’s perspective into what it would be like to wander the city as a pet. It took us on an adventure through the not only between the city skyscrapers, the adventure continued through the sewers, and even the Hudson River.
There is enough in this movie to keep parents entertained, kiddos laughing, and it will definitely bring you closer to your own pet!
American Titan: Searching for John Wayne
8.0
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From the veteran New York Times bestselling biographer comes a major, in-depth look at one of the...
The Plague Road
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The third John Grey historical mystery 1665, and the Great Plague has London in its grip. Everyone...
Darren (64 KP) rated Midnight Run (1988) in Movies
Oct 28, 2019
A modest hit at the box office way back in 1988, Midnight Run, Is the perfect buddy buddy movie. Robert De NIro stars as Jack Walsh, an ex Chicago cop turned bounty hunter, who is hire by his slimy bail bondsman Eddie Moscone (played by Joe Pantoliano) to bring in Jonathan Mardukas aka The Duke ~(fantastically played by Charles Grodin) a former mafia accountant who has jumped bail and is wanted by the FBI and the Mafia themselves.
Walsh succeeds in easily finding The Duke in New York which embarrasses the FBI. Walsh plans to bring back "The Duke" on a plane but, An incident on the plane leads Jack having just 5 days to travel cross country to bring in Mardukas from New York.
Moscone, not sure that Walsh can deliver Mardukas in 5 days, hires another bounty hunter Marvin Dorfler ( John Ashton) to take Mardukas from Walsh. Not only is Marvin trying to Mardukas for a payday but Walsh also has FBI agent Alonzo Mosely (Yaphet Kotto) on his tail so that they can bring him in.
On top of all of that, Mafia Boss Jimmy Serrano (The late great Dennis Farina) has his guys hunting Walsh and Mardukas so, they can have them dead before reaching LA as Mardukas was Jimmy's accountant and has damning evidence which can land Jimmy and his pals in prison for a very long time.
I really can't say enough good things about Midnight Run. Never at any point do you get bored or fed up of this film. In fact, at 2hrs and 6mins i wished it had gone on a little more.
How many films can you say that about?
De Niro and Grodin play off each other wonderfully. Their relationship goes from hunter and hunted to a nicely played out bromance of mutual respect.
John Ashton as Marvin, always thinking he's one step ahead of Walsh when he is actually one step behind. Joe Pantoliano is a fine character actor and here once again, As Eddie Moscone he plays slimy brilliantly. Yaphet Kotto never puts in a bad performance and finally, Dennis Farina as Jimmy Serrano has some of the best lines in the film.
Martin Brest delivers an absolute all time classic as director. It's a shame that after Gigli he decided to never direct again. Understandable i suppose because of the reviews but, Lets not forget he did bring us Beverley Hills Cop and Scent of A Woman and only ever directed 9 films in his career.
As for the 18 rating, That was down to the language! There are a lot of FUCKS in this film and it really isn't a violent film.
If you have not seen it, I implore you to take a chance! I promise you will not be disappointed.
The Secret Queen
10.0
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When Edward IV died in 1483, the Yorkist succession was called into question by doubts about the...
Legendary: Inside the House Ballroom Scene
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Gerard H. Gaskin's radiant color and black-and-white photographs take us inside the culture of house...
Blood Sisters: The Women Behind the Wars of the Roses
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The true story of the White Queen and more, this is a thrilling history of the extraordinary...
Walk Tall: The Music and Life of Julian Cannonball Adderley
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Cannonball Adderley introduces his 1967 recording of "Walk Tall", by saying, There are times when...
Wars of the Roses: Stormbird
9.0
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Historical fiction master Conn Iggulden retells the gripping story of the English Civil War in this...