"Once a Stiff, always a Stiff."

Insurgent

Director -  Robert Schwentke

Stars -  Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Kate Winslet, Jai Courtney, Mekhi Phiefer, Miles Teller

Story -  Second installment of the Divergent Series. 

Tris and her peeps are on the run and need to regroup with her faction to take down Jeanine and her evil plan to control everything, or bring the peace as she likes to say.. The Faction-less are looking for Four,it's a secret why, and the leader of the Faction-less wants to also create an army to take down Erudite and kill Jeanine, just like Tris.

Jeanine also finds the "magic box" that will send a message to the people for what the next steps are for peace. The only way to open the box is for a Divergent to make it through all of the faction sims. I will give you three guesses who that is.

Tris is very tormented and must reconcile her feelings so that she can pass the last sim. She does and the big twist is revealed.

What Did I think - Meh! Much like the first movie, a lot was changed from the book. Not a horrible movie, not the best. Lots of action and some really great special effects. The fight scene on the train was especially good. Looked Ah-mazing in IMAX 3D. The only thing that bothered me was the last 3rd of the movie Tris's hair looked fake, like they did re-shoots and stuck a wig on her and not even a good one.

Acting was good. Everyone in it has proven themselves as actors, but I think the script could have used a bit more character development.

Snack & Bevies -Smart Water and Zebra Popcorntopia Popcorn

"You needn't call me that. Madam will do"

Cinderella

 Director - Kenneth Branagh

Stars - Lily James, Cate Blanchett, Richard Madden, Helena Bonham Carter

Story - Really? You should know by now. They changed a few things but nothing earth shattering or even interesting. Basically the same story we have seen hundreds of times with Cinderella. The movie is beautiful and lush. It was touching and funny in all the right places.

I did miss the songs, as I really like the Disney songs as well as some of the Roger and Hammerstein ones. It would have been nice even if they just interjected one or two of the songs. 

The acting was on point, especially Cate as Lady Tremaine. I just wish the story would have been told from her point of view or even the ugly step sister view. This story is so well known that it would have been a great to see it from the other side. 

Lily and Richard were perfect in their roles as Cinderella and Prince Charming. Helena was great too, but wish she would have been it a bit more, and sang Bibbity Bobbity Boo, instead of just saying it a few times. The Sisters were cute and awful at the same time.

Go see it, it looks great on the big screen and the Frozen Fever short was very cute.

Snack & Bevies - Laduree Macarons and Champagne(Veuve of course)

"Don't laugh, I'm being cool."

CHAPPiE

Director -  Neil Blomkamp

Stars -  Sharlto Copley, Dev Patel, Hugh Jackman, Sigourney Weaver

Story -  In Johannesburg there is a new robotic police force that is doing a bang up job. The company that provides the robots it celebrating their success and an order for 100 more robots. Deon is the man who invented the robots an its trying to create a sentient robot, and wants more for the robots than just taking orders and following protocol. Vincent, a former soldier, created a big bulky robot called the MOOSE that is controlled by a human, and is antiquated before it even came to fruition.

We also meet a small gang of thugs, that for unknown reason owe another thug millions of dollars for a botched heist of some unknown substance(it was some gross-ish back of a van). With that the group of thugs decided they need a remote to turn off the robots and kidnap Deon so they can do some big heist. No remote but he says he has a program that he can put in an empty robot and then they can teach him to do anything

They teach him to be hood, but Deon comes back and teaches him to be truthful and honest and to be good. They teach him to steal cars, and then fool him into hurting people so they can rob an armored truck to get the money they need to pay the other thug off. There is also some drama between Deon and Vincent, and by the way CHAPPiE only has 5 days worth of battery.

What Did I think - It was a bit of a disappointment. It wasn't horrible, but I think it needed a little bit of cleaning up plot-wise. The best part of the movie was Hugh in his tight Khakis. #ILoveBigBUTTS!

I was really looking forward to this movie as I really like Neil Blomkamp and it looked like it would be kind of like the Short Circuit of its time. The movie looked great and the technology was amazing. It was funny in places, a bit touching, and full of action.

Hugh, Dev and Sharlto were great in it, but Yolandi and Ninja(yes those are the characters names and their real name) were kind of annoying and a bit too much. Sigourney was way under used, but she could read a phone book and I would be happy.

This is one that you can take it or leave it, go see it and tell me what you think.

Snack & Bevies - Smarties, Fritos and a BOS Apple Ice tea

"Congratulations you're a criminal!"

Focus

Directors - Glenn Ficarra, John Requa

Stars - Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Rodrigo Santoro

Story -  Con man meets a beautiful girl when she tries to con him ,but fails miserably. She begs him to teach her his tricks, but he declines. This is where we first see the spark between them. She follows him to the Super Bowl to beg him some more, and he gives in, and he puts her through her paces on the streets of New Orleans.  She eventually becomes part of their crew for the next 7 days.

They make tons of money stealing, have a big party, then go to the Super Bowl and double their money with an impossible con. All the while our leads fall madly in love, but big Willie givers her her cut and leaves her on the way to the airport. 

Cut to three years later in Buenos Aires, where Willie is setting up a con with a formula one race car driver owner. There is some plan to sell something to the competitor, and some elaborate set up at a party. Well he is all ready to go, but once he begins their plan, She shows up as the owners girl and throws him off.

There is a lot of back and forth, and the con goes down, but of course there is a twist! Shocked!

What Did I think - Predictable! We have seen this movie many times over. While it was not horrible and Will and Margot have great chemistry, it just wasn't that exciting. I did like the humor in it and Adrian Martinez, who plays Farhad was fun! 

Snack & Bevies - A shrimp Po'boy and an Abita Jockamo IPA

Movies from my couch: "On the stairs of death I write your name, Liberty"

Map to the Stars

Director -  David Cronenberg

Stars -  Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowska, Evan Bird, Robert Pattinson, John Cusack, Olivia Williams

Story -  This movie is basically the story of a fucked up Hollywood family, a over the hill star trying to stage a comeback, a personal assistant,  and a chauffeur.  There are pyromaniacs, ghosts, drugs, a mom-ager, 3 ways, murder, drugs and a weird self help doctor. Is this what Hollywood and LA is all about? I hope so. 

What Did I think - It was interesting. The story was a bit crazy, but I liked it. Was off the wall and full of Hollywood cliches. The acting was spot on and a fun Sunday morning movie.

Julianne More was great as always. I kept thinking Amber Waves(Boogie Nights) cleaned up her act and this is what has become of her.

Everyone else was pretty good. I love Olivia Williams and wish she was in it a bit more, but other than that solid performances by all.

Snack & Bevies - A Whole Foods prepared meal and Kombucha, Gingerade.