New Releases This week on DVD/BluRay/Streaming: 5 New Releases To Note This Week!!

Ex Machina
Direction and Screenplay by Alex Garland
Starring Alicia Vikander; Domhnall Gleeson; and Oscar Isaac



A young programming geek Caleb (Gleeson) is selected to visit the lab/house of Nathan (Isaac) an eccentric inventor. While there, Nathan is excited to show off his beautiful AI invention Ava (Vikander) and have Caleb put her(?) through a series of tests.

Different than any film you may have seen (Maybe the film HER?). Using a wonderful screenplay by director Garland; Rob Hardy's grey/dark fantastic Cinematography; and a haunting constant score by Rupert Coulson, brings a very intense feel throughout the film. The film is 110 minutes and it seemed to fly by.
Throw in fantastic performances by all three leads, mainly highlighted by Isaac, in a film that plays out like a stage drama. It is like a cat and mouse and I guess cat game that comes to an interesting conclusion. It simmers to a boil, in a film that asks the questions of how smart or realistic do we want our electronics/AI?! Who or what is playing who?

4 1/2 out of 5 stars for the almost perfect Ex Machina (Loses it's grip a just a little toward the end).....like I noted...it is definitely different but one of my favorite movies this year..

Interesting that the two male leads, Gleeson and Isaac are in the new Star Wars film.


Paul Blart 2
Directed by Andy Fickman
Screenplay by Kevin James and Nick Backay;  Raini Rodriquez
Starring Kevin James and Raini Rodriquez



After six years of keeping our malls safe, Paul Blart has earned a well-deserved vacation. He heads to Vegas with his teenage daughter before she heads off to college. But duty calls in Vegas.

Critics trashed it. Many plot holes. Moments that were suppose to be funny just fall flat. Critics were a bit unfair. This film was not for them. It is a family film rated PG.  The film did well in the theaters, it made its money back mainly because it is a live action film for the family filled with "Potty" humor that kids will laugh at and plot holes that kids will miss. A very rare thing to find a live action film these days that children can watch.

Paul Blart 2, I would give 2 out of 5 stars for kids.....1 1/2 stars for adults. It works for what it is suppose to be.


The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Screenplay: Ol Parker
Director: John Madden
Starring: Judi Dench; Dev Patel; Maggie Smith; and Bill Nighy



I really liked the original film The Marigold Hotel. When I saw that they were making a second I was kind of disappointed. I was happy with the way the first one ended. I did not need to know more. So I came into this film thinking I would be disappointed. Well I was not completely disappointed. This was a fun watch. Some great actors. I felt the writing was..just okay. Here are the storylines:
Sonny (Patel) is trying to expand and build another hotel, while prepping for his wedding.
Evelyn (Dench) and Douglas (Nighy) are trying to figure out what exactly their relationship is.
Norman  ( Ronlad Pickup) and Carol (Diana Hardcastle) are now living together and I have no Idea what their storyline issue was.
Oh..Richard Gere is there now being Richard Gere.
I think the film was better than okay. It looked beautiful, Ben Smithard the cinematographer, captures the feel and beautiful colors of India. The acting, like the first film, fantastic, you cannot find a more talented cast.
The film is sweet, and it is a fun two hours, 3 1/2 out of 5 stars...for the Second Best Marigold Film.


It Follows
Direction and Screenplay by David Robert Mitchell
Starring: Maika Monroe



A high school students life gets turned upside down after a sexual encounter. Jay (Monroe) finds herself plagued by strange visions and the inescapable sense that something is following her, or chasing her that only she can see. She gets help from friends as they try to figure out how to stop the visions before they catch her.

It Follows. Critics were going nuts over it. So I was pulled in.
What the heck was this?! People who read my blog know what I thought of this film. I cannot explain to you how boring this film was!
I did not think the, whatever they were, chasing Jay were scary.
The ending was blah.
I was stunned that critics loved it.
I was watching trying to figure out what they loved. The grainy look, like Halloween films? The actress Monroe?
Critics are sheep. In which, maybe the top 3 critics love a film and the rest of the "lower rung" critics follow them and say they like a film, so they do not feel less or not as bright or not as astute as those more popular critics.

I have given too much time to this film already: 1 out of 5 stars for It Follows. Trust me it is not because I am not a horror fan, there is no horror, just boring. What is funny is I had a pass for the film Boondocks last week, I found that 85 minute film had more scares in the first half hour than It Follows did in the whole film.
The worst film I have seen this year.


The Longest Ride
Directed by George Tillman Jr.
Screenplay by Craig Bolotin
Based on the novel by Nicolas Sparks
Starring: Scott Eastwood; Britt Robertson; Alan Alda; Jack Huston; Oona Chaplin; and Lolita Davidovich



The romance of a young couple, Sophia(Robertson) a college student and Luke (Eastwood) a bull rider. Their lives intertwine with a much older man, Ira (Alda), as he reflects back on his love story brought to life by Chaplin and Huston.

Well, I have been noting over and over again...I am different from critics who want you to know how smart they are. I am here to give my opinion on whether I think you may want to spend time at home in the dark while watching a pretty good love story....here is one.
I am here to tell you this is the best Nicholas Sparks film adaption since The Notebook, and it kind of follows the same story line as The Notebook with flashbacks.
 I only have one fault. I just think over two hours..a little editing is needed.
Now to what they got right. And they got a lot right while telling this love story.
The acting/casting is perfect:
Eastwood and Robertson. They have pretty good chemistry. He looks much older than her but I think it is because he so much bigger than her. I looked it up, there is only a five year difference between them. Eastwood, it is the first time I have seen him and he looks like his dad did at Clint's age. He is very charming in this role and he does looks like a cowboy. Robertson, I love her as an actress. I just saw her in a sad little film called Ask Me Anything, she is really good.
Alda. ugh he looks so old. Alan Alda cannot be old!!! But, he is great in the storyteller role. Don't get old Hawkeye!!
Chaplin and Hustin (Who you may have seen in Boardwalk Empire) have fantastic chemistry. Maybe better chemistry than the two leads. Oona Chaplin!! Wow, where did she come from??!! She shines!!

Corny. Sweet. Filled with love. The film also touches on the question of how much does a person give up for love and what is fair to have to give up for love. Eight seconds on a bull. Eight seconds, like life. An eight second decision can change life for better or worse, be it sharing an umbrella, or holding a door, or giving someone a hat, or getting on a bull. Life. Eight seconds.
If a love story is what you want.. SEE IT!! It delivers what the trailer says. 4 of 5 stars for this corny sweet love story!! Tissues!!
Oh by the way...Great music also!!


Thanks for your time..as always!!!